1ST SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL WINS OF 2015 TO BRAD MESLER AT BRADFORD & PAUL GRIGSBY AT HUMBERSTONE; 12 LM WINNERS IN 12 RACES; BRYCE DAVIS CAPTURES $3000 PACE "SUMMER CHASE"

By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone

 

September 8, 2015               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Pulaski, PA)... Action is beginning to wind down at many of the family of tracks under the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model and Sportsman Modified Series banner. Point chases being decided, special races run and other season ending activities are underway.  Two new drivers won their first RUSH Late Model victories of the season and were amongst the 12 different winners in as many races on the circuit!

 

Action began last weekend at Delevan, New York’s Freedom Motorsports Park where Randy Hall bested a stout filed to take his #4S to the top in the inaugural $1,000 to-win "King of the Hill" race.  Hall beat out the likes of Bryce Davis, Jeremy Wonderling, teammate Ward Schell, and Adam Sixt.  Wonderling was tops in the four-lap $100 to-win dash, while John Waters and Jim Johnson took the $50 heat race wins. This Friday, September 11th, Freedom Motorsports Park presents Championship Night, wrapping up their racing season.  Davis' runner-up was important as it would clinch the $3,000 Pace Performance "Summer Chase" Championship!

 

At LaFargeville New York’s Can Am Speedway on Friday night 2015 point champion and heat race winner, Charlie Sandercock, took the lead from Billy Eisele and held him off in side-by-side dual on the final lap to secure his seventh win in eight races on the $135 Bilstein sealed, spec shocks.

 

After a few months on the shelf, Stateline Speedway returned to action under the new management by the Scott and Horner Families last Saturday night.  The RUSH Late Model weekly track came back where it left off with point leader Jason Genco and Wyatt Scott pacing the field for the first lap of the RUSH event.  Dennis Lunger, Jr. moved into the second spot behind Genco, and through a few caution periods held off the likes of Lunger and Randy Hall. In the end it was Genco picking up his second win of the abbreviated season over Lunger in his first start at the speedway in 2015, Hall, Kyle Zimmerman and Darrell Bossard, who also made his first start of the season.

 

Saturday night at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex, the term “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over” was in play during the 20-lap feature event for the RUSH Late Models.  Bob Gordon brought the field to the green but succumbed to Braeden Dillinger who took the top spot in his #14 on lap one.  After a couple of early race cautions, it was Dillinger all the way; or so it seemed.  With an intense battle going on well behind him for the runner-up spot for a number of laps, Dillinger appeared to have the race wrapped up only to slow to a crawl on the white flag lap. “My right rear tire was getting soft with eight laps to go” Dillinger stated in a post-race interview. Dillinger’s misfortune was Russell Baird’s advantage as Baird sped past the now slow Dillinger car in turn three and took the win over Alan Knepper, who improved on his fourth place finish the week before in his Late Model debut, Michael  Duritsky, Jr., Dillinger and Garret Paugh.  A regular five division racing program is on tap for this Saturday, September 12th.

 

Championships were on the line on Saturday night at Fulton, New York’s Fulton Speedway when Jason Occhino took a narrow lead over Dane Keller Jr.  By mid-race Alan Fink, who was in a fierce battle for the runner up spot with Dave Talbot, moved into the second place position. On the 14th circuit, Fink ducked under Occhino for the lead and held him off the rest of the way sailing to his fourth win.  Occhino, Talbot, Kevan Cook and Sean Beardsley made up the top five. With a sixth place finish behind Beardsley, Chris Fleming was crowned the track champion and surely will be considered for the Fulton Speedway Rookie of the Year.

 

The RUSH Late Models were in action on Saturday night at the Bradford Speedway in North Central Pennsylvania. Garrett Mott and Brad Mesler brought the field to the green.  Mesler went directly into the lead and never looked back, taking his first RUSH win of 2015.  Jeremy Wonderling, Mike Robinson Andy Michael and Damian Bidwell made up the top five. A pair of Wonderlings, Jeremy and Mikey, won the heat races.

 

The All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars were in action at Orrville Ohio’s Wayne County Speedway on Sunday night, and the RUSH Late Models were part of the program in the third and final Bazell/Sunoco Southern Touring Series event.  Racing in front of a packed house in attendance for the All Stars, Max Blair took little time moving from his fifth starting spot to the lead, doing so in just five laps.  For the rest of the event that was slowed by a couple of yellow flags, Blair managed to hold off pole-sitter Eric Wilson for the $1,500 win.  Besides Wilson who turned in his career best Touring Series finish, Blair had a rather stout field of RUSH Late Model regulars behind him. Charlie Duncan, Josh Double and Justin Chance rounded out the top five.

