1ST HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL WINS OF 2023 FOR BILLY HENRY, TREVOR COLLINS & DALE HOLLIDGE; KOLE HOLDEN SWEEPS THE WEEKEND FOR RUSH SPORTSMAN MODS

By Marcie Barlow

July 7, 2023                FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)...It was a busy weekend for Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants competitors as four of the divisions were in action throughout the region despite rain that affected action each night of the holiday weekend.  Billy Henry, Jr., Trevor Collins, and Dale Hollidge claimed their first victories of the season in RUSH Late Model action, while Kole Holden swept the weekend in RUSH Sportsman Modified action.  Veterans Chad Ruhlman and John Mollick added to their career win totals in RUSH Sprint Car action as did Dennis Lunger, Jr. in the RUSH Pro Mods. 

Billy Henry, Jr. held off the late race challenges of Josh Ferry to score his first RUSH Late Model victory of 2023 at Raceway 7 last Friday night in City Chevrolet Weekly Series action.  Ferry settled for second with Breyton Santee making a last lap pass of Kyle Zimmerman to finish third.  Zimmerman settled for fourth with two-time winner, Chad Sines, fifth.

After four runner-up finishes between Delaware, Georgetown, and Potomac Speedways, Trevor Collins finally made his way to victory lane in the RUSH Late Model City Chevrolet Weekly Series special on Friday night at Delaware International Speedway.  Collins passed Matt Hill in the closing laps of the main event to claim the $1,000 victory.  Hill, Donald Lingo, Jr., Joe Warren and Derek Magee completed the top five.   

Alan Chapman captured his third win of the season at Skyline Motorsports Park Friday evening in RUSH Late Model action.  Track promoter Brad Smith made his first RUSH start of the season and finished second with Todd Chapman and Pat Parker following.

Dale Hollidge took command of the RUSH Late Model main event Saturday evening at Winchester Speedway with Davin Kaiser and Mike Franklin close behind.  Several cautions slowed the event, but each time Hollidge pulled away from the competition when the racing action resumed.  At the checkered flag it was Hollidge scoring his first RUSH victory since 2020!  Franklin snuck by Kaiser to claim the second spot with Tyler Hoy and Cameron Campbell finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

Brandon Burgoon and Zach Gunn led the RUSH Late Model field to the green on a very threatening Saturday night at Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway.  Burgoon claimed the early lead as Tom Klein, Cole Petrelle and Gunn battled for spots two through four.  Burgoon had a straightaway lead by lap nine, but a lap 13 caution slowed the field and gave the competition a final chance at the top spot.  When the racing action resumed, Burgoon continued to show the way and led the final five circuits to score his second victory of the season, but first since opening night at the Imperial, PA oval.  Tim Shaffer, who started in sixth, came home in the runner-up position with Jake Gunn, Tony Musolino and Brian Huchko rounding out the top five.   

In RUSH Late Model action at Stateline Speedway Saturday night, Jeremy Wonderling seized the top spot and withstood several late race challenges from David Parker to score the victory.  It was Wonderling’s ninth overall RUSH victory of the season as he's now a perfect two-for-two at the Busti, NY oval this season.  Jason Genco, Matt Sipes and Khole Wanzer finished third through fifth respectively.  Stateline continues to draw an excellent field of competitors weekly as their average car count is still over 27 per night in 2023!  

Chad Ruhlman continued his winnings ways in Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Car action as he scored his fourth victory in four starts at Sharon Speedway as part of their special "Wednesday Night Thunder" program back on June 28.  Blaze Myers led the first four circuits before Ruhlman nipped him at the start-finish line to lead lap five.  The duo then battled for the lead for the remainder of the caution-free 20 lap event.  Ruhlman scored a 1.232 second win worth $800 over Myers with Arnie Kent, Brandon Blackshear and 10th starting Gale Ruth, Jr. completing the top five.  The RUSH Sprints have had 22-23 cars for all four Terry Bowser Excavating events this season at the Hartford, Ohio oval. 

