Grandview Sportsman Pit Notes 5/10/25 – Lawson Szerencits Collects Career First Sportsman Win

Lawson Szerencits  survived a fierce three-way battle with Brad Brightbill and Brett Gilmore to take his career first Sportsman win at Grandview.

Szerencits took the early lead from the pole position but after 3 early cautions and restarts feel to 3^rd behind leader Brad Brightbill and Bett Gilmore.  On lap 17 Gilmore made a pass to take the lead from Brightbill, but contact was made between Gilmore & Brightbill and both drivers pulled off by lap 20 with  Szerencits regaining the lead were he stayed for the final 5 laps and took a one second lead over Matt Martino to the checkered flag and made his first trip to victory lane.

Heat race winners for the 46-car sportsman field were Stephen Laubach (from 2nd); Ryan Graver (4); Brett Gilmore (3); Addison Meitzler (3); Brayden Shelton (from 1^st)

 Dylan Swinehart (from 2nd); Troy Bollinger (from 1^st); Bryce Bashore (2) won their consolation races.

Feature leaders – Lawson Szerencits lap 1 & 20-25; Brad Brightbill 2 -17; Brett Gilmore 18-19

T.P. TRUCK EQUIPMENT NASCAR SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH (25 laps):

 1. LAWSON SZERENCITS (start 1), 2. Matt Martino (5), 3. Dylan Swinehart (21), 4. Colin Cox (27), 5. Dakota Kohler (9), 6. Jesse Hirthler (24), 7. Nate Horn (6), 8. Mike Schneck Jr. (26), 9. Nathan Mohr 15), 10. Bryce Bashore (23), 11. Troy Bollinger (22), 12. Kyle Hartzell (25), 13. Kenny Gilmore (14), 14. Adrianna Delliponti (28), 15. Mike Stofflet (20), 16. Teague Miller (16), 17. Stephen Laubach (4), 18. Mark Mohr (11), 19. Kenny Bock (17), 20. Brayden Shelton (3), 21 Brett Gilmore (7), 22. Brad Brightbill (2), 23. TJ Mayberry (10), 24. Ryan Graver (12), 25. Brett Grim (19), 26. Chase Gular (18), 27. Jimmy Leiby (13), 28. Addison Meitzler (8)

DID NOT QUALIFY: Joey Vaccaro, Dennis Graber, Taylor Kramer, Jesse Landis, Tom Miller Sr., Kaitlyn Bailey, Tom Miller Jr., Mark Behm, Aaron Weaver, Decker Swinehart, Zach Steffey, Colton Perry, Mark Gaugler, Gavyn Krupp, Ebby Ridge, Jason Graber, Dylan Cappel, Tyler Vidal

GRANDVIEW $100 HARD CHARGER: Colin Cox +23

SPORTSMAN PIT NOTES – 5/10/25

Lawson Szerencits posted his first Grandview win by reclaiming the lead on lap 20 after leaders Brad Brightbill and Brett Gilmore both retired due to mechanical issues for Brightbill and a flat tire for Gilmore.  Lawson inheriting the lead from 3rd on lap 20 and held off Matt Martino for the final 5 laps to take his first sportsman win.

In victory lane Lawson noted “I was sweating bullets in the last few laps.  I just had to protect the bottom, and it was rubbered up racing right now so that’s all I had to do.  I saw the contact coming and just had to work around traffic and didn’t want to be in it, so I had to lay back.  On the restarts I had cool tires and was trying to get them hot but didn’t have much experience on 50 tires.  Brad is one of the best drivers out here and really appreciate him running me clean.”

Lawson continued back at the trailer “Started the night with a car that we didn’t think would be competitive and made wholesale changes for the heat race that may have seemed drastic but were needed. In the heat we had fuel delivery issues and held on for second place.  Our car would lose fuel in the center of corner and regain on exit every lap.  After the heat we made changes again in a major way to account for the slickness we anticipated in the feature, and we probably could have gone even further which would have resulted in even a better car. we got advice from Fast Four Racing Shocks that got us good enough to stay in contention.”

“After a less than stellar opening day performance and with all the new ideas and different combos that we were trying this week, I really didn’t expect to even have a car that could compete this week. All in all, we now have a very good baseline to go forward with and results to back it up in the notebook. We are looking forward to seeing what we can make happen in traffic as well.”

Matt Martino finished 2^nd from his 5^th starting position.  Matt noted “Overall it was a smooth night. We started second in the heat race just held my line and ran a smooth heat to get second.   For the feature we started in 5^th and car was good. Thought I had a shot at it with a good starting spot.  First few laps I ran the top and that wasn’t working as well as I’d hope it would, so I switched to the bottom and started clicking of laps and gaining position. With the yellow coming out with 5 to go, the leader went to the pits with a flat and that put me into second. The winner had a fast car, and I had nothing for him so hats off to him it was good run.”  

