BECHTELSVILLE, Pa. — The 61st anniversary season of professional stock car racing got off to a thrilling start on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway, and when all the close racing and position swapping was over, former track champion Mike Gular was able to score the $7,500 payday in the 6th annual VP Racing Fuels Bruce Rogers Memorial.
Gular was engaged in a tremendous battle for the lead throughout most of the 50-lap feature race for the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds, losing the lead twice. His challengers were Brett Kressley, Jared Umbenhauer, followed by Jeff Strunk, who circled the track in close formation, thrilling the crowd.
In the end, it was Gular a winner, followed by Kressley, Strunk, Craig Von Dohren and Tim Buckwalter.
The T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman had just as much thrilling action in their 25-lap main event, with defending Track Champion Brian Hirthler making the right moves to score the hard-earned win over Brett Gilmore and early race leader Logan Watt.Â
The Opening Night program was the first race in the chase for the Grandview track and NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championships for both classes.
The VP Racing Fuels Bruce Rogers Memorial T.P. Trailer Modified feature saw Umbenhauer and Gular share the front row starting spots, with Gular taking the lead on the drop of Starter Ray Kemp’s green flag.
The two leaders already were about to reach lapped traffic by lap eight, when Gular jumped the cushion in turn one allowing Umbenhauer to grab the lead, but that pass was wiped away by a caution for a spinning Kevin Hirthler on lap eight.
One more lap advanced until a front straightaway red flag for a multi-car scramble that saw Doug Manmiller roll over, and the incident also collected Kyle Weiss, Ryan Watt, Joe Funk and Bobby Gunther-Walsh. Funk, Weiss and Manmiller were knocked out of action in the mishap.
At this point Gular was leading over Umbenhauer, Justin Grim, Kressley, Dylan Swinehart, Ryan Grim, John Willman and Strunk.
The drivers finally settled into a long green flag run, as Gular, Umbenhauer and Kressley broke away into a three car battle for the top spot.
Gular would lose the lead for the first time as Umbenhauer was able to pull a slider past Gular in turn three to briefly take the lead on lap 13, only to have Gular return the pass on the next turn to move back in front.
After that move, Kressley would move around Umbenhauer for second and quickly track down Gular and begin to challenge for the lead by lap twenty. It was around this time that Strunk would join the action up front to make for an entertaining four car classic battle royal for the huge victory.
Kressley put pressure on the leader many times as they worked in and out of lapped traffic, almost taking the lead a couple of times before he was able to make a beautiful outside pass in turn one on lap 31 to grab command and begin to open up a short lead.
The final outcome was determined by two quick cautions and restarts. First, a lap 37 caution for a stopped Gunther-Walsh gave Gular a shot at leader Kressley on the double-file restart, but Kressey held firm in the top spot.
One lap later Ryan Grim stopped with a problem, setting up the restart that saw Gular stay with Kressley down the front chute until he was able to power slide by Kressley entering turn one to take back a lead he would not give up the rest of the way.
At the checkered flag Gular scored the $7,500 feature win, becoming the sixth different driver to win the VP Racing Fuels Bruce Rogers Memorial. He was followed by Kressley, Strunk, Von Dohren, Buckwalter, Eddie Strada who moved up from 18th position, Justin Grim, Willman, Swinehart, and Ryan Grim.
The Finish:
Feature (50 Laps): MIKE GULAR ($7,500), Brett Kressley, Jeff Strunk, Craig Von Dohren, Tim Buckwalter, Jared Umbenhauer, Eddie Strada, Justin Grim, John Willman, Dylan Swinehart, Ryan Grim, Ryan Watt, Jimmy Leiby, Nate Brinker, Bobby Trapper Jr., Bobby Gunther-Walsh, Kevin Graver Jr., Craig Whitmoyer, Jesse Leiby, Doug Manmiller, Kyle Weiss, Joe Funk, Chris Esposito, Kevin Hirthler