JEFF STRUNK, DEAN STOUDT AND ED SCOTT WIN OPENING NIGHT

FEATURES AT GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY

BECHTELSVILLE, PA April 14, 2001 . . . Defending NASCAR

Modified track champion Jeff Strunk seemed to play a waiting

game and it earned big rewards Saturday night at Grandview

Speedway. The Bethel, PA racer won the 39-lap NASCAR Modified

feature, picking up $3,000, as the 39th consecutive season of

stock car racing kicked off.

And it was defending NASCAR Late Model champion Dean

Stoudt (East Greenville) picking up the 20 lap Late Model

feature victory as he goes after his fifth track title.

The 15-lap feature for PA. Sportsman stock cars was won

by Ed Scott (Allentown).

Kevin Hartnett took control of the modified feature on

the drop of the green and set the pace for seven laps. A

three abreast battle on a restart after a caution saw Rick

Schaffer, Grandview's leading modified feature winner, take

the top spot with Craig VonDohren close behind. VonDohren did

grab the lead briefly. With 14 laps in the record book

Schaffer gave up the lead to VonDohren and his Mrs. T's

Pierogies sponsored entry on a caution restart.

With 26 laps complete on the one-third-mile, banked clay

oval it looked as if VonDohren was the man to beat. On the

27th lap things changed and Rick Schaffer had recaptured the

lead followed by VonDohren and Terry Meitzler. A multi-car

pileup, on a restart, saw Terry Meitzler challenging for the

lead lose a right front wheel. VonDohren and Ray Swinehart

had made contact creating the restart in turn one with

VonDohren spinning. Rick Schaffer spun and VonDohren had a

flat tire sending him to the pits. On the restart, of the

restart, Jeff Strunk's patience paid rewards as he had the

Kenworth/Cummins/T.H.Properties entry in front of the field.

In the final laps Strunk, who had gone to the rear of the

field earlier in the feature as a result of a first turn

incident, held off the challenges of DIRT modified ace, New

Yorker Alan Johnson to grab the victory. Kevin Hartnett

(Perkasie) finished third followed by Kenny Gilmore

(Kutztown) and Rick Schaffer (Woxall).

In post race inspections Alan Johnson's mount, a Don

Kiefer owned #99K, was found not to have a track engine seal

and his prize money was held until tech inspectors could

check the engine to make sure it met track requirements. The

inspection was scheduled for Sunday. Johnson had come from

22nd starting spot to finish second.

The 20-lap feature for NASCAR Late Models had Kyle

Pensinger quick to take the lead. Sam Schlosberg, the

outstanding young rookie talent of last season, grabbed the

lead on the third lap. Doug Walton was in front on the fourth

circuit. At seven laps Schlosberg regained the number one

spot. With 15 laps complete Schlosberg spun coming off turn

four giving the lead to Dean Stoudt. Once in front Stoudt

(East Greenville) was able to keep his Quigley Chevy/Kutztown

Glass #77 in front and take the win. Doug Walton crossed the

finish line second but was moved to last place when it was

found that he was using an illegal carberutor. Rick Todorow

(Quakertown) got credit for second followed by Kyle Pensinger

(Lyons), John Durling (Reading) and John Giesler (Aston).

And in the PA Sportsman 15-lap feature Ed Scott had the

early lead with Dave Dissinger getting the top spot on the

sixth lap. Scott resumed the lead on the ninth lap and was

able to hold off several challenges by Dissinger to grab the

opening night victory. Dave Dissinger earned second while Joe

Biasi was third.

With 67 NASCAR Modifieds in the competition area five

qualifying heat races and three consolation events were

needed to create the 30-car feature field. Heat races went to

Kevin Hartnett, Rick Schaffer, Mike Bailey, Meme DeSantis and

Tom Mayberry. The consolation races were won by Brian

Kressley, Alan Johnson and Ron Mawson. The Automotive

Machining Services Cash Dash went to Tom Mayberry earning him

$405 for the three lap win.

The Late Model heat races were won by Kyle Pensinger, Sam

Schlosberg and Doug Walton while Ed Trimbur grabbed the

consolation win.

Ed Scott and Dave Dissinger won the PA Sportsman

qualifying heats.