The decision to return to the track where his modified race career started paid off in just the third week of the season for Louden Reimert of Oley, Pa., when he raced to his first career victory Saturday night at Grandview Speedway.
Reimert scored the win in the 30-lap T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified feature race after grabbing the lead on lap eleven, following a several lap duel between himself, Ray Swinehart of Perkiomenville, Pa. and Carroll Hine III of Reading, Pa., then fighting through some lapped traffic in the closing stages to stay ahead of Kevin Hirthler of Boyertown, Pa. to score that memory making first ever Grandview victory.
Keeping with the theme of the night, Colton Perry of Topton, Pa. drove home to the win in the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman feature race, also scoring his first ever Grandview Speedway feature win.
The win came in somewhat dramatic or controversial fashion, however you may want to judge it, as Perry was leading the race being heavily pressured by Jesse Hirthler of Boyertown, Pa. for six laps when the two made serious contact side to side entering turn three on lap 16, which sent Perry up the track and Hirthler into the lead.
A caution with just four laps to go saw track officials penalize Hirthler two spots for aggressive driving, putting Perry back on top for the final four lap dash to the checkered flag and the win.
The winners received bonus money (Modified $300, Sportsman $200) from T.P. Trailers and Truck Equipment of Limerick, Pa., sponsors of the two divisions at Grandview Speedway, in a race program run under the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series banner.
The T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified feature saw Ray Swinehart take the early lead, while sixth starting Louden Reimert quickly advanced to third and joined in a battle for second with Carroll Hine III for the number two position. Right behind them was a tussle between Kyle Smith of Fleetwood, Pa. and Bryan Rhoads of Gilbertsville, Pa. who were fighting for positions four and five.
Hine III and Reimert quickly were able to reel in leader Swinehart and this began an entertaining three car battle for the top position that was stopped with a caution on lap eight.
On the restart, Swinehart and Hine III swapped the lead back and forth with Remert staying right with them making a pass for second on lap ten, then grabbing the lead from Swinehart powering out of turn two on lap eleven.
With no more caution flags the remainder of the race and a long stretch of green flag racing, Reimert would build up a comfortable lead over the rest of the field, while action was intense behind him.
By the Dan’s Deli half-way point of the race, a great three-car battle developed between Swinehart, Kevin Hirthler of Boyertown, Pa. and Jared Umbenhauer of Richland, Pa., circling the track in tight formation.
Hirthler would make an outside pass of Swinehart to grab second on lap 16, with Umbenhauer moving to third on lap 19, with both of them beginning their pursuit of leader Reimert.
With ten laps to go more action was happening, as a great five-car battle began for fourth position between Swinehart, Ryan Grim of Laurys Station, Pa., Doug Manmiller of Shoemakersville, Pa. up from 20th starting spot, 16th starting Jeff Strunk of Boyertown, Pa., and 14th starting Duane Howard of Oley, Pa.
In the final ten laps Reimert reached lapped traffic and started to weave his way by the slower cars, while Hirthler and Umbenhauer were able to slightly close in on the leader.
Reimert made no mistakes, running the final laps to perfection, and the 2018 Grandview Sportsman Track Champion raced home to his first career T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified feature win, joining his father Shawn on the all-time Modified winners list at the speedway.
Following Reimert to the finish line were Hirthler, Umbenhauer, Grim, Swinehart, Strunk, Howard, Smith, Mike Gular of Boyertown, Pa., and Tim Buckwalter of Douglasville, Pa.
Qualifying heat races for the 39 cars on hand were won by Swinehart, Hirthler, Mike Laise of Pottstown, Pa. and Reimert with Frank Yankowski of Throop, Pa. and Eric Kormann of Carneys Point, N.J. winning the consolations.
The T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman feature saw Colton Perry take an early lead and maintain it through several early caution flag restarts, with Kenny Bock of Birdsboro, Pa. and Steve Young of Collegeville, Pa. challenging each other for second spot.
Following a lap six restart, Jesse Hirthler continued his quick march forward from his 14th starting spot, reaching the top five and joining in the battle for positions up front with TJ Mayberrry of Sellersville, Pa. and Young.
Hirthler would take third on lap eight, second on lap ten, and quickly catch Perry setting up the struggle for the lead position, leaving behind more great action between Young, Brett Gilmore of Kutztown, Pa., Logan Watt of Boyertown, Pa., and Parker Guldin of Temple, Pa.
Hirthler began applying serious pressure to Perry lap after lap, at times sticking the nose of his car under Perry in the corners, but Perry continued to maintain the lead.
Down the backstretch coming around to score lap 16, Hirthler powered down low entering the corner, with contact being made causing Perry to slide up the track and fall back a couple spots, and allowing Hirthler to grab the lead.
