JEFF STRUNK WINS KENWORTH CUMMINS FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL 50

LAPPER WORTH $10,000 AT NASCAR SANCTIONED GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY

"Ed Trimbur grabs another win in the Exide Late Models"

BECHTELSVILLE, PA AUGUST 5, 2000 . . . The chase for the

lucrative point titles at Grandview Speedway got a lot

tighter on Saturday night when Jeff Strunk won the 30th

annual Kenworth Cummins Forrest Rogers Memorial 50-lap

championship race for NASCAR Modifieds. A huge crowd was on hand.

Strunk, who had not won the race since 1990, was at the

wheel of the Keith Harring owned Kenworth Cummins sponsored

entry claiming $10,000 for his 50 trips around the Berks

County one-third-mile, clay oval.

With his victory, and point leader Terry Meitzler having

early race problems forcing him out of competition, the

Bethel, PA racing talent was able to close within 20 points

of Meitzler in the chase for the lucrative Grandview Speedway

NASCAR Modified championship.

And in the Motor Truck Equipment Co. Kenworth Cummins

NASCAR PA Modified Championship Series (Big Diamond and

Grandview) Strunk is just 90 points behind Meitzler in the

chase for the $15,000 champions money. Strunk won it last

year. The chase for the championships comes to an end on

September 2 at Grandview Speedway.

In the companion 20-lap feature for Exide ShorTrack Late

Models the win went to Ed Trimbur of Eagleville, PA for the

second time this season.

The Forrest Rogers Memorial, with 35 cars starting, saw

Barry Readinger get the first lap lead and set the pace until

the 16th lap when Sam Schoenly was able to take the top spot.

At the 13th lap point leader Terry Meitzler was in the pits

with a flat tire returning to start at the back of the pack.

On the 24th lap Jon Kellner, after battling Schoenly for

several laps got the top spot with Meme DeSantis trying to

take over first. Terry Meitzler took his #21A Meitzler

Excavating machine to the pits with a fuel leak at the midway

point...out for the night.

With 29th laps in the books Kellner and DeSantis bumped

coming down the main straightway and the "bump" was enough to

bounce DeSantis into the wall and out of the race. On the

30th circuit of the clay oval Kellner and Jeff Strunk (having

come from 16th starting spot) were in a dramatic duel for the

top spot. And it was just one lap later that Strunk was able

to take the lead and set the pace for the balance of the event.

Jon Kellner continued to put pressure on Strunk as did

Kenny Gilmore. Shawn Reimert was also in the thick of the

chase with Kerry Kratz filling out the top five.

With four laps left in the chase for the $10,000, Cliff

Quinn hit the wall coming off the fourth turn and skidded to

the edge of the infield. The caution was out and fans got to

see an old fashioned, "let's get ready to rumble" type finish.

On the restart Jeff Strunk jumped out front, Kenny

Gilmore (Fleetwood) was on his rear bumper and Jon Kellner

(Lansdale) was measuring them both for a strong finishing

effort. Kerry Kratz (Bechtelsville) made a strong move to

fourth while Shawn Reimert (Oley), with the leaders all

night, was in fifth and that was the way they ran for the

final four laps.

Strunk, in victory lane, gave a lot of credit to his pit

crew, family, sponsors and car owner Keith Harring for the

victory. And he had nice things to say about the way Kenny

Gilmore and Jon Kellner raced him in the final laps.

The Timber Wolf Smokeless Tobacco Hard Charger Award,

worth $200, (unofficially) went to Ray Swinehart who started

29th and finished 7th. Also impressive was Doug Manmiller who

came from 27th starting spot to finish sixth.

The Exide ShorTrack Late Model 20 lap feature took four

starts to get the first lap in the record book with Dodge

powered Bill Henning grabbing the top spot. However Ed

Trimbur (Eagleville) brought his Raus Transport/Extreme

Graphics entry to the front of the pack on the second lap and

that is where he stayed for the balance of the race. Rick

Todorow (Quakertown) made a strong showing in the closing

laps to grab second. Third spot went to current point leader

Kyle Pensinger (Lyons) followed by John Durling (Reading) and

Dean Stoudt (East Greenville).

The feature win was worth an extra $150 to Trimbur due

to some generous fans in the stands.

Qualifying events for the close to 70 NASCAR Modifieds

on hand saw wins going to Craig VonDohren, Barry Readinger,

Meme DeSantis, Shawn Reimert, Todd Marburger and Terry

Meitzler. Consolation events were won by Doug Manmiller, Hal

Renninger and Cliff Quinn. Terry Meitzler won the Cash Dash

worth $620. Rich Wisdo got the $50.00 Kochel Equipment First

Alternate Award.

The late model qualifying events were won by Randy

Stoudt, Bill Henning and Casey Ebright. Mike Bedell won the

consolation race.