Grandview Freedom 76er – Pit Notes

Spectacular fall weather greeted a large contingent of fans and racers alike for the 50^th annual Freedom 76er at Grandview Speedway.  69 modifieds were in attendance looking to secure one of the 32 starting position for a shot at the $35,550 winner’s check.

Three Grandview drivers and Two New York drivers broke away from the field and battled for the lead nearly the entire race but in the end it was Jeff Strunk making a dramatic late race pass on Brett Kressley for the lead and a trip into victory lane for his 8^th Freedom 76er win and the $35,550 winner’s check.

The field was led to green by Brigg’s Danner and Bobby Varin in Tom Umbenhauer’s #5 entry.  Varin led the first 24 laps before being overtaken by a hard charging Brett Kressley on lap 25 for the lead.  The top 5 for the remainder of the race was an intense position swapping and battle between Brett Kressley, Jeff Strunk, Bobby Varin, Matt Sheppard and Mike Gular as this group broke away from the rest of the field as they entered into lapped traffic on lap 25.  Kressley was able to hold off Jeff Strunk in second place for nearly 40 laps but on lap 64 Strunk finally got past Kressley into the lead as Kressley started to fade with what appeared to be tire wear.  Jeff Strunk maintained a comfortable lead over Matt Sheppard and into victory lane for Freedom 76er win # 8 and a check for $35,550.

Postrace back at the trailer Strunk commented “We had the home track advantage here and just had to be patient and pick them off one a time.  I just let Brett (Kressley) go since he was on a torrid pace and I was more worried about Sheppard and Gular coming from behind.  The racing was clean and these are true professionals.  This win is special but to win the 76er 8 times is remarkable.”

The top 5 was rounded out by Matt Sheppard, Mike Gular, Brett Kressley and Bobbie Varin.

The heat winners were Andy Bachetti, Corey Merkel, Ryan Godown, Frank Yankowski, Anthony Perrago (Brett Kressley’s 19X backup car) and Ryan Lilick.

Consolation race winners were Ray Swinehart and Billy Pauch Jr.

The minuteman 20 was a green to checkered win for Mike Maresca in Kevin Hirthler’s backup #117X.

The $1,000 cash dash was won by Ryan Godown.

RACE RESULTS – 50^TH ANNUAL FREEDOM 76 (76-Laps):

Winner – 1. Jeff Strunk, 2. Matt Sheppard, 3. Mike Gular, 4. Brett Kressley, 5. Bobby Varin, 6. Duane Howard, 7. Ryan Godown, 8. Stewart Freisen, 9. Louden Reimert, 10. Frank Cozze, 11. Kevin Hirthler, 12. Jared Umbenhauer, 13. Briggs Danner, 14. Mike Maresca, 15. Andy Bachetti, 16. Danny Bouc, 17. Dylan Swinehart, 18. Ryan Lilick, 19. Justin Grim, 20. John Willman, 21. Dave Dissinger, 22. Max McLaughlin, 23. Frank Yankowski, 24. Brandon Grosso, 25. Keith Hoffman, 26. Richie Hitzler, 27. Mark Kratz, 28. Craig Von Dohren, 29. Ryan Krachun, 30. Andy Perrego, 31. Doug Manmiller, 32. Cory Merkel.

DNQ: Neil Williams, Ryan Watt, Cory Cormier, Bryan Kuhl, Ryan Beltz, Darrin Schuler, Brett Gilmore, Scott Frack, Joe Funk III, Craig Whitmoyer, Kyle Weiss, Ryan Grim, Steve Young, Kevin Hartnett, Alex Yankowski, Brian Hirthler, Ron Haring Jr., Bobby Trapper Jr., Ron Kline, Eric Kormann, Nate Brinker, Colt Harris, Bobby Gunther Walsh, Dom Buffalino, , Mike Mahaney, Danny Creeden, Billy Decker, Tyler Dippel, Rick Laubach, Kenny Gilmore, Dillon Steuer, Ray Swinehart, Billy Pauch Jr., Mike Lisowski, Brad Brightbill, Matt Stangle and Jordan Henn.

Schaeffer Motorsports Minuteman 20: 1. Mike Maresca, 2. Duane Howard, 3. Max McLaughlin, 4. Keith Hoffman, 5. Ryan Krachun.

Cash Dash (10 Laps): 1. Ryan Godown, 2. Craig Von Dohren, 3. Brett Kressley, 4. Cory Merkel, 5. Mike Gular, 6. Andy Bachetti, 7. Ryan Lilick, 8. Brett Kressley, 9. Frank Yankowski.