TJ Mayberry followed Hirthler past Perry into second and began trying to run down the leader, leaving Perry to battle with Young, ahead of the great battle between Gilmore and Watt.
A caution with just four laps to go set up the second part of the feature changing dramatics, when officials penalized Hirthler two positions for the contact while taking the lead, setting him back to third and putting Perry back in front. During the caution another bad break occurred for Mayberry who was running in second, as he had to pit with a flat left front tire.
After all the great action in the main event, the final four laps saw Perry race to perfection, and motor on to his first career T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman feature win, dedicating the win to his Dad who recently passed away, when he reached victory lane.
Following Perry across the finish line were Young, Hirthler, Gilmore, Watt, Guldin, Kaitlyn Bailey of Alburtis, Pa., Cody Manmiller of Philadelphia, Pa., Dylan Swinehart of Fleetwood, Pa., and Logan Bauman of Bechtelsville, Pa., the last two of whom advanced to the top ten after qualifying through the consolations.
Qualifying heats for the 42 cars on hand were won by Perry, Swinehart, Watt and Mark Gaugler of Boyertown, Pa., with Bauman and Swinehart winning the consolations.
Grandview Speedway will be presenting another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series program next week featuring the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds and T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman.
The show on Saturday, April 27 will include qualifying events for both classes leading into a 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature and a 25-lap feature for the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman.
Pit gates will open at 3 pm. with grandstand gates opening at 4 pm. warm-ups starting at 5 pm. and the first race of the evening getting the green flag at 6 pm.
Adult grandstand admission is $20, students 10-15 with ID are $10, while children ages 9 and under are admitted free of charge. Pit admission is $35 for NASCAR members and $45 for non-members.
Anticipation is starting to build for another exciting event coming to Grandview Speedway in the month of May, as the Kyle Larson/Brad Sweet Kubota High Limit 410 Sprint Car Series will be in town on Tuesday, May 28 starting at 7:30 pm with a rain date of Wednesday, May 29.
Since the 1960’s, Grandview Speedway has been presenting exciting wheel to wheel NASCAR stock car racing every Saturday Night starting in April and running through October, plus special events. Grandview Speedway is located at 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, Pa. 19505, just off Route 100, ten miles north of Pottstown, Pa.
Information is always available at www.grandviewspeedway.com or on Facebook, or by telephone at 610.754.7688.
T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 laps): LOUDEN REIMERT, Kevin Hirthler, Jared Umbenhauer, Ryan Grim, Ray Swinehart, Jeff Strunk, Duane Howard, Kyle Smith, Mike Gular, Tim Buckwalter, Craig Von Dohren, Carrol Hine III, Alex Yankowski, Brett Kressley, Ryan Watt, Jimmy Leiby, Eddie Strada, Jon Kellner, Michael Storms, Doug Manmiller, Mike Laise, Joe Funk, Darrin Schuler, Frank Yankowski, Brian Hirthler, Ryan Beltz, Eric Biehn, Bryan Rhoads, John Willman, Eric Kormann
DID NOT QUALIFY: Mike Lisowski, Nate Brinker, Chris Gambler, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Bobby Trapper Jr., Justin Grim, Ron Haring Jr., Chris Esposito, Kevin Graver Jr.
VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER – Eddie Strada (+12)
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): COLTON PERRY, Steve Young, Jesse Hirthler, Brett Gilmore, Logan Watt, Parker Guldin, Kaitlyn Bailey, Cody Manmiller, Dylan Swinehart, Logan Bauman, Ronnie Solomon, Nathan Mohr, Mike Stofflet, Decker Swinehart, Nicholas Hamm, Adrianna Delliponti, Tyler James, TJ Mayberry, Ryan Graver, Dom Roselli, Dakota Kohler, Kenny Bock, Gavyn Krupp, Michael Toth, Mark Gaugler, Nathan Horn
DID NOT QUALIFY: Mark Mohr, Zane Roth, Lawson Szerencits, Troy Bollinger, Mike Schneck Jr., Joey Vaccaro, Nick Faust, Dennis Graber, Jesse Landis, Brett Grim, Shannon Slaughter, Teague Miller, Bobby Kupp, Randy Graber, Zach Steffey, Addison Meitzler
GRANDVIEW $100 HARD CHARGER: Dylan Swinehart (+13)
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Saturday, April 27 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman – 6 pm
Saturday, May 4 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman – 6:30 pm
Friday, May 10 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Slingshots – 7 pm.
Saturday, May 11 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, USAC East Coast Sprints – 6:30 pm
Tuesday, May 28 – THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES – Kubota High Limit 410 Sprint Car Series – $20,000 to win 410 Sprints – 7:30 pm (Rain date 5/29)
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