CAREER 1ST SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL WIN FOR JIM JOHNSON AT FREEDOM; DELLINGER WINS 1ST OF 2015 ON $135 BILSTEIN SHOCKS AT WAYNE COUNTY; LUKON WINS $2000 AT PPMS; RACEWAY 5 RUSH DEBUT TO HALL

By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone

 

September 2, 2015               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Pulaski, PA)... Yet another dry weekend allowed all the member tracks of the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model and Sportsman Modified Series that were scheduled to race complete their events. In fact one track even had a three-night event for the RUSH Late Models!  There were no multiple winners on the weekend with 12 different RUSH Late Model winners in Sweeney Weekly Series action and two different RUSH Sportsman Modified winners in Bicknell Racing Products Weekly Series action.

 

The action began at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in southwest Pennsylvania.  It was the 27th annual “Pittsburgher 100”, a 100-lap Super Late Model race sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Included on the card with the supers was the RUSH Crate Late Models.  The three-day event started off with a regular show on Thursday, which was also championship night.  By the end of the 20-lap feature event for the RUSH Late Models, Daryl Charlier of Midway Pa. had taken his third win. Josh Holtgraver, also a three-time winner in 2015, was crowned the champion, despite his car being torn up by a turn two crash during the feature.

 

Friday night at the Imperial, PA 5/8ths mile oval, it was qualifying and heat races for each of the three divisions that would compete in the big Saturday night finale of the historic Pittsburgher. On Saturday night, it was Burgettstown, Pa. driver Kyle Lukon in victory lane for $2,000 in front of the largest crowd of the season.  Lukon was followed by former RUSH Future’s Cup winner Ryan Montgomery, Michael Reft, Ben Policz and Andrew Satterlee.  Points are settled at PPMS, but racing continues for the RUSH Late Models throughout the month of September including the Bazell/Sunoco Southern Touring Series event on Saturday, September 19.

 

At Delevan, New York’s Freedom Speedway on Friday night the 20-lap RUSH Late Model feature saw the #93J of Jim Johnson take his first career RUSH win.  Randy Hall, Brady Raynor, Brad Mesler and Doug Ricotta rounded out the top five.  Action heats up this Friday at Freedom for the RUSH Late Models as they compete in the $1,000 to win, $125 to-start event that will also offer $50 to-win heat races, $100 to-win dash, and feature lap money.

 

Also on Friday night, the RUSH Late Models were in action at La Fargeville, New York’s Can Am Speedway. The 20 lap feature event was paced by Billy Eisele and Elmer Stevenson.  Charlie Sandercock started just behind Eisele and was battling for the runner up spot not long into the first lap. Sandercock ultimately took the second spot and five laps later grabbed the lead from Eisele. While Stevenson fell to fourth behind Austin King. As the race wore on, Sandercock did what he does best; putting nearly half a track between himself and eventual runner up Eisele.  In the end, Sandercock would go on for the win, his sixth in seven tries of the season on the spec, sealed $135 Bilstein Shocks.  Eisele, Stevenson, Aaron Jacob and King rounded out the top five.  Next Friday, September 4th is the final night of points for all divisions at Can Am.

 

Saturday night at Ontario’s Brighton Speedway, Phil Potts reversed his fortune from the previous week when he landed on his roof by standing in victory lane.  The 30-lap Brighton Speedway feature for the RUSH Late Models saw Potts take the lead away from pole sitting Kyle Sopaz on a lap 10 restart. The final 20 laps ran caution-free with the battle between Potts and Sopaz going on well ahead of the rest of the field.  In the end, with Potts and Sopaz cutting through lapped traffic, it was Potts seeing the checkered first for his second win of the season followed by Sopaz, the always strong Charlie Sandercock along with Jamie Marshal and Tyler Rand.  The RUSH Late Models will be on the card this Sunday for a special Labour Day Weekend event with the Southern Ontario Sprints.

 

Saturday night at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex, a heated battle between Braeden Dillinger, Garrett Paugh and Clinton Hersh went on for the first half of the 25-lap feature event.  As the second half of the race wore on, Alan Knepper joined the fray.  Just past halfway, Paugh was able to get under Dillinger then pass Troy Shields for the lead on the same lap.  In the remaining five laps Paugh stretched out to a substantial lead, while the battle for runner up went on well behind him. In the end, Paugh easily took his fourth victory with heat winners Shields and Dillinger second and third.  Knepper, who made his first career Late Model start, and Garry Sisson rounded out the top five.  A regular five division show is on tap for this Saturday night.

 

Orrville, Ohio’s Wayne County Speedway would crown its point champions on Saturday night in all of its division including the Harriger Towing RUSH Late Models.  For Charlie Duncan, passing under the green flag was all it took for him to secure the title, but like each of the others on hand he was there to win. Ryan Markham was in the lead for the first five laps but had issues with the cushion in turn one on the sixth circuit. That allowed the #8 owned by Bob Williams and driver by Alan Dellinger to take over the lead.  Markham eventually pulled off into the pits leaving Duncan as the only one able to give Dellinger a challenge. Hermitage, Pennsylvania’s Dellinger held on for his first victory of the year in his sealed, spec $135 Bilstein Shocks over Duncan, Justin Chance, Jamie Wrightsman and Jim Nicely.  Racing resumes this Sunday at WCS with the third and final visit by the Bazell/Sunoco Southern Touring Series paying $1,500 to-win in an event highlighted by the All Star Circuit of Champion Sprint Cars.