 

Across the border in Brighton, Ontario, Adam Turner was dominant from the start of the special 40-lap topless feature event for the Vanderlaan Building Products RUSH Pro Late Models . Turner started on the pole and never gave up the position. Leading all 40 laps didn’t come easy for Turner as he had battles with Corey Earl coming from his fifth starting spot and the always dangerous Charlie Sandercock moving up from 15th.  Turner was able to hold both off, even with the field getting bunched up due to a couple of late caution flags.  Turner’s win was his second of the 2015 campaign.  Earl, Sandercock, Steve Baldwin and Brandon Mowat made up the top five.  The Sunday race program was the second day of the Brighton Speedway Labour Day Classic.  

 

Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway held their regular program on Sunday evening and at the end of the feature race for the RUSH Lates, it was the #14B of Ben Policz in victory lane. The first part of the feature saw multi-time winner Daryl Charlier and Policz running side-by-side, but in the end Policz’s car really hooked up and he pulled away for the win over Charlier and career best finishes by Zach Kane and Josh Stoica, who is a member of the "Bilstein Bandits".  Policz's victory moved up into the key 10th spot of the Pace "Summer Chase" worth $500!  On Saturday, September 19 the Bazell/Sunoco Southern Touring Series makes their first and only visit of the season in a $1,200 to-win event.

 

Sunday night at Eriez Speedway saw Matt Latta and Mike Lozowski on the front row for the Bonnell Collision Center RUSH Late Model feature. 2015 champion Kyle Zimmerman started third and quickly moved to second.  With several battles for position going on behind him, Latta continued to stretch his lead, ultimately to a half straightaway by the drop of the checkered.  The victory was Latta's first of the season at Eriez and second overall in RUSH competition.  Following Latta were Zimmerman, Chad Wright, Jason Genco and Billy Henry for the top five. September 25-26 will be the last action before the gates close for the season at Eriez, as they present the third annual "September Sweep".

 

For the first time since July 17, the RUSH Late Models competed Potomac Speedway on a special Sunday night event.  A solid field of 18 cars turned out, which was the most of the season outside of the Touring Series event held back in May.  Logan Roberson was able to score his second win of the season in just four starts at the Mechanicsville, MD oval.  Darren Alvey recorded his third runner-up of the season in seven tries as Darin Henderson, Brad Rigdon, and Ben Bowie completed the top five.

 

Other Sunday night action included Humberstone Speedway in Port Colborne Ontario where it was the final points night of the season for the Pinty’s RUSH Late Models, and Dennis Lunger Jr. only had to pass under the green to secure his championship. Paul Grigsby took the lead early from Colton Ledingham.  As the laps wore on, it was Grigsby holding on for his season's first win followed by Rob Pietz, Tim Gillespie, Ledingham and Lunger.  The final night of racing for Humberstone’s 2015 season is this Sunday, September 13th.

 

The only RUSH Sportsman Modified event of the weekend took place Sunday at Sportsman's Speedway in their 2015 season finale. "Futures Cup" point leader Kole Holden captured his third Bicknell Racing Products Weekly Series event beating out track champion Nick Ritchey, Larry Kugel, Brandon Ritchey, and Jerry Schaffer.  Brandon Ritchey won a special exhibition challenge race against the Vintage Modifieds.

 

It's be a big weekend for the Sportsman Modifieds this coming weekend as they'll take part in the "Apple Festival Nationals" at Sharon Speedway on Friday and Saturday with $800 to-win on Saturday night followed up by a $600 to-win race at Sunday at Tri-City Raceway Park.  Both events will be Bicknell Racing Products Touring Series events,  The RUSH Late Models will be competing at Sharon as well with $2,000 on the line for the "Gary Knollinger Memorial".

 

Winchester Speedway will return to action this Saturday night with a Sweeney RUSH Late Model Weekly Series event.  It's been a strong second season under the RUSH banner as Winchester has averaged 24 cars per event! 

 

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; Bryce Davis won the Pace Performance “Summer Chase”, Charlie Sandercock leads the “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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