It was another story of years of work and effort finally paying off, as Justin Grim of Orefield, Pa. was able to reach victory Lane for the first time in his career with a win in the 30-lap T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modified feature on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway.

Brett Gilmore of Kutztown, Pa., who has been very fast in recent weeks but has not had any good racing luck, put everything together to out duel Alex Bartorillo of Limerick, Pa. to score the victory in the evening’s 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman feature event.

For Grim the path to victory lane has been a long one, as his career has been more than decade with ups and downs, heart breaking nights, good and bad nights, top five’s and drop outs, but the drive and dedication to continue to strive after that elusive feature win continued.

Two week ago Grim had his best run of the year with a solid fourth place run giving notice that things were turning the corner this season, and he put all the pieces together on Saturday night.

Starting from sixth spot he slowly worked forward, engaged in a great side by side battle with Ron Haring Jr. of Alburtis, Pa. for several exciting laps before taking the lead with seven laps to go, then out ran a fast closing Eddie Strada of Lake Ariel, Pa. in the final laps to preserve his first career win.

Brett Gilmore scored his first win of this season and the third of his Grandview career with the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman win. Starting from position eleven, Gilmore hit the top five by lap four, and second by lap nine, setting up the chase and eventual battle with Bartorillo.

After reaching Bartorillo, the two engaged in a side-by–side duel that lasted about five laps, with Bartorillo running low, and Gilmore running the top, in an exciting battle, with Gilmore finally grabbing the lead down the back straightaway on lap 19, then pulling away in the closing laps to preserve the win.

The winners both 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 Modified feature saw Ron Haring Jr. grab the lead at the start, followed by Ray Swinehart of Perkiomenville, Pa., with Bobby Trapper Jr. of Scranton, Pa. and Justin Grim battling for positions behind them, while Cody Manmiller of Philadelphia, Pa. and Mike Laise of Pottstown, Pa. were also engaged in a battle for position.

Grim and Trapper Jr. caught Swinehart for a three-car battle for second, while twelfth starting Strada was making some exciting moves running the outside groove, and advancing toward the front.

By the half-way point of the feature, Haring Jr. had built up a big lead, but had now reached lapped traffic, which was soon cleared from in front of him, as Swinehart who was running second, broke and could not clear the track, drawing the race’s first caution on lap eighteen.

A restart scuffle among several cars drew another caution, but after that the race ran the distance without incident, with Haring Jr. still leading with Grim now challenging for the top spot, followed by Cody Manmiller, Trapper Jr., and Laise still fighting for the top five positions.

Following the restart, Grim applied the pressure to Haring Jr. with the two racing side-by-side for several laps before Grim was able to make the move off the bottom of turn four to finally take the lead to score lap twenty-three.

While this action was happening up front, a good battle was raging further back between Cody Manmiller, Laise, Mike Gular of Harleysville, Pa., Trapper, Jr., Doug Manmiller of Shoemakersville, Pa., Craig Von Dohren of Oley, Pa. and Ryan Watt of Boyertown, Pa., all fighting for the top ten positions.

Strada was continuing his march forward, and soon cleared Haring Jr. for second and set sail after Grim. Strada closed in quickly in the final five laps, but was not able to reach Grim in time to make a serious challenge for the win.

Justin Grim ran the final laps to perfection, and raced home to his first career NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Grandview Speedway feature win followed by Strada, Haring Jr. Cody Manmiller, a still advancing Gular, Trapper Jr., Von Dohren, Doug Manmiller, Laise for his best run of the year, and Ryan Watt.

Qualifying heats for the 37 cars on hand were won by Duane Howard of Oley, Pa., Mike Laise, Rick Laubach of Quakertown, Pa., and Ron Haring Jr. while Brett Kressley of Orefield, Pa. and Ryan Grim of Laureys Station, Pa. won the consolations.

The T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature was a fast and furious one with action from start to finish and only a couple of quick caution slowdowns early on, with Alex Bartorillo taking the lead at the drop of the opening green flag.

With Bartorillo leading a great battle was happening behind him between Zach Steffy of Sinking Spring, Pa., Ebby Ridge of Upper Black Eddy, Pa., Brad Brightbill of Sinking Spring, Pa., and a quickly advancing Brett Gilmore.

Bartorilllo continued to lead, with Gilmore reaching second on lap nine and beginning his chase of Bartorillo, leaving a great race behind them for positions between Ridge, Brightbill, Lawson Szerencits of Catasauqua, Pa., Steffy, Ryan Graver of Lehighton, Pa. who was running the top side and gaining positions, along with Teague Miller and Gavyn Krupp both of Barto, Pa.

