Lex Shive Claims Sportsman Season Finale & Kenny Gilmore Crowned 2021 Sportsman Points Champion at Grandview & Pit Notes

Grandview speedway closed out their 2021 regular season with the 19^th and final points race of the season & crowned their 2021 champions under sunny skies and cool crisp fall temperatures.  Fireworks and $5,000 of additional bonuses were paid throughout the field by event sponsor Home Mortgage Team.   

The sportsman 25 lap feature saw Lex Shive take the lead on lap 18 and take off to a 3 second margin of victory to record his first feature win in seven years of Grandview sportsman racing. 

The sportsman feature was led by Tyler James until lap 4 when he ran high to the wall and relinquished the lead to Bryan Rhoades.  Rhodes continued to lead until the first caution of lap 17.  All three caution of the event were on lap 17 for contact incidents.  The second caution was for a tangle that sent 3^rd place Joey Vaccaro to the pits on the hook and 2^nd place Tyler James to the back of the field which moved Lex Shive from 4^th to 2^nd and set the stage for the final 8 laps of racing.   On the second restart Shive took the lead only to have it called back due to the the 3^rd caution on lap 17 for contact between Dylan Hoch and Steve Young.  On the 3^rd and final restart; Shive was not to be denied as he again took the lead off of the restart and this time it stuck.  Once in clean air Shive moved to the bottom and sailed away with a 3 second margin of victory at the checkered flag and drove into victory lane for the first time in his 7 year Grandview sportsman racing career.

In victory lane Lex Shive noted “I have never been so excited to see you Jeff.  This is unbelievable to win on my sponsor’s night and 9/11.  I got up front and then dropped to the bottom and I just took off in the clean air.  My dad and I are a small team; just the two of us and to get a win like this is just amazing.”

The top ten was rounded out by Bryan Rhoads in second place followed by Kenny Gilmore, Dylan Hoch, Brian Hirthler, Parker Guldin, Kenny Bock, Chris Esposito, Kyle Lilick & Jimmy Leiby in 10^th place.

The heat races were won Colton Perry, Steve Young and Bryan Rhoads.  The last chance consolation was won by Jimmy Leiby.

Sportsman Feature (25-laps):

 1. Lex Shive, 2. Bryan Rhoads, 3. Kenny Gilmore, 4. Dylan Hoch, 5. Brian Hirthler, 6. Parker Guldin, 7. Kenny Bock, 8. Chris Esposito, 9. Kyle Lilick, 10. Jimmy Leiby, 11. Jesse Landis, 12. Logan Bauman, 13. Anthony Raisner, 14. Nathan Mohr, 15. Zack Steffy, 16. Tyler James, 17. Ron Wasyluk, 18. Joey Vaccaro, 19. Steve Young, 20 Mark Kemmerer, 21. Decker Swinehart, 22. Colton Perry, 23. Matt Yoder, 24. Jesse Hirthler, 25. Mike Stofflet.

 DNQ: Mark Gaugler, Nick Faust, Dakota Kohler and Ryan Beltz

Sportsman Pit Notes

To say it was Lex Shive’s night just might be an understatement.  Lex ended up in victory lane for the first time in 7 years of sportsman racing at Grandview and on the night that his sponsor Hope Mortgage Team was also sponsor of the event providing competitor bonuses, a fireworks display and 9/11 tribute.  So for Lex & his dad this win was the perfect storm with his sponsor and their employees in attendance to cheer him on to his finest hour of his career.   

Lex has been close over the years on many occasions but just never able to get in victory lane over seven years of sportsman racing until tonight.  The other element to the win is that Lex and his Dad are only a two man operation and that’s all folks.  So this was a win for all the low budget little guys that keep trying every week and are truly the backbone of local grassroots racing.

Lex started his night running 2^nd in the heat race to polesitter Bryan Rhoads which put Lex into the handicap and in his best possible starting position of 6^th in the feature.  The first 17 laps were green flag laps and Lex was in 5^th place when the first caution came out.  Lap 17 had a flurry of cautions which Lex used to move from 5^th to first by the time the race final hit lap 18.  On final 7 laps Lex locked down on the bottom and checked out for his first trip to victory lane in his seven year sportsman racing career. 

