Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – The Grandview Speedway Sportsman division has become ultra competitive and breaking into victory lane a second time has become a challenge for the drivers who have parked their rides in the victory square this season at the Hill in Bechtelsville, PA.
Victory Lane has eluded Mike Schneck Jr. until Saturday night, when Schneck drove from his 12th place starting spot to the lead on lap 20 and was able to taste the champagne in victory lane.
With threatening weather around us and raindrops falling occasionally during the night, the track made the decision to run the Sportsman feature 1st on the night. The Firecracker 40 paying a cool $2000 to win for Sportsman is on tap next week, Grandview did not want a rainout and pushed the Sportsman teams to race first.
The Sportsman drivers rewarded the fans once again as they do almost weekly with a near caution free event run in under 10 minutes in length. At the end of the night it was Schneck Jr. joining the list of ‘23 Sportsman winning drivers – Logan Watt, Kyle Smith, Logan Bauman, Ryan Graver, Brian Hirthler, Hunter Iatalese, Decker Swinehart, and Ronnie Soloman.
Cody Manmiller and Brian Hirthler did not qualify through the heat race or consolation races, both used a points provisional to start the feature. Tom Miller Jr. elected to start at the rear.
Nick Faust and Kyle Hartzell led the 28 car T.P. Truck Equipment field to the green flag on Saturday night.
Tom Miller Jr. retired on lap 1. As lap 1 was being completed Keith Haring, Datoka Kohler and Adrianna Delliponte got together in Turns 3 and 4 and Haring spun out. Delliponti was stopped on the frontstretch. Both Haring and Kohler visited the pits. Kohler returned to the field after service. Delliponte restarted and rejoined the tail. The field was restacked and reset for lap 1 restart.
Nick Faust led the Sportsman into lap 2 with Kyle Hartzell, Kaitlyn Bailey, Tom Miller Sr. and Kenny Bock in tow.
The field click off laps quickly early with Faust setting the pace, Miller Sr. moved to 2nd with 3 down. Hartzell, Bailey, and Bock were the Top 5. Jesse Hirthler, Ryan Graver, and Logan Watt were flying on the topside to the front. All 3 were just outside the Top 10 with only a few laps down.
As the field clicked off Lap Nick Faust was screaming out front, Miller Sr., Bock, Mike Schneck Jr. and Kyle Hartzell made up the balance of the Top 5. Looking further back it was Molly Struss in 6th, Nathan Mohr in 7th, Jesse Hirthler in 8th, Colton Perry in 9th, and Logan Watt in 10th.
Parker Guldin retired from competition on lap 7.
Nick Faust remained the leader at lap with all green flag laps. Miller Sr., Bock, Schneck Jr., and Molly Struss made up the Top. Kyle Hartzell retired from the event on lap 10. Jesse Hirthler, Logan Watt and Ryan Graver were continuing their drives to the front using the top side of the speedway. They were racing for 7th-8th and 9th.
Kaitlyn Bailey retired to the infield on lap 13
All racing has been green and clean at this point. Nick Faust is breaking away from the field, but Mike Schneck Jr. has moved into 2nd and has moved to the top side of the speedway and is trying to run the race leader. Tom Miller Sr. has moved back to 3rd, Bock remains 4th and Grandview Speedway Point Leader Logan Watt has broken into the Top 5 from his 15th place starting spot.
Lap 17 is scored and Nick Faust remains the leader, but Mike Schneck Jr. has run down the leader and is looking for more. Logan Watt has blasted to 3rd place. Schneck Jr. and Watt are clearly the fastest 2 cars on the track.
The race for the lead is getting hotter as Nick Faust and Mike Schneck Jr. are side by side as lap 19 is scored. Logan Watt is 3rd and only a few car lengths back. As the field crosses for lap 20, Mike Schneck Jr. completes the pass for the lead and Faust falls to second. Logan Watt will soon be challenging for 2nd, Miller Sr. is 4th, Bock is 5th, Mohr 6th, Brett Gilmore is 7th from his 21st starting spot, Molly Struss 8th, and Graver 9th.
Logan Watt moves into 2nd on lap 21. Is there enough time for Watt to make a challenge on race leader Mike Schneck Jr. All racing from lap one to now is non-stop and caution free.
The race runs caution free over the final 4 laps as Mike Schneck Jr. secures his 1st career Grandview Speedway Sportsman victory. Grandview Speedway Sportsman Point Leader Logan Watt drives from 15th and 2nd in a nearly caution free event, Nick Faust with a career best finish in 3rd after leading 17 laps, Brett Gilmore finishes 4th from his 21st starting position, Kenny Bock 5th, Nathan Mohr 6th, Ryan Graver 7th, Addison Meitzler 8th from his 20th starting spot, Tom Miller Sr. 9th and Jesse Hirthler 10th.
Mike Schneck Jr. wins the $200 T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman Bonus for his victory.
T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT 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.