JARED HAWKINS & MAX BLAIR WIN “BILL HENDREN MEMORIAL” QUALIFIERS AT WINCHESTER
TO EARN FRONT ROW FOR THE “CRATE RACIN’ USA NATIONALS”
By Mike Leone
June 12, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Winchester, VA)…The
Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Series made returned to
Winchester Speedway for the second time this season for a Bazell/Sunoco Race
Fuels Southern Tour event. Night
one of the inaugural “Crate Racin USA Late Model Nationals” drew a Winchester
record 41 cars from six different states eclipsing the previous high of 34 set
on May 9. Friday’s program included
Bobby Lake Motorsports “Shock the Clock” Qualifying and the twin 20 “Bill
Hendren Memorial” Qualifiers.
After setting a new track record in $100 “Bobby Lake Motorsports” Qualifying
with a lap of 15.730, Jared Hawkins out-dueled Mid-Atlantic standout Ben Bowie
with a late race pass to win the first “Bill Hendren Memorial” Qualifier to earn
$1,000 and the pole position for Saturday night’s $6,000 to-win “Crate Racin’
USA Late Model Nationals”
“Once it got rolling green there I was able to try some different lines,”
explained the Fairmont, West Virginia winner.
“It’s always easier to run second.
He was getting looser and looser off four so I figured I’d take advantage
of that last deal down there. I
have to thank Jerry Haseleu for inviting me down here to run his car.
I’ve never been very good down here at Winchester in a Super Late Model,
but not bad for the first time in a crate car.
I have to thank all of my guys, sponsors, and Ingram Engines.”
Ben Bowie used the outside to race into the lead past Hawkins at the start of
the 20-lap event. Several cautions
slowed action in the first four laps.
Following an 11-lap green flag run, Bowie and Hawkins ran side-by-side on
numerous occasions with Bowie running the top and Hawkins the bottom. Bowie had
the momentum to continue leading, while behind the duo Super Late Model racers
Robbie Blair and Alan Brannon were swapping third and fourth.
At the halfway point, Bowie and Hawkins pulled away, while Henderson joined the
battle for third. Hawkins was all
over Bowie when the event’s final caution slowed action with 15 laps scored.
When racing resumed, Hawkins used a slider in turn four to take the lead
on lap 16. One lap later, Bowie was
sideways as the battle heated up for second.
Hawkins went on for the win in the Jerry Haseleu-owned, Jack’s Recycling/AOS
Service/Bland’s Towing/Melvin’s Transmission-sponsored #RJ1.
Blair got past Bowie on lap 19 to finish second.
After leading the first 15 laps, Bowie dropped to third edging out
Brannon and Henderson.
Sixth through 10th and earning starting spots in Saturday’s 50-lap
feature were Jonathan DeHaven, Daryl Charlier, Dusty Waters, Jamie Sutphin, and
Scott Sweeney. Sutphin also earned
an extra $100 for qualifying 29th fastest in memory of Bill Hendren
thanks to his wife Bettie.
In the second “Bill Hendren Memorial” Qualifier, Max Blair continued his hot
streak on the Series picking up the $1,000 win.
Blair, who has his sights set on the $10,000 Sweeney Touring Series
sweep, put himself in good position for Saturday’s $6,000 main by earning the
outside pole starting spot.
“It definitely wasn’t the same track that we raced on the last time we were
here,” stated the 25-year-old Blair from Centerville, PA.
“It was a difficult track to run on.
I want to apologize to John Waters.
I know I got into him in turn two.
There was some water on the bottom of the track and I bounced up into
him. I’m going to go talk to him
about that. It should be a great
race tomorrow starting alongside Jared Hawkins, and my dad in third.
I’m looking forward to it.
I’d like to thank everyone for putting this on, Steve Hendren, Mike and Vicki
from RUSH, and Winchester; also all of the contingencies we’re going to get.
It’s a real honor to win this, and receive this plaque.
I’m going to put it on the wall as soon as I get home.”
In almost a duplication of the first race, several cautions slowed the event in
the opening five laps before a long green flag run.
Blair led the first five laps only to see fourth starting John Waters use
the outside to race into the lead.
Waters’ lead was short-lived though as Blair regained the lead on lap seven when
Waters pushed high.
A caution for Ryan Montgomery with 12 laps scored was the final thing to slow
Blair. The last eight laps went
green-to-checkered. Blair and
Waters distanced themselves from the field as Blair took the win in the
R&J Poultry/Moody & Son Welding/Specialty Products/Genesis Shocks/Murphy’s
Logging/C&J Dairy-sponsored #111.
