RPW Exclusive: Grandview Speedway NASCAR 358-Mod Ace Ryan Grim’s Looking For Big Results In ’24

Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – WHITEHALL, PA – Whitehall, PA’s Ryan Grim is carved from the old school mold.

In getting to know Ryan recently, I have learned that Ryan manages his racing program the old school way, Out of his personal pocket.

He maintains the entire teams finances himself, without corporate marketing support. The Grandview Speedway gates will swing open in a few short weeks for the 33rd year of NASCAR 358 Modified Racing, the 62nd year of racing.

The Bechtelsville Speedway is one of the most popular race tracks in the entire northeast. Each Saturday evening the tracks features a twin bill known as the Greatest Show on Dirt featuring 358 Dirt Modifieds and 602 Dirt Sportsman Modifieds.

The Grim name has been around racing for almost 40 years, Dorney Speedway and PA 358 Modified Legend Gary Grim, and his son Brad have been instrumental in helping Ryan and his family get there start in racing. Ryan has been going to the race tracks since he was 6 years sold. Ryan parents, Kim and Jeff were avid race fans supporting Gary Grim at Dorney Park Speedway, and then his move to the PA Small Block Modified race tracks. Ryan mentions that his parents, Kim and Jeff helped him get his start in racing at 23 years old. Jeff Grim purchased a used former Bridgeport Speedway Car and brought it back to the family home. That 1st car was nothing special, but the Grim family put there time and love into it over the season to make it race ready for Ryan to debut. In 2004, Ryan made his Sportsman division driving debut at the Big Diamond Speedway. He race ½ season at Big Diamond and spent the other ½ of the season at Five Mile Point Speedway in NY.

In 2005, Ryan and Jeff purchased a used former Reimert Racing Kochel Equipment Modified for the race season. This season was all about getting Ryan very valuable seat time in the car. Bridgeport Speedway, Big Diamond, and Five Mile Point were the tracks that the Ryan Grim Racing 17 team visited. The focus for the team was all about learning the in-and-outs about the car, setup, maintenance, and finances of running a race team. The last piece of this sentence is really the challenge for the Ryan Grim Racing, The team has never had that flashy sponsor or marketing brand that could push them to the next level.

In 2006, Ryan made the jump into the 358 Modified division as a teammate with Mike Bailey. Ryan would travel to the races with his dad, Jeff and assist both Brad and Gary Grim with their racing program when he was not racing. The Grim Racing Family is 1 big family of racers.

2007 would bring Ryan his 1st career victory at the Big Diamond Speedway.

Ryan would next begin a 5 year job with Keith Hoffman and his Hoffman Speed Supplies, Hoffman Discount Parts business. Ryan credits Keith and his team for teaching him how to do things the right way. Keith was instrumental over the next 5 years with training and teaching Ryan all the in’s and out’s of car setup, maintenance, and tricks to go fast. Keith taught Ryan all about the parts, when it was time to upgrade and what parts were the correct to use. Ryan was employed with Hoffman Speed Supplies from 2010 to 2015. During this time period, Ryan helped to maintain the Bobby-Gunther Walsh 65 Modified for Grandview Speedway

2015 Ryan would break into the coveted Grandview Speedway victory lane, his 2nd career victory behind the wheel of the family owned 17. As Ryan was self-learning the racing trade he was quickly getting more comfortable. The family always had beautiful cars and would look like a first class operation, but that could not be further from the truth. The Ryan Grim Racing Team runs out of a modest 2 car garage in Whitehall, PA. You can find Ryan purchasing used tires from racers in the area and performing race prep at home and get additional life out of those tires. There is not an endless speed shop of parts sitting on the shelf in that Whitehall 2 car garage. Ryan makes use of what he has and only buys what is needed to remain on the track. The lack of a major marketing partner forces Ryan to use race parts much longer than buying new when he should be. If the team suffers a major loss or damage, they are forced to sit out and recover until we finances or resources are available.

2016 would bring Ryan his 3rd career win, this time at the Big Diamond Speedway. Ryan is really comfortable racing at both Big Diamond Speedway and Grandview Speedway. They are close to home, they are close to family which allows him to maintain his fulltime job while balancing his time in the race shop.