Back at the trailer Lex reflected “Tonight actually started 4 weeks ago when we blew the bottom end out of our primary motor.  We had to freshen our heads and moved them to over backup short block and this was only our second night with our backup short block motor.  In hot laps the track was slimy and ugly with lap times being way off so not much to work off of for the heats.  I raced with the 922 in the heat and he got the win.   We raced again for the win in the feature but this time I came out on top.  I started the final restart on the top and was able to take the lead but the car was hanging; so I quickly got down on the bottom and made the car wide.  Once in clean air and with warm tires the car was locked down.  To win on my sponsor Home Mortgage Team night with all their associates and management here is just unbelievable.  We have ran a red white and blue car since day 1 and to win on 9/11 is a humble honor.”

Bryan Rhoads finished 2^nd from his pole position for his season and career best finish.  After a season full of mechanical issues things seem to be heading in the right direction as this is his 2^nd top three finish in the past 3 races.  Bryan won another heat race which has been common practice for him going back to last year.  He led the feature to lap 17 but couldn’t hold off Lex Shive on the lap 18 restart and finished a strong 2^nd place.  Postrace Bryan noted “This was a great night for us after going out early with mechanical issues the week before.  We won the heat from the pole with our same setup from the past 3 weeks.  Some newer tires would really hit the spot for us.  When I looked at the track prior to the feature; I saw similarities to tracks that I have been successful on so we made some minor changes for a slick/rubber up track to lock the car on the bottom.  We had a 48 tire for the feature this week which was a big help over a 50.  We really didn’t change much and the improved results are from better driving, staying smooth, holding our line and precision on the pedals.”   

Kenny Gilmore finished 3^rd from his 13^th starting position which was good enough for him to win his first championship in 36 years of racing.  But the final night to the championship was not an easy one for the Gilmore clan.  In the heat the good news was Kenny made the handicap but the bad news is the car took a beating and had heavy sheet metal damage and a smashed header.  Some quick decisions were made and the header from his son Brett’s car were moved to the sportsman car.  In the feature Kenny needed a 10^th place finish to lock up his first championship.  Despite a bruised and battered car from the heat; Kenny did what he has done all season and ripped off another top five finish with a 3^rd place which sealed his first championship in 36 years of racing.  Kenny’s season was a consistency clinic as he recorded 9 top five’s and 9 top ten’s and with only one finish outside of the top 10 in 20th due to a driveshaft failure .

Back at the trailer Kenny reflected “We had a good car all year that makes it easy to stay out of trouble.  Our first championship in 36 years of racing.  I have raced since 1986 and have been close before but never able to capture one of these season championships before.  This is probably my first and last championship. It’s not easy even for a modified driver and the sportsman class is much tougher than most people realize.”    

Kenny continued about the night’s race “The heat race did not go as planned and we ended up getting a bent header on a slimy heat race track.  I had to pull my son’s header off his car and he had to sacrifice his night of racing but gladly did to support my championship run.  I was real careful in the feature as the car was bent up but still tried to race and came out with a 3^rd which was more than enough to win the 2021 sportsman championship.” 

Dylan Hoch finished 4^th from a 20^th starting position.  Both contenders for the championship endured a difficulties during their night of racing proving just how competitive and challenging every week is at Grandview.  A spin in the heat race sent Dylan to the 11^th and last starting position in the last chance consolation.  Dylan rose to the occasion and drove from 11^th to 2^nd to transfer to the feature and keep his title hopes alive.  In the feature he moved from 20^th to 9^th in seventeen green flag laps.  On the 3^rd lap 17 caution of the night; he was involved in contact but was able to keep his car moving and retain his position in the field.  In the final eight laps of racing Dylan was able to move forward from 9^th to a solid 4^th place finish.

In his first full year of sportsman racing Dylan made a run for the championship even after some early season new team growing pains. Dylan still finished an impressive 2^nd in the points standing with 4 wins; 10 top five finishes and 5 top ten finishes.  By the end of the season the real strength of the team showed on nights when things didn’t quite go their way by starting in the back; or they were involved with tangles/spins and still managed to post 4^th place finishes on real ugly nights.

 Postrace Dylan reflected “I bent the axle pretty good in the heat race.  The car felt bad for the consolation but I was able to manage it and get into the feature.  We tried to square it back in and get everything back in line for the feature and we made out pretty good with a 4^th place finish.   Overall we had a really awesome year. The end of the year got a little rough but we made the best of it.” 

Brian Hirthler finished 5^th from a 15^th starting position and he wrapped up a solid 3^rd place in the 2021 points chase.  Brian had another strong heat race going from 7^th to 3^rd and qualifying in the handicap for the feature.  In the feature Brian patiently moved from 15^th to 10^th in the first 17 green flat laps.  In the final 8 green flag laps he was able to move forward 5 more positions into a 5^th place finish.

