Howard Powers to a Bruce Rogers Memorial Money Maker Win at Grandview Speedway

Grandview Speedway opened up their 2021 season with the 4^th annual Bruce Rogers Memorial Money Maker under spectacularly clear blue skies with diminishing winds.  45 modifieds and 33 Sportsman entries were on the grounds for the opening day of Grandview’s season and the Bruce Rogers Memorial.

It’s was close to happening last week at Bridgeport but an engine failure by Duane Howard after taking the lead delayed it one more week.  In only his 5^th start for Butch Getz Motorsports Duane Howard waited until he was on his home track to pick up win # 1 of the 2021 and took home the $7,500 Bruce Rogers Memorial trophy.

The 50 lap modified feature was lead to green by John Willman who stormed to the early lead over outside pole sitter Doug Manmiller and the field.  By lap 6 Duane Howard had moved from 12^th position to 3^rd place and was already stalking Willman and Manmiller.  Howard quickly disposed of Manmiller for second position and then made a strong high side pass of Willman for the lead on lap 12 while Brett Kressley was using the high side to move into 2^nd on lap 17.  The bad news for Kressley was that Howard was pulling away by more than 3 seconds while Craig Von Dohren was closing in on Kressley for 2^nd place.  With Howard, Kressley and Von Dohren all running the identical high side line like three ducks in a row; Kressley decided to try the low line which did not have any grip and allowed Von Dohren to pass him for second place.  Von Dohren than set his sights on Howard for the final 17 laps of the 50 lap feature event.  Von Dohren closed Howard’s lead to less than 2 car lengths on lap 33 and 46 but in the end Howard use lapped traffic to break away from Von Dohren and drive into victory lane for his first win in the Butch Getz Motorsports # 15g entry of the 2021 season.  Duane Howard has registered many Grandview victories in his career but none have more anticipated than his first victory for Butch Getz Motorsports in only five starts.

The modified top ten was rounded out by Craig Von Dohren in 2^nd followed by Brett Kressley, John Willman, Ryan Watt, Mike Maresca, Jared Umbenhauer, Tim Buckwalter, Louden Reimert and Danny Bouc in 10^th.

Kyle Lillick won the sportsman feature from the pole position after a 25 lap battle with Kenny Gilmore, Kyle Smith and Brian Hirthler.  Lillick prevailed by a margin of victory of .25 over Kenny Gilmore to take his first win of the 2021 season.

The sportsman top ten was rounded out by Kenny Gilmore in second followed by Brian Hirthler, Kyle Smith, Jimmy Leiby, Mark Kemmerer, Brandon Edgar, Bryan Rhoads, Doug Snyder and Ryan Conrad in 10^th place.

Next up at Grandview is the first point race of the 2021 season with the modified and sportsman division on the slate for Saturday April 10^th and hot laps at 6:00 and racing starting at 7:00.