Strunk goes for two at Grandview Speedway

BECHTELSVILLE, PA MARCH 1, 2001 . . . Winning the first championship is the tough part, winning the second one will be easier, or at least Jeff Strunk is hoping it will be that way.

The Grandview Speedway 2000 NASCAR Modified champion will be looking to win his second straight title and hopes to kick off his title defense with a strong showing in the season opener on Saturday, April 7, 5 p.m. Strunk, who also won the Motor Truck Equipment Co. Kenworth/Cummins NASCAR Dual Track Modified Championship (for events run at Grandview and Big Diamond Raceway ), will go up against some very tough competition.

For much of the 2000 season Strunk and 1999 track champion Terry Meitzler were locked in a close battle for the title. In fact Meitzler lead the chase for the modified championship at Grandview Speedway for 60% of the season. Only a run of tough luck in the late part of the season seemed to cost Meitzler his second straight championship.

Strunk, who will be wheeling a new Olsen creation NASCAR Modified, again with Kenworth/Cummins sponsorship, will also have strong competition from the likes of Tom Mayberry (Sellersville), Kerry Kratz (Bechtelsville), Glenn Strunk (Barto), Ed Aikin (Broomall), Jon Kellner (Lansdale), Chip Slocum (Ewing Township, NJ) and a host of others.

Car owner Keith Harring, he fields the cars for Strunk, said, "We have two new cars, one is here and one is on the way. And that will make a total of five cars we have ready for the season. Our primary effort will be trying to win the championship at Grandview. It is a lucrative title to win. And we are still thinking about what we will do on Friday nights. We have not made a decision as to where we will race on Fridays. However we would like to be in a position to earn some of the NASCAR regional point fund money at the end of the season. We would like to get our share of the $1.4- million that NASCAR has posted for the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series."

Opening night at Grandview Speedway will include a tripleheader show that gets the green flag at 5 p.m. Included will be the NASCAR Modifieds, NASCAR Late Models and PA. Sportsman stock cars. At least 13 events of stock car racing are expected as the 39th consecutive season of professional stock car racing gets started on Saturday, April 7.

Fans will have an opportunity to see many of the racers test and tune their equipment as they get ready for the new season. A free-to-the-public practice session will be offered on Saturday, March 31, 12 noon. This is a great opportunity for people who have not been to an auto race before to come out and see what the sport is all about.

New this year will be the chance for fans in the stands to win a "ride" in the new two-seater modified stock car, created by Ray Swinehart and J&L Speed Equipment, Two lucky winners each Saturday night will have the chance to take "the ride of their life" with one of the top drivers taking them around the one-third-mile, clay banked oval.

Grandview Speedway is located on Passmore Road, just off Route 100, in Bechtelsville, PA, just 10 miles north of Pottstown. Telephone 610.754.7688 or visit their website at www.grandviewspeedway.com.

-GS-