Adrianna Delliponti Looking to Make Some History at Historic Grandview Speedway

Grandview Speedway has 60 years of racing history and just about everything that can be done has been done on the one-third mile high-banked clay oval.  But there is still one thing that has yet to be done – the first women to go to victory lane in the sportsman division at the historic racing facility.  One young lady with her sites set on that accomplishment of being the first women to drive a sportsman into victory lane at Grandview is Adrianna Delliponti. 

Adrianna Delliponti came into Grandview racing last season in the Hirthler family 604 crate for a partial schedule of about ten races.  This season she has switched to another long time Grandview racing family driving the Gilmore # 7 sportsman entry.  She has benefited from guidance and racing knowledge from some of the best in the business driving for the Hirthler and Gilmore families and getting advice from countless other Grandview drivers and teams.

Adrianna is well on her way toward her goal with good success already this season in the Kenny Gilmore # 7 entry.  Not only is she driving last’s year’s sportsman division championship winning car she is also being coached by last year’s champ himself Kenny Gilmore.

Adrianna made her first top five run with the Gilmore #7 sportsman entry posting a 5^th place finish this week from an 8^th starting and also winning her heat race.  But her closest run at her first win came at the Forrest Rogers Memorial last year where she finished 3^rd after a spirited battle with Brian Hirthler and Cole Stangle.

Kenny Gilmore noted “I had my engine for sale last year after the season and when Adie and Joe came to talk about the engine one thing lead to another.  I wasn’t going to race this year anyway since I simply couldn’t afford to race another year.  Believe me it’s not too hard to watch.  I did drive once this year when Adie was at her prom and picked right off where we left off with a 3^rd from the traditional 16^th starting position.  I know I can still driver and be competitive but after winning a championship I am honored to have the opportunity to help someone improve and get better.”  

Seven races into the 2022 sportsman season, Adrianna has jumped into the weekly fray which has featured an average of 34 cars going for 24 spots every week.  Adie has a 5^th, 10^th and 12^th and currently sits 12^th in the early season points standing despite having a week off for her prom.  

Last season with the Hirthler family 117 crate car Adrianna’s best finish was a 3^rd  in 10 starts which she used to learn the basics about sportsman racing at Grandview.

Adrianna reflected “the Hirthler and Gilmore family are great racing families, and I am so grateful to have worked with both families.  My first season at Grandview was part time with the Hirthler family in their  #117 crate car.  I would not be where I am today if the Hirthlers didn’t take a chance on me so I’m very thankful for them and the time I spent with them last season.”

Adrianna continues to race 600 micros on Wednesday nights at Action Track.  She maintains the car with her dad and mom.  Adrianna commented “We had some success in the crate car at Grandview last year, but the main thing was all about the things we were learning and experiencing for the first time.  Action track is like the Grandview of 600 micros and has the toughest weekly competition around for 600 micros, so that is where we choose to go last year and again this year.  We have struggled at times with our 600 equipment and our success has been limited but feel we improve more against the best of the best that is at Action Track week in and week out.”   

The biggest challenge for Adrianna came this year when she moved from the 604 crate to the Gilmore open sportsman car.  Adrianna reflected “The biggest change I had to make over the past two year was due to the increased power that the sportsman motor has over the 604 crate motor.  I had to adjust my driving style because of the power difference between the crate and the sportsman motor. The additional power of the sportsman motor makes a big difference on the starts, but in the racing it depends on track conditions.  Having a year in the crate has taught me a lot about driving on a slick track.  The power of the sportsman motor immediately taught me about running the top groove.  Driving the crate last year and sportsman this year has taught me two completely different driving styles.  In the crates you are usually more on the floor and rarely lifted but in the sportsman, you must lift to set and finesse it through to corner.   As I continue to learn every week, I also feel that I’m getting better every week in the sportsman #7.”  

Adrianna continued “Kenny has been an amazing coach and is helping me improve even the smallest details of driving.  Working with Kenny and his family has been a great opportunity.  It is beyond my imagination to have a champion in my pit showing me the ropes.  I really can’t thank my mom and dad enough for allowing me to live the dream.  My goal is to be the first women to win a sportsman race at Grandview Speedway.  I’m going to college this fall at the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology and majoring in diagnostic medical sonography and still plan on racing every Saturday at Grandview during college.”

The sportsman division at Grandview has already had six different winners in 7 races.  With a 3^rd place finish last year, a 5^th place finish already this year and the champ in her corner there is little doubt that Adrianna’s hope to be the first women to win a sportsman race at Grandview could very well come true in the near future.

The T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds and T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman will be in action on Saturday, June 25 starting at 7:30 pm. The program will include qualifying events for both divisions leading to the 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature and the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman main. In addition, the Outlaw Racing Series Vintage racers will be in action in a feature only program.