BECHTELSVILLE, Pa. – Jeff Strunk chased down Kory Fleming to take the lead in Saturday’s 30-lap TP Trailers NASCAR 358 Modified feature at Grandview Speedway, pulling away to his third victory of the season.
Kyle Kania, missing for a few weeks, wasted no time holding onto the early lead of the Modified feature from the pole position with Fleming, Ron Kline, Brett Gilmore and Louden Reimert in pursuit.
The only caution of the race was when Clay Butler and Craig Whitmoyer tangled in the fourth turn with three laps completed. The restart resulted in a new leader when Fleming overtook the top spot. Reimert, Kline and Briggs Danner completed the order behind Fleming and Kania.
Fleming opened up a comfortable lead while a heated three-way battle for second brewed between Kania, Reimert and Danner.
Back further in the pack Strunk was inching his way to the front and it wasn’t until the 18th lap that he broke into the top five moving up closer as the race progressed.
For some reason, Fleming changed the line he was running which allowed the competition to reel him in. By the time Fleming switched the groove, Strunk caught him to put his bid in the first.
The lead changed on the backstretch as the field crossed the line to complete lap 23 Strunk had the Keystone Racing No. 126 in first.
Strunk never faltered and chalked up his Saturday night 72nd career win. Chasing the ten-time Modified point champion across the line for their season best finishes were Fleming and Danner with Kevin Hirthler and Reimert completing the top five.
Tom Miller came out of retirement after a two-year hiatus and led the 25-lap TP Truck Equipment Sportsman feature from start to finish to chalk up his first victory. The 68-year-old finally conquered the one thing he wanted to do – win a feature at the third-mile oval.
Joe Biasi Jr. led 19 laps of the 25-lap Wingless Super Sportsman feature until Steve Wilbur made contact with him. Wilbur held on to win the 25-lap event with Biasi a close second. This was the first time the class returned in 31 years.