Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – Brett Kressley is the hottest driver on the PA Modified twin track circuit this season.
Kressley leads all drivers in feature wins with 4 on the season. He is the Big Diamond point leader and could be near leading the Grandview points with his victory on Saturday night. Strunk came into the night with a 28 point lead and finished 2nd to Kressley’s feature win. Brett opened the Grandview Speedway season with a 2nd, then scored his 1st win, 15th on 5/13 his worst finish to date, 4th and last nights win. Brett’s Big Diamond stats are even more impressive with a 20th on opening day, 14th on 4/14, then he went on tear with a 2nd, 3rd, 5/12 was his 1st win, 3rd, and 5/26 his 2nd win. 5 straight weeks of Top 3 podium finishes and 2 wins. The stats are impressive, Brett Kressley and his family owned Brett Kressley Racing team are super hot as the summer is just getting started. As you know, Modified racing has a way of humbling you over a long season but it is hard not appreciate the efforts and results being done by Orefield, PA’s Brett Kressley this season.
Chris Gambler and Ray Swinehart brought the 28 car Modified feature field to the green flag on AD Moyer Lumber Night at the Grandview Speedway.
Ray Swinehart took the early lead in the Weller 942 over Gambler, Chris Esposito, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, and Ron Haring Jr.
At the five mark of the event, Ray Swinehart was setting the pace out front with Chris Esposito, Justin Grim, Mike Lisowski, and Chris Gambler the Top 5. On lap 5 Darrin Schuler pulled off the speedway.
On Lap 6, It was easy to notice the veterans were flying through the pack early. Brett Kressley cracked the Top-10, Craig Von Dohren was just outside of it.
On Lap 9, the yellow lights were flashing for Justin Grim was slowed with a Left Front Flat. It was heart breaking for Grim who won his heat race and was up to 2nd before the flat struck.
Brett Kressley had now driven into the Top 5, showing in 4th from 13th. The field was restacked with Swinehart still the leader, Lisowski now 2nd, Esposito 3rd, Kressley 4th, and Gambler 5th. Craig Von Dohren 6th, Bobby Gunther-Walsh 7th, Kevin Graver Jr. 8th, Ron Haring Jr. 9th, and Jeff Strunk 10th. CVD was fast early with a 12th to 6th drive in progress. Justin Grim rejoined the field after service.
We go back to racing and Mike Lisowski overhauls Ray Swinehart for the lead, Swinehart falls to 2nd, but behind them some the finest Grandview Speedway was going on. Brett Kressley, Craig Von Dohren, and Jeff Strunk were waging a war over the Top 5 spots. Strunk drove past several cars on the restart, Von Dohren did the same and was going after Kressley, while Kressley was looking forward to the front of the pack. The Grandview Speedway track surface was pristine once again with 3 grooves of racing.
On lap 11 Ray Swinehart was in battle to hold his spot as Kressley and Von Dohren were side by side on his bumper.
On Lap 12 the caution lights were flashing for Eddie Strada who slowed and Chris Esposito pulled off. Esposito was running in the Top 10 at the time and Strada was in the Top 15.
The field is restacked for the restart with Mike Lisowski the race leader, Brett Kressley is now 2nd, Craig Von Dohren 3rd, Ray Swinehart 4th, Jeff Strunk 5th, Chris Gambler 6th, Kevin Graver Jr. 7th, Jimmy Leiby 8th, Bobby Gunther-Walsh 9th and Kevin Hirthler 10th.
As the field goes green Brett Kressley powers past Mike Lisowski for the race lead with Von Dohren, Strunk, and Swinehart in chase.
On Lap 14 Craig Von Dohren is assaulting Lisowski for 2nd, but Mike Lisowski holds him off.
At the Halfway mark Kressley is sailing away out front, Lisowski is maintaining 2nd after a heavy battle with Von Dohren, Strunk and Kevin Graver Jr. are the balance of the Top 5. Eric Biehn retired from the event on lap 15.
On Lap 18 Brett Kressley is blasting away from the field and entering lap traffic, Lisowski, Von Dohren, Strunk, and Graver Jr. are straightaway behind. Kressley is in a different time zone.
