The Forrest Rogers Memorial, Grandview Speedway’s midsummer Modified classic paying $10,000 to the race winner, is the next top rated race program on the schedule this Saturday night at the one-third-of-a-mile high banked speedway.
Since 1971, Grandview Speedway management has been paying tribute to Forrest Rogers, the man who had the dream of building his own racetrack, then with the help of his son Bruce and the rest of the family, made the dream come true in building and operating the racetrack on the hill in Bechtelsville, Pa. known to everyone as Grandview Speedway!
The race event each year means so much to a lot of people for many different reasons, but first of all to the Rogers Family, who still own and operate Grandview Speedway, and this year they will be celebrating the track’s 63rd season of operation. They are very proud of the fact that the track has remained in the family, with the third and now fourth generations fully involved in the operation of the racetrack.
The Forrest Rogers Memorial race also serves as the anniversary celebration each year for the Speedway. It was the second weekend of August in 1963, when Grandview Speedway first opened the gates to the race track for the first ever race.
Forrest Rogers himself held the first ever extra distance race in track history in August of 1964, a 40-lap event won by Marty Acker, to celebrate the track’s first birthday.
After the untimely death of Forrest, son Bruce took control of the speedway and after building a race program with a solid foundation, decided in 1971 to create the Memorial race to honor his Father on the same weekend his Father honored the Speedway’s annual birthday, thus holding the first ever Forrest Rogers Memorial.
The first race for the Small Block Modifieds (then known as Sportsman) paid a hefty $500 to winner Eddie Mumford, who won again the very next year. But as time has progressed over the years, the winner’s share has swelled to the current day payout of a cool $10,000, which was captured by last season’s race winner Ryan Watt and will be up for grabs again this Saturday night!
The list of drivers who have had the honor of winning this prestigious event is very long and varied. During the 1970’s in addition to Mumford winning twice, Mike Geiser and Charley Gilmore also won twice, while Dave Kelly, Mike Erb, and Smokey Warren were one time winners.
Moving into the 1980’s, the winners were Fred Rahmer four times, being the first driver to win three in a row (82, 83, 84), Dr. Dan Cox, Jack Follweiller twice, Craig Von Dohren his first, Ray Swinehart his first and Billy Schinkel.
The decade of the 1990’s saw Jeff Strunk win his first, Billy Pauch twice, Tom Mayberry twice, Kerry Kratz, Chip Slocum, Ray Swinehart his second, while Terry Meitzler and Rick Shaffer were also winners.
Moving into the 2000’s, Jeff Strunk won his second, Craig Von Dohren took three, Meme DeSantis twice, Jon Kellner Sr., Ray Swinehart his third, Jason Hamilton, Ryan Godown and Duane Howard took his first win.
The most recent decade saw a huge domination by the track’s all-time win leader Craig Von Dohren in this long standing event. Von Dohren took six more Forrest Rogers Memorial wins in 2011, then matching Rahmer’s three in a row in 2015, 2016, 2017, and also scoring wins in 2021 and 2023 to run his total to an amazing TEN wins in the Forrest Rogers Memorial, more than any other driver in the history of this race.
Kevin Hirthler took the 2012 race, Duane Howard ran his total to three with wins in 2013 and 2019, invader Danny Johnson won in 2014, a rare occasion in this race, Ray Swinehart won his fourth race in 2018, Brett Kressley won in 2022 after taking his first ever Memorial win in 2020.
Ryan Watt scored his first ever Forrest Rogers Memorial win in the 2024 event, and is the defending race winner.
Many times over the years, the driver who can win the Forrest Rogers Memorial either goes on to win the track championship, or takes a win in the season ending Freedom 76.
With over five decades of history, you can see why each season the Forrest Rogers Memorial means so much to so many people in so many different ways. This year’s 55th annual running should be no different, stay tuned, and don’t miss it!
This Saturday, August 9, will feature the much anticipated 55th annual Forrest Rogers Memorial for the T.P. Trailer Modifieds who will be racing for 50-laps and $10,000 to win. This race program will also include the T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman in another NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series double-header starting at 7:30 pm.
