THUNDER ON THE HILL CONTINUES THURSDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 18

Grandview Speedway

 

 

By Bob Miller

BECHTELSVILLE, PA (AUGUST 11, 2016) –  After a sixteen-year hiatus, the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series brings Tony Stewart’s Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions back to the Berks County high banked Grandview Speedway on Thursday, August 18.  This huge 410 sprint show is presented by Pioneer Pole Buildings.Grandview Speedway

 

Anticipation is at a pinnacle as this event marks the first and only 2016 appearance of the Arctic Cat All Stars.  Competitors from across Pennsylvania are looking to lay claim to the $5,000 winner’s share and defend the home turf against the All Star invaders.  A hefty $500 is paid just to take the green in the 35 lap feature event.  Name recognition is huge for this event with the talents of Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell and Kenny Jacobs giving the nod that they will be in the field

 

Leading the charge for the Pennsylvania Posse is 9-time Thunder on the Hill winner Greg Hodnett of Thomasville, PA.  Hodnett is a threat to win at any race track and has bested the All Stars on 21 occasions.  Other expected Pennsylvania entrants include Danny Dietrich, winner of the 2015 Thunder Cup and winner of the 2016 All Star event at Selinsgrove Speedway; Stevie Smith, winner of the 2016 Thunder Cup at Grandview; and 11-time Thunder on the Hill feature winner Lance Dewease.

 

Fierce competitors like Ryan Smith of Kunkletown, PA, and Brent Marks of Myerstown, PA have taken multiple All Star wins – three for Smith and two for Marks, both in 2015 — however, despite great runs both search for their first Thunder on the Hill victory.

 

While the series schedule for the All Stars winds down, the battle for the Championship heats up.  Chad Kemenah, a previous winner at Grandview Speedway; leads Dale Blaney, who claimed the most wins of any driver this season; and Sheldon Haudenschild, a 22-year-old third-generation racer from Wooster, Ohio.

 

Entrants for Thursday, August 18 is ‘The King’ Steve Kinser, a 4-time Thunder on the Hill winner, 20-time Outlaw series champion, and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame driver.  In his only Pennsylvania appearance this year, Kinser pulls no punches — he is coming to Grandview to win.

 

Also in competition is three-time Outlaw champion and five-time Chili Bowl Midget race winner Sammy Swindell.

 

Previous All Star winners at Grandview include Cris Eash (2000), Jeff Sheppard (1999), Fred Rahmer (1999), Billy Pauch (May 1998, August 1998), Donnie Kreitz (1997, 1986), Jimmy Horton (1982), and Steve Smith Sr. (1982).

 

The 410 Sprint Car competitors will chase a $5,000 winner’s share for 35 laps of action on the famed 1/3 mile Grandview Speedway.  The tenth position pays $1,000 with $500 to start the A-Main. A $100 Quick Time bonus is up for grabs, along with a $200 bonus to the first 360/358 Sprint Car and a $100 bonus to the second 360/358 Sprint Car.

 

Also on the card is the TSRS Sprint Car Series, competing in a series of qualifying events leading up to a  25 lap feature event.  TSRS likely competitors include Mike Haggenbottom, Jeff Geiges, Tim Tanner, Jr., Samantha Lieberman, Ryan Stillwaggon, Dave Bonner, Mark Bitner, Dave Brown, Jon Haegel, Tim Smolenyak and Jeff Taylor just to name a few.

 

General Admission Tickets for Thursday, August 18 are $30 for adults, $10 for children (6-11), and children under 6 are FREE!

 

Pit Gates open at 2:30 PM, Advanced Ticket entry at 4:30 PM, Grandstand Gates open at 5:00, and Racing at 7:30 PM

 

Advance tickets are on sale now and are available by calling 443-513-4456.  Please provide your name and the number of tickets requested.  Tickets may be picked up and paid for on race night after 4:00 PM.  Advance ticket holders may enter the grandstands at 4:30 PM, one half hour before the sale of General Admission tickets.

 

Celebrating the 27th season of racing action NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series always includes fun for the fans with activities such as Pre-Race Pit Tours, the Inside/Out Experience – where fans can sign-up to watch hot laps from the infield, JOE “THE PIZZA DUDE”, giveaways, fireworks and appearances by the Thunder Girls.

 

NAPA Auto Parts continues their long run with Thunder on the Hill as the Series title sponsor joined by Pioneer Pole Buildings, Quaker Steak & Lube, and GALCO Business Communications.

 

For full rules, format, purse and information visit: www.thunderonthehillracingseries.com<http://www.thunderonthehillracingseries.com/> or www.allstarsprints.com<http://www.allstarsprints.com/>

 

Grandview Speedway

GPS USERS: 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, PA 19505

Located less than a mile off Route 100, 10 miles north of Pottstown, PA

Speedway Phone: 610-754-7688<tel:610-754-7688>

Thunder on the Hill Racing Series Phone: 443-513-4456<tel:443-513-4456>

Series Website: http://www.thunderonthehillracingseries.com<http://www.thunderonthehillracingseries.com/>

Track Website: http://www.grandviewspeedway.com<http://www.grandviewspeedway.com/>

Twitter/Instagram: @TOTHRACING, #TOTHRACING

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thunderonthehill

 

About the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions:

All Star Enterprises, LLC, wholly owned by Tony Stewart, d/b/a the All Star Circuit of Champions, is a winged sprint car series. The All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series is one of the oldest traveling 410 sprint car organizations and is a staple of grassroots, open-wheel racing.  Formed in 1970 by Bud Miller, the series has largely been considered the first ‘outlaw’ Sprint Car organization of the modern era. After a ten year stint as owner of the All Stars, Miller passed control of the series to Bert Emick in 1980; a reign that would continue through 2002. Guy Webb then purchased the series from Emick in the summer of 2002 and served as the series President for the next 12 years.  Motorsports entrepreneur Tony Stewart agreed to terms with Guy Webb to become the sole owner of the original winged sprint car tour in January of 2015.

 

About Thunder on the Hill Racing Series

The brainchild of Grandview Speedway owner Bruce Rogers, special events promoter Bob Miller and local driving star Dave Kelly, the Thunder on the Hill Racing Series celebrates 27 years of the most anticipated events of the racing calendar year after year.    In 122 events, over $4.2 million dollars has been divvied up among the area’s fastest racers.  What started as a single 410 Sprint Car event in 1990 has blossomed to feature a variety of racing action including 358 Modifieds, USAC Wingless Sprints, 360 & 410 Sprint Cars, Sportsman, Late Models, Midgets, Legends Cars, DIRTcar and ROC Modified events.

 

About Grandview Speedway

Grandview Speedway is a high-banked one-third mile clay oval, celebrating their 54th Anniversary season in 2016.   The facility offers free parking, quality food at reasonable prices (be sure to try the french fries), a program book, Grandview Speedway and Thunder on the Hill race wear and great viewing from every seat in the house.  Race fans may take part in the Inside/Out promotion, where you can sign up (no charge) to watch warm-ups from inside turn four.  Race fans are also invited to victory lane following the racing program and, race fans may enter the pits after the races to meet the drivers.   Be ready to enjoy the spine-tingling fireworks salute on the feature event parade lap.