Double Duty in 2021 for Adrianna Delliponti in Crate Sportsman and 600 Micro

A familiar family name is returning to Grandview after nearly a 40 year absence from the high banked south eastern PA bull ring.  When Adrianna Delliponti hits the track at Grandview Speedway; she will be driving in the footsteps of her grandfather and three uncles as she continues the family tradition of racing at the Grandview Speedway.  For 9 years Adrianna has been racing across the United States in ¼ midgets with the hopes that one day she would get an opportunity to race on the same Grandview speedway that her grandfather and three uncles raced on for years. In 2021 she will get the opportunity to continue the Delliponti family racing tradition at Grandview in the Kevin Hirthler #117 crate entry for about 10 races in 2021.

The Delliponti family started racing at Grandview Speedway with Adrianna’s grandfather Peter Delliponti Sr. racing in the mid 80’s and his three sons Peter Jr., Stephen, Tony all raced in the 90’s.

Adrianna reflected “I started at five years old in ¼ midgets and we raced all across the country as far west as Texas and all over the Midwest and South.  Not only did we race at regional and national events all over the country but I raced in 5 different classes at each race.  I won two national midget championships.  We had a trailer full cars on each trip.  We even ran some asphalt tracks too.”

Racing suddenly came to a halt when Adrianna developed a serious medical condition when she was around 12 years and eventually her doctors diagnosed Gastroparesis which required Adrianna to have an operation to insert a feeding tube.  But as expected she was not going to let some little old feeding tube get in the way of her racing dreams.  “If there is a will there is a way” and with Adrianna there was a will to continue racing with her family support there was a way.  Adrianna quickly learned how to cope with her new feeding tube and deal with the extra protective belt she now wears while racing.

Adrianna noted “I had this stomach pain one night when I was 12 and it just wouldn’t go away.  Finally the doctors diagnosed me with Gastroparesis and I was required to get a feeding tube because of my condition.  It was difficult and challenging at first and took a while to get use to but I quickly found out I could be the same girl I always was except that I just had a feeding tube.  It has been great to be able to race and show other kids that have just been diagnosed with Gastroparesis that you can still do whatever you want to despite your medical condition.”   

Adrianna continued “I changed from ¼ midgets and for the past two years and have been racing 600 micros at Shellhammer’s Speedway.  Last year I ran 2^nd three times and just couldn’t get my first win in the 600’s.  We were very consistent every week and I finished 2^nd in the season long points championship at Shellhammer’s Speedway in 2020 but I wanted that first win in the 600’s.”

The Delliponti and Hirthler families have been friends since the mid 80’s when both grandfathers were racing against one another but despite the competition on the track the two racing families have stayed friends for over 40 years.

For the 2021 season Adrianna will drive Kevin Hirthler’s 117 Crate Sportsman for 10 races at Grandview Speedway.  Adrianna commented “I’m really excited to be able to drive Kevin Hirthler’s 602 crate for around 10 races this season.  It’s awesome to be in a car setup by an experienced driver like Mr. Hirthler and to also have him giving me driving advice.

Adrianna has a very aggressive 2021 racing schedule planned with the 602 Crate at Grandview for about 10 races on Saturdays and she will also racing her 600 micros on a Wednesday nights and special events.

Adrianna noted “In addition to racing the crate at Grandview we will also continue to race in the micro 600 class.  We are going to field three Hyper 600’s this year with a wingless, winged and outlaw 600.  We will run the wingless 600 weekly on Wednesday nights at Action Track USA in Kutztown, PA. The 600 outlaw car is going to be for Millbridge, the Tulsa Shootout and other Outlaw car events.  The winged car is new for us in 2021 and we are going to use it for special events and big races.  We are planning on running all of the 600 Speed Week events in 2021.”

Adrianna stated “My goals for 2021 are to get back to some traveling with the outlaw car, race with the best competition we can find so we can improve with the wingless 600 and qualify for the big events and then win our first 600 race.”

“One thing my dad has always told me was that ‘every spot counts’ and the way I look at it we only need one more spot to go from 2^nd to 1^st in 2021 and that’s the one spot were getting this year.”