LEVAN MACHINE & TRUCK EQUIPMENT NIGHT SALUTES BIG WINNERS THURSDAY AT GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY. . . .

BECHTELSVILLE, PA (AUGUST 26, 2021) – NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series returned to Grandview Speedway on Thursday Night for a 410 Sprint Car and Modified doubleheader. Tyler “Sunshine” Courtney picked up the 6th Annual Levan Machine and Truck Equipment Thunder Cup and Brett “The Threat” Kressley won the 358 Modified main event worth $3,500 in a single-lap shootout to the checkered flag.

A field of twenty-six 410 sprints and thirty modifieds filled the pit area on a hot, hot summer night that also offer the threat of rain all around the Bechtelsville speedway. The Pioneer Pole Building $1,500 first time Thunder on the Hill modified winner bonus remained unclaimed although Matt Stangle was in the hunt for the $5,000 first place prize after leading a good portion of the race. Stangle turned in a very impressive fourth place finish.

“Sunshine” an Indianapolis native scored the $6,000 winner’s share and the 6th Annual Levan Machine and Truck Equipment Thunder Cup trophy with a close win over Dillsburg, PA’s Anthony Macri. The two sprint cars touched as they charged off turn four in the final run to the checker flag.

“Anthony is aggressive and fun to race with, he ran me real clean. I almost gave that one away,” Courtney said of the second-place finisher and the contact they made coming down to the checkered flag. “It’s so good to get a winged Sprint Car win in Pennsylvania, it’s a good way to start our weekend.”

This All Star Circuit of Champions win marked Courtney’s eighth of the 2021 season, and his first Thunder on the Hill win – having competed for multiple years on ‘The Hill’ with the USAC Non-Wing Sprints.

Zeb Wise started on the front row of the 35-lap All Star A-Main alongside Macri and shot to the lead on the initial start. Wise set a rapid pace as the battle behind him heated up, three cars diced for the second position with Macri leading Tyler Courtney, and Justin Peck.

The leader, Wise, approached lapped traffic on the fifth-circuit but kept his cool switching lanes and making the best of a crowded race track.

Courtney charged passed the Macri Concrete No. 39M on the tenth-lap and set his sights on Zeb Wise.

With $6,000 up for grabs, Tyler “Sunshine” Courtney waited and watched making a move just prior to the halfway point – but Wise countered with a move of his own regaining the top spot.

Wise got into the turn four wall two laps later, forfeiting the lead to Courtney.

A close call on lap twenty-three saw two cars make contact. Devon Borden, aboard the Heffner No. 27 machine, shot across the racetrack directly in front of the leaders. Courtney stayed safe, but Wise just barely clipped the car, but was able to continue on.

Courtney dropped the hammer on the restart, with Macri charging into the second spot and Peck moving into the third position.

Macri closed in on Courtney as the final laps ticked away, patiently waiting to make his move.

With the checkered flag in sight Courtney and Macri made contact exiting turn four sending Macri sideways and clinching Courtney’s victory. Macri finished in second, Justin Peck came home in third, Zeb Wise finished in fourth, and Cory Eliason rounding out the top five.

All Star Circuit of Champions 410 Heat races were wont by Zeb Wise, Anthony Macri, and Kyle Reinhardt. Quick Time was set by Cory Eliason with a lap of 11.650, receiving a $150 bonus and wine from Clever Girl Winery. Anthony Macri won the dash earning the right to start on the pole and Tyler Ross was the winner of the B-Main.

Matt Stangle and Justin Grim led the field down to the green flag, swapping the top spot twice in the first lap. A bold three-wide move handed the lead to Jared Umbenhauer, with Grim and Stangle fighting for second.

Umbenhauer dropped into a rhythm that earned him a half-track lead over the rest of the field. Six cars battled for second running multiple grooves before the yellow slowed the field on lap eleven.

On the restart, it was Stangle taking the lead and maintaining control with Brett Kressley and Craig VonDohren following close behind.

Kressley made his move on lap 20, powering past Stangle into the lead.

Lapped traffic bunched the field directly in front of the leaders, with Kressley making contact – but continuing on while the lapped cars spun out, bringing out the yellow, and setting up a one-lap shootout for the win.

Kressley took the lead on the start, the checkered flag, and the $3,500 Thunder on the Hill Racing Series win. Umbenhauer came home in second, Craig VonDohren in third, Matt Stangle in fourth, and Jeff Strunk in fifth.

GT Radiator Repair 358 Modified qualifying heats were won by Justin Grim, Jared Umbenhauer, and Jack Butler each collecting $100 from the Ambler, PA-based business. The last chance consolation event was won by Kevin Hirthler.

The NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series returns on Saturday, October 16 for the Mods at the Madhouse Big-Block/Small-Block Modified Triple 20s and Sportsman event. For further information visit www.thunderonthehillracingseries.com

All Star Circuit of Champions 410 Sprint Car Series

Time Trials – 1. Cory Eliason – 11.650 2. Parker Price Miller – 11.778 3. Tyler Courtney — 11.851 4. Zeb Wise – 11.870 5. Hunter Schuerenberg – 11.905 6. Justin Peck – 11.972 7. Zach Hampton – 11.984 8. Ryan Smith – 11.991 9. Lucas Wolfe – 12.001 10. Ian Madsen – 12.003 11. Anthony Macri – 12.005 12. Kyle Reinhardt – 12.016 13. Tyler Ross – 12.068 14. Brent Marks – 12.069 15. Cap Henry – 12.126 16. Freddie Rahmer – 12.129 17. Bill Balog – 12.134 18. Kyle Moody – 12.161 19. Danny Dietrich – 12.175 20. Austin Bishop – 12.224 21. Devon Borden – 12.237 22. JJ Grasso – 12.247 23. Sam Schlosberg – 12.309 24. Bradley Howard – 12.342 25. Skylar Gee – 12.397 26. Jon Stewart – 12.696

Heat 1 (8 Laps) – 1. Zeb Wise 2. Ian Madsen 3. Zach Hampton 4. Cory Eliason 5. Danny Dietrich 6. JJ Grasso

Heat 2 (8 Laps) – 1. Anthony Macri 2. Hunter Schuerenberg 3. Ryan Smith 4. Brent Marks 5. Bill Balog 6. Parker Price Miller

Heat 3 (8 Laps) – 1. Kyle Reinhardt 2. Justin Peck 3. Lucas Wolfe 4. Tyler Courtney 5. Cap Henry 6. Kyle Moody

Dash (6 Laps) – 1. Anthony Macri 2. Zeb Wise 3. Tyler Courtney 4. Justin Peck 5. Kyle Reinhardt 6. Cory Eliason 7. Hunter Schuerenberg 8. Parker Price Miller

B-Main (8 Laps) — 1. Tyler Ross 2. Austin Bishop 3. Devon Borden 4. Bradley Howard 5. Skylar Gee 6. Sam Schlosberg

A-Main (35 Laps) – 1. Tyler Courtney 2. Anthony Macri 3. Justin Peck 4. Zeb Wise 5. Cory Eliason 6. Hunter Schuerenberg 7. Parker Price Miller 8. Brent Marks 9. Danny Dietrich 10. Ryan Smith 11. Bill Balog 12. Ian Madsen 13. Zach Hampton 14. Lucas Wolfe 15. Cap Henry 16. JJ Grasso 17. Austin Bishop 18. Kyle Moody 19. Skylar Gee 20. Sam Schlosberg 21. Devon Borden 22. Tyler Ross 23. Bradley Howard 24. Kyle Reinhardt.

NASCAR 358 Modifieds

Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1. Justin Grim 2. Duane Howard 3. Matt Stangle 4. Craig Von Dohren 5. Craig Whitmoyer 6. Briggs Danner

Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1. Jared Umbenhauer 2. Tim Buckwalter 3. Brett Kressley 4. Ryan Krachun 5. Ryan Godown 6. Ron Kline

Heat 3(10 Laps) – 1. Jack Butler 2. Davey Sammons 3. Jeff Strunk 4. Kyle Lilick 5. Mike Gular 6. Alex Yankowski

B-Main (10 Laps) – 1. Kevin Hirthler 2. Rick Laubach 3. Brian Hirthler 4. Kenny Gilmore 5. Jim Housworth 6. Mike Lisowski

A-Main (30 Laps) – 1. Brett Kressley 2. Jared Umbenhauer 3. Craig VonDohren 4. Matt Stangle 5. Jeff Strunk 6. Duane Howard 7. Ryan Godown 8. Mike Gular 9. Rick Laubach 10. Justin Grim 11. Jack Butler 12. Kevin Hirthler 13. Davey Sammons 14. Kenny Gilmore 15. Brian Hirthler 16. Ron Kline 17. Jim Housworth 18. Ryan Krachun 19. Tim Buckwalter 20. Craig Whitmyoer 21. Briggs Danner 22. Alex Yankowski 23. Mike Lisowski 24. Kyle Lillick

NOTE: A special Thank You to the hard working track crew and officials, as well as the All Star Circuit of Champions and Modified drivers who cooperated in moving the show along to beat the weather that in the area.

2021 Thunder on the Hill Race Dates

Saturday, October 16 MODS at the MADHOUSE Big Block/358 Modified Triple Roaring 20’s & Sportsman 6 PM