BECHTELSVILLE, PA Six time NASCAR 358 Modified
champion Craig VonDohren had another huge payday at Grandview Speedway on
Saturday night earning more than $10,000 for winning the 50-lap 41st Annual
Forrest Rogers Memorial presented by Pioneer Pole Buildings. VonDohren, the all
time leading feature winner on the one-third-mile, banked clay oval was able to
bring the Pioneer Pole Buildings/Felty Farms No. 1c across the finish line with
a comfortable margin of victory.
Randy Stoudt moved closer to become the all
time leader in Late Model feature wins as he notched win number 57 on Saturday
night take his third win of the season topping the field in the 20-lap main
event. Stoudt, driving the Cheers Tavern/TP Trailers No. 18R, is now just one
race away from tying Jon Kellner Sr’s record of 58 career victories in the Late
Model division.
In victory lane VonDohren, celebrating his third NASCAR
point earning feature win of the season, gave a huge amount of the credit to his
crew chief Jason Bashore and the crew that had worked long hours to get the new
car used on Saturday night to win the feature race. The win was his 81st career
victory at the Grandview oval.
High school principal Jack Swain took the
lead at the drop of the green for the 29 car starting field in the 50-lap
Modified feature. The New Jersey racer set the pace for the first 10 laps but a
multi car accident brought out the caution and Swain, with puffs of smoke coming
from the car, headed for the pits done for the night. Past champion Terry
Meitzler took over the top spot and for several laps staged a crowd pleasing
battle with his son Addison for the top spot. At the 20-lap marker Craig
VonDohren, coming from 13th starting spot, took the lead off turn two. Once in
front the Boyertown resident set the pace for the balance of the feature race,
all green flag laps, to gain the rich victory.
Second spot went to point
leader Jeff Strunk, coming from 16th starting spot. The Bechtelsville resident
now has a 181 point lead in the point standings as he seeks his ninth track
title. Third place was earned by Ryan Godown (Ringoes, NJ) followed by Meme
DeSantis (Temple) and Mike Gular (Green Lane). The fifth place finish for Gular
was impressive as he started in 21st and charged through the field to earn the
Mike Kramer/Sponsors of Bobby Gunther Walsh Hard Charger Award.
Wayne Pfeil
took the early lead in the 20-lap feature for the NASCAR Late Model feature and
set the pace for the first two circuits with past champion Randy Stoudt moving
into the top spot on the third lap and that is where he stayed for the entire
feature race. The Pottstown racer had a comfortable lead when the checkered flag
fell giving him a third win for the season. Second spot went to Wayne Pfeil Jr.
(Mohnton) followed by Ron Kline (Salford), Danny Snyder (Green Lane) and Chuck
Schutz (Pottstown).
The fifth place finish for Schutz put him 342 points in
front of challenger Danny Snyder as he seeks his fifth Late Model championship.
Just three point events remain on the schedule.
“It is good to be back in
victory lane,” said the winner who is a man of few words. He did point out that
he did have a broken starter on his race car and that could have been a problem
had he had to shut the engine down.
The Cargo Trailer Sales gift
certificates went to 10th place feature finishers Johnny Favinger in the Late
Models and Doug Manmiller in the 358 Modifieds.
The Dan’s Deli Halfway Leader
awards in each feature were presented to Craig VonDohren in the 358 Modifieds
and Randy Stoudt in the Late Models.
The Salvage Transport Late Model Hard
Charger award was earned by Chuck Schutz in the Late Models gaining seven spots
in the featue while Mike Kramer/Sponsors of Bobby Gunther Walsh Modified Hard
Charger Award went to Mike Gular going from 21st to 5th in the feature.
Christman’s Meat Market gave a $30 pit pass to Wayne Pfeil.
Coming up
at Grandview Speedway on Saturday, August 27th is a tripleheader show of NASCAR
358 Modifieds, Late Models and Sidewinder Sprints (1000 cc engines). This will
be the only appearance of the Sidewinders this season. In addition there will be
a 15-lap Vince’s Towing Legends Owners race which had been rained out a few
weeks back.
Just four more events remain for the NASCAR 358 Modifieds and
Late Models that will offer points toward the season championships. Eight time
champion Jeff Strunk leads the modified standings while Chuck Schutz is looking
to take his fifth title in the late model division.
The month of August will
close out with a NEETS Enduro on Sunday, August 28th. Featured in the 1 p.m.
show will be a 100-lapper for Big cars, a 100-lapper for the Small cars, a
Ladies race plus the Vintage racers. Admission is just $10. The Outlaw
Slingshots that had been scheduled as part of this event have been removed from
the schedule.
Grandview Speedway, a NASCAR sanctioned one-third-mile, banked
clay track, is located at 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, PA, just off Route
100, 10 miles north of Pottstown. For race information telephone 610.754.7688 or
check in at
www.grandviewspeedway.com. For
marketing information telephone Ernie Saxton at 215.752.7797 or email
Esaxton144@aol.com
