Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – Logan Bauman won his first career Grandview Speedway Sportsman race on May 15, 2021.
On Saturday night, after being fast but unable to close the deal so far in ’23, Logan was able to nail down win #2.
Bauman started P11 and drove to the front quickly, grabbing the lead from Zach Steffy on a restart on lap 10 and never looking back. It was not as easy as you think for Bauman as he had to fight off 2 of the best in Grandview Sportsman racing as Brian Hirthler and Logan Watt pressured the Bauman #14 late in the event but were not able to steal it away.
Kyle Hartzell and Tom Miller Jr. led the T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman to the AD Moyer Lumber green flag.
Kyle Hartzell shot into the lead early with Miller Jr., Molly Struss, Zach Steffy and Hunter Iatalese chasing.
Mark Mohr pulled off the speedway on Lap 3. Kyle Hartzell set the early pace with 3 down. Struss, Steffy, Iatalese, and Schneck followed.
With 5 down Hartzell continues as the race leader, Steffy moved past Molly Struss for 2nd, Iatalese, Logan Bauman are the new Top 5. Logan Watt was flying through the field, he cracked the Top 10 at 5 down, Hunter Iatalese pulled off the speedway on lap 5.
On lap 8 Zach Steffy powered around Kyle Hartzell for the race lead. Struss was 3rd, Bauman 4th and Schneck 5th. The caution lights were flashing on lap 8, as Colton Perry slowed.
The field was restacked and Kyle Hartzell goes back to the lead, Steffy, Bauman, Struss, and Schneck are the new Top-5. Logan Watt is 6th, Adrianna Delliponti 7th, Brett Gilmore 8th, Kyle Smith 9th, and Michael Burrows 10th. On the restart Zach Steffy takes the lead once again and this time for good, dropping Hartzell back to 2nd. Bauman is 3rd, Schneck moved past Struss for 4th and Struss is 5th.
On Lap 10, the caution lights flashed for Zane Roth, Ronnie Soloman and Jesse Landis were stopped. The field had to be restacked again with Zach Steffy remaining the race leader, Logan Bauman is now 2nd, Kyle Hartzell 3rd, Mike Schneck 4th, and Logan Watt 5th.
On the race restart Logan Bauman powers around Zach Steffy for the race lead, Steffy falls to 2nd with Mike Schneck 3rd, Logan Watt moves to 4th and Adrianna Delliponti is 5th.
On Lap 13 Brad Grim retired from the event.
At Lap 15 Logan Bauman is pulling away out front, Steffy remains 2nd, Scheck 3rd, Logan Watt 4th and Kyle Smith is now 5th. 6th is Brian Hirthler, Ryan Graver Jr. is 7th, Adrianna Delliponti 8th, Brett Gilmore is 9th, and Addison Meitzler is 10th.
At the lap 19 mark of the event Logan Bauman is stretching his legs at the front of the pack, Logan Watt has passed Zach Steffy for 2nd, Steffy is 3rd, Kyle Smith is now 4th, and Brian Hirthler 5th. Ryan Graver is 6th, Mike Schneck 7th, Adrianna Delliponti 8th, Brett Gilmore 9th, and Addison Meitzler 10th.
On Lap 20 Logan Bauman has hit lap traffic and is navigating it well. Logan Watt and Brian Hirthler who is now 3rd are trying to chase down the leader. Kyle Smith and Ryan Graver Jr. are 4th and 5th respectively.
On Lap 21 the yellow lights are flashing as Kenny Bock is spun around in turn 4. Jesse Landis retires to the infield. TJ Mayberry retires to the infield. This sets us a 4 lap dash to the checkered flag. Bauman now has his work cut out for him as Logan Watt, Brian Hirthler, Kyle Smith and Ryan Graver Jr. are all behind him on his bumper. 6th back is Steffy, Schneck, Delliponti, Gilmore, and Meitzler.
On the restart Logan Bauman darted out to the lead as Brian Hirthler and Logan Watt waged a war over the 2nd spot. This would be short lived as Kyle Hartzell spun on lap 22 and the caution would be displayed again.
On the lap 22 restart Logan Bauman powered into the lead again, Brian Hirthler and Logan Watt went about it again side by side for the 2nd spot. Brian Hirthler would come out with the lead this time dropping Watt to 3rd, Kyle Smith was 4th and Ryan Graver Jr. 5th.
Logan Bauman would cruise to the feature win, Brian Hirthler would follow closely behind in 2nd, Logan Watt 3rd, Kyle Smith 4th, Ryan Graver Jr. 5th, Zach Steffy 6th, Mike Schneck Jr. 7th, Brett Gilmore 8th, Mark Kemmerer 9th and Adrianna Delliponti 10th.
Sportsman Notes:
Nathan Horn missed qualifying the Kressley’s Auto & Trucks #211 after a damaging wreck in the heat race. The crew did a great repairing the car for the consolation race, but it was not enough for Horn to crack the feature field. Decker Swinehart and Andy Ressler suffering mechanical failures in the heat races that forced DNQ’s for both. Congrats to Molly Struss on scoring a heat race win, Molly drove to a strong Sportsman Heat Race #4 win.
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): LOGAN BAUMAN, Brian Hirthler, Logan Watt, Kyle Smith, Ryan Graver, Zach Steffey, Mike Schneck Jr., Brett Gilmore, Mark Kemmerer, Adrianna Delliponti, Addison Meitzler, Cody Manmiller, Jesse Hirthler, Nathan Mohr, Michael Burrows, Parker Guldin, Molly Struss, Kenny Bock, Kyle Hartzell, Tom Miller Jr., TJ Mayberry, Jesse Landis, Brad Grim, Zane Roth, Colton Perry, Hunter Iatalese, Mark Mohr