Bacon Sizzles On USAC Hot Thunder On The Hill Night At Grandview

Story By: BOB MILLER / THUNDER ON THE HILL – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – It was a hot NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series night at Grandview Speedway and a packed house witnessed Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon collecting the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Series win, claiming the $6,000 to win Jesse Hockett Classic.

Oley, PA’s Duane Howard claimed the win in the 30 lap $3,000 to win NASCAR 358 Modified feature, an event presented by Pioneer Pole Buildings.

This year’s Jesse Hockett Classic marked Bacon’s 18th career USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Series and his first NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series win. A field of thirty-two USAC sprints cars and thirty-two 358 Modifieds took part in the program. Even with extremely warm temperatures and a 50% chance of rain, the show did go on.

Greenfield, IN’s CJ Leary charged from the top starting spot battling with current USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Series Point Leader, Justin Grant. Leary and Grant pulled away from the 23-car starting field gaining a sizable advantage before a lap 7 yellow.

Leary maintained control on the restart, with Grant hot on his heels and Chad Boespflug close for third. But as the leaders pulled away from the pack, a three-car battle for fourth-place ensued as Bacon challenged Dave Darland and Kevin Thomas, Jr.

Just prior to half-way a turn-1 flip ended Carlisle, PA’s Chandler Leiby run. The red flag for Leiby, and an incident grandstand side halted the action for a lengthy period of time.

The open red, allowed crews to adjust their cars moving furiously around the open-wheel beasts and preparing for the second half of the feature event.

On the restart, Leary held the top spot, but all eyes were on Brady Bacon. Bacon charged three-wide with Grant and Kevin Thomas, Jr.

Bacon overtook Leary holding the inside line on lap 24 but Leary held on rim-riding the top side. Bacon charged alongside Leary as the two diced side-by-side for nearly 10 laps. Leary overtook Bacon with four-laps remaining, but an altercation with a lapped car slowed Leary and gave Bacon the opportunity to pounce forward for the $6,000 victory. Leary settled for second, Chris Windom finished in a hard-fought third place, Kevin Thomas Jr. came home in fourth and Justin Grant finished fifth.

The Eastern Storm continues on Wednesday at the Lincoln Speedway featuring the USAC Non-wing sprints cars and the 358 wing sprint cars. Gates open at 5 PM with race time set for 7:30 PM.

Oley, PA’s Duane Howard claimed his 10th Thunder on the Hill Racing Series win leading the Norm’s Save Station No. 357 to the checkered flag in the non-stop 30-lap 358 Modified feature event.

Mike Gular quickly took the lead from his front row starting position and battled back-and-forth with John Willman. Howard moved into the second-position on lap nine with Craig VonDohren and Jeff Strunk quickly on his tail.

The leaders hit lapped traffic on the 14th circuit, and Howard closed quickly on Gular as VonDohren hammerd the cushion around the top side. Howard’s No. 357 slipped inside Gular with 10-laps remaining and VonDohren followed closely winding up the top side of the 1/3-mile oval.

Howard held on for the win, VonDohren came home second, Gular third, Jeff Strunk in the fourth position and Ryan Godown rounded out the top five finishers.

The NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series returns to action on Tuesday, July 4 for Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speedweek. The 410 Sprint Cars compete in a double header with the NASCAR 358 Modifieds. Gates open at 4 PM with race time set for 7:30 PM.

For more information visit www.thunderonthehillracingseries.com

AMSOIL USAC Time Trials:

