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JEFF SHEPARD POCKETS $5,200 IN THUNDER ON THE HILL SERIES OPENER
WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT GRANDVIEW
BUCKWALTER WINS ARDC FEATURE AFTER CONTACT WITH BILLY PAUCH JR.
With bad weather in the area, the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill
Racing Series beat the odds and presented their eightieth event in the
nineteen season open at the Grandview Speedway on Wednesday night. On
the program was the popular 410 sprints competing in the opening event
of the 2nd Annual Keystone Cup Sprint Series. The finely prepared
speedway delivered some high speed racing with three different drivers
breaking the six year standing, one lap track record. Lucas Wolfe was
the first to break the record and several cars later, Todd Shaffer
delivered the same time as Wolfe. But it was Jeff Shepard driving the
ZEMCO sprint car who established the new time of 11.433. The prior
track record was 11.533, established in 2002 by Sean Michael who at the
time was driving the ZEMCO sprinter. In the 35 lap sprint car feature,
Shepard was the class of the field to earn the win and the $5,000
payday. Shepard earned an additional $200 from COMDIAL Telephone
Communication for setting fast time of the night.
A field of twenty-eight 410 sprints took part in the event that started
about one hour late due to a late afternoon rain storm. The additional
moisture made the track extremely fast with Shepard not on setting fast
time, but establishing a new track record. In the three qualifying heat
race events, Davey Sammons, Ryan Taylor and Brian Leppo were winners as
the B-Main event victory went to Stevie Smith.
In the 35 lap Keystone Cup feature event, Jeff Shepard started on the
pole and ran to hide from the rest of the field. Lucas Wolfe and Todd
Shaffer were in the chase as Daryn Pittman and Brian Paulus moved in on
the front runners. Wolfe and Pittman caught Shepard in lapped traffic
and a battle for the lead was shaping up. On lap eight, the red flag
was displayed when Paulus flipped after making contact with the fourth
turn wall.
On the restart, Shepard once again had clear sailing to maintain the top
spot. By lap seventeen, the race for the lead was very interesting as
Shepard, Wolfe and Pittman were racing under a blanket for the top spot.
On lap twenty, Pittman moved into second but one lap later, Wolfe
regained the runner-up spot. Suddenly, Fred Rahmer was in the chase,
running in fourth with Stevie Smith in fifth.
A yellow flag was displayed on lap twenty-two for Lance Dewease who
stopped in turn four. On the restart, Shepard again held command with
Wolfe and Pittman continuing their battle. The final yellow of the race
came out on lap twenty-four when Matthew Reed came to a stop.
When green flag racing resumed, Shepard was again clearly in command
followed by Wolfe, Pittman, Rahmer and Smith. In the closing laps,
Shepard came up on lapped traffic and now Wolfe, Pittman and Rahmer were
within striking distance. With two laps to go, the top four was again
racing under a blanket. With Shepard in the lead, Pittman made the move
to pass Wolfe but ran short of time to challenge for the win.
Using the lapped traffic to his advantage, Jeff Shepard drove a flawless
final two laps to take the win, his second career Thunder on the Hill
feature victory. Pittman finished second followed by Lucas Wolfe, Fred
Rahmer and Stevie Smith.
The ARDC Wingless Midgets brought a strong field thirty-two cars with
heat race victories going to Scott Zipp, Brett Arndt and Steve
Buckwalter as the B Main event was won by Bob Goerner. In the feature
event, Scott Zipp was the early race leader, but on lap five, Andy
Martin was in the hunt for the lead, racing in second and challenging
for the lead. By lap eight, Billy Pauch Jr. was in contention and
battling with Martin for second.
By the halfway point of the race, Zipp, Martin and Pauch were in an all
out fight for the top spot. On lap eleven, Pauch took the lead only to
give back the top spot to Martin. Steve Buckwalter was now in the thick
of the battle, racing in third on lap twelve. By lap fifteen,
Buckwalter was second as he was mixing it up for the lead with Pauch and
Martin. With just two laps remaining, Pauch and Buckwalter were racing
flatout, swapping the lead lead with each turn. On the final lap, and
after some thrilling moves, Buckwalter and Pauch tangled in turn three,
with Pauch taking a wild flip in turn four. Pauch did walk away from the
accident.
Steve Buckwalter took the victory over Andy Martin, Nick Wean, Ryan
Smith and Drew Heistand. Making up the top ten were Brett Arndt, Randy
Monroe, Jr., Stephanie Stevens, Zack Martini, A.J. Ernesto.
KEYSTONE CUP SPRINT SERIES 35 LAP FEATURE FINISH: Jeff Shepard, Daryn
Pittman, Lucas Wolfe, Fred Rahmer, Stevie Smith, Brian Leppo, Greg
Hodnett, Chad Layton, Alan Krimes, Todd Shaffer, Brian Montieth, Jason
Sides, Mark Smith, Alan Cole, Michael Carber, Paul McMahon, Ryan Taylor,
Sam Schlosberg, Matthew Reed, Lance Dewease, Dave Hahn, Brian Paulus,
Craig Keel, Davey Sammons.
2008 NAPA AUTO PARTS THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES
Tuesday, June 3 THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES 7:30
PM
USAC National Wingless Sprint Tour & ARDC
Wingless Midgets
Tuesday, July 1 THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES 7:30
PM
Cindy Rowe Pennsylvania Sprint Speed Week Series
410 Sprints & 358 Modifieds
Wednesday, July 16 THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES- - FAN FUN
NIGHT 7:30 PM
11th Annual 100 Lap Traffic JAM for DIRT
Modifieds & Garden State Vintage Stock Cars
Tuesday, August 12 THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES 7:30 PM
Grandview Thunder 5-25's Big Block Modifieds,
358 Modifieds, 600cc Sprints,
Rolling Thunder Legends, 600 Modifieds
Saturday, October 18 THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES 6 PM
House of Thunder Halloween Party
Grandview Thunder 5-25's URC Sprints, 358
Modifieds, ARDC Wingless Midgets, Rolling Thunder Legends, 600
Modifieds & Garden State Vintage Stock Cars
Don' forget, the Grandview Speedway is in operation each and every
Saturday night through September 27 plus, a special House of Thunder
Halloween Racing Party on Saturday night, October 18.
Grandview Speedway is located on Passmore Road, just off Route 100 in
Bechtelsville, PA (19505), just ten mile north of Pottstown, PA. More
information is available by calling Grandview Speedway at 610-754-7688
or visit www.grandviewspeedway.com (be sure to sign up for the FREE
e-mail fan news). For information on the Thunder Series, please visit:
www.thunderonthehillracingseries.com
Coming up on Saturday May 31st will be Arnold's Kart Center of Oaks, PA
Night featuring the NASCAR 358 Modifieds, Late Models and the new
Speedsters. Racing will start at 7:30 p.m.
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