USAC National Sprint Car Series “Eastern Storm” Returns To Grandview June 14th
Story By: BOB MILLER / THUNDER ON THE HILL – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – One of the hottest tickets of the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill season, the wingless warriors of the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Championship kick off their only East Coast tour at Grandview Speedway on Thursday night, June 14.
The tradition continues as the Thunder Series opens this wildly popular annual tour.
In 2007, Thunder on the Hill special events promoter, Bob Miller and the Rogers Family, brought the nation’s longest touring Sprint Car group back to Pennsylvania after a nearly 30-year absence from the region.
“I vividly remember USAC being such an integral part of the Reading Fairgrounds history,” Miller recollects. “In some ways, my love of Reading made me so passionate about bringing USAC back to the east coast and specifically back to Berks County at Grandview.”
USAC came back in full force and remains one of the must-see events of the racing season.
Forty Eastern Storm events have been held since the debut of the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Championship in 2007. Levi Jones and Bryan Clauson are tied with the most wins of Eastern Storm history with six victories each. Five different drivers reached victory lane in 2017 – three for the first time in Storm history — while Chris Windom went on to win the Eastern Storm Championship.
Heading into the 12th Eastern Storm, the Bechtelsville, PA 1/3-mile dirt track opens the tour with the Jesse Hockett Classic, a 40 lap battle for the non-wing 410 sprint cars. Joining the program will be the popular 358 NASCAR Modifieds. Gates open at 5 PM wit race time set or 7:30 PM. Grandview and Thunder on the Hill are the only facility to have held a USAC event in every year of Eastern Storm history. Defending winner of this event on the hill is Brady Bacon.
The series heads to Mechanicsburg, PA’s Williams Grove Speedway on Friday, June 15, while Port Royal Speedway brings the series into night number three on Saturday, June 16.
York Haven, PA’s Susquehanna Speedway lands on the schedule for the sixth consecutive year, on Sunday, June 17. For the first time, United States Auto Club drivers head to Bridgeport Speedway on Monday, June 18 and the Storm concludes on Tuesday, June 19 at Weedsport Speedway.
Past Eastern Storm winners like Robert Ballou – who swept all three 2015 events, Brady Bacon – who holds wins at Grandview Speedway and Port Royal Speedway, Chad Boespflug, and Chase Stockon are expected for competition.
The Eastern Storm kicks off on Thursday, June 14 with the Jesse Hockett Classic – dedicated to the memory of the 2009 Grandview race winner. Joining the USAC non-wing Sprint Cars are Grandview’s popular 358 Modifieds.
Key sponsors are returning for the 29th season of the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series. Joining NAPA Auto Parts is Pioneer Pole Buildings, Levan Machine and Truck Equipment, Quaker Steak & Lube, GALCO Business Communications and Eli’s Auto Parts.
2018 EASTERN STORM SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, JUNE 14 – GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY
FRIDAY, JUNE 15 – WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY
SATURDAY, JUNE 16 – PORT ROYAL SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, JUNE 17 – SUSQUEHANNA SPEEDWAY
MONDAY, JUNE 18 – BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY
TUESDAY, JUNE 19 – WEEDSPORT SPEEDWAY
