THUNDER RACE RESULTS

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THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES

95 Indianapolis 500's. . .. . 52 Daytona 500's. . . . 101 Thunder on the Hill Events!

NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series. . . . .

JEFF STRUNK WINS CHAD SINON/BPG MOTORSPORTS 14TH ANNUAL TRAFFIC JAM THURSDAY NIGHT AT GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY POCKETS $8,500 FOR THE WIN

The NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series lost to Mother Nature on Wednesday but battle back on Thursday night to present the Chad Sinon/BPG Motorsports 14th Annual TRAFFIC JAM. This popular event that started in 1998 has taken place at Grandview Speedway for fourteen consecutive years and the Thunder Series promotional team was not about to lose this event to bad weather. Jeff Strunk driving the Norm Hansell modified took the win in the TRAFFIC JAM and collected $8,500 as the top prize. Brett Hearn was the early race leader with Strunk taking the lead on lap twenty-one. The race was far from over as Duane Howard driving the BPG Motorsports modified moved into second on lap thirty-nine. Howard staged a hard fought battle and pulled alongside race leader Jeff Strunk on several occasions. Howard was making up ground using the outside lane but Strunk quickly realized the outside lane was the fast way around Grandview and switched grooves. Strunk managed to put some distance between himself and Howard in the final laps to collect the win. In the forty lap Sportsman feature, Jared Umbenhauer won a thriller over Sammy Piazza, Rocco Infante and Brad Brightbill.

Race of Champions Modified heat winners include Jeff Strunk, Ryan Watt, Butch Tittle and Brett Hearn as the consolation events were won by Matt Sheppard and Billy Decker.

Brett Hearn a four time winner of the TRAFFIC JAM started on the pole in the sixty lap feature event and set the pace at the drop of the green flag. Jimmy Horton followed in second and on lap ten, Horton made a bid for the lead. Hearn fought back and held the top spot as the leaders were now coming up on slower traffic. Two laps later, Jeff Strunk and Duane Howard passed Horton and set their sights on the leader.

By lap fourteen, Strunk was now in a battle with Hearn for the lead, nosing slightly ahead on lap fifteen. Strunk had to ease off the battle with Hearn as Duane Howard was now offering a challenge for second on lap seventeen. On lap twenty, Hearn remained the leader followed by Strunk, Howard, Jimmy Horton and Doug Manmiller. On lap twenty-one Jeff Strunk became the new leader although Brett Hearn continued to fight back for the top spot.

A scary point of the race took place on lap twenty-nine when a multi-car homestretch crash brought out the red flag. MeMe DeSantis sustained the most damage after his modified flipped into the homestretch fencing, damaging two poles and tearing down a large section of the debris fence. DeSantis was not injured but the car badly damaged. The damage to the fence was so extensive, repairs could not be made so all spectators were required to move from the entire section A seating area of the grandstands.

Racing action did resume with Strunk on the point followed by Hearn, Jimmy Horton and Duane Howard. Just two laps later, Jimmy Horton pulled to the sidelines eliminating his chance of a repeat TRAFFIC JAM win.

On lap thirty-seven, Duane Howard made his way by Hearn and set his sights on the leading Strunk. On lap forty-five, Howard was now in a position to challenge Strunk for the lead and the battle was now set. Howard made a bid for the lead going down the backstretch and the two cars touched while racing side-by=side. After the contact, Strunk maintained the lead but Howard lost some ground after brushing the backstretch wall. Strunk moved to the high groove as Howard tried once again to reel in the leader.

Howard ran out of time to catch Strunk and the checker flag fell with the win going to Jeff Strunk. Howard ran a great race to finish second followed by Brett Hearn, Danny Johnson earned fourth place money with Doug Manmiller fifth.

In the 40 lap Race of Champions Sportsman feature, Jared Umbenhauer was the show advancing some ten position to take the win. Joe Masiado was the early race leader and set the pace until lap seventeen when Umbenhauer took the lead. Deeper in the pack, the battle was tightening with James Cornell and Brad Brightbill on a mission.

