News Director 
Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – Doug Manmiller in the Jason Miller owned Modified #44 has been blazing fast at Grandview Speedway this season and has had horrible luck in finishing events.
The week prior Manmiller was sailing to the front of the pack and was caught up in mess that he did not start. Tonight, for Manmiller the stars aligned and the “The Handler” took care of business with the GMI First Miller #44 and drove it to victory lane.
Ryan Beltz and Darrin Schuler led the 29 car T.P. Trailers NASCAR field to the green flag. Bobby Trapper Sr. scratched from the event, this allowed Mark Malcolm to start the event. Bobby Trapper Jr. took a provisional to race the event.
On the initial start of the 30 lap race, Ryan Grim caught a wheel and slowed towards the infield with damaged. Ray Swinehart slowed at the start and caused the field to get bunched up, Grim’s #17 sustained damaged and had to be towed off.
The field was restacked and ready for a 2nd attempt at racing. Ryan Beltz darted out to the lead with Ron Haring Jr. in the Alburtis Auto #85 Bicknell following closely, Darrin Schuler, Joe Funk, Nate Brinker, Mike Lisowski, and Ray Swinehart.
On Lap 2 the caution lights were displayed for John Willman who was stopped in Turn 3. Ryan Beltz remained your race leader with Haring Jr., Schuler, Funk and Brinker the Top 5.
On the restart Ron Haring Jr. powered into the lead as Beltz dropped to 2nd, with Brinker moving to 3rd, Funk, Swinehart, and Schuler the new Top 5.
On Lap 3 the caution lights were flashing again as Justin Grim was stopped in turn 3. Mark Malcolm retired to the infield.
Another attempted was made for green flag racing and the caution flag was waving again. This time John Willman, Chris Esposito, Carroll Hine III, Craig Von Dohren, Darrin Schuler, Ryan Watt and Kevin Hirthler were collected on the track.
There was contact on the track between Eddie Strada and Brett Kressley both were able to keep going, but the tower made the call to have last week’s race winner, Brett Kressley sent to the rear for racing contact. Ray Swinehart and Carroll Hine III retired. Darrin Schuler visited the pits and returned.
The race running order, Ron Haring Jr is your race leader, Nate Brinker, Joe Funk, Ryan Beltz, Mike Lisowski are the Top 5.
The race made another attempt for lap 4 and the caution quickly appeared for Craig Whitmoyer who was stopped in turn one with a badly damaged race. Justin Grim and Brett Kressley caught part of him as they raced by his slowing race car. Ryan Watt and Brett Kressley visited the pits and returned to race.
Grandview Speedway Race Control made the decision after several attempts to race to have this restart go single file. This was a successful call as the restart went off without a hitch, as Ron Haring Jr. blasted to the race lead.
Nate Brinker in the Keith Hoffman #4 Racing was 2nd, Joe Funk 3rd, Ryan Beltz 4th, and Mike Lisowski 5th.
As the race finally has some green flag laps registered, Ron Haring Jr. is showing flashes of speed similar to his win in 2022. Haring Jr. is driving away from the field as Brinker, Beltz, Funk, Lisowski, Doug Manmiller, Jeff Strunk, and Jimmy Leiby are finally able to get some laps to challenge.
At the 10 down mark of the event Ron Haring Jr. is your race leader and starting to pull away from the field as the lead stretches to a straightaway. Brinker, Beltz, Lisowski, Funk, Manmiller, Strunk, Leiby, and Timmy Buckwalter are the next – 9.
As the field registers the half way mark of the event Ron Haring Jr. is sailing away with the race lead. Nate Brinker, Ryan Beltz, Mike Lisowski, and Doug Manmiller the new Top 5.
On Lap 20, Doug Manmiller moves into 2nd. Manmiller has been clipping off cars 1 by one since halfway. Ron Haring Jr. still has a big lead, but “The Handler” just broke into 2nd with Nate Brinker 3rd, Mike Lisowski 4th, and Jeff Strunk now 5th.
On Lap 23 Darrin Schuler retires from competition. With Ron Haring Jr. in heavy lapped traffic, Manmiller is reeling him in. Jeff Strunk has been on the move passing both Mike Lisowski and Nate Brinker for 4th and 3rd respectfully.
On Lap 24, Doug Manmiller has caught Ron Haring Jr. and is now side by side for the race lead. All of the laps are green flag racing and Jeff Strunk is reeling in the Top 2 from his 3rd spot.
As lap 25 is registered, Doug Manmiller takes the GMI First #44 Modified to the race lead. Ron Haring Jr. drops to 2nd and soon has to deal with a closing Jeff Strunk in the Keystone Racing #126. Mike Lisowski 4th, Nate Brinker 5th, Jared Umbenhauer 6th, Ryan Beltz 7th, Timmy Buckwalter 8th, and Jimmy Leiby 9th, and Craig Von Dohren 10th from the consolation race in a backup car.
Manmiller would go and drive away from the field to score a popular and impressive win. The final 26 laps were caution free once we got out of yellow “city” around laps 3 and 4. Jeff Strunk would get past Ron Haring Jr. for 2nd on lap 28, Ron Haring Jr. finished 3rd after a very strong run, Mike Lisowski 4th, Jared Umbenhauer 5th, Nate Brinker 6th, Ryan Beltz 7th, Timmy Buckwalter 8th, Craig Von Dohren rallied to finish 9th after having to pull out a backup car to run the consolation race, and Modified Rookie Jimmy Leiby 10th.
Doug Manmiller commented in victory lane that he finished 2nd in the heat race to Ron Haring Jr. and actually followed his lane in the feature to help run him down. Doug commented in victory lane “If you love the Mo-Jo, The Mo-Jo will love you”.
Congrats to Doug Manmiller on his 31st career Modified win at Grandview Speedway, Doug’s last win was June 4, 2022.
T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 laps): DOUG MANMILLER, Jeff Strunk, Ron Haring Jr., Mike Lisowski, Jared Umbenhauer, Nate Brinker, Ryan Beltz, Tim Buckwalter, Craig Von Dohren, Jimmy Leiby, Kevin Hirthler, Eddie Strada, Bobby Trapper Jr., Jesse Leiby, Brett Kressley, Joe Funk, Darrin Schuler, Ryan Watt, Lex Shive, John Willman, Justin Grim, Chris Esposito, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Dylan Swinehart, Craig Whitmoyer, Ray Swinehart, Carroll Hine III, Mark Malcolm, Ryan Grim, DNS – Bob Trapper Sr.