Modified Pit Notes

69 modifieds attempted to qualify for the 32 car field.  The list DNQ was full of  2020 feature winners & even track champions from tracks all over the northeast and just to mention a few – Mike Mahaney, Danny Bouc, Ryan Watt, Dominick Buffalino, Matt Stangle Billy Pauch Jr., Ray Swinehart, Rick Laubach, Dillon Steuer, Danny Creeden, Billy Decker, Tyler Dipple, Brian Hirthler, Alex Yankowski and Cory Cormier among others.

The 76er is a modified race with an underlying sprint car format that makes it one of the most unique race formats around.  First 3 automatic bids into the redraw are given to the track champion – Craig Von Dohren; The Forrest Rogers Memorial winner – Brett Kressley and last year’s Freedom 76er winner – Mike Gular.  The top 4 drivers from each of the 6 heats of 11 cars qualify for the redraw.  27 drivers were in the redraw.  Finishers # 5 & 6 from the heats go into the front of the Minuteman 20 which is effectively the B Main.  The 2 consolation races of 13 entries each send the top 3 to the Minuteman 20 to round out the 18 car field for the B Main.  The top 5 finishers from the Minuteman 20 round out the 32 car feature field.

The 76 lap race played out in distinctive phases.  There were 5 yellows in the first 21 laps.  A green flag run of 17 laps followed by one more yellow which was also used as a fuel stop for the alcohol cars.  The final half of the feature was 38 green flag laps right to the checkered flat.

Briggs Danner, Andy Bachetti, Justin Grim and Keith Hoffman were the only cars on alcohol that pitted on lap 38.

For the last 51 laps it was Kressley, Strunk, Sheppard, Gular and Varin separating from the field and swapping positions in the top 5 until the end of the race.  Kressley lead from lap 25 to 63 but then faded to a 4^th place finish while Strunk moved into the led for the final 12 circuits and a trip into the $35,550 victory lane.

Jeff Strunk won his 8^th Freedom 76er from the 12^th starting position.  His new Bicknell chassis was debuted in August and won at Grandview on the first night it was put on the track.  Strunk’s 126 could run low, middle or high all weekend long.  Strunk stayed within reach of Kressley and later in the race when Kressley’s pace started to fade Strunk moved into the lead to stay on lap 64.

Mike Gular got an automatic redraw position as the 2019 76er defending champion.  Gular drew the 24^th starting position but still managed to work his way through the field to a 3^rd place finish.

Brett Kressley had already won the biggest Grandview race so far this year which was the Forrest Rogers Memorial for $10,000 and was only 12 laps away from making a sweep of Grandview’s biggest events of the season.  Kressley led nearly 40 laps from his 20^th starting position but ended the race with a 4^th place finish.

Ryan Godown had a great Freedom 76er for a guy who only has one spec small block.  Godown lost a motor at the Prelude to the Coalcracker and at that time Searock Motorsports did not have another spec available.  But their spec motor was back in time for the 76er and Godown made the best of it with a heat race win and a $1,000 cash dash win.  Godown finished of his 76er weekend with a solid 7^th place finish from an 11^th starting position in the feature.

Duane Howard season has been on and off all year long.  Howard got a good position in the Minuteman 20 which only turned into a 29^th starting position in the 76 lap feature.  But in typical 357 Howard fashion Howard managed to move forward 21 spots to an 8^th place finish from a 29^th place starting position.  Howard was the hard charger of the night with an 8^th place finish moving 21 places from his 29^th starting position

Stewart Friesen drew 25^th out of 27 positions and then had to pit before green so he started shotgun on the field in 32^nd position.  Nonetheless another methodical drive to the front by Friesen as he posted an 8^th place finish from his 32^nd starting positon.

The 2020 track champion Craig Von Dohren made contact with the wall on lap 18 which retired him from the event for the night.

The New Yorkers

Several New York drivers came to Grandview sans their usual rides and jumped into some pretty strong local rides and or backup cars for this year’s 76er:

Booby Varin came down from New York and jumped in Tom Umbenhauer’s # 5 entry for the first time on Friday night at the modified practice session.  Varin qualified the car into the feature with a 3^rd place finish from a 5^th place starting position in his heat race.  Varin had the good fortune to draw the outside pole position in the 76 lap feature.  Varin held the lead for the first 24 laps and ended the night with a 5^th place finish.

Dillon Steuer started racing at Grandview in the Zubi 17Z in early August getting use to the car and track while racing in the weekly point races.  Steuer had a string of top 10 finishes and some strong back to front runs as he prepared for the 76er. Steuer drew 11^th for the heat race and finished 6^th in his heat to move straight to the Minuteman consolation race but unfortunately he was in the 6^th heat which put him 12^th on the starting grid in the Minuteman 20 lap qualifier.  Steuer finished 10^th and could not get the movement forward necessary to qualify for the feature in the 5^th position or higher ending his 76er as a DNQ.