Waters, who has really struggled through a tough start to
2015, was happy to finish second and earn the fourth starting spot for Saturday
night. After a poor qualifying
effort, Michael Lake, who finished second in the May 9 Tour event, raced from 15th
to finish third. “Futures Cup”
racer Clinton Hersh had a strong Winchester debut finishing fourth after
starting 16th. Tyler
Bare was fifth. Completing the top
10 and earning feature starting spots for Saturday were Rob Marhefka, Troy
Shields, Jennae Piper, Jeff Pilkerton, and Reese Masiello.
Saturday will open with over $16,000 in contingencies
awarded at the drivers meeting at 5:30 p.m. followed by last chance B mains to
set the remaining lineup of the 50-lap feature and the 25-lap non-qualifier.
New cars can tag the B mains.
Bobby Lake Motorsports Qualifying
- $100 for fast time, $100 for 29th fast time (TR Rick Singleton
15.830): 1. Jared Hawkins 15.700 (NTR)
2. Max Blair 15.711 3. Ben
Bowie 15.805 4. Dylan Lewis 15.810
5. Darin Henderson 15.884 6.
Ryan Montgomery 15.945 7. Rob Blair
15.963 8. John Waters 15.965
9. Alan Brannon 16.051 10.
Reese Masiello 16.072 11. Richard
Hawkins, Jr. 16.093 12. Logan
Roberson 16.108 13. Daryl Charlier
16.151 14. Troy Shields 16.164
15. Jason Knowles 16.171 16.
Jeff Pilkerton 16.208 17. Eric
Wilson 16.209 18. Tyler Bare 16.210
19. John Imler 16.237 20.
Joe Martin 16.247 21. Scott Sweeney
16.359 22. Kris Eaton 16.365
23. Jonathan DeHaven 16.397
24. Rob Marhefka 16.397 25. Jared
Powell 16.404 26. Jennae Piper
16.438 27. Transton Stoner 16.441
28. Brian Knowles 16.464 29.
Jamie Sutphin 16.552 30. Michael
Lake 16.561 31. Dusty Waters 16.621
32. Clinton Hersh 16.640 33.
Rob Nichols III 16.641 34. Steve
Lowery 16.667 35. Timmy Booth
16.691 36. David Renalds 16.718
37. Matt Tarbox 16.764 38.
Michael Duritsky, Jr. 17.173 39.
Zack Kane 17.257 40. Harry Shipe
DNQ 41. Matt Glanden DSQ.
“Bill Hendren Memorial” Qualifier 1
(20 laps, $1,000 to-win):
1. JARED HAWKINS (Haseleu RJ1) 2.
Rob Blair (111X) 3. Ben Bowie (17)
4. Alan Brannon (30) 5.
Darin Henderson (22) 6. Jonathan
DeHaven (Hall 69R) 7. Daryl
Charlier (12) 8. Dusty Waters (14)
9. Jamie Sutphin (18) 10.
Scott Sweeney (44) 11. Timmy Booth
(95) 12. Matt Tarbox (66x)
13. Eric Wilson (27W) 14.
Rob Nichols III (7) 15. Jared
Powell (2*) 16. Zack Kane (10)
17. Transton Stoner (m14)
18. Jason Knowles (4) 19. John
Imler (63) 20. Richard Hawkins, Jr.
(17) 21. Matt Glanden
(01)-DSQ.
“Bill Hendren Memorial” 2 Qualifier 2
(20 laps, $1,000 to-win): 1. MAX BLAIR (111)
2. John Waters (LeBarron 11)
3. Michael Lake (Yowler 27) 4.
Clinton Hersh (16) 5. Tyler Bare
6. Rob Marhefka (99FM) 7.
Troy Shields (11) 8. Jennae Piper
(14) 9. Jeff Pilkerton (8)
10. Reese Masiello (22R) 11.
David Renalds (37) 12. Ryan Montgomery (12)
13. Brian Knowles (7) 14.
Steve Lowery (48) 15. Dylan Lewis
(44) 16. Kris Eaton (3)
17. Joe Martin (55) 18.
Michael Duritsky, Jr. (90J) 19.
Logan Roberson (17) 20. Harry
Shipe, Jr. (00)-DNS.
RUSH Late Model marketing partners include Sweeney
Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco
Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Ignition, Maxima Racing
Oil, Jones Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products,
ARbodies, TBM Brakes, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, TurboStart, Beyea Headers,
FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Crate Innovations Inc., Moroso Performance
Products, Velocita-USA, High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, B.R.A.K.E.S.,
RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.
E-mail can be sent to the RUSH Racing Series at [email protected] and
snail mail to 4368 Route 422, Pulaski, PA 16143. Office phone is 724-964-9300
and fax is 724-964-0604. The RUSH Racing Series website is
www.rushracingseries.com. Like our Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.
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