Thunder On The Hill’s To Kick Off ’25 Season With High Limit Racing May 20th At Grandview
Story By: BOB MILLER / THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – The NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series will open their thirty-sixth season on Tuesday night, May 20 when Levan Machine & Truck Equipment present the Rich Mar Florist Kubota High Limit 410 Sprints at Grandview Speedway.
Local favorite Brent Marks won the event in 2024 and collected $22,000 for the win, including a $2,000 bonus posted by Pioneer Pole Building if a Pennsylvania driver defeated the roster of nationally known sprint car drivers. For Marks, it was his nineteenth visit to the tricky one-third mile high-banked Grandview oval, a track that always teases the drivers before they eventually notch that first Thunder on the Hill victory.
On Tuesday night, May 20 expect a night of high energy, excitement and great Sprint Car racing with the first turn grandstand gate opening at 4:30 PM for advance ticket holders. General admission tickets will go on sale at 5:00 PM and the main gate will open at that time. Warm-ups and time trials will being at 7PM with the show opening set for 7:30 PM. Also on the program will be the Alpine Building Supply Vintage Cars competing in two 12 lap feature events. In the event of rain, Wednesday night, May 21 will be the rain date with a starting time of 7:30 PM.
Advance tickets are now available at: www.tickethoss.com. As an advance ticket holder, you may enter the grandstands through the first turn gate at 4:30 PM, one-half hour prior to General Admission tickets going on sale. General admission tickets on race night are $40 for adults, children 6-11 are $20, children 5 and under will be admitted for free. The Pit Fee is $45 and a license is not required. (Pit tickets are not available on Ticket Hoss).
The idea of a $2,000 bonus for a Pennsylvania driver to win the Kubota High Limit event was so well received that Alpine Building Supply of Schuylkill Haven, PA will sponsor the award on Tuesday night, May 20. The bonus should lure some interest for other local sprint car drivers to be on hand.
Levan Machine & Truck Equipment of Fleetwood, PA will again showcase the Rich Mar Florist Kubota Hight Limit 410 Sprints in an action packed event with Time Trials, a series of qualifying events all leading up to the Rich Mar Florist Kubota High Limit 35 lap feature event paying $20,000 to win and $1,500 to start the main event.
Along with defending winner Brent Marks from nearby Myerstown, PA watch for two time Thunder on the Hill feature winner Rico Abreu of St. Helena, CA to be in the field along with five time World of Outlaw Champion Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, CA Expect more talent to include Tanner Thorson of Minden, NV, Kasey Kahne from Enumclaw, WA, Tyler Courtney Indianapolis, IN, Aaron Reutzel of Clute, TX, Daison Pursley of Loctus Grove, OK, Spencer Bayston of Lebanon, IN, Justin Peck from San Diego, CA and two Rookie drivers Danny Sams III of Elkhart, IN and Sye Lynch of Apollo, PA will be making their start with the High Limit Sprints in 2025. Of course, many local drivers will be on hand shooting for $22,000 payday to include Danny Dietrich and Freddie Rahmer.
The NAPA Auto Parts Thunder Series will continue with the USAC Non-Wing Sprints Eastern Storm National Tour on Tuesday night, June 17 with a 7:30 PM starting time. Alpine Building Supply is the race night sponsor as the top non-wing sprint racers chase the Levan Machine & Truck Equipment $10,000 Series Point Fund. This event is the Jesse Hockett Classic, a 40 lap feature paying $6,000 to the winner in a tribute to Jesse Hockett. The Grandview 358 Modifieds will be on the racing program taking part in a series of qualifying events highlighted by a 30 lap feature paying $3,000 to win.
Alpine Building Supply will post a $2,000 bonus for a first-time Thunder Modified feature winner. $5,000 to win 30 laps for your first Thunder win is a treat, previously earned by Alex Yancowski and Eric Kormann who pulled off the accomplishment in 2024 of cashing in on the Alpine Building Supply Bonus.
The Thunder finale is set for Tuesday night, July 1 when the Pennsylvania 410 Sprints Speed Week Series and the 358 Modifieds team up for a spectacular doubleheader. Start time is 7:30 PM with the 410 sprints opening with time trials followed by a series of qualifying events leading up to the Hodnett Cup, a 35 lap feature paying $10,000 to win. The 358 Modifieds will also compete in qualifying events and a 30 lap feature paying $3,000 to win. Once again, Alpine Building Supply will post a $2,000 bonus to any first time Thunder Modified feature winner.
Watch for Alpine Building Supply to have a strong presence at all Thunder on the Hill events in the coming season.