Gilmore quickly tracked down Bartorillo and the race was on for the lead, with Gilmore eventually moving to the top lane creating a terrific side-by-side battle lap after lap for the win, with Gilmore finally completing his pass of Bartorillo down the back straightaway on lap nineteen to capture the top spot.

With Gilmore now in front, he slowly pulled out to a safe lead in the closing laps, leaving Bartorillo to battle with Ridge and Brightbill in the closing laps.

At the checkered, it was Brett Gilmore scoring the popular NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series feature win over Bartorillo who scored his best run of the year, Ridge with his second top five in the last three weeks, Brightbill, Szerencits, Graver, Teague Miller, Krupp, Steffy, and Xavier Sprague of Bath, Pa. who made a late race charge for a top ten finish.

Qualifying heats for the 36 cars on hand were won by Alex Bartorillo, Ebby Ridge, Ryan Graver and Brad Brightbill while Addison Meitzler of Kempton, Pa. and Chase Gular of Pennsburg , Pa. won the consolations.

Grandview Speedway will be presenting a special NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series program next week featuring the 55th annual Forrest Rogers Memorial for the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds paying $10,000 to win along with a full show for the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman.

The show on Saturday, August 9 will include qualifying events for both classes leading into a 50-lap Championship feature for the T.P. Trailer Modifieds and a 25-lap feature for the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman.

Pit gates will open at 4 pm, with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm, warm-ups starting at 6:15 pm, and the first race of the evening getting the green flag at 7:30 pm.

Adult grandstand admission is $30, students 10-15 with ID are $15, while children ages 9 and under are admitted free of charge. Pit admission is $35 for NASCAR members and $45 for non-members.

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): JUSTIN GRIM, Eddie Strada, Ron Haring Jr., Cody Manmiller, Mike Gular, Bobby Trapper Jr., Craig Von Dohren, Doug Manmiller, Mike Laise, Ryan Watt, Rick Laubach, Jared Umbenhauer, Brett Kressley, Duane Howard, Logan Watt, Louden Reimert, Kyle Smith, Clay Butler, Brian Hirthler, Ryan Grim, Carroll Hine III, Craig Whitmoyer, Jeff Strunk, Ray Swinehart, Chris Esposito, Jon Kellner, John Willman, Eric Kormann

DID NOT QUALIFY: Eric Biehn, Chris Gambler, Darin Schuler, Kenny Bock, Bobby Trapper Sr., Tim Buckwalter, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Glenn Owens, Matt Yoder

T.P. TRAILERS WINNER’S BONUS ($300): Justin Grim

VP RACING FUELS HARD CHARGER: Eddie Strada + 10

PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Justin Grim ($75), Eddie Strada ($50), Ron Haring Jr. ($25)

DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Ron Haring Jr.

T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): BRETT GILMORE, Alex Bartorillo, Ebby Ridge, Brad Brightbill, Lawson Szerencits, Ryan Graver, Teague Miller, Gavyn Krupp, Zach Steffy, Xavier Sprague, Colin Cox, Mike Schneck Jr., Kenny Gilmore, Addison Meitzler, Nathan Mohr, Stephen Laubach, TJ Mayberry, Jesse Landis, Dylan Swinehart, Shannon Slaughter, Chase Gular, Colton Perry, BJ Joly III, Nate Horn, Adrianna Delliponti, Joey Vaccaro

DID NOT QUALIFY: Dakota Kohler, Brett Grim, Mark Behm, Jason Graber, Mark Mohr, Brayden Shelton, Mark Gaugler, Dennis Graber, Taylor Kramer, Tom Miller Sr.

T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT WINNER’S BONUS ($200): Brett Gilmore

GRANDVIEW $100 HARD CHARGER: Nathan Mohr +11

PENSKE RACING SHOCKS CERTIFICATES: Brett Gilmore ($75), Alex Bartorillo ($50), Ebby Ridge ($25)

DAN’S DELI HALFWAY LEADER GIFT CERTIFICATE: Alex Bartorillo

DRIVEN RACE OIL/JOHN WILLMAN MOTORSPORTS OIL & FILTER KIT 7th PLACE: Teague Miller

UPCOMING EVENTS –

Saturday, August 9 – 55th annual FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL – T.P. Trailer Modifieds 50-laps  – $10,000 to win, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, TRIVIA NIGHT – 7:30 pm – (Rain date 8/16)

Saturday, August 16 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage – 7:30 pm

Saturday, August 23 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman – 7:30 pm

Friday, August 29 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Slingshots – 7 pm

Saturday, August 30 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Pro 4 Racing Series – 7:30 pm

Grandview Speedway PR