John Gilroy entered the picture soon with a proposal for Ryan to maintain and support his Gilroy Northeast #20G 602 Sportsman Race Team for driver Danny Buccafusca at the Big Diamond Speedway. Ryan was paid to maintain the car – All the weekly preparation in the shop, transport it to the track and back, make the crew chief calls at the track, repair race damage and make adjustment at the track, wash it and setup it up again. Rinse and Repeat for 4 years, Ryan kept the Gilroy Northeast #20G in his modest Whitehall 2-car garage. While John Gilroy paid Ryan for his time on the #20G and he also supported the Ryan Grim Racing #17 with some marketing support in return. Ryan and Danny Buccafusca had some powerful seasons winning 11 races over the last 4 years at Big Diamond Speedway. The Gilroy Northeast 20G had become the 602 Sportsman race car to beat at the Big Diamond Speedway.

September 2022, Ryan took the controls of the Gilroy Northeast 602 Sportsman and scored an impressive victory winning the Freedom 38er at the Grandview Speedway. The race paid a cool $2000+ to win. All of the best 602 Sportsman drivers and a few 358 Modified invaders ran the event.

in 2022 Ryan’s mother Kim passed away. This left Ryan with a house and mortgage. Ryan’s parents were major supporters of his program. Dad, Jeff continues to support Ryan in the pit area at the track. Ryan works full time for Arbor Material Handling as technician and then spends his evenings in the family garage working on his #17 and his girlfriend’s Aleia Geisler’s #44 358 Modified. Yes, you can find Aleia racing at Big Diamond Speedway on Friday Nights, while Ryan tended to the Gilroy #20. There were times in 2023 that both Aleia and Ryan raced together at Grandview Speedway side by side. Ryan is a working man’s machine, who is always in the race wrenching on equipment.

As the ’23 race season ended, John Gilroy made a difficult decision to end his race car ownership and head into a different direction. This decision will have a major negative impact on Ryan’s financial support for ’24 of Ryan Grim Racing.

When you look to the 2023 season, Ryan’s 17 358 Modified was one of the fastest cars at the Grandview Speedway. He finished 8th in points and had only 2 DNF’s all season. This is remarkable in the fact that the team is generally underfunded. He finished outside of the Top-10 only twice all season. As you know, qualifying at Grandview Speedway is extremely difficult with Modified car counts in 30-40’s all season. The handicap has Ryan starting deep in the field every week forcing him to drive up into the Top-5 just to get a decent starting spot in the feature. The heat races at Grandview Speedway are hammer-down fast and these Modifieds are so equally matched.

As the winter offseason is coming to an end, Ryan and his team are preparing for ’24 race campaign. It as a different feel this season. Without the Gilroy Northeast program to fund his own race program, Ryan is left to scratch, claw, and save where he can to go racing. The team will start the season with 1 race motor, 1 rear end, basically a set of everything to go racing. Ryan is super Thankful to those who remain supporting his racing program.

Ron Seltman and Fast Four Shocks have helped Ryan in a major way with technical and product support. John Gilroy and Gilroy Northeast will be on the car again, Stringer’s Collison, EM Auto Body and Graphics, Brian Hirthler and his FOUR STAR Graphics will lay down cool vinyl, KB Performance will be helping with power under the hood this season, and GME Steering Components. As the theme for this column, Ryan Grim Racing RGR remains on those quarter panels and Ryan would love to replace that with marketing partner for the local tracks. Ryan always provides clean and fresh equipment at the track, he is well spoken and would be a great representative for anyone looking to get their business in front of eyes at the race tracks.

Ryan and the team will be racing at Grandview Speedway weekly in ’24. If time and resources allow he plans to travel to Big Diamond Speedway for open draw events. He may also look to hit the New Egypt and Bridgeport Speedways as time and resources allow this season. Ryan is super thankful for his help in the pit area – Aleia when she is not racing, is always by his side. Ryan’s father Jeff, and longtime crewman Mike.