Finally Grandview Speedway comes off my hit list
#106 Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, PA (1/3-mile dirt), 5/16/06...
After getting 15 new tracks in the last four months of 2005, my first new track of the 2006 season came four and half months since my last new track on December 30.
Grandview Speedway is a track that has been on my hit list for quite a few years. Saturday night tracks are tough to get to for me being committed to Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday nights, but every time I seemingly planned to hit one of their late season or midweek specials something else would come up or Mother Nature would have other ideas.
With the Northeast being pounded by rain and cool temperatures the last 8 days, I figured Grandview would remain on my hit list. Tuesday's forecast appeared to be a 50% chance of the wet stuff and best case 40%. I figured I'd watch the weather Tuesday morning and see if it was worth heading out at about noon. When I awoke to the forecast of just AM showers/PM sun in Philadelphia, my hopes brightened. Upon further closer inspection, the forecast for Bechtelsville looked to be about 30% so I decided on the near 5-hour trip.
Once I got to the other side of State College skies began to brighten and only a few spotty showers fell the last couple hours of the trip. While there were some big black clouds in the sky, blue surrounded them I figured it wouldn't be enough to rain them out. Nearing the track, the roads were wet but the sun was shining and later did learn they had an afternoon shower.
"Thunder of the Hill" has been a concept of Bob Miller, who's heavily involved with the URC Sprint Cars. Bob always takes pride in his shows and I was looking forward to this World of Outlaw Sprint & ARDC Midget Car doubleheader. I knew Bob would run a tight ship and do everything in his power to get this show in.
A field of 33 410 Sprint Cars were on hand including 17 from the WoO and 16 locals at this neutral track that only has 3 410 Sprint Car shows scheduled. A good field of 26 Midgets were on hand.
Time trials began at 7:30 just after Bob's daughter Chelsea spun off a great rendition of the national anthem. Skies got dark to the west and the wind kicked up as qualifying was spun off in 20 minutes. The show would include 4 heats, two dashes, a B main, and a 35-lap feature for the Sprint Cars and two heats and a 20-lap feature for the Midgets.
The track was tacky and a little choppy in the turns with all the rain that had fallen, but made for some exciting racing. Grandview is a very fast 1/3-mile with lap times around 12 seconds. The Sprint Car feature took the green about 10 minutes to 10 PM. The only caution of the event was for Dave Cordier, Jr. After giving Cordier 3 courtesy laps to fix a stuck throttle, Cordier exited the event before the green flag fell. Cordier's family promotes Shellhammers Speedway and was making his season debut in his immaculate #7c. Cordier was a surprise as he made the invert and went on to win heat #4 holding off Terry McCarl plus beating the stars of Todd Shaffer, Joey Saldana, Randy Hannagan, and Chad Kemenah!
What would follow was 35 hold your breath, non-stop laps in just over 8 minutes. Aussie Brooke Tatnell led the first 7 laps before exiting on green handing the lead to Daryn Pittman. Pittman looked like he was headed to the $10,000 victory, but got held up in lapped traffic and was passed by point leader Donny Schatz on lap 33. Schatz, who started 7th, then raced on to his 4th win of the year. A call to local Greg Hodnett, who finished 6th. Hodnett timed poorly in 23rd and worked his way from the 22nd starting spot to a solid 6th and may have had the fastest car, but got held up behind Fred Rahmer and the lapped car of Becca Anderson for numerous laps.
The Midget feature was a good one. It appeared Mike Miller was on his way to his first feature win of the year, but a caution on the last lap changed things dramatically. Steve Buckwalter had made his way from the 10th starting spot to 2nd and the caution gave him a last lap chance at overtaking his car owner. Heading through turn 3, Buckwalter pushed his way under Miller. I then could not tell if Miller cut back down on Miller or not, but Miller's left front tire got run over and he flipped in turn four. The red was thrown and during the down time it was decided to place Buckwalter on the rear, who then raced into the pits without finishing the event.
Andy Martin led the final lap for the victory. Miller, who schedules the events & is considered the drivers' rep, has now flipped in 3 of the 4 ARDC events this season. I'm guessing it was an interesting conversation back in the pit area between Miller, Buckwalter, and the ARDC officials. I don't think ARDC knew what to do and I'm curious what Miller wanted to see done. Instead of his first win and a 1-2 finish for his cars, he ended up with a damaged race car and a finish of 19th & 21st. The Midget feature took about 40 minutes to complete and the show was over at 11 PM.
I really enjoyed the racing at Grandview. Excellent racey surface that provided two and three-wide racing all night long. You sit close to the track and the announcers were excellent. I was amazed by the steepness of the bleachers in turns three and four. A good crowd was on hand, but the weather kept it from being a big money maker.
Grandview made for my 44th Pennsylvania track.
106. Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, PA 5/16/06
After getting 15 new tracks in the last four months of 2005, my first new track of the 2006 season came four and half months since my last new track on December 30.
Grandview Speedway is a track that has been on my hit list for quite a few years. Saturday night tracks are tough to get to for me being committed to Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday nights, but every time I seemingly planned to hit one of their late season or midweek specials something else would come up or Mother Nature would have other ideas.
With the Northeast being pounded by rain and cool temperatures the last 8 days, I figured Grandview would remain on my hit list. Tuesday's forecast appeared to be a 50% chance of the wet stuff and best case 40%. I figured I'd watch the weather Tuesday morning and see if it was worth heading out at about noon. When I awoke to the forecast of just AM showers/PM sun in Philadelphia, my hopes brightened. Upon further closer inspection, the forecast for Bechtelsville looked to be about 30% so I decided on the near 5-hour trip.
Once I got to the other side of State College skies began to brighten and only a few spotty showers fell the last couple hours of the trip. While there were some big black clouds in the sky, blue surrounded them I figured it wouldn't be enough to rain them out. Nearing the track, the roads were wet but the sun was shining and later did learn they had an afternoon shower.
"Thunder of the Hill" has been a concept of Bob Miller, who's heavily involved with the URC Sprint Cars. Bob always takes pride in his shows and I was looking forward to this World of Outlaw Sprint & ARDC Midget Car doubleheader. I knew Bob would run a tight ship and do everything in his power to get this show in.
A field of 33 410 Sprint Cars were on hand including 17 from the WoO and 16 locals at this neutral track that only has 3 410 Sprint Car shows scheduled. A good field of 26 Midgets were on hand.
Time trials began at 7:30 just after Bob's daughter Chelsea spun off a great rendition of the national anthem. Skies got dark to the west and the wind kicked up as qualifying was spun off in 20 minutes. The show would include 4 heats, two dashes, a B main, and a 35-lap feature for the Sprint Cars and two heats and a 20-lap feature for the Midgets.
The track was tacky and a little choppy in the turns with all the rain that had fallen, but made for some exciting racing. Grandview is a very fast 1/3-mile with lap times around 12 seconds. The Sprint Car feature took the green about 10 minutes to 10 PM. The only caution of the event was for Dave Cordier, Jr. After giving Cordier 3 courtesy laps to fix a stuck throttle, Cordier exited the event before the green flag fell. Cordier's family promotes Shellhammers Speedway and was making his season debut in his immaculate #7c. Cordier was a surprise as he made the invert and went on to win heat #4 holding off Terry McCarl plus beating the stars of Todd Shaffer, Joey Saldana, Randy Hannagan, and Chad Kemenah!
What would follow was 35 hold your breath, non-stop laps in just over 8 minutes. Aussie Brooke Tatnell led the first 7 laps before exiting on green handing the lead to Daryn Pittman. Pittman looked like he was headed to the $10,000 victory, but got held up in lapped traffic and was passed by point leader Donny Schatz on lap 33. Schatz, who started 7th, then raced on to his 4th win of the year. A call to local Greg Hodnett, who finished 6th. Hodnett timed poorly in 23rd and worked his way from the 22nd starting spot to a solid 6th and may have had the fastest car, but got held up behind Fred Rahmer and the lapped car of Becca Anderson for numerous laps.
The Midget feature was a good one. It appeared Mike Miller was on his way to his first feature win of the year, but a caution on the last lap changed things dramatically. Steve Buckwalter had made his way from the 10th starting spot to 2nd and the caution gave him a last lap chance at overtaking his car owner. Heading through turn 3, Buckwalter pushed his way under Miller. I then could not tell if Miller cut back down on Miller or not, but Miller's left front tire got run over and he flipped in turn four. The red was thrown and during the down time it was decided to place Buckwalter on the rear, who then raced into the pits without finishing the event.
Andy Martin led the final lap for the victory. Miller, who schedules the events & is considered the drivers' rep, has now flipped in 3 of the 4 ARDC events this season. I'm guessing it was an interesting conversation back in the pit area between Miller, Buckwalter, and the ARDC officials. I don't think ARDC knew what to do and I'm curious what Miller wanted to see done. Instead of his first win and a 1-2 finish for his cars, he ended up with a damaged race car and a finish of 19th & 21st. The Midget feature took about 40 minutes to complete and the show was over at 11 PM.
I really enjoyed the racing at Grandview. Excellent racey surface that provided two and three-wide racing all night long. You sit close to the track and the announcers were excellent. I was amazed by the steepness of the bleachers in turns three and four. A good crowd was on hand, but the weather kept it from being a big money maker.
Grandview made for my 44th Pennsylvania track.
106. Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, PA 5/16/06
posted by Mike Leone at 2:40 PM
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