BECHTELSVILLE, PA. - The historic 60th anniversary season of professional auto racing begins at Grandview Speedway on Saturday, April 2.

The high banked 1/3-mile clay oval will once again kick off the new season with the running of the Bruce Rogers Memorial Money Maker for Big Block/Small Block Modifieds.

Prior to the official opener, the Outlaw Racing Series will present an Enduro and Vintage racing on March 19, and a free-to-the-public practice session will be held for all divisions on March 26 starting at 12 Noon.

The Sportsman class will see a rule adjustment for the 2022 race season. With the recent changes in the country's economy, the availability of the GM crate engines that are used by many of the competitors in the class at Grandview, has become an issue. With that being said, speedway management has decided to take steps to ensure that competitors will be able to stay on the racetrack throughout the upcoming season.

Race teams that are using the GM 602 crate engines for competition at Grandview, should they have a problem, in the past had to get a whole new motor from the GM factory already sealed and ready to go. Now there is a new option open to these teams for the 2022 season only, to help get everyone through the whole racing campaign.

Should a race team have a motor issue, the motor can now be repaired and will be resealed. This work will be done under the supervision of the RUSH racing series. With the RUSH sealing program, the engine must be sent to a RUSH rebuilding engine shop. There are several to choose from, and Grandview officials are working with RUSH officials to get a local engine shop approved for rebuilding. The RUSH racing series has been conducting race programs for crate engine divisions for several years, including 602 Sportsman, Late Models and Sprint cars. In addition to plenty of experience behind them, they also have approval from the GM factory to conduct the work.

Representatives from the RUSH racing series will be available to talk to at the upcoming motorsports trade show in Oaks, Pa in mid-January.

The 358 Modified class will see no changes, however there were a few questions about carburetors. Modified teams are asked to please check the online rule book for clarification on the carburetors at www.grandviewspeedway.com and click on the rules and forms tab.

Any further questions can be directed to either Cliff Quinn at 484.357.2587 or Ed Scott at 484.239.7583.

The 2022 season will be the tenth year for the NASCAR Sportsman as a regular division at Grandview Speedway. The class, first introduced for special events only between 1998 and 2001, began running as a weekly class to begin the 50th anniversary season in 2012. Since Jared Umbenhauer won the Opening Night feature on April 7, 2012, the class has grown greatly and produced some great racing each Saturday night.

Not only has the Sportsman division provided entertaining racing, but a number of talented drivers have raced in the Sportsman class before moving into the NASCAR modified division. Looking at the current all-time winner's list for the Sportsman, five of the top six drivers on the list are current Modified division drivers.

Tops on the list with 18 wins is Jared Umbenhauer, who won a modified feature and was third in points this season. Jared also won a Thunder on the Hill modified feature.

Second on the list with 13 wins is Brett Kressley, who had a total of five modified wins this past season and battled for the point title, ending up second in points. Kressley also had one Thunder modified victory.

Brad Brightbill is in fourth spot on the Sportsman win list with 11 wins. The 2021 season saw Brightbill score his first career modified win.

Craig Whitmoyer and Mike Lisowski are the two remaining drivers that round out the top six on the list that currently run weekly with the NASCAR modifieds. Each driver has ten career Sportsman wins.

All totaled, there have been 53 different drivers that have scored at least one feature victory since 2012, and 185 feature events have been run. In the 2021 season alone, seven drivers scored their first career wins and added their names to the winner's list. These drivers include Kyle Smith, Jesse Landis, Decker Swinehart, Logan Bauman, Dylan Hoch, Cole Stangle and Lex Shive.

Other drivers with wins during the past season include Track Champion Kenny Gilmore, Kyle Lilick, Brian Hirthler who is third on the all-time list with 12 wins, and Freedom 38 winner Jordan Henn.

Track Champions in the Sportsman class have been Jared Umbenhauer (2012, 2013, 2014), Brett Kressley (2015), Jordan Henn (2016), Brian Hirthler (2017, 2020), Louden Reimert (2018), Brad Brightbill (2019) and Kenny Gilmore (2021).

So when the green flag drops on Opening Night April 2 for the Bruce Rogers Memorial for the Modifieds, the Sportsman will be right there, alongside to kick off their tenth anniversary season as part of the weekly program at Grandview Speedway to help celebrate the 60th anniversary season of the track.

Members of the media wishing to cover the events at Grandview are asked to visit the speedway website at www.grandviewspeedway.com Click on the media credentials tab, fill out the application and return it to Tina Rogers no later than February 28, 2022. A big Thank you to those who have already done so.

The 2022 season schedule will be released shortly.

Since the 1960's, Grandview Speedway has been presenting exciting wheel to wheel NASCAR stock car racing every Saturday night starting in April and running through September, plus special events. Grandview Speedway is located at 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, Pa. 19505, just off Route 100, 10 miles north of Pottstown, Pa.

Information is always available at www.grandviewspeedway.com or on Facebook, or by telephone at 610.754.7688.