Lap 20, with 10 to go Kressley is making his way through lap traffic as Lisowski, Von Dohren, Strunk, Graver Jr. Kevin Hirthler, Doug Manmiller and Jared Umbenhauer are in chase.
Lap 21 Ron Haring Jr. retires from competition.
On Lap 24, was the caution lights were flashing for a turn tangle with involved Kevin Hirthler, Ray Swinehart, and Jared Umbenhauer. A 360 Spin after contact bunched the field and yellow came on quickly, no cars stopped or needed assistance. Brett Kressley’s massive lead was erased for a 6 lap shootout to the finish. The field was restacked showing Kressley, Lisowski, Von Dohren, Strunk, Graver Jr., Manmiller, Hirthler, Umbenhauer, Swinehart, Trapper Jr. and Ryan Grim.
The green drops and Brett Kressley dashes away from Mike Lisowski and Craig Von Dohren. On lap 27 Jeff Strunk drives past Craig Von Dohren for 3rd. Doug Manmiller moves up 5th.
At Lap 28 it is all Brett Kressley out front with Mike Lisowski running an outstanding race in 2nd, Jeff Strunk is now 3rd, CVD 4th, and Doug Manmiller 5th.
On Lap 29, the yellow lights are flashing Jared Umbenhauer who slowed in Turn 4 after running in the Top-10. This setup a 1 lap shootout for the win with all of the legends of Grandview at the front of the pack. Brett Kressley at the point, Mike Lisowski looking to steal it, Jeff Strunk the current point leader 3rd, Hall Of Famer Craig Von Dohren 4th, 2X Winner Doug Manmiller 5th, Kevin Hirthler 6th, Bobby Trapper Jr. 7th, Ryan Grim 8th, Kevin Graver Jr. 9th and Ray Swinehart 10th.
The green dropped and Brett Kressley left no doubt on AD Moyer Lumber Night that he was the class of the field. Kressley drove off to the win unchallenged. Jeff Strunk powered past Mike Lisowski for 2nd, Craig Von Dohren powered past Lisowski for 3rd, Lisowski dropped to 4th, Doug Manmiller 5th, Bobby Trapper Jr. 21st to 6th, Kevin Hirthler 7th, Ryan Grim 8th, Kevin Graver Jr. 9th, Ryan Watt 10th.
Kressley would score the Dan Deli’s halfway leader bonus. With the victory, Kressley’s 23rd career win he moves past Billy Pauch Sr. on the Grandview Speedway All-Time Win List. The win ties Kressley with Terry Meitzler and Mike Geiser.
Modified Notes:
A heart breaking moment in the Modified heat races for Nate Brinker, driving the Keith Hoffman Racing 4Rent Modified. Brinker and Joe Funk got together off turn and Brinker slapped the wall hard causing heavy damage to the #4. Justin Grim deserves the hard luck award on the night, Grim won Modified heat race #1 over Kressley and was showing outstanding speed in the feature. He was up to 2nd on lap 8 before disaster struck with a flat tire. Ryan Beltz sustained a soft rollover in the heat race after a tangle with Ryan Watt. Beltz would run the consolation race, but not crack the feature field. The racing at Grandview Speedway this season has been impressive, the track surface and track crew have worked wonders to create exceptional racing so far. Modified Feature Win Standings – Kressley 2, Manmiller 2, Gular, and Biehn.
T.P. TRAILER NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 laps): BRETT KRESSLEY, Jeff Strunk, Craig Von Dohren, Mike Lisowski, Doug Manmiller, Bobby Trapper Jr., Kevin Hirthler, Ryan Grim, Kevin Graver Jr., Ryan Watt, Tim Buckwalter, Ray Swinehart, Jimmy Leiby, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, John Willman, Jesse Leiby, Joe Funk, Jared Umbenhauer, Chris Gambler, Ron Haring Jr., Ryan Beltz, Chris Esposito, Eric Biehn, Craig Whitmoyer, Eddie Strada, Justin Grim, Dylan Swinehart, Darrin Schuler