Chase Stockon – 13.830 2. Brady Bacon – 13.854 3. Kevin Thomas Jr. – 13.871 4. Kyle Moody – 13.892 5. Thomas Meseraull – 13.893 6. Jarrett Andretti – 13.905 7. Robert Ballou – 13.978 8. Dave Darland – 13.993 9. Justin Grant – 14.062 10. Trevor Kobylarz – 14.100 11. Tony DiMattia – 14.106 12. Kyle Robbins – 14.141 13. Jerry Coons, Jr. – 14.148 14. Chris Windom – 14.153 15. Isaac Chapple – 14.182 16. Alex Bright – 14.196 17. Chad Boespflug – 14.210 18. Aaron Farney – 14.217 19. Joey Biasi – 14.228 20. Tyler Courtney – 14.241 21. C.J. Leary – 14.266 22. Carmen Perigo – 14.365 23. Matt Westfall – 14.419 24. Chandley Leiby – 14.530 25. Shane Golobic – 14.531 26. Danny Dietrich – 14.596 27. Dustin Smith – 14.653 28. Austin Burke – 15.095 29. Kyle Lick – 15.219 30. Chad Wilson – 15.234 31. Steve Wilbur – 15.248 32. Trey Hivner – 15.691

Heat 1 (8 Laps) – 1. Isaac Chapple 2. Chandler Leiby 3. Chad Boespflug 4. Tony DiMattia

Heat 2 (8 Laps) – 1. Tyler Courtney 2. Alex Bright 3. Justin Grant 4. Jarrett Andretti

Heat 3 (8 Laps) – 1. Aaron Farney 2. Matt Westfall 3. CJ Leary 4. Kevin Thomas, Jr.

Heat 4 (8 Laps) – 1. Chris Windom 2. Dave Darland Joey Biasi 4. Trevor Kobylarz

B-Main (12 Laps) – 1. Chase Stockon 2. Robert Ballou 3. Brady Bacon 4. Thomas Meseraull 5. Kyle Robbins 6. Jerry Coons, Jr.

A-Main (40 Laps) – 1. Brady Bacon 2. CJ Leary 3. Chris Windom 4. Kevin Thomas, Jr. 5. Justin Grant 6. Robert Ballou 7. Chase Stockon 8. Jerry Coons, Jr. 9. Tyler Courtney 10. Jarrett Andretti 11. Matt Westfall 12. Aaron Farney 13. Thomas Meseraull 14. Alex Bright 15. Kyle Robbins 16. Dave Darland 17. Chad Boespflug 18. Isaac Chapple 19. Tony DiMattia 20. Trevor Kobylarz 21. Chandler Leiby 22. Joey Biasi

358 Modifieds

Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1. Craig VonDohren 2. Duane Howard 3. Doug Manmiller 4. Jeff Strunk 5. Danny Erb 6. Ryan Beltz

Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1. Brett Kressley 2. Rick Laubach 3. Danny Bouc 4. Frank Cozze 5. Ryan Godown 6. Blaine Bracelin

Heat 3 (10 Laps) – 1. Kenny Gilmore 2. John Willman 3. Mike Gular 4. Ryan Watt 5. Chris Esposito 6. Jared Umbenhauer

CONSOLATION: (10 Laps) – 1. Kyle Borror 2. Brian Hirthler 3. Ryan Grim 4. Brandon Grosso 5. Clay Butler 6. Mark Kratz

Feature (30 Laps) – 1. Duane Howard 2. Craig VonDohren 3. Mike Gular 4. Jeff Strunk 5. Ryan Godown 6. Doug Manmiller 7. Kenny Gilmore 8. Rick Laubach 9. John Willman 10. Danny Bouc 11. Danny Erb 12. Brett Kressley 13. Kyle Borror 14. Frank Cozze 15. Ryan Watt 16. Chris Esposito 17. Jared Umbenhauer 18. Brandon Grosso 19. Ryan Grim 20. Clay Butler 21. Brian Hirthler 22. Ryan Beltz 23. Blaine Bracelin 24. Mark Kratz

2017 Thunder Racing Series Schedule:

Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speed Week – Tuesday, July 4 7:30 PM – 410 Sprint Cars & 358 Modifieds*

3rd Annual Thunder Cup Arctic Cat All-Star Circuit of Champions – Thursday, August 17 7:30 PM – 410 Sprint Cars & Sportsman SMOKE ON THE HILL . . . . 410 Sprint car entries Tony Stewart and Rico Abreu

Mods at the Madhouse Halloween Party – Saturday, October 14 6 PM – Big-Block/358 Modifieds 40 Laps, Sportsman & MASS Sprints