John Willman of Birdsboro, Pa. known to his faithful fans as the ‘Ultimate Underdog’ scored a popular feature win, his first since the 2019 season on Saturday night in the 30-lap T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified feature event at Grandview Speedway.
The victory for Willman was his first T.P. Trailer Modified win since September 7, 2019, and his overall fifth career NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series win at Grandview Speedway. The win was scored in a feature that was run at the beginning of the night’s action as a carryover from a May 11th rain shortened program.
Scott Schaffer (Modified) and Richie Pratt Sr. (Sportsman) were the in class winners of the 15-lap Outlaw Racing Series Vintage main event that followed the make-up Modified feature.
Track officials were trying to move things along, as skies were darkening following a beautiful sunny day to that point, pushing through two T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman qualifying heats races of the four that were scheduled in the night’s regularly scheduled program.
Only Brett Grim of Coplay, Pa. and Gavyn Krupp of Barto, Pa. were able to win their heats before the rains arrived again for the fifth consecutive Saturday night, putting an early end to the show.
Since only two qualifying races were run as part of the regularly scheduled program, track officials will be resuming this show next Saturday night June 1, starting off with T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman qualifying heat races number three and four for the 36 cars that were on hand.
These heats will be followed by the four T.P. Trailer Modified qualifying heats to be run for the 36 cars on hand Saturday night. A pair of consolations will be run for both classes setting up the main events.
After qualifying is complete, the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman will then run the 25-lap feature that was held-over from May 11th, followed by the 30-lap T. P. Trailer Modified feature, then the regularly scheduled 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature race.
Everyone that was in attendance on Saturday night is reminded that all grandstand tickets and pit wristbands will be good for admission next Saturday, June 1, however those tickets and wristbands must be turned in at the ticket windows for new ones next week.
For anyone attending next week that may be new to the show, they will pay the regular admission prices with adult grandstand admission at $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.
Times for June 1 will also revert to the summer schedule with pit gates opening at 4 pm, grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm, warm-ups starting at 6:30 pm, and the first race of the evening getting the green flag at 7:30 pm.
The T.P. Trailer Modified feature got off to a wild start, as it was several weeks since the drivers went into battle in a feature event, the last main event to be completed was on April 20.
Several caution flags dotted the early laps, as several drivers suffered flat tires after getting caught up in some bumping and pushing scrambles, causing the flat tires.
Between the cautions, Chris Gambler of Trexlertown, Pa. led the early laps, with Ryan Beltz of Barto, Pa. and Willman battling for second spot.
Willman used a lap six restart to move past Gambler and take over the top position, with a battle quickly developing for second once again between seventh starting Kevin Graver Jr. of Lehighton, Pa. who advanced to second by lap eight, and Eddie Strada of Lake Ariel, Pa., who moved up to third from 14th starting spot also by lap eight.
Things were hot and heavy between Graver Jr. and Strada for second, followed by another entertaining struggle for fourth between eleventh starting Kevin Hirthler of Boyertown, Pa. and Jared Umbenhauer of Richland, Pa. who moved up from seventeenth on the grid.
A caution on lap twelve for several cars battling for top ten spots and beyond, sent several drivers to the rear of the pack to start over again including Bobby Gunther-Walsh of Allentown, Pa., Jon Kellner of Lansdale, Pa., and Duane Howard of Oley, Pa., while Gambler, Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa., and Mike Laise of Pottstown, Pa. would not be able to continue.
The second half of the feature turned into a real competitive one, with Willman leading, Graver Jr. and Strada continuing the second place battle, while Hirthler, Umbenhauer, Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa., Doug Manmiller of Shoemakersville, Pa., Tim Buckwalter of Douglasville, Pa. and Ryan Grim of Laureys Station, Pa. were all in a tight struggle for positions.
By the half-way mark Willman maintained a sizable lead, while Von Dohren began to make the outside groove work, and slowly began to pick off spots, advancing to sixth by lap 15, fifth by lap 17, and fourth by lap 20 when a final caution would reset the field.
On this restart Strada would blast into turn one down low and grab second from Graver. Hirthler would put Von Dohren back a spot before Von Dohren would rise to the top lane again, putting on a driving clinic in the closing laps, rim riding his way back past Hirthler to fourth on lap 24, past Graver Jr. for third on lap 27, and passing Strada for second on the final lap.
