RPW Exclusive: Tanner VanDoren’s Looking To Break Into Super DIRTcar Victory Lane During SummerFAST
News Director 
Column By: TOM WENNER / RPW – SCHNECKSVILLE, PA – Schnecksville, PA is the home of Dirt Modified Young Gun talent Tanner VanDoren.
On Saturday night I caught up with the teenager as he prepared for Spec 358 Dirt Modified competition at PA’s Grandview Speedway.
The historic Forrest Rogers Memorial 50 lap event paying a cool $10,000 to win. VanDoren has not run at Grandview this season, but a rainout at his regular Saturday night home, the New Egypt Speedway brought the young star to Bechtelsville, PA for the rich Rogers Memorial.
VanDoren has never been scared of competition, He is built from the mold like Timmy Buckwalter and Billy Pauch Jr. – These guys will race anything with 4 wheels and usually come out successful when pushing that gas pedal. On Saturday night, instead of working in the garage on the Big Block Modified Race Car in preparation for next weeks – SuperDIRT Car Series Summer FAST, Tanner and his dad loaded the Saturday night Spec 358 Modified and headed close to home to compete at Grandview. The event paid a big purse, but also gives the team a night of practice laps in advance of next month’s Freedom 76 which pays $30k to win.
The Forrest Rogers Memorial is not an easy event for outsiders. Tanner and NJ’s Danny Bouc were the only 2 invaders who attempted to crack the starting field. The event is a Grandview Speedway point event that holds handicapping and requires the invaders to start last in the heat races. 42 Spec 358 Modifieds attempted to qualify for the 50-lap event. Tanner was set to start P11 in heat race #1. The heat race was stacked with competition that included Brett Kressley, ’23 Track Champion and 5X winner this season, ’24 Feature winner Doug Manmiller, Jeff Strunk current Grandview Point Leader, and host of others. Tanner mashed the gas and drove to an incredible 4th place finish behind heat race winner Kressley, Strunk, and Jon Kellner putting him into the coveted starting field.
In the 50-Lap Rogers Memorial, Tanner fired from P15 and was running in that spot until lap 22 when the car suffered a mechanical failure and forced TVD to the pit area. VanDoren was listed 23rd in the final race results. The laps on the track give the team a baseline as they attempt to gain entry into the Freedom 76 event a month from now.
On Monday, August 12th, The team heads north with the Charlie Lord owned #10c Bicknell Big Block Modified for 3 days of SuperDIRT Car Series SummerFAST Big Block Modified competition. Monday, August 12th at Brewerton Speedway, Brewerton, NY, Tuesday, August 13th at Land Of Legends Raceway, Canandaigua, NY, and finishing up Wednesday, August 14th at the Fulton Speedway, Fulton, NY.
With the higher paying fall races around the corner, The Charlie Lord 10c and TVD Racing #22/27 Teams are preparing for a full assault on all of the marquee racing events this season. The team has earmarked their schedule to hit the Grandview Speedway Freedom 76 on Saturday, September 21st, Super Dirt Week 52 in Oswego, NY October 7-12 – Both Big and Small Block Modified classes, and the Orange County Fair Speedway Eastern States 200 with both Small and Big Block Modified cars. If all goes well, Charlotte, NC World Finals are not out of reach for the race team.
In the pit area the race team is anchored by Tanner’s father Jason VanDoren, along with Donny Hoffman, and Mike Murray.
You can catch Tanner VanDoren weekly on Saturday Nights at the New Egypt Speedway, New Egypt, NJ. Tanner currently sits 5th in the track Modified Point Standings.
TVD Racing is sponsored by Prime Design Landscapes, RG Hoffman Electrical Contractors, Hoffman Discount Parts, and Tim’s Shock Lab. The Charlie Lord Racing team is supported by ARR-CELL LLC Racing, Design Concepts and Enterprises, LLC, and Abscope Environmental Inc. Both race teams are always looking for marketing partners to support the team and your brand.
