SWINEHART WINS FIRST AND TEETS WINS FOURTH AT GRANDVIEW
BECHTELSVILLE, PA JUNE 5, 1999 . . . If it was not for bad
luck, Ray Swinehart would not have had any luck at all at
Grandview Speedway this season. However the defending NASCAR
Modified stock car champion changed all that around on
Saturday night as he won the True Value Hardware 30-lap
NASCAR Modified feature race at the Berks County clay oval.
"We changed the (Kountry Kitchen) car completely around
on Thursday night," said Swinehart in victory lane. Whatever
it was they did seemed to work as the Bechtelsville speed
equipment business owner was able to pick up his first win of
the season and the $2,200 first place money. Swinehart is the
eighth different feature winner out of 10 modified features
run this season.
"It won't be easy but we will still have a shot at
winning the title." Swinehart was ninth in the standings
going into the Saturday night show. The veteran racer is also
in the thick of the chase for the lucrative Motor Truck
Equipment Company Kenworth Cummins NASCAR Modified Championship
Series title (includes modified events at Big Diamond and
Grandview Speedways) worth $15,000 in end of the season point
money for the champion.
In the NASCAR Late Model 20-lap feature it was Jeff Teets
of Coplay, PA wheeling the Salvage Transport Services entry
to his fourth win of the season.
The 30-lap feature NASCAR Modifieds saw Mike Bailey grab
the early lead and hold off challenges from Jim Bagley and
Ray Swinehart for the first ten laps. With one third of the
race in the record books Swinehart was able to move in front
of the pack and put a little distance between himself and
Bailey. Jeff Strunk moved into the "win picture" at the
halfway mark and the two put on quite a battle for the top spot.
With just two laps remaining John Willman spun the
O'Connor Freightliner entry in turn four bringing out the
ONLY caution of the 30-lap feature. This set up a "chase to
the checkered flag" on the restart with Swinehart using his
years of experience and knowledge of the track to hold on for
his first win of the season. Jeff Strunk (Bechtelsville) had
a solid second place finish while Dennis Bailey (Kutztown)
had his hands full holding on to third with Rick Schaffer
(Woxall) grabbing a strong fourth. Chip Slocum (Ewing
Township, NJ) earned a solid fifth.
The NASCAR Shortrack Late Models put on another
impressive display of competition with Roger Decker setting
the early pace. On the second lap former champion Lou Egrie
was in front of the pack and working very hard to stay there
as Jeff Teets was "nipping at his rear." On the sixth circuit
of the one-third-mile, clay banked oval Teets took the lead
and went on to a somewhat easy win, his fourth of the season.
Lou Egrie (Philadelphia) held on to finish second while
current late model point leader Dean Stoudt (East Greenville)
was third. Randy Stoudt (Pottstown), no relation to Dean, was
fourth followed by Junior Grebe (Boyertown).
The entire 13 events of racing were complete and in the
record book by 10:15 p.m.
Qualifying events for the modifieds were won by Ray
Swinehart, Shawn Reimert, Steve Folk and Jeff Strunk.
Consolation race victories went to Cliff Quinn and Kenny
Gruber. And it was Jeff Strunk winning the Automotive
Machining Services Cash Dash worth $420.
In the NASCAR Late Model preliminaries the wins went to
Lou Egrie, Randy Stoudt and Bill Henning while the
consolation (just five laps) was won by Mike Bedell.
The Bars Leaks United Racing Club sprint cars return to
the Grandview Speedway on Saturday, June 12, 7:30 p.m. for
the first time since, some years back, when Ed Darrell
presented Sunday night sprint and midget racing at the Berks
County oval. Red Hill Ford will sponsor the night of auto
racing. The NASCAR Winston Racing Series modifieds will be
the second part of the doubleheader show. Many of the top
names in area sprint and modified stock car racing are
expected to be part of the Saturday night show.
A Sunday night rain date will be in place. If the Saturday
night show should be rained out NASCAR Winston Racing Series
Modifieds and Late Models will be presented at 7 p.m. on
Sunday night.
One of the most popular shows of the season will be
presented on Saturday June 19, 7:30 p.m. when the Twin 20
NASCAR Modified features are presented along with NASCAR Late
Model stock car racing.
Grandview Speedway is located on Passmore Road, just off
Route 100, in Bechtelsville, PA, 10 miles north of Pottstown.
For information telephone 610.754.7688 or visit their website
at: www.grandviewspeedway.com.
PIT NOTES: The Timber Wolf Smokeless Tobacco Hard
Charger award had both Jeff Strunk and Terry Meitzler gaining
the same amount of spots in the modified feature. The award
gives the driver able to gain the most positions in the
feature modified event a $200 bonus.
Todd Heydt, the feature winner the week previous, did not
qualify for the feature and earned the Kochel Equipment Co.
First Alternate Award worth $25.00.
Jeff Teets leads in the Salvage Transport Services Hard
Charger Award Chase. Teets took the top award on May 29
advancing 14 positions and leads the season chase with 64
positions advanced. Ed Hoffman is second with 59 positions
gained and Dean Stoudt has gained 48 positions through the
May 29th show.
Visiting the track for the first time was Monte Dutton,
the veteran NASCAR Winston Cup writer, who has his articles
appear in newspapers throughout the nation including Area
Auto Racing News. Dutton had many nice things to say about
the short track auto racing action at Grandview Speedway.
Also on hand for the Saturday night show was former
writer Len Thacher who now is the statistical genius for all
the NASCAR Winston Cup facts and figures. He works for Sports
Marketing Enterprises.
Pocono Raceway had their pace car on hand and fans
bringing their rain checks from the June 5 show to Pocono on
June 19 will be able to purchase two concourse tickets for
the price of one. That day of action at Pocono includes
practice, time trial action and the ARCA race.
Stanley Swinehart was $150 richer after Saturday night as
he was the only fan to pick Ray Swinehart and Jeff Teets to
win their features as part of the A&T Chevrolet Pick The
Winner Contest.
TRUE VALUE HARDWARE 30 LAP NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE (TOP 20)Ray Swinehart, Jeff Strunk, Dennis Bailey, Rick Schaffer,
Chip Slocum, Mike Bailey, Kerry Kratz, Jon Kellner, Shawn
Reimert, Kevin Hartnett, Danny Erb, Sam Martz, Terry
Meitzler, Doug Pannepacker, Glenn Strunk, Smokey Warren,
Donny Erb, Cliff Quinn, Ed Aikin, Tracy Readinger.
TRUE VALUE HARDWARE 20 LAP NASCAR LATE MODEL FEATURE
(TOP 20)Jeff Teets. Lou Egrie, Dean Stoudt, Randy Stoudt,
Junior Grebe, Casey Ebright, Rick Todorow, Terry Sndyer, Ed
Hoffman, John Durling, Ed Trimbur, Jay Schlosberg, John
Giesler, Chuck Sennott, Buddy Wharton, Ron Chrisman, Bill
Henning, Mike Erb, Mike Bedell, Scott Miley.