FREEDOM 76 RACE WEEKEND FAST APPROACHING ON SEPTEMBER 16-17
CRAIG VON DOHREN AND BRIAN HIRTHLER LEAD THE CHASE FOR THE 2022 CHAMPIONSHIPS
BECHTELSVILLE, PA. – The 60th anniversary season of auto racing action at Grandview Speedway is heading towards crunch time as far as the chase for the 2022 track championships are concerned, with just three weeks of point race competition remaining on the schedule heading into this weekend’s action.
On Saturday, August 27, the racing program will feature the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds and the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman in another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Racing Series program starting at 7:30 pm. The show will include qualifying events for both classes leading up to the 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature race, the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature, and the Outlaw Racing Series Vintage Racers will join in the program participating in a feature event only.
Pit gates will open at 4 pm. with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm. warm-ups will be starting at 6:15 pm. Adult grandstand admission is $18, while children ages 11 and under are admitted free of charge.
Prior to the racing action on Saturday will be the weekly Low Down and Dirty Meet and Greet. This week’s drivers include Modified driver Steve Young along with Sportsman driver Ryan Graver. The Meet and Greet is held in the main gate area starting at 5 pm. and is a great time for fans to meet the drivers up close, collect some autographs, take photos, and talk racing one on one.
The 52nd annual Freedom 76 Modified Championship is the next big event on the schedule, coming up on Saturday, September 17. Lap sponsorships at $20 per lap are now available by contacting Tina Rogers, Tommy Kramer or Jeff Ahlum at the track on race night. Lap sponsorships are a great way for fans to wish their favorite driver’s good luck in the big race, or for businesses to do some advertising. All lap sponsorships will be read on the public address system each week leading up to and including race night on September 17, as well as a listing in the track program Grandview Groove, and will be posted on social media.
The Freedom 76 weekend begins on Friday, September 16 with the 9th annual Freedom 38 Sportsman Championship race paying $2000 to the winner, along with practice time for Modified drivers wishing to participate in the Freedom 76.
On Friday, pit gates open at 3 pm with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm. and racing at 7:30 pm. Adult Grandstand admission is $15, with children ages 6-11 paying $5, while children ages 5 and under admitted for free. Pit admission on Friday is $35, and no license is required. There is no rain date for the Friday event.
For the Freedom 76 on Saturday, September 17 for the Modifieds, Pit gates open at 9 am for inspections, Grandstand ticket windows open at 3 pm. with racing starting at 7 pm. Fans will be able to enter the Grandstand areas between 9 am. and 12 Noon to reserve seats with blankets.
Adult Grandstand tickets on Saturday will be $40, while children ages 6-11 are $10, with children ages 5 and under admitted for free. Pit admission will be $45, and no license is required. There will be no advanced tickets sold for this event, and the rain date is Saturday, September 24.
Those wishing to camp at the Speedway please note: Campers can enter the grounds in the fourth turn area on Saturday, September 10 and remain there until the 18th. However, because there are no hookups, sleeping in the campers can only take place September 16-18.
The chase for the T.P. Trailer Modified championship took another twist this past Saturday night, as point leader Craig Von Dohren was able to add to his slim point lead with his seventh point race win of the season, while second place challenger Brett Kressley had a difficult night, suffering a flat tire, sending him pit side and to the back of the field to start the race over again, ending the night in eleventh position. Von Dohren leads Kressley 4022 to 3830.
Doug Manmiller maintains the third position in points with 3736 after scoring another top five finish in fifth, while Jeff Strunk sits fourth in points with 3569 after another strong run with a third-place outing. Duane Howard had a difficult night all evening long, but fought his way through it, and ended up with a thirteenth-place outing to remain fifth in points with 3336 entering this Saturday’s action.
The current top ten in T.P. Trailer Modified points are 1. Craig Von Dohren – 4022, 2. Brett Kressley – 3830, 3. Doug Manmiller – 3736, 4. Jeff Strunk – 3569, 5. Duane Howard – 3336, 6. Tim Buckwalter – 3211, 7. Jared Umbenhauer – 2626, 8. Ryan Grim – 2322, 9. Kevin Hirthler – 2169, 10. Cory Merkel – 2165.
In the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman division, the racers pulled off another 25-lap non-stop feature for the second week in a row, with Mark Kemmerer scoring the win, becoming the eleventh different winner of the season. Current point leader Brian Hirthler added a little to his lead, finishing two spots ahead of second place point man Dylan Hoch on Saturday, with Hirthler ending the race in fourth and Hoch in sixth. Hirthler leads Hoch in points 3138 to 2868.
Kyle Smith and Jimmy Leiby both had finishes outside the top ten last Saturday but remain in third and fourth respectively with 2300 and 2293 points each. Mike Schneck Jr. also finished outside the top ten but remains in the fifth spot in points with 1968.
The current top ten in T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman points are 1. Brian Hirthler – 3138, 2. Dylan Hoch – 2868, 3. Kyle Smith – 2300, 4. Jimmy Leiby – 2293, 5. Mike Schneck Jr. – 1968, 6. Dakota Kohler – 1837, 7. Parker Guldin – 1815, 8. Cody Manmiller – 1752, 9. Jesse Hirthler – 1688, 10. Ryan Graver – 1656.
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 September, 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.
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Saturday, August 27 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7:30 pm.
Friday, September 2 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro and Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7 pm
Saturday, September 3 – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman plus Wingless Super Sportsman – 7:30 pm.
Saturday, September 10 – CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT – T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman – 7:30 pm.
Friday, September 16 – 9th annual FREEDOM 38 CHAMPIONSHIP for T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman $2000 to win, plus Modified practice – 7:30 pm.
Saturday, September 17 – 52nd annual FREEDOM 76 MODIFIED CHAMPIONSHIP for T.P. Trailer Modifieds – 7 pm.
