RPW Exclusive: Briggs Danner Beats The Rain, Drevicki, Bruno & USAC East Coast Sprint Field For Win At Grandview

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Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – Allentown, PA’s Briggs Danner and the Tim Hogue #39 Racing Team scored their 2nd USAC East Coast victory of the ’24 season at the Grandview Speedway on Saturday.

Mother Nature has dominated the entire northeast this season and the USAC East Coast Wingless Sprint Cars Series have only seen 3 winners to date so far. Briggs has won at Bedford and Grandview, Joey Amantea won the Port Royal Speedway while rain has claimed 4 events.

On Saturday, Mother Nature once again intervened into the racing action.

With a 3 division card in place showcasing the following: USAC East Coast Sprint Cars, Spec 358 Modifieds, and 602 Sportsman and weather threatening the area, the Grandview Speedway staff had their hands full pulling off a triple division with limited time.

Nearly 20 USAC East Coast 360 Wingless Sprint Cars were pitside on Saturday night. Christian Bruno, Briggs Danner, Alex Bright, Steven Drevicki, Bobby Butler, Tommy Kunsman Jr. and host of others spotlighted a great show for the fans. Christian Bruno and Alex Bright won the twin USAC East Coast Heat Races.

Since this was the only appearance of the USAC East Coast 360 Sprint Car Series of the season, Grandview ran their heats first and then started the USAC EC feature early in the evening to ensure the full racing card would be completed for the club.

The Grandview Speedway fans were treated to one of the best races of the season as Danner and Drevicki crossed the line on the White Flag lap side by side.

Christian Bruno and Matthew Swift led the 18 car USAC East Coast Sprint Car Series to chief starter Nicole Flood’s green flag.

Bruno would grab the lead at the start while pulling Bobby Butler from his 3rd starting spot in 2nd. Swift, Briggs Danner, and Alex Bright quickly moved into the Top-5.

Lap 2 is scored and Bobby Butler is pressing Christian Bruno for the top spot. Ed Aikin, Danner, Bright, and Drevicki are the Top-5. Butler would sneak past Bruno for the race lead.

On Lap 3 the Yellow and then Red is displayed for Thomas Radivoy, Radivoy struck the turn one wall and biked up into a set of end over end flips. Radivoy exited his sprint car safely. The field was pushed off and reset for racing with Bobby Butler, Christian Bruno, Ed Aikin, Briggs Danner, and Alex Bright the Top-5.

On the green Butler streaks into the lead, Briggs Danner powers from 4th into 3rd, Alex Bright follows into 4th.

The field clicks off lap 5 and Briggs Danner is in a rush to get to the front as he pulls off a slider around Christian Bruno and Ed Aikin. Bobby Butler remains in race control out front.

Briggs Danner moves into 2nd on lap 6, Butler is enjoying a 5 car lead. Bruno is 3rd, Bright 4th, and Steven Drevicki 5th.

With 8 down the field is picking up speed with racing grooves on the Top Side and Bottom, Bobby Butler remains in race control. Danner, Bruno, Bright, and Drevicki are chasing.

Butler clicks off lap 10 as Briggs Danner, Christian Bruno, and Alex Bright have run down the race leader and it is about to get hot in the kitchen.

Lap 11 is scored and you can throw a blanket over the Top-3 – Butler, Danner, and Bright.

On lap 12 Bobby Butler enters turn 3 and 4 as the race leader, the rear end of the Butler #5 sprint car starts to turn around and spin out – then Alex Bright clips him in the Heffner #27 and spins both drivers out. The yellow is now waving and the field is brought under caution.

Butler’s car was loose and he lost the handle. Alex Bright had nowhere to go and tagged the rear of the Butler car and turned him. Both drivers were sent to the rear for causing the caution. Danner would be the beneficiary in moving to the race lead.

Danner is now the race leader, Christian Bruno is back to 2nd, Steven Drevicki 3rd, Ed Aikin 4th, and Bruce Buckwalter Jr. 5th.

Briggs Danner would take the Hogue 39 to the race lead on the restart. Steven Drevicki moved side by side with Christian Bruno for 2nd.