Brian recalled “We repaired our frame two weeks ago and picked up the win last week.  This week we ran some old tires and experimented with some setup ideas we have before the 38er.  We learned a bit and still got a 5^th place finish so it wasn’t too bad of a night.  The car went home straight too which makes it a good night.”

In only his second week with a new suspension setup; Parker Guldin managed to figure it out and hook it up to a 6^th place feature finish after coming off a DNQ the week before.  For the first time this year Parker had a strong heat and feature race on the same night.

Postrace Parker noted “This week the heat and feature was the best the car has been all year.  It might not have looked like it; but I’ve never been in a sportsman car that pulled like that the whole way around the track.  It’s still the crate motor, just a brand new style of suspension for me.  Even with some mistakes I had in both the heat and the feature; that was the best car we had all year.  This week was the first time I felt comfortable on both the top and bottom in one race.  I felt like I could’ve put the car anywhere as long as I kept it loaded up which is what I struggled with for the whole first half of feature.  This new style of suspension makes me drive with my foot in it more but in a good way and it works for me.  We made a few slight suspension changes from last week and they were the right call.  Our tire wear was good compared to other teams and not sure why.  We had to make this suspension change due to a wreck a few weeks ago and it has totally changed the car I’m dealing with; giving much more intense corner speed and exit speed.  Before the car would glide through the turns; now it shoots through the turns as long as I enter correctly.  I’ve got some things to learn with this new suspension but I’ve been a quick learner with our new suspension so far since this was only our second week with it.  This new suspension has put new light and life into our racing program at the most unexpected moment and it couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Kenny Bock had a solid night putting together a good heat race with a 7^th place finish from a 9^th starting position in the feature.  Back at the trailer Kenny noted “We have been tight in the heats this season so tonight we loosen the car up. The track was slimy in the heat but we managed to go from 4^th to 3^rd and transferred in a handicap spot.  In the feature we started 9^th and finished the long green run in 6^th.  On lap 17 there was a series of three restarts and we started them all on the top.  When the restart finally stuck I came out in 3^rd.  I passed and cleared Gilmore using the top but couldn’t move down to the faster bottom because the brakes were not working; so I got passed by a couple of the good guys using the bottom which dropped us back to a 7^th place finish.  It’s funny we started the season with brake problems and now we are ending the season with brake problems.”   

Chris Esposito finished 8^th from his 10^th starting position in the feature and after 3 months of mechanical struggles the 31A team posted back to back top ten finishes.  Chris recalled “It was a good night right from the heat were we finished 5^th and qualified in the handicap.  In the feature we started 10^th but fell back to 15^th and were able to work our way back to 8^th.  We finished the night clean with nothing major broken and only some worn tires.  It’s a shame it’s the end of the season but our guys have worked hard to salvage some good runs before the season ended and no one quit on this car. We will be looking forward to next season now with some hope.”  

Jimmy Leiby moved forward from 6^th to 4^th in the season points last week and went into the season finale trying to hold on to his 4^th position in the season points standings.  But like the other points leaders it didn’t come easy.   A heat race tangle and finishing with a flat put Jimmy 7^th in the heat race and sent him into the consolation.  Jimmy won the consolation which placed him 19^th in the feature starting grid where he was able to finish 10^th to secured his 4^th place finish in the season long points chase.  Jimmy is the only driver in the top 6 in points without a win during the season.          

Jimmy noted “We got in an early tangle in the heat race and came out of it with a RF flat and a broken radius rod.  We finished with the flat tire and barely finished in 7^th.  We fixed the car and won the consolation straight away.  In the feature we just wanted to stay clean and close enough to Lilick to keep our position points standing and that’s just what we did.”

The 2021 sportsman points top ten:

1. Kenny Gilmore            3879
2. Dylan Hoch                 3730
3. Brian Hirthler              3628
4. Jimmy Leiby               3265
5. Kyle Lilick                   3161
6. Kyle Smith                  2954
7. Mark Kemmerer         2464
8. Dakota Kohler            2445
9. Kenny Bock                2238
10. Nathan Mohr             2106

The next race is the Sportsman 38er on Friday night September 17^th with racing starting at 7:30 followed by the Freedom 76er on Saturday September 18^th with racing at 7:00 PM.