Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – Craig Von Dohren has been shut out of Grandview Speedway victory lane in 2023.
You knew it would only be time until the former champion found his groove, on Saturday night CVD found it for sure.
CVD Blasted from his 13th starting spot and wrestled the lead away from Jeff Strunk who got to the front of the pack quicker. Craig made a sweeping outside lane pass of Strunk on lap 18 and then drove away from the field to score his 124th career Grandview Speedway feature event win.
The dry spell was a long one for CVD, His last win at Grandview came in the ’22 Freedom 76. The summer is starting to get hot, could we be seeing another epic Von Dohren modified run to his 14x championship? Craig came into the event 2nd in points trailing Brett Kressley by 64 points.
Kressley running second on lap 12 while challenging Jeff Strunk for the race lead, got a flat tire. Kressley rebounded for an 11th place finish after visiting the pits for a tire change. With 2 full months of point racing still to be run, the Grandview Speedway Modified Point title is open for grabs after Saturday night.
Who are you picking? Von Dohren for his 14th? Does Brett Kressley score his 1st? How about Jeff Strunk who has not won a title since ’14?
Glenn Owens and Darrin Schuler led the 28 car T.P. Trailers NASCAR Advance Auto Parts field to the green flag.
Darrin Schuler would power into the race lead at the start with Owens, Chris Esposito, Eric Korrmann, and Joe Funk the early Top 5. Jared Umbenhauer retired from the event.
Jeff Strunk and Brett Kressley who started 12th and 14th respectively, were blasting to the front of the pack. Both drivers were into the Top 10 with 1 lap.
On lap 2 Ray Swinehart retired to the infield.
With 5 laps down, Darrin Schuler was controlling the pace at the front. Glenn Owens in the Hoagie Express #73 was 2nd, Eric Korrman wheeling the Bailey Bunch 81 was 3rd, Jeff Strunk in the Keystone Racing 126 was 4th and Chris Esposito was 5th. Brett Kressley was just outside the top 5 in 6th.
On lap 6, Jeff Strunk moved to 2nd.
On lap 8, Jeff Strunk powered around Darrin Schuler for the race lead. Schuler dropped to 2nd, Owens, Kressley, and Korrmann were the Top 5. Darrin Schuler spun the 74 in turns 3 & 4 narrowly missing and collecting Brett Kressley in the Kressley’s Auto & Truck Sales 19k. The caution was displayed for a stopped Schuler in Turns 3 & 4. John Willman retired to the pits. The field was restacked with Strunk now the race leader, Kressley in 2nd, Glenn Owens, Eric Korrmann and Chris Esposito the Top 5.
Jeff Strunk goes back to the race lead with Brett Kressley lurking in 2nd. Strunk drove from P12 to the race lead in 8 laps. Kressley came from P14 to 2nd.
Lap 10 is scored and Strunk and Kressley are side by side for the race lead. Strunk would wrestle the race lead away. Kressley, Korrmann, Ryan Watt, Joe Funk, Owens, Esposito and Craig Von Dohren are next in line. Ryan Watt coming from P16 to 4th. Watt won 2 weeks ago and that new Roberts Bicknell was again showing ultimate speed.
Lap 12 is scored and Brett Kressley slows with a LR Flat tire. The field is reset with race leader Jeff Strunk at the front. Eric Korrman moves to 2nd, Ryan Watt 3rd, Joe Funk 4th, Craig Von Dohren 5th – CVD P13 to 5th, Esposito 6th, Mike Lisowski 7th, Mike Gular 8th, Bobby Trapper Jr. 9th, Ryan Grim 10th.
On the restart Jeff Strunk powers back into the race lead as Ryan Watt moves into 2nd. Korrmann, Von Dohren moves to 4th, and Joe Funk is 5th.
At the Halfway mark of the race it is Jeff Strunk with the race lead. Craig Von Dohren is blasting to the front after he moves past Ryan Watt, Mike Lisowski is now 4th with Mike Gular now 5th.
Glenn Owens pulls off on lap 16.
On Lap 17, Craig Von Dohren is assaulting Strunk for the race lead. A lap later Craig Von Dohren sweeps past the Keystone Racing 126 of Strunk for the race lead. Ryan Watt is now 3rd, Lisowski is 4th and Mike Gular is 5th. Korrmann, Trapper Jr., Funk, Grim and Doug Manmiller are the Top 10.
Von Dohren clicks off lap 20 as the leader and is opening up space between him and Strunk. Watt, Lisowski, and Gular are the Top-5.
Lap 21 the caution lights are flashing for Justin Grim who stopped in Turn 2.
The field is restacked and going back to green before the caution is displayed again on lap 22 for a turn 4 accident that involves Jimmy Leiby, Carroll Hine III, and Bobby Trapper Sr. Hine and Leiby are towed off.
The field is rest with CVD as the race leader, Strunk, Watt, Lisowski, and Gular the Top-5.
On the restart the field goes 3 wide for 3rd, 4th and 5th – Ryan Watt, Mike Gular and Mike Lisowski.
Lap 25 is scored with CVD setting the pace out front, Strunk, Watt, Gular and Lisowski are the Top-5. Ryan Grim, Manmiller, Timmy Buckwalter, Bobby Trapper Jr. and Craig Whitmoyer are the Top- 10 with 5 to go.
Craig Von Dohren scores lap 27 with a 3 car length lead over Strunk. Watt, Gular and Lisowski are settling for the Top-5.
Von Dohren would race unchallenged over the final 3 laps to score the popular win. Jeff Strunk comes home 2nd, Ryan Watt 16th to 3rd, Mike Gular 15th to 4th, Doug Manmiller 20th to finish 5th, Mike Lisowski 6th, Ryan Grim 7th, Timmy Buckwalter 8th, Craig Whitmoyer 17th to 9th, Bobby Trapper Jr. 10th.
The win for Craig Von Dohren was his 124th career win. He is the 7th different Modified winner of the season now joining Brett Kressley, Doug Manmiller, Eric Biehn, Ryan Watt, Nate Brinker and Mike Gular.
NASCAR MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 laps): CRAIG VON DOHREN, Jeff Strunk, Ryan Watt, Mike Gular, Doug Manmiller, Mike Lisowski, Ryan Grim, Tim Buckwalter, Craig Whitmoyer, Bobby Trapper Jr., Brett Kressley, Eric Kormann, Eddie Strada, Jesse Leiby, Joe Funk, Kevin Graver Jr., Chris Esposito, Ryan Beltz, Darrin Schuler, Bobby Trapper Sr., Jimmy Leiby, Carrol Hine III, Justin Grim, Glenn Owens, John Willman, Eric Biehn, Ray Swinehart, Jared Umbenhauer
DID NOT QUALIFY: Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Ron Haring Jr., Mark Kratz, Chris Gambler, Nate Brinker, Kevin Hirthler
NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): MIKE SCHNECK JR., Logan Watt, Nick Faust, Brett Gilmore, Kenny Bock, Nathan Mohr, Ryan Graver, Addison Meitzler, Tom Miller Sr., Jesse Hirthler, Kyle Smith, Adrianna Delliponti, Jesse Landis, Cody Manmiller, Brian Hirthler, Molly Struss, Colton Perry, Hunter Iatalese, Zach Steffey, Decker Swinehart, Mark Mohr, Kaitlyn Bailey, Dakota Kohler, Andy Ressler, Kyle Hartzell, Parker Guldin, Keith Haring, Tom Miller Jr.
DID NOT QUALIFY: Michael Burrows, Dylan Swinehart, BJ Joly, Joey Vaccaro, Logan Bauman, Brandon Banos, Mark Gaugler