Dylan Swinehart finished 3^rd from his 21^st starting position and continues to make the same front to back runs which propelled him to a close 2^nd place finish in the 2024 sportsman points standings right behind Logan Watt. Currently Dylan sits 2^nd in 2025 points right behind Colin Cox so he has picked up right where he left off last season running back to front and contending for the points championship.

Dylan stated “The track was smooth and slick from the moment we touched it. I was happy with the track all night until the feature. The heat was very hard to pass in again, so, we went to the consolation once again. We had 4 of the top ten in the points standings in my consolation race but we still won the consolation race.

“The feature started out great with track conditions slick but about halfway through the bottom took rubber. We didn’t hurt our tires too much, but after taking rubber you couldn’t move around, and I had a tight car too.  It  was just hard to make any ground after I got into 3rd.  We were all happy with a 21st to 3rd run and our top ten consistency so far this season.”

Colin Cox has landed with a splash at Grandview posting an opening day win and a 4^th place in two starts this season in his first season running weekly at Grandview.  Colin did it the hard way this week, needing a provisional 27^th starting spot which he turned into a 4^th place finish and the early season points lead.

Colin reflected “Our car was good in warmups, and I knew it would be tough starting in the back of the heats with the way the track was. The car was pretty good in the heat just hard to pass on a one lane track with no cautions.”

“I started 4th in the consolation and with a couple good cars in front of me so I knew it would be tough. We all ended up going to the top where we got strung out.  I decided to use the provisional and I’m glad I did.  Starting 27^th, I knew I would just have to be patient and miss all the wrecks which I did.  Once we got going for a while I was able to get a couple of guys on the bottom and then ended up going to the top and got some more spots.  I was in 5th on the last single file restart on lap 20 and able to get under Kohler for 4^th which is where I stayed to the end.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of good drivers that you won’t see qualifying through the heats every week because of how hard it can be to pass early in the night and starting in the back, but it is what it is, and everyone has to race on the same track.”

 Dakota Kohler finished 5^th from his 9^th starting position.  Dakota commented “ In our heat the track was beyond used up it was just a matter of staying straight and on the bottom.  I needed to be way tighter because the track being the way it was.”

“I started the feature tighter then I would have liked but knew that the track was going to wear out quickly.  Going from how slick it was opening night; I figured I would be good later, but then the track took rubber. We were rushed out for the feature so didn’t have my preferred tire on from the start.  It was an OK night, but we have stuff to work on for next week.  In the end the car was in one piece, but we burned off 4 tires.”

Jesse Hirthler finished 6^th from his 24^th starting position racing for the first time in Uncle Brian’s 4* with dad Kevin as dedicated crew chief for the night.

Jesse recalled “In hot laps I was just getting used to the car and seeing how everything felt. I did have to learn it quickly because I knew I had to be up on the wheel to finish good in the heat race.  In the heat race I was supposed to start 9th but I started 8th and went forward from there. I could’ve qualified through the heat but made one mistake which put me in the wrong spot, and I had to qualify through the consolation.”

In the feature I knew there was going to be some carnage because of how many rainouts there has been, and I just have a grip on people’s tendencies in the sportsman class at Grandview. Luckily, I was able to miss all of that, but early in the race I did get driven into, causing the left rear shock to break.  I was still decent after that, but maybe if I had that shock, it would’ve been an even better finish. I also liked how the track was at the beginning part of the race and thought I was going to be able to use most of the track, but I was quickly slapped in the face with the rubber that was building on the inside groove.  Still a solid finish starting from 24th but I wasn’t content with 6th. I do think I could’ve got more positions but with how the track was and the shock that’s where God had us finish tonight!”

“Special thanks to my uncle for letting me drive the car, I had a great time and thanks to my dad for being crew chief all weekend. They are the two biggest teachers I have had in my life for racing, and I greatly appreciate everything they do for me and help me with!”

On lap 18 Brett Gilmore overtook leader Brad Brightbill taking the lead with a flat tire; only to see caution fly on lap 20 and track officials send him to the pits by rule to change the left front flat.

Brett reflected “Brushed the infield wall about 4 laps before I caught and passed Brightbill with the flat.  I could have easily restarted and finished on that flat with a chance at the win, but rules are the rules.”

 Next up on Saturday, May 17 will be a two-division program under the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series banner for the T.P. Trailer 358 Modifieds and T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman. The program will consist of qualifying races leading up to the 30-lap Modified and 25-lap Sportsman main events with hot laps at 6:15 PM and racing at 7:30 PM.