Grandview Speedway Opening Night 1999-04-03

MAYBERRY, TEETS AND GILMORE WIN OPENERS AT GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY BECHTELSVILLE, PA APRIL 3, 1999 . . . In front of a huge opening night crowd at Grandview Speedway, Tom Mayberry wheeled the Mike Kelly owned A&T Chevrolet/Golden Corral Modified stock car to victory in the 37 lap NASCAR Modified feature race on Saturday night. And in the companion features Jeff Teets drove his Harry's U-Pull It Auto Parts entry to victory in the 15-lap feature for NASCAR Late Models while Charley Gilmore drove his own unsponsored racer to fan popular win in the 15-lap Sportsmen feature race.

For Mayberry and car owner Kelly it was the start of a chase to a second championship. The duo was together as a team in 1991 winning the track title and then split in 1993. When Ray Swinehart, who drove the Kelly owned car to a track championship in 1998 decided to form his own team, Mayberry was hired back as the driver by Kelly. And on Saturday night while Mayberry rode to victory Swinehart had to be wondering if he had made the right decision as he and his broken racer sat watching from the infield.

Sam Martz looked like he was on his way to the opening night feature win, kicking off the 37th consecutive season of stock car racing at Grandview Speedway. However after leading 23 of the first 24 laps, Martz got caught up behind a slower moving car that "refused to move out of the groove." With Martz struggling to get by the slower mount Tom Mayberry roared by on the outside to take the lead and on the same lap Martz finished what had been an impressive night of racing hanging from the boiler plate guard rail in the first turn.

On the restart Mayberry was able to resume command of the $3,000 to win feature race and held off challenges from a variety of competitors. At the finish the Sellersville, PA resident was just a narrow margin in front of Jeff Strunk and the Kenworth/Cummins entry which had run with the leaders all through the feature. Chip Slocum, who had lead the first lap, finished a strong third followed by Rick Schaffer and Glenn Strunk.

It was the second time that Mayberry had won an opening night feature race, the last time being in 1981 when he drove for Jerry Eshelman.

John Durling was another that looked like he was on the way to an opening night win. He lead all but about 300 feet of the feature race for the late models. With Jeff Teets on his rear bumper for much of the feature event, marred by a large number of cautions, Durling was able to keep the Golden Chevrolet/Hardee's Restaurant sponsored machine in front. However in the fourth turn of the final lap Teets was able to shoehorn his Harry's U-Pull It Auto Parts entry in front Durling and grab the win. The Coplay, PA racer earned $600 for his efforts. Durling finished second followed by Dean Stoudt, Chuck Sennott and Lou Egrie. The feature was cut from 20 laps to 15 because of the time limit being enforced by track officials.

And in the 15-lap feature for the Sportsmen stock cars veteran driver Charley Gilmore, who is rumored to have been at Grandview Speedway on opening day 37 years ago, drove to his first win since August, 1987. For Gilmore it marked a milestone in that he has now won at least one feature race in each of the last four decades at Grandview Speedway.

The Kutztown, PA based racer, who was a kingpin at tracks such as Dorney Park and Nazareth Raceway, tracks that no longer exist, was able to hold off some strong challenges from the younger set to drive his unsponsored entry to victory. In fact some observers believe the car that Gilmore was driving may have been older than some of the racers he was competing against.

In second spot in the Sportsmen feature was Scott Singley coming back from an early race altercation. Third went to Bobby Yeager followed by Lance Hoch and Wayne Nicholas.

More than 100 race cars were in the pits for the opening night action with qualifying heats for the modifieds being won by Chip Slocum, Jeff Strunk, Sam Martz, Ray Swinehart and Sam Schoenly. Consolation races went to Rich Wisdo, Bill Gensler and Smokey Warren while the Automotive Machining Services Cash Dash was won by Sam Martz.

In qualifying events for the Late Models, as part of the Easter Eve tripleheader that included the Easter Bunny visiting with the youngsters and giving away some prizes, John Durling, Jeff Teets and Rick Todorow were winners while Scott Miley earned the consolation win.

Sportsmen qualifiers were won by Charley Gilmore and Paul Kline.

NASCAR stock car racing returns to Grandview Speedway on Saturday, April 10, 5 p.m. with NASCAR Modifieds, NASCAR Late Models and Sportsmen, at least 13 events of racing. Starting this Saturday some lucky youngster in the stands will have an opportunity to win a ride in the track pace vehicle and have their photograph taken in victory lane after the Cash Dash.

For information on racing at Grandview Speedway (Bechtelsville, PA) telephone 610.754.7688 or visit their website at www.grandviewspeedway.com.

NASCAR MODIFIEDS, 37 LAP FEATURE.....Mayberry, Jeff Strunk (Bechtelsville), Chip Slocum (Ewing Township, NJ), Rick Schaffer (Woxall), Glenn Strunk (Boyertown), Jon Kellner, Kerry Kratz, Sam Schoenly, Danny Erb, Donny Erb, Smokey Warren, Terry Meitzler, Bob Trapper, Kevin Hartnett, Shawn Reimert. NASCAR LATE MODELS, 15 LAP FEATURE....Teets, John Durling (Reading), Dean Stoudt (East Greenville), Chuck Sennott (Gilbertsville), Lou Egrie (Philadelphia), John Giesler, Randy Stoudt, Ron Chrisman, Sam Schlossberg, Ed Hoffman. SPORTSMEN - 15 LAP FEATURE......Gilmore, Scott Singley, Bobby Yeager, Lance Hoch, Wayne Nicholas, Joe Biasi, Troy Moyer, Bob Lilick Jr., Stephen Lozorak III, Donn Edgar.

------------------------------------------------------------- IN A NUTSHELL: Saturday, April 10, 5 p.m. Tripleheader card of NASCAR stock car racing featuring NASCAR Modifieds, NASCAR Late Models and Sportsmen stock cars. At least 13 events of racing. Regular admission for adults $10.00, youngsters 6 thru 11, $3.00 and under 6 with a paying adult is free. Free parking on the grounds of the speedway. April 17 and 24, same show format. April 24th will be Bob Hilbert Sportswear/Grandview Speedway Hat Night. First 300 through main gate get a free hat. There will be free prizes and more. -------------------------------------------------------------