Friday evening the RUSH Sprint Car Series ventured to Lernerville Speedway for the first time of 2023 and a season high 24 cars turned out for the Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series event.  Gale Ruth, Jr. and John Mollick led the field to green.  Ruth led the first two circuits with Mollick, Kevin Ruhlman, Blaze Myers and Chad Ruhlman in close pursuit.  Mollick wrestled the top spot away from Ruth by lap three and drove away from the rest of the field to score the his second win of 2023.  Ruth settled for second with Myers coming home in third.  Sixth place starter Arnie Kent used a late race restart to get by Chad Ruhlman to claim the fourth spot.

The Hovis Auto and Truck Supply Sportsman Modifieds also had a two-day race weekend as they saw action at both Lernerville and Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedways.  Friday evening at Lernerville, pole sitter JC Boyer led the first eight laps and weathered the challenges of Kole Holden.  The duo made contact as they exited turn two on lap nine and this allowed Holden to gain the top spot.  A lap 10 caution slowed the field but Holden would not be denied as he led the final five circuits to score a hard-fought victory worth $600 in the first race of the year at Lernerville. Ayden Cipriano got by Boyer on the final lap to finish second.  Boyer, Jacob Wolfe and Jordan Ehrenberg completed the top five.

On Saturday evening Holden led the 15-lap RUSH Modified event for the entire distance to score his second win of the weekend.  Holden's fourth overall win of 2023 propelled him into the $3,500 to-win Weekly Series Championship points lead.  Chelsie Kriegisch was a season best second over Jacob Jordan and Lucas Canon.

The lone RUSH Pro Mod event of the weekend took place at Stateline Speedway as a season high 22 cars were on hand despite threatening weather conditions.  Zain Harvey led the first 10 circuits before veteran Dennis Lunger, Jr. took the top spot.  Lunger led the remainder of the main event to score his second victory of the season at the New York oval, but first since opening night back on May 6.  Weekly Series points leader Steve Dixon got by Harvey for the second spot.  Harvey, Tyler Oakes and Chad Ramsey completed the top five.            

Mother Nature scored the win in weekly RUSH action at Freedom Motorsports Park, Marion Center Speedway, Genesee Speedway, Tyler County Speedway, Bradford Speedway and Eriez Speedway.  RUSH competitors were off at Potomac Speedway, Woodhull Raceway, and Georgetown Speedway.

This weekend, weekly RUSH Late Model action is scheduled for The Hill Speedway for $1,000 to-win, Genesee Speedway, Pittsburgh, PA Motor Speedway, Skyline Raceway for $1,000 to-win, Stateline Speedway, Tyler County Speedway, Woodhull Raceway, Eriez Speedway and Bradford Speedway.  Potomac, Raceway 7, Winchester Speedway, Freedom, and Georgetown Late Model competitors are off this week.

It was announced this week that Ransomville (NY) Speedway will host a RUSH Late Model City Chevrolet Weekly Series special on Friday, September 15 for the first time in over two years!  Stay tuned for more details.

The Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Cars will make their first appearance of the 2023 season at Marion Center Raceway Saturday night for an $800 to-win Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series event.

The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will have a doubleheader at both Raceway 7 Friday night and Pittsburgh on Saturday.   The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will also be in action next Thursday, July 13 at the Expo Speedway as part of the Trumbull County Fair for an $800 to-win event presented by Flynn's Tire. 

RUSH Pro Mod action is scheduled at both Stateline Speedway on Saturday and Bradford Speedway on Sunday. 

The RUSH Stock Cars will be at Eriez.

As we reach the unofficial halfway mark of the 2023 season, the weather and the RUSH Racing Series action are heating up; be sure to “Feel the RUSH” at a speedway near you this weekend!

The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Flynn's Tire, Sunbelt Rentals, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Bilstein Shocks, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Wieland Metal Services, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Sherwood Wheels, Precise Racing Products, Velocita-USA, Wedge Motorsports, 3C Graphix, D&V Jewelers, CrateInsider.com, and Terry Bowser Excavating.  

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.  The RUSH Late Model website is www.rushlatemodels.com. Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.

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