Lap 15 Danner is in full control out front. Drevicki, Bruno, Aikin, and Buckwalter Jr. are the Top-5. Cameron Smith and Tommy Kunsman Jr. are just outside of the Top-5.

On Lap 17 Briggs Danner has a 5 car lead over Drevicki, Bruno, Aikin, and Buckwalter Jr.

At the 5 to go mark, Lap 20 it is Danner with the Boulevard Truck Repair 39 out front.

On Lap 22, 3 to go and Steven Drevicki has found moisture and lane to run down Danner. Both Drevicki and Bruno are closing on the Danner 39.

At the 2 to go lap Drevicki is now on the bumper of Danner and Bruno has joined the battle. Aikin and Cameron Smith are the Top-5.

Nicole Flood drops the white flag and Danner and Drevicki are side by side. As the race into 1 and 2 side by side, Danner sneaks ahead of Drevicki down the backstretch. It is now standing room only as both Danner, Drevicki and Bruno race to the checker under a blanket.

Briggs Danner wins the Grandview Speedway USAC East Coast 360 wingless Sprint Car feature, Steven Drevicki would come home 2nd, Christian Bruno 3rd, Ed Aikin 4th, Cameron Smith 5th, Bruce Buckwalter Jr. 6th, Tommy Kunsman Jr. 7th, JT Ferry, 8th, Alex Bright 9th from the rear, Ron Helmick 10th in his 1st USAC East Coast Wingless Sprint Car start.

 

USAC EAST COAST SPRINT FEATURE FINISH (25 laps): BRIGGS DANNER, Steven Drevicki, Christian Bruno, Ed Aiken, Cameron Smith, Bruce Buckwalter Jr., Tommy Kunsman, JT Ferry, Alex Bright, Ron Helmick, Jason Cherry, Dalton Herrick, Scott Frack, Bobby Butler, Michael Smith, Matt Swift, Rich Carnathan, Thomas Radivoy

HEAT WINNERS: Christian Bruno, Alex Bright

 

MODIFIED FEATURE STARTING LINE-UP (MAY 11) (30 laps): Chris Gambler, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Ryan Beltz, John Willman, Frank Yankowski, Mike Laise, Kevin Graver Jr., Jon Kellner, Justin Grim, Nate Brinker, Kevin Hirthler, Ryan Grim, Tim Buckwalter, Eddie Strada, Mike Gular, Louden Reimert, Brian Hirthler, Jared Umbenhauer, Craig Whitmoyer, Jimmy Leiby, Jeff Strunk, Craig Von Dohren, Doug Manmiller, Eric Kormann, Ryan Watt, Michael Storms, Mike Lisowski, Kyle Smith, Duane Howard

DID NOT QUALIFY: Ron Haring Jr., Carroll Hine III, Ray Swinehart, Brett Kressley, Bryan Rhoads, Joe Funk, Bobby Trapper Jr., Chris Esposito, Eric Biehn, Darrin Schuler

HEAT WINNERS: Chris Gambler, Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Kevin Graver Jr., Louden Reimert

 

SPORTSMAN FEATURE STARTING LINE-UP (MAY 11) (25 laps): Troy Bollinger, Shannon Slaughter, Teague Miller, Zach Steffey, Mike Stofflet, Brett Grim, TJ Mayberry, Joey Vaccaro, Mark Mohr, Jesse Landis, Brett Gilmore, Logan Bauman, Mike Schneck Jr., Addison Meitzler, Logan Watt, Dylan Swinehart, Adrianna Delliponti, Nathan Mohr, Decker Swinehart, Ryan Graver, Parker Guldin, Kenny Bock, Nathan Horn, Ronnie Solomon

DID NOT QUALIFY: Gavyn Krupp, Colton Perry, Mark Gaugler, Kaitlyn Bailey, Stephen Laubach, BJ Jolly, Jesse Hirthler, Zane Roth, Steve Young

HEAT WINNERS: Dylan Swinehart, Zach Steffey, Teague Miller

 
 
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