PACE RUSH LATE MODELS SET TO RETURN TO MCKEAN FOR A FLYNN'S TIRE/BORN2RUN LUBRICANTS TOUR RACE ON SUNDAY

By Mike Leone

April 22, 2021                        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(East Smethport, PA)...Following a successful third annual "Battle of the Bay" Speedweek that saw an average car count of 44+, the Pace Performance RUSH Late Model Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC will head north to McKean County Raceway on Sunday (April 25) for a Flynn's Tire/Born2Run Lubricants Touring Series event.  Race #4 of the richest season in Series history will feature the return to the McKean County Fairgrounds oval for the first time since September 29, 2018.  Warm-ups begin early at 4 p.m. with group qualifying to follow and racing at 6.

After a two-year layoff, racing will return to McKean County Raceway under the direction of promoters Joel Smith and Ken Leet.  An eight-event schedule has been posted with the RUSH Late Models and RUSH Pro Mods on the slate each night.  McKean will also host a $1,000 to-win RUSH Sprint Car event on June 19.  The RUSH Late Models will compete for a minimum of $1,000 to-win each night in 2021 with Sunday's Tour event paying $2,000 to-win.  McKean was one of the original four founding Northeast tracks that hosted Crate Late Models when the division debuted under the direction of Vicki Emig and Mike Leone in 2007.  

"It's always great to return to McKean," acknowledged RUSH Director Vicki Emig.  "McKean has played an important part of Crate Late Model history in the Northeast.  After two years of dormancy, we're excited to be part of the first show back at MCR!  The Tour shows have always had tremendous turnouts and we look forward to resuming our season on Sunday after an awesome 'Battle of the Bay' as the chase for the $12,000 champion rolls on." 

Kyle Hardy laid the gauntlet down at the "Battle of the Bay" winning all three events and taking home $10,175 in cash plus contingencies!  Hardy joined Rick Singleton, Max Blair, Jeremy Wonderling, and Kyle Lukon as the only