Lineman takes home 14th in his first ever start at

 Grandview Speedway's Thunder On The Hill racing series event

 

May 27th Racing Update:  Though it wasn't a regular Saturday night NASCAR sanctioned modified event, it was never the less one of the bigger shows of the season at Grandview Speedway. The yearly race series dubbed, "TOTH", or "Thunder On The Hill" was playing host to sprint cars and sportsman modifieds, and Bob Lineman Jr. and Team USA-1 were there and would be part of the evenings action. TOTH is geared for race drivers who get an invitation to come and race at Grandview on previous merits they have produced not only at Grandview, but also at other speedways across the region. Bob Jr. had been to Grandview many times in the past years, but he never raced, or even had a chance to put down any hot laps, so this was both exciting and new.

 

Lineman's father Bob Sr., was a winner at Grandview Speedway back in the 80's, as well as being a crowd favorite at the high banked speedway, making Bob Junior's night more like a homecoming of sorts, rather then being his first event behind the wheel at the Bechtelsville, Pa, Speed Plant. Lineman got off to a good start by finishing in 5th place in his heat and thus qualifying for the TOTH sportsman feature event. Maybe it was the years of watching his dad race around the high banked oval that helped Bob right out of the box, or maybe it's just his own ability as a racecar driver to get in and do his best no matter if he ever raced on a particular track before. I personally think it is both, you learn from your parents, and take that, and you combine it with your own abilities and that's what makes for a good race driver like Bob Jr. has become.

 

Feature action on the high banks had Bob starting in the 17th spot, and anybody who has ever been to Grandview can tell you, your starting spot holds a large key to your finishing spot. Grandview is a tough Eldora styled race track that has at the most 3 car width wide straight-aways, and high banked turns which can be your undoing if you don't approach them just right. I refer to the track as a Bull Ring, not in a negative way, but what I'm trying to say is that the track is tight, the action is close up and in your face, and if you mess up your likely to take a bunch of cars out that are behind you. It's a track that can be your best friend one night, and the next it can turn and bite you like a snake, and it's what has made Grandview Speedway special for many years, because you just never know what is going to happen. I always tell people, if you can win at Grandview Speedway, you can win anywhere, it is that tough, and to me that just the way a racetrack should be.

 

Lineman fought hard during the feature event, but with 20 laps of green flag racing it just didn't give himself a chance to pass anyone on restarts. When you race Grandview, and your coming from the back of the pack, you really kind of hope for yellows to come out, they are your best friend of sorts, as long as the yellow isn't coming out for you that is. Even with no yellows, and the event being for the most parts a single line follow the leader event for most of the feature, Lineman was able to pick off some cars and took home a very respectable 14th place feature finish.

 

Lineman found out after the feature by qualifying for the nights feature he had received an invitation to the June 13th TOTH dirt track series race which will be a 100 lap event. He has already confirmed that he and the team will be there to race for the win. Bob will return to action this Saturday night at New Egypt Speedway, where he looked to continue with another solid finish at the New Jersey dirt oval.