Anthony Perrago jumped in Brett Kressley’s backup car and qualified from his heat race and drew the 19^th starting position but retired to the pits on lap 15 with a flat tire and did not return.

Mad Max McLaughlin was subbing for the injured Nick Rochinski in the 20R entry.  McLaughlin put the 20R in the feature and moved from his 30^th starting position to 15^th only to retire to the pits on lap 72 and end up with a 22^nd place finish.

The final New Yorker jumping in a local ride was Mike Maresca jumping into Kevin Hirthler’s 117X backup entry.  Maresca qualified on the pole and took the Minuteman 20 win from green to checkered flag.  Maresca finished on the lead lap with a 14^th place finish from a 28^th starting position while Kevin Hirthler in the team 117 finished just outside the top ten in 11^th place.

There were also several New Yorkers who brought their own rides to Grandview.  Mike Manhaney brought his 35 entry and was on a runaway heat win when the smoking motor issues and ended his bid for the 76er championship and gave him a DNF for the feature race.  Mahaney was coming off a 2^nd place to Friesen on Friday night at Albany Saratoga and winning his first Albany Saratoga Big Block championship the week before.

The Minuteman 20 B Main was the last chance for qualifying and is where the night ended for Ryan Watt, Billy Decker, Tyler Dippel, Danny Creeden, Dillon Steuer, Rick Laubach and Matt Stangle  who were all DNQ for the feature.

Grandview Regulars & Other Local Tracks

Louden Reimert came into the 76er after losing a motor the prior week at the final points race and had to resort to a provisional and to the backup car which they had on hand that night.  Reimert used the Friday night test session to shake down the new motor and the 16 team deemed the primary car ready to go for the Saturday 76 lapper.  Reimert’s two prior 76er’s ended in a DNQ and DNF but this year would be a career best with a 9^th place top ten finish.

Briggs Danner qualified for his second Freedom 76er and led the field to green on the pole position.  Briggs led the first lap and feel back to a 13^th place finish due to right rear that was losing air late in the 76 lap feature.

Corey Merkel won his heat race and qualified for the Freedom 76er on his first time at the event.  Corey also earned his way into the cash dash with many of the idols he grew up watching at Grandview.  Pre-feature Corey stated “We used the cash dash as a practice session.  Words can’t explain how happy I am to make this show and race with my idols at my home track that I grew up at every week.”  Merkel started 4th in the 76 lap feature but retired to the pits after 11 laps from racing contact front end damage.

Mark Kratz qualified for his first 76er and attributed his success to recent changes to a left side panhard setup and new shocks.  Despite drawing 27^th for the feature nothing could dampen Kratz’s spirits after qualifying for the biggest race of his career for the first time.

John Willman has only been back from medical leave for one week but was well enough to put the 74W in the program.  The veteran driver qualified during the heat races and was still running at the end of the race with a 20^th place finish.    

Richie Hitzler qualified for his second 76er in a row and his first time as a driver / car owner.  Hitzler changed his number to the #9 with the purchase of the car and has returned to his 2019 setup which has brought recent success with qualifying every week and a 6^th place finish in the end of August.  Hitzler started in the 7^th position but mechanical issues retired the #9 entry after 44 laps for a 26^th place finish.

Ryan Lilick qualified for his 3^rd 76er in a row but this was by far his best ever showing.  Lilick won his qualifying heat and held off a charging Stewart Freisen to 2^nd place.  Lilick had a contact flat during the feature and was still able to finish in 18^th position.

Dylan Swinehart got his first win of the season in July only to have several weeks of carburetor issues followed by rear failures for previous two weeks in a row.  But the Friday night test session helped get the Bailey Motorsport team’s current issues sorted out.  Things started to come together with the heat race were they qualified for the redraw and to started 8^th in the 76 lap feature.  In the 76er feature Swinehart’s car lost the brakes which held the team’s finish back to a 17^th place finish but nonetheless Swinehart was able to complete the race.

Ryan Krachun has struggled to qualify for 76er over recent years with with spinning on the last lap while in the final qualifying position last year and a fire while running the Minuteman two years ago.  So the 29 team considered qualifying in the 32^nd starting spot which was the last available position a huge success and step forward this year compared to prior years.  In the feature Krachun’s luck ran out when he got pinched to the wall and sustained front end damage that ended his night at lap 17.

Eric Kormann provided the car while Bobby Firth the motor for a one time joint venture to run the Freedom 76er. They didn’t get in the feature or Minuteman 20 but finished their heat and consolation event in one piece andrunning with lap times equal to some of the Grandview regulars so considered the novel outing a huge success and an enjoyable experience.

Grandview’s final event of the season is the Thunder on the Hill “Modified Treat or Treat Triple 20’s” and the sportsman division on Saturday October 17 with racing 6:00 PM.