RPW Column: Brian Hirthler Is Now Grandview’s All-Time Sportsman Win Leader After Saturday’s Triumph
News Director 
Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – Brian Hirthler is the ‘22 Grandview Speedway Sportsman Champion.
With Saturday’s victory in the Bruce Rogers Memorial Money Maker Sportsman 25, he is now Grandview Speedway Sportsman All-Time career wins leader.
The win on Saturday is his 19th career and broke the tie between Jared Umbenhauer and Brian at the top of the Sportsman All-Time Win List.
What made the victory on Saturday impressive is that it could be considered round one of what could be a long season of epic battles between the veteran Brian Hirthler and the young gun Logan Watt.
Watt is a rookie this year at Grandview and after winning on Friday night at Big Diamond Speedway and starting on the pole for the Sportsman main event it set the stage for an epic Sportsman battle.
Logan Watt and Brian Hirthler led the 26 car Sportsman field to the green flag.
The race for the lead was an immediate war between Watt and Hirthler with 2 laps of side by side racing. Neither driver would give an inch or touch one another and it was classic side by side Sportsman racing at the best track in the northeast. After 2 laps down, Logan Watt wrestled the lead away from Brian Hirthler.
On lap 3 the caution lights were flashing for Mark Gaugler who was stopped in turn 4. Logan Watt was your leader with Brian Hirthler, Andy Ressler, Brett Gilmore, Mark Mohr, Kyle Smith, Logan Bauman, and Colton Perry following.
The field goes back to green and Logan Watt is able to hold off the former champ Hirthler for the lead. Brett Gilmore who moved from Spec 358 Modified competition back to the Sportsman division for ’23 moved into 3rd. Watt, Hirthler, Gilmore, Smith, and Andy Ressler were the Top 5.
On lap 10 Jesse Hirthler retired from the race. Logan Watt, Brian Hirthler and Brett Gilmore were setting a torrid pace out front. They started to reach lap traffic by lap 13.
The yellow lights were flashing again on lap 13 for an accident in turn two as Steve Young, Colton Perry, Addison Meitzler and Nathan Mohr were collected. The Sportsman field was reset with Watt, Hirthler, Gilmore, Smith and Schneck were the Top 5.
On the lap 14 restart Brian Hirthler took command of the race from the young gun Watt. Brett Gilmore, Kyle Smith and Mike Schneck made up the Top 5.
On Lap 17 Brett Gilmore snuck by Logan Watt for 2nd place and set sail after race leader Brian Hirthler. Kyle Smith, Mike Schneck and Brad Grim who was pilot of a beautiful 611 Sportsman were the top 6. Grim made an incredible run from 17th to 6th.
As the field approached the 5 down mark of the race Brian Hirthler and Brett Gilmore were now battling for the race lead. Gilmore vs. Hirthler side by side, Hirthler withheld the challenge and came out with the lead. Logan Watt was holding down 3rd, Kyle Smith 4th, and Mike Schneck 5th.
The balance of the Bruce Rogers Sportsman Money Maker went uncontested as Brian Hirthler scored his 19th career win. Brett Gilmore locked down 2nd, Logan Watt 3rd, Kyle Smith 4th, Mike Schneck 5th, Brad Grim 17th to 6th, Andy Ressler 7th, Mike Burrows 8th, Cody Manmiller 9th, Adrianna Delliponti 10th.
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): BRIAN HIRTHLER, Brett Gilmore, Logan Watt, Kyle Smith, Mike Schneck Jr., Brad Grim, Andy Ressler, Michael Burrows, Cody Manmiller, Adrianna Delliponti, Mark Kemmerer, Mark Mohr, TJ Mayberry, Ryan Graver, Tyler James, Nathan Horn, Parker Guldin, Nathan Mohr, Colton Perry, Kyle Hartzell, Jesse Landis, Steve Young, Logan Bauman, Addison Meitzler, Jesse Hirthler, Mark Gaugler
DID NOT QUALIFY: Hunter Iatalese, Decker Swinehart, Zach Steffy, Ronnie Solomon, Tom Miller II, Tom Miller, Keith Haring, Kaitlyn Bailey, Molly Struss, Kenny Bock, Zane Roth, Troy Gibson, Dallas Bridenbach, Bryan Rhoads
