BECHTELSVILLE, Pa. – It all got started 51 years ago.
Eddie Mumford won the first Forrest Rogers Memorial, in fact he won the first two. Many of the best have won this special event that remembers the man who had the idea to build Grandview Speedway and made it happen with the help of his son, Bruce.
Current NASCAR T.P.Trailers Modifieds point leader Brett Kressley is looking to win the Forrest Rogers Memorial for the second year in a row. The 51st annual Rogers Classic rewards the winner of the 50-lap Modified race with $10,000, so Kressley will have plenty of competition. It all happens on Saturday night, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Eleven-time track champion and current defending title holder Craig Von Dohren will be looking to win his ninth Rogers Classic. Ten-time track champion Jeff Strunk will be looking to win his third Rogers Classic. Ray Swinehart is a five-time winner. Ryan Godown, New Yorker Danny Johnson, Billy Pauch, Sr., Green Lane, PA’s Kevin Hirthler have each won once.
If you go way back in the record books you will find that Fred Rahmer, who finished his career as one of the nation’s top sprint car racers, won four Forrest Rogers Memorials before moving on to sprint cars.
There are a number of Saturday night modified regulars that have what it takes to win the Classic including Doug Manmiller, Danny Bouc, Jared Umbenhauer, Craig Whitmoyer, and others. There just might be a visitor come in and steal it all away from the regulars.
The T.P.Truck Equipment Sportsman will be in action on Aug. 14 as well. Veteran racer Kenny Gilmore is the current Sportsman point leader.
Featured in the 5 p.m. weekly meet and greet will be Kevin Hirthler, Brian Hirthler and Adrianna Deliponti. A Chapel on the Hill session will take place in the first turn pavilion at 4:30 p.m.