SCHAFFER AND SENNOTT WIN WILD NIGHT OF RACING FEATURES AT

GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY ON SATURDAY NIGHT

BECHTELSVILLE, PA AUGUST 26, 2000 . . . Rick Schaffer is the

all-time leading NASCAR Modified feature winner at Grandview

Speedway but it took him until Saturday night to win his

first 30-lap modified feature of the season at the Berks

County clay oval. And Chuck Sennott, who used to call New

York State home, was the winner for the second time in the

Exide ShorTrack Late Model 20-lap feature race.

In victory lane Schaffer said, "We are not that good. We

are happy to have this win. A lot of the good cars crashed

out tonight. Our car was better than it has been. I would

like to dedicate this win to Stoney, a crew member who has

been with us a long time and is celebrating his 70th birthday."

A solemn Schaffer also expressed his sympathies to

second place finisher Ray Swinehart. "I know Ray was on a

mission tonight. He was running well in the low groove. We

had to go down there to block him."

Earlier in the day Ray Swinehart, a two time NASCAR

Modified champion at Grandview Speedway, suffered the loss of

his grandson, Austin, in a freak work related accident.

Austin, 2-years old, was the son of Ray Swinehart Jr.

When the wild night of racing was over, a large number

of accidents and incidents marred both feature races, Jeff

Strunk has a 84 point edge over Terry Meitzler in the chase

for the track modified championship. And in the Exide Short

Track Late Models Dean Stoudt, a three time track champion,

is in front of Kyle Pensinger by just 30 points.

Saturday, September 2, 7:30 p.m. the NASCAR Modifieds

will featured in twin 30-lap features while the late models

will run in a 20-lap main event. These will be the final

point events of the season. Rain date is Monday, September 4,

7 p.m. (Labor Day).

In the 30 Kreiser Racing Fuels Night NASCAR Modified

feature race Dave Faust had the early lead with Sam Martz

claiming the top spot on the fourth lap. At the sixth lap

Terry Readinger was able to grab the front spot and it was

Rick Schaffer coming from seventh to claim first with 11 laps

in the record book. Once in front Schaffer had his hands full

holding off the hard charging efforts of Ray Swinehart, Tom

Mayberry and Kenny Gruber.

Point leaders Jeff Strunk and Terry Meitzler were never

factors in the feature win chase as both were involved in an

early race accident that had them both making pit stops. In

fact Meitzler made three pit stops during the 30-lap feature.

Kerry Kratz and Tom Mayberry, both involved in early

incidents, were factors in the chase for the victory until

five laps to go with both tangled in the first turn putting

both out of the race and eliminating any possibility of a

chase at the championship on the final point night, September 2.

Rick Schaffer (Woxall) was able to bring his Inquirer

sponsored entry home first in a very close run to the

checkered flag. Second place went to Ray Swinehart

(Bechtelsville) just a few feet behind the winner. Third

place was taken by Kenny Gruber (Reading) followed by Doug

Pannepacker (Green Lane) and Tracy Readinger (Oley).

Kenny Gilmore came from 30th to ninth in the feature

in a modified normally driven by Chuck Esposito to earn

(unofficially) the $200 Timber Wolf Hard Charger Award.

In the 20-lapper for NASCAR Exide ShorTrack Late Models

Mike Erb was the early leader with Bill Henning grabbing the

top spot on the fifth lap with his Dodge powered WNPV-AM

Radio sponsored entry. Henning was in front until the 14th

lap when Chuck Sennott, coming from eighth starting spot,

grabbed the lead and went on to just nudge out current late

model point leader Dean Stoudt in the chase for the victory.

Sennott (Gilbertsville) and his Kochel Equipment sponsored

late model earned their second feature win of the season.

Stoudt finished second followed by Bill Henning (Lansdale),

Rick Todorow (Quakertown) and Lou Egrie (Philadelphia).

More than 60 NASCAR Modifieds were in the competition

area on Saturday night with wins going to Kenny Gruber, Ray

Swinehart, Chip Slocum, Doug Manmiller and Jon Kellner. The

consolation victories went to Kerry Kratz, Glenn Strunk and

Paul Koch. The Cash Dash worth $325 was won by Chip Slocum.

In the late models it was Rick Todorow, Ed Trimbur and

Lou Egrie winning the qualifying heat races while Junior

Grebe got the consolation win.

Brian Kressley, returning to the sport after a couple

years away, earned the Kochel Equipment First Alternate

Twin 30-features for the NASCAR Modifieds will be

presented on Saturday, September 2 along with a full show of

late model stock car racing. These will be the final point

events of the season. Racing will start at 7:30 p.m. Rain

date is Monday, September 4, 7 p.m.

And the Grand-Daddy of major dirt modified events will

be presented on Saturday, September 9. The TH Properties

Freedom 76 will start at 7 p.m. With more than $20,000 going

to the winner plus some special perks, it is anticipated that

many of the top talents in dirt track modified racing will be there.

And at 3 p.m. on race day there will be autograph and

interview sessions plus, for the kids, there will be

fingerprinting, facepainting, clowns and a Moon Bounce. And

there will be the Stacy Miller Charity Auction to raise money

for a young lady left blind and seriously injured as a result

of a firecracker accident. Items to be auctioned off by

track announcer Ernie Saxton include NASCAR and ARCA driver

uniforms, crew shirts, collectibles, parts of NASCAR and ARCA

race cars and so much more. If you are a collector of auto

racing items, there will be some great items going up to bid

to raise money for a worthwhile cause.

PIT NOTES: All involved with racing at Grandview Speedway

would like to offer their sympathies to Ray Swinehart on the

loss of his 2-year-old grandson Austin in a freak accident on

Saturday. Our sympathies go out to family and friends.