Joe Masiado found some new energy and was working his way back to the front, moving into second lap twenty-eight. Masiado was closing in on Umbenhauer after moving into second on lap twenty-eight.

Umbenhauer remained the man to beat and held off the last challenges of Sammy Piazza who finished second followed by Rocco Infante, Brad Brightbill and James Cornell.

Sportsman Heat winners were Brad Brightbill, James Cornell and Joe Masiado ad Mike Mannama won the consolation.

Chad Sinon/BPG Racing TRAFFIC JAM FINISH: $8,500 #357 Jeff Strunk, #4 Duane Howard, #20 Brett Hearn, #27J Danny Johnson, #46 Doug Manmiller, #1C Craig VonDohren, #91 Billy Decker, #3A Kevin Albert, Jr. #7 Rick Laubach, #1F Stewart Friesen, #41 Glenn Strunk, #53 Mike Gular, #R1 Ryan Godown, #327 Brad Missimer, #44 John McClelland, #42B Kevin Bates. DNF - #Z Butch Tittle, #R2 Rusty Smith, #11 Danny Heiber, #14H Jimmy Horton, #43 Jimmy Horton IV, #77x Dale Planck, #88D MeMe DeSantis, #14W Ryan Watt, #42P Pat Ward, #33 Ray Swinehart, #9S Matt Sheppard, #145 Alan Rudalavage, #117 Kevin Hirthler. DNQ - #89 John Willman, #37x Tommy Sheetz Jr., #12 Bryant Brown, #00 Tom Mayberry.

SPORTSMAN FEATURE FINISH: #19U Jared Umbenhauer, #29 Sammy Piazza, #Jr1 Rocco Infante, #19 Brad Brightbill, #90 James Cornell, #45 Craig Whitmoyer , #221 Ryan Beltz, #71 Mike Mammana, #Joe #15 Mike Lisowski, #B4 Kyle Borror, #17D Mike Loney, #4B Clay Butler, #USA1 Bob Lineman Jr., #14X Paul Kline, #77 Jeff Crambo, #64 Dan Bouc, #17X Kevin Beach, #3V Kevin Vaclavicek, #75 Blaine Sadler Jr. DNF - #43 Joe Masiado, #04 Steve Hughes, #00 John Kovach, #97 Dave Dissinger, #88H Ryan Hoffman, #14Z Brad Szulewski, #304 Rick Wegner Jr.

DNQ - #17 Billy Moyer Jr., #8M Shawn Horning, #8Jr. Warren Floyd, #98 Tim Apgar.

TRAFFIC JAM Feature winners: 2011 Jeff Strunk, 2010 Craig VonDohren, 2009 Brett Hearn, 2008 Billy Decker, 2007 Brett Hearn, 2006 Alan Johnson, 2005 Tim Fuller, 2004 Tim McCreadie, 2003 Billy Decker, 2002 Brett Hearn, 2001 Tim McCreadie, 2000 Frank Cozze, 1999 Jimmy Horton, 1998 Brett Hearn.

NEXT THUNDER EVENT:

Saturday, October 15 THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES Halloween Party 6 PM

358 Modifieds, URC Sprints, ARDC Midgets,

Sportsman, Legends. Monster Smash Demo Derby Garden State Vintage Stock Cars

Plus the Vince's Towing Legend Owners Race

Thunder Sponsors:
* NAPA Auto Parts- - - Long time Thunder on the Hill Racing Series sponsor will again have their banners and flag waving high above the Grandview Speedway podium.
* Lee Myles Transmissions at three locations in Berks County. Fern Street Reading, Perkiomen Ave 422 Birdsboro and North 5th Street Highway Reading. Other locations in Allentown, Easton, Mt. Pocono and York, PA
* VERTICAL Telephone Systems will return once again to add some fan fun for all the Thunder fans.

*R.M. Palmer Candy Company, Reading, PA
* BPG Racing/Chad Sinon Motorsports- - Making Thunder bigger for all

* Vince's Towing- - Reading, PA

* Fairgrounds Square Mall Reading, PA

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