9.20.14 Grandview Speedway Results
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. ? Stewart Friesen started the regular Saturday night season at Grandview Speedway in victory lane behind the wheel of the Norm Hansell No. 357 and he closed it out by winning the 44th annual Freedom 76 Modified feature driving the Jeff Bailey & Sons sponsored/Teo No. 44F for a $25,000 plus payday. In addition to the top prize money Friesen, the second Canadian to win the prestigious event ? Doug Carlyle doing it in 1977, collected a hefty amount in lap money leading laps 32 through 76. Next to winning Syracuse, this way Friesen?s biggest triumph. He commented that Grandview was a ?cool track and to be out front was a real privilege.?
The top 26 cars in the 32-car field drew for starting positions with the other six getting into the main event via the Schaeffer Motorsports Minuteman 20.
At the wave of the green by starter Ray Kemp, Duane Howard, the outside front row outgunned polesitter Ryan Watt.
Howard held the lead for six laps before Watt charged ahead on the seventh lap restart needed when John Willman slowed with a flat tire.
Watt ran the highest line coming close to the boilerplate on occasion, while Howard stayed low trying to wrestle the lead away.
While these two diced for the lead and approached the obstacle of lap traffic, it allowed Friesen and Danny Johnson, the guaranteed starter for winning the Forrest Rogers Memorial, sixth- and tenth-place starters to close in and make it a four way dual for the lead.
New York invader Andy Bachetti slowed along the backstretch for the 31st lap caution. It took two attempts to complete the next lap, but when it finally counted Friesen was at the front of the pack trailed by Watt, Howard, Johnson and Anthony Perrego.
Howard regained second on the 35th lap and set sail after Friesen who was distancing himself from the competition.
Nate Christman regrouped the pack when he spun between turns three and four on the 44th lap. At this time a mandatory fuel stop brought out the red. When service was completed and racing resumed, it was still Friesen, running the inside groove, first while Howard, Watt, Johnson and Craig Von Dohren completed second through fifth.
The final caution was on the 50th lap when something on Rick Laubach?s car broke and he headed into the first turn wall collecting Keith Hoffman, who was left with no place to go, in the process. Friesen held his own on the restart, but Watt emerged with a full burst of speed running the outside lane and gave him a run for the money.
Once Friesen saw Watt?s front end, he picked up his pace and moved his path to the outside lane as opposed to staying low.
Howard was back in second on the 62nd circuit and set his sights on Friesen. The battle for fifth was a heated one between Doug Manmiller, Von Dohren and 2014 Modified point champion Jeff Strunk, who started 15th, 17th and 26th respectively.
No one was able to close in on Friesen as he wheeled through the lap traffic and no more yellows were needed after the 50th lap restart and at the drop of the checkered Friesen was in victory lane for a well-deserved win to be the 25th different winner of the event.
Following Friesen across were Howard, Johnson, Manmiller and Von Dohren. Sixth through tenth were Watt, Strunk, recipient of the Bobby Gunther-Walsh and sponsored Hard Charger worth $300 since Strunk started 26th and advanced 19 positions; Tim Buckwalter, Perrego, Cargo Trailer certificate recipient, and Jared Umbenhauer.
Buckwalter, Ray Swinehart, Willman, Jared Umbenhauer, Christman and Kyle Weiss were the heat winners. The consies went to Mike Mahaney, Justin Grim and Don Norris Jr. to advance to the Minuteman 20. Weiss won the 10-lap Cash Dash worth $1,000.
Jon Kellner won the Minuteman 20 with Brett Kressley, Kevin Hartnett, Mike Mahaney, Jordan Umbenhauer and Ron Seltmann Jr. second to sixth to qualify for the Freedom 76.
Brett Kressley received an additional $500 from the Conrad Family in memory of their father Ray Conrad.