BECHTELSVILLE, Pa. – Duane Howard started 12th in Saturday’s fourth annual VP Fuels Bruce Rogers Memorial Money Maker 50-lap event and roared to victory on the opening night of the season at Grandview Speedway.
He battled briefly with John Willman followed by Brett Kressley and later defending champion Craig Von Dohren, also in a different ride owned by Bruce Bruecher for the special big-block versus small-block modified race.
In the closing stages of the event Von Dohren was reeling Howard in, being able to gain ground when Howard was hampered by a lapped car. Howard kept Von Dohren at bay and went on to become the fourth different winner of the event for a hefty $7,500 payday.
Howard commented in victory lane that he’s determined to make the new ride coil work and prove to those that said he was too old to win another championship that they were wrong.
The victory does not count toward the season championship. The chase for the Advance Auto Parts NASCAR Weekly Series championship at Grandview begins April 10.
In the 25-lap Sportsman feature, polesitter Kyle Lilick collected his seventh career win by withstanding the challenges of runner-up Kenny Gilmore.