Yocum Drywall, sponsor of Brett Gilmore’s T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman number 7 has posted a $100 bonus to the Hard Charger in the Forrest Rogers Memorial feature event on Saturday night!
Adult grandstand admission is $30, students 10-15 with ID are $15, while children ages 9 and under are admitted free of charge. Pit admission is $35 for NASCAR members and $45 for non-members.
Pit gates will open at 4 pm, with grandstand gates opening at 5:30 pm, warm-ups starting at 6:15 pm, and the first race of the evening getting the green flag at 7:30 pm.
Saturday’s program will be the final in a series of race events recorded and produced by ATVN-TV. The Astound TV Network (ATVN) will be recording the race events on Saturday, with the race event broadcast to be shown on a tape-delayed basis. The heat races will be a complete program shown on the following Tuesday night at 7:30 pm. The features will air the following Friday evening at 7 pm. with further replays to follow.
This past Saturday night saw Justin Grim score his first ever win in the 30-lap T.P. Trailer Modified feature race in an exciting finish after a late race match with Ron Haring Jr. and a late charge from Eddie Strada.
Brett Kressley missed a top ten feature run but still sits on top of the current T.P. Trailer Modified point standings, while Mike Gular scored a fifth place feature run to vault back to second in points, with Duane Howard also missing a top ten run, but still holds down the third spot in points.
Jared Umbenhauer ended the night just outside the top ten, but remains fourth in points, while Louden Reimert also did not record a top ten finish, just missing out, but stormed back to get close after a mid-race mishap, and still sits fifth in the current standings.
The current top ten in points for the T.P. Trailer NASCAR Modifieds are 1. Brett Kressley – 2729, 2. Mike Gular – 2609, 3. Duane Howard – 2598, 4. Jared Umbenhauer – 2556, 5. Louden Reimert – 2412, 6. Craig Von Dohren – 2407, 7. Logan Watt – 2224, 8. Eddie Strada – 2140, 9. Jeff Strunk – 2008, 10. Ryan Watt – 1804.
Brett Gilmore scored his first win of the year in the 25-lap T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman feature and remains in the top ten in the current standings, while current point leader Colin Cox picked up an eleventh place run to stay on top of the standings, with Mike Schneck Jr. holding down second in points after a twelfth place outing.
Kenny Gilmore recovered from an early race mishap and just missed a top ten run but still sits third in points, while Dylan Swinehart did not get a top ten feature run either, but still sits fourth in points, with Jesse Landis sitting fifth in points after also missing out on a top ten feature run.
The current top ten in T.P. Truck Equipment NASCAR Sportsman points are 1. Colin Cox -2857, 2. Mike Schneck Jr. – 2317, 3. Kenny Gilmore – 2151, 4. Dylan Swinehart – 2064, 5. Jesse Landis – 2031, 6. Gavyn Krupp – 1977, 7. Brett Gilmore – 1920, 8. TJ Mayberry – 1902, 9. Nathan Mohr – 1894, 10. Teague Miller – 1894.
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 October, plus special events. Grandview Speedway is located at 43 Passmore Road, Bechtelsville, Pa. 19505, just off Route 100, ten miles north of Pottstown, Pa.
Information is always available at www.grandviewspeedway.com or on Facebook, or by telephone at 610.754.7688.
UPCOMING EVENTS –
Saturday, August 9 – 55th annual FORREST ROGERS MEMORIAL – T.P. Trailer Modifieds 50-laps – $10,000 to win, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman – 7:30 pm – (Rain date 8/16)
Saturday, August 16 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Trivia Night – 7:30 pm
Saturday, August 23 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman – 7:30 pm
Friday, August 29 – Outlaw Racing Series Enduro, Outlaw Racing Series Vintage, Slingshots – 7 pm
Saturday, August 30 – T.P. Trailer Modifieds, T.P. Truck Equipment Sportsman, Pro 4 Racing Series – 7:30 pm
Grandview Speedway PR