Rico Abreu Wins Inaugural Thunder On The Hill High Limit Sprint Event At Grandview Speedway
News Director 
Story By: BOB MILLER / THUNDER ON THE HILL – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – In front of a capacity crowd at the Grandview Speedway, Rico Abreu of St. Helena, California won the Rich Mar Florist High Limit Sprint Car Series main event powered by Levan Machine & Truck Equipment and presented by HVAC Distributors on Wednesday Night.
Abreu — claiming his second consecutive 410 Sprint Car win at the Bechtelsville dirt track – took home the $23,023 winner’s share as part of the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series. A total purse of $80,000 was paid to the competitors.
“This was just good racing,” Abreu claimed after climbing out of his No. 24 machine. “My car was unbelievable, we set it up for the end of this race, and I just had to let the car come to me.”
Abreu was slated to start fourth on the 24-car field, however outside polesitter, Tim Buckwalter suffered a motor issue following the dash, retiring his machine and criss-crossing the field.
Hunter Schuerenberg – inheriting the outside pole — shot to the early lead overtaking Kyle Larson as the green flag dropped but a tangle on the initial start would negate the battle and ultimately end the night for Freddie Rahmer, the victim of the on-track collision.
With a second chance at keeping Schuerenberg at bay, Larson powered into turn one holding the top spot and bringing Justin Peck with him. Larson and Peck raced side-by-side as the laps ticked away giving Abreu the opportunity to make up ground on the leaders.
Abreu moved passed Peck on lap 12 and set his sights on Larson.
The caution flag flew at the halfway mark with Peck – running comfortably in the third position – stopped with a right rear flat tire retiring Peck’s No. 13 machine from competition at lap 17.
The move of the race took place at the next restart, with Larson selecting the high side and Abreu choosing the inside. Abreu hammered down into turn 1, overtaking the lead from Larson and setting a rapid pace in the second half of the 35-lap main event.
Larson showed signs of life, closing in the final circuits of the event. However, Abreu remained dominant etching his name in the Greg Hodnett Cup trophy for the second time, claiming the inaugural High Limit Sprint Car Series win at Grandview, and his second Thunder on the Hill series win.
Larson – a 4-time Grandview winner — would settle for the runner-up spot, with Brent Marks in the third position, Danny Dietrich in fourth, and Cory Eliason finishing in fifth.
Kasey Kahne finished in sixth from the 19th starting position. Cap Henry finished in the seventh position, Kyle Reinhardt in eighth, Hunter Schuerenberg settled for ninth and Lance Dewase finished in tenth aboard the Macri Racing No. 39M.
Heat races for the High Limit Sprint Car Series were won by Kyle Larson, Justin Peck and Rico Abreu. Larson set fast time with a lap of 11.767 and consequently won the Dash to set the starting line-up. Kasey Kahne was the winner of the 10-Lap B-Main.
The inaugural High Limit Sprint Car Series race at Grandview was postponed from Tuesday, July 25 instituting a rain date for the event.
The Thunder on the Hill Racing Series will return to Grandview Speedway for it’s 35th season of racing action in 2024, more information will be made available online at www.tothracing.com
Time Trials – 1. Kyle Larson – 11.767 2. Justin Peck – 11.773 3. Brent Marks – 11.826 4. Tim Buckwalter – 11.830 5. Hunter Schuerenberg – 11.849 6. Rico Abreu – 11.855 7. Lance Dewease – 11.871 8. Devon Borden – 11.875 9. Ryan Timms — 11.899 10. Chase Randall – 11.913 11. Tyler Ross – 11.921 12. Kyle Reinhardt – 11.972 13. Dusty Zomer — 11.987 14. Cap Henry — 12.018 15. TJ Stutts – 12.023 16. Danny Dietrich – 12.024 17. Kasey Kahne – 12.033 18. Cory Eliason – 12.043 19. Ryan Smith – 12.051 20. Austin Bishop – 12.080 21. Freddie Rahmer – 12.180 22. Kyle Moody – 12.207 23. Ryan Taylor – 12.295 24. Tyler Esh – 12.325 25. Jake Karklin – 12.442 26. Chad Miller – 12.561 27. Steven Kisamore – 12.978
Heat 1 (8 Laps ) – 1. Kyle Larson 2. Tim Buckwalter 3. Chase Randall 4. Dusty Zomer 5. Danny Dietrich 6. Lance Dewease
Heat 2 (8 Laps) – 1. Justin Peck 2. Hunter Schuerenberg 3. Devon Borden 4. Cap Henry 5. Tyler Ross 6. Ryan Tayloer
Heat 3 (8 Laps) – 1. Rico Abreu 2. Brent Marks 3. Kyle Reinhardt 4. Cory Eliason 5. Ryan Timms 6. TJ Stutts
B-Main (10 Laps) 1. Kasey Kahne 2. Freddie Rahmer 3. Ryan Smith 4. Kyle Moody 5. Austin Bishop 6. Jake Karklin
A-Main (35 Laps) – 1. Rico Abreu 2. Kyle Larson 3. Brent Marks 4. Danny Dietrich 5. Cory Eliason 6. Kasey Kahne 7. Cap Henry 8. Kyle Reinhardt 9. Hunter Schuerenberg 10. Lance Dewease 11. Tyler Ross 12. Ryan Smith 13. TJ Stutts 14. Devon Borden 15. Ryan Taylor 16. Chase Randall 17. Ryan Timms 18. Justin Peck 19. Jake Karklin 20. Kyle Moody 21. Austin Bishop 22. Dusty Zomer 23. Freddie Rahmer