Willman maintained his lead throughout the competitive second half of the race and raced home to the win, even with Von Dohren getting close on the final couple of turns.
At the checkered flag it was Willman in for the win over a fast closing Von Dohren, Strada, Graver Jr., Umbenhauer, Hirthler, Mike Gular of Boyertown, Pa., a rebounding Duane Howard, Buckwalter, and Jeff Strunk of Boyertown, Pa.
Scott Schaffer of Birdsboro, Pa. took the lead from Kevin Kuser on lap one, then weaved his way through lapped traffic the remainder of the race to claim the 15-lap feature for the Outlaw Racing Series Vintage cars. Schaffer was the first Modified division car to cross the line getting the win, with Richie Pratt Sr. finishing fourth in the event and was first Sportsman across the line to also register a win.
It was a wild and exciting start to the evening’s race program, with the fans showing their appreciation to Willman for the popular win. It was however a disappointing end to the night just a short time later when the rain arrived during qualifying, knocking out the rest of the night’s scheduled racing. It was the fifth consecutive week that racing was rain shortened or totally wiped out by weather at Grandview Speedway.
Grandview Speedway management will try again by closing out the month of May with the first Thunder on the Hill Racing Series program of the year, as Levan Machine & Truck Equipment presents the RichMar Florist Kubota High Limit Racing 410 Sprint Cars on Tuesday, May 28 starting at 7:30 pm with a rain date of Wednesday, May 29.
The program will feature the Kubota High Limit Racing 410 Sprint Car drivers participating in time trials and qualifying races leading into the 35-lap $20,000 to win feature race.
On Tuesday, May 28 the turn one gate will open at 4 pm for advance ticket holders, while general admission tickets go on sale at 4:30 pm. Qualifying begins at 7:30 pm.
Adult grandstand tickets are $40, children 6-11 are $20, while kids 5 and under are free. Pit admission is $45, and no license is required. Advanced grandstand tickets for this event are available at www.tickethoss.com.
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 (HELD-OVER MAY 11) FEATURE FINISH (30 laps): JOHN WILLMAN, Craig Von Dohren, Eddie Strada, Kevin Graver Jr., Jared Umbenhauer, Kevin Hirthler, Mike Gular, Duane Howard, Tim Buckwalter, Jeff Strunk, Michael Storms, Jimmy Leiby, Joe Funk, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Eric Kormann, Ryan Grim, Doug Manmiller, Jon Kellner, Chris Gambler, Ryan Watt, Mike Laise, Brian Hirthler, Ryan Beltz, Brett Kressley, Justin Grim, Frank Yankowski, Mike Lisowski, Kyle Smith, Louden Reimert, Craig Whitmoyer, DNS – Nate Brinker
DID NOT QUALIFY: Ron Haring Jr., Carroll Hine III, Ray Swinehart, Bryan Rhoads, Bobby Trapper Jr., Chris Esposito, Eric Biehn, Darrin Schuler
VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER: Duane Howard +20 (28th to 8th)
OUTLAW RACING SERIES VINTAGE FEATURE FINISH (15 laps): SCOTT SCHAFFER, Jr. Mikosz, Kevin Kuser, RICHIE PRATT SR., Jake Foster, JR Roth, Dave Dissinger, Tori Hall, Curt Neiman, Sven Olson, Gage Phillips
REMAINDER OF RACE PROGRAM WAS RAINED OUT AFTER 2 SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING HEATS, TO BE CONTINUED NEXT SATURDAY, JUNE 1 STARTING AT 7:30 PM PLUS SPORTSMAN FEATURE FROM MAY 11.
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Tuesday, May 28 – THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES – Kubota High Limit Racing 410 Sprint Cars – $20,000 to win 410 Sprints, Vintage Cars – 7:30 pm (Rain date Wednesday May 29)
Saturday, June 1 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman (Plus May 11 FEATURE) – 7:30 pm
Friday, June 7 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Xcel 600 Modifieds – 7 pm
Saturday, June 8 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman – 7:30 pm – AD MOYER LUMBER CO. NIGHT
Tuesday, June 11 – THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES –JESSE HOCKETT CLASSIC EASTERN STORM – USAC National Sprint Tour, 358 Modifieds – 7:30 pm
Saturday, June 15 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman – 7:30 pm – MACMILLAN OIL CO. OF ALLENTOWN NIGHT
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