Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – Doug Manmiller “handled” the “Threat,” Brett Kressley, and the “Champ,” Craig Von Dohren, on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway to become the first repeat Modified winner in ’23.
Manmiller is known as one of the good guys in the Grandview Speedway pit area and has been super fast all season, but lacked the results to show for it. Each week in the Grandview Speedway T.P. Trailers NASCAR feature division the goal is to be the first to the front pack, and Manmiller has been on the way several times early this season and has gotten caught up in others mishaps resulting in less then positive outcomes for the night.
On Saturday night, Doug fired from P10 and drove to the front of the pack quickly taking the lead from Mike Lisowski on lap 14 and driving off to strong straightaway lead. What Doug did not realize was that Brett Kressley and Craig Von Dohren were flying forward after him.
Kressley and Von Dohren cleared traffic and made a run at Manmiller over the last 5 laps. They reached Manmiller’s Jason Miller owned GMI First #44 Bicknell on the white flag and made an all-out assault for the race lead.
Brett Kressley made an last lap effort to steal the race away but came up a bit short at the end, Craig Von Dohren was a tick behind the Kressley’s Auto & Truck Sales 19k at the finish.
28 T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds took the green with Chris Gambler and Bobby Trapper Sr. leading the field. Gambler jumped the first attempt at a start and a complete restart was in order for round 2.
The 2nd run at it worked as Bobby Trapper Sr. took the early lead with Gambler, Ray Swinehart, Mike Lisowski, and Dylan Swinehart following.
With 2 laps clicked off the lap counter, Doug Manmiller was flying to the front of the pack as he was scored 8th. Brett Kressley was making his way forward as he cracked the Top 10.
With 5 laps down Trapper Sr. remained in race control at the front with Ray Swinehart now 2nd, Lisowski 3rd, Dylan Swinehart 4th, Doug Manmiller 5th, Ryan Grim 6th, Eddie Strada 7th, Chris Gambler 8th and Brett Kressley 9th.
On lap 7 Ron Haring Jr. retired from the event.
On lap 8 the yellow lights were flashing for the first time of the evening as Kevin Graver Jr. and Craig Whitmoyer were collected in turn 2. Ryan Beltz pulled in and then returned back on the track. Bobby Trapper Sr. who was the race leader, retired to the infield at this caution.
The Whitmoyer 99 need wrecker service from the track. Chris Gambler pulled off the track and Jimmy Leiby headed to the pits for service. Doug Manmiller had run P10 to 3rd, Brett Kressley P13 to 7th. Jimmy Leiby returned to action after service in the pit area.
The field was restacked after losing Trapper Sr. and Chris Gambler. Ray Swinehart inherited the race lead, Mike Lisowski 2nd, Doug Manmiller 3rd, Dylan Swinehart 4th, Ryan Grim 5th, Eddie Strada 6th, Brett Kressley 7th, Jeff Strunk 8th, Craig Von Dohren 9th, and Kevin Hirthler 10th.
On the restart Mike Lisowski went after Ray Swinehart with some great side by side racing action, Lisowski too over the race lead with Dylan Swinehart moving his Carol’s Tree Service #74 into 2nd, Doug Manmiller moved to 3rd, Ray Swinehart dropping to 4th, and Ryan Grim was 5th.
On Lap 10, Doug Manmiller moved past Dylan Swinehart for 2nd.
On Lap 12 Eric Biehn, last week’s Modified winner retired from the event. The yellow lights were flashing on lap 12 for Ray Swinehart who spun the Weller 942 in turn one. Jared Umbenhauer and Jesse Leiby took evasive action to avoid contact at the wall.
The field was once again restacked with Mike Lisowski shown as the race leader. Doug Manmiller was now 2nd, Dylan Swinehart 3rd, Ryan Grim 4th, Craig Von Dohren 5th, Brett Kressley 6th, Jeff Strunk 7th, Eddie Strada 8th, Kevin Hirthler 9th, Timmy Buckwalter 10th.
On the restart Doug Manmiller and Mike Lisowski went side by side for the race lead. Dylan Swinehart and Brett Kressley were side by side for 3rd and 4th with Craig Von Dohren a short distance behind both.
Doug Manmiller cleared Lisowski for the race lead on Lap 14. The cream was rising to the top, as Manmiller took the race lead the front runners were now making their moves to the get to the front of the pack. Manmiller led race control with Lisowski, Grim, Kressley, Von Dohren, Dylan Swinehart and Jeff Strunk right behind.
At the halfway mark of the race Doug Manmiller was the man of the hour. Mike Lisowski remained in 2nd as Ryan Grim and Brett Kressley were now 3rd and 4th and waging a side by side war.
At the lap 20 mark of the race Doug Manmiller was walking away from the field. Mike Lisowski, Brett Kressley and Craig Von Dohren were side by side for positions 2-3-4. Not far behind was Jeff Strunk, Dylan Swinehart, and Timmy Buckwalter.
On Lap 21, Brett Kressley cleared Mike Lisowski for 2nd and set sail after Manmiller who was out front.
As the field scored lap 23, Manmiller was entering lap traffic. He was enjoying a straightaway advantage at this point. Kressley, Von Dohren, Lisowski, Grim, and Strunk were in chase mode.
At the 5 to go mark of the race, Manmiller’s lead was evaporating as Kressley’s 19k Bicknell was coming quickly and Von Dohren’s 30 was equally tied to the rear of the Kressley Bicknell.
On lap 27 Joe Funk retired from the event.
On lap 28 Brett Kressley had caught the Manmiller 44. With 2 to go, Kressley was setting up to motor by Manmiller for a late race win. Craig Von Dohren had followed Kressley to the front and was there awaiting a lane by both racers. Mark Malcohm retired to the infield on lap 28.
On the white flag lap Brett Kressley tried the top in turns 1 & 2 for a lane past Doug Manmiller and it did not work. As they motored past the backstretch into turn 3 Kressley darted to the bottom lane while Manmiller chose the top. They exited turn 4 and Manmiller had enough speed on the top side of the track to keep the victory as Von Dohren followed in 3rd across the line. Jeff Strunk brought the Keystone Racing #126 in 4th, Mike Lisowski 5th, Ryan Grim 6th, Timmy Buckwalter 7th, Dylan Swinehart 8th, Jared Umbenhauer 9th, Eddie Strada 10th.
Doug Manmiller won the Dan’s Deli halfway leader bonus and the $300 T.P. Trailer Leader’s Bonus.
In victory lane Doug shared appreciation to his crew’s continued efforts in helping to keep the GMI First #44 at the front of the pack. Then Manmiller thanked everyone for helping to repair Cody’s 00 Sportsman after a heat race flip. Crew members from Ryan Watt, Ron Haring, and other’s jumped in to help get Cody on the track for the Sportsman Consi. Doug shared with the fans that the pit area is one big family.
T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 laps): DOUG MANMILLER, Brett Kressley, Craig Von Dohren, Jeff Strunk, Mike Lisowski, Ryan Grim, Tim Buckwalter, Dylan Swinehart, Jared Umbenhauer, Eddie Strada, Kevin Hirthler, Ryan Watt, Rick Laubach, Jesse Leiby, Justin Grim, Jimmy Leiby, Mark Malcolm, Joe Funk, John Willman, Ryan Beltz, Ray Swinehart, Eric Biehn, Bobby Trapper Jr, Bobby Trapper Sr., Chris Gambler, Kevin Graver Jr., Craig Whitmoyer, Ron Haring Jr.