 

At Fulton Speedway on Saturday night, AJ Kingsley took off to an early lead in the 20-lap feature for the NAPA RUSH Late Models.  An early caution allowed point leader Chris Fleming shot to the bottom of the track and took over the top spot.  By the halfway point Fleming had built up a solid half straightaway lead over Kingsley.  In the closing five laps Fleming was cutting through lapped traffic, with no real challenge from the rest of the field.  Fleming’s convincing second win firmed up his spot at the top of the standings, while Kingsley, Dave Talbot, Kevan Cook and Wayne Robertson finished second through fifth.  This Saturday it’s Fulton’s Championship Night featuring all divisions and a mechanics race.

 

For the first time ever, Raceway 5 in Batavia, New York held a RUSH-sanctioned Crate Late Model event on Saturday night.  It appeared as if Damian Bidwell would go down in history as the inaugural winner, but the Eldred, Pa. standout got tangled up with a lapped car that relegated him to a sixth place finish.  Taking the $800 Sweeney Weekly Series win was Randy Hall as David Lyon, Doug Ricotta, and Andy Eastman, and Jon Rivers completed the first five.  

 

At Sharon Speedway in Hartford Ohio, Rocky Kugel picked up his third win of the season in the RUSH Sportsman Modified division. Greg Martin had already wrapped up the track title for the RUSH Mods and chose not to make the nearly four-hour trip from the shores of Lake Ontario in Wilson, NY.  That left the two other strongest competitors in the division in Kugel and Nick Ritchey to take on the rest of the field. Jordan Eck led the opening lap until a hard crash ended the night for several of the drivers on the opening circuit. Sixth place Kugel, who started on the third row restarted the feature on the front row with Eck and proceeded to take off into the lead and hold the spot for the remaining 14 laps for the win. Both Nick Ritchey and Michael Kristyak got by Eck, who held on for fourth over Chelsie Kriegisch. The Sharon Speedway season comes to a close on the weekend of September 11 & 12 for the Apple Festival Nationals, which will be a RUSH Late Model and Sportsman Modified Touring Series doubleheader.

 

The RUSH Late Model feature race on Sunday night at Eriez Speedway in Erie Pennsylvania saw Max Blair start the race and ended it in the same spot; first. Blair, now with six victories at Eriez in eight tried, led the entire span of the race, which went green the entire time except for a lap one crash that took Matt Latta out for the night.  After Blair at the checkers, it was Mike Knight, Kyle Zimmerman, Eric Wilson and Wyatt Scott rounding out the top five.  Racing resumes this Sunday at Eriez Speedway as the season winds down, with championship night.

 

Sunday night at the Bradford Speedway in the RUSH Late Models, Damian Bidwell rebounded from his misfortunes the night prior at Raceway 5 as started on the outside pole and led from green to checkers to pick up his third win of the season in five tries. Jeremy Wonderling, Ward Schell, Mike Robinson and Mikey Wonderling rounded out the top 5.   

 

A huge night of racing north of the border at Port Colborne, Ontario’s Humberstone Speedway as it was the “Pete Cosco Memorial” Night.  In the Pinty’s RUSH Late Model feature race, Jeff Dayman took the early lead while Dennis Lunger, Jr. was moving through the field to second place. By lap five, Lunger took the top spot on the fifth circuit and proceeded to distance himself from Dayman and the rest of the field for his 11th win of the 2015 campaign. Sam Pennacchio continued his strong runs as of late as he would finish in second followed by Rob Pietz, Dayman and Tim Gillespie. The final night of points comes up the Sunday September 6th for all divisions at Humberstone.

 

At Sportsman’s Speedway on Sunday night, Nick Ritchey improved on his runner up spot at Sharon Speedway the night before and took the victory in the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds at the Knox, Pa. oval. He was followed across the stripe by Ransomville, NY racer Austin Susice, who made his first career RUSH start, Brandon Ritchey and Kole Holden.  Sportsman’s season wraps up this Sunday.

 

This Saturday night will mark the return of racing to Stateline Speedway in Busti, New York under the new management led by the Scott Family.  Potomac Speedway in Mechanicsville, MD will return to action this Sunday with a special program.  Winchester (VA) Speedway didn’t have the RUSH Late Models on the card last Saturday nor this Saturday, but will have a Sweeney Weekly Series event next on Saturday, September 12. 

 

Current RUSH Late Model point leaders are Max Blair in the Sweeney Weekly Series, Bazell/Sunoco Southern Tour, Insinger/Sunoco Northern Tour, and combined Sweeney Tour points; Charlie Sandercock leads the Pace Performance “Summer Chase” and “Bilstein Bandits”, while Clinton Hersh leads the “Futures Cup” points.  In the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, Greg Martin leads the Bicknell Weekly Series points, while Larry Kugel leads the Bicknell Tour, and Kole Holden leads the Bicknell “Futures Cup”. 

 

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 Performance, Maxima Racing Oil, Jones Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, TBM Brakes, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Velocita-USA, High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, B.R.A.K.E.S., RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.

 

RUSH Sportsman Modified marketing partners: Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Bicknell Racing Products, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, MSD Ignition, Maxima Racing Oil, Jones Racing Products, VP Racing Fuels, FK Rod Ends, Sherwood Racing Wheels, Velocita-USA, Precise Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, K&N Filters, TBM Brakes, Lincoln Electric, CrateInsider.com, Rocket Racing, and B.R.A.K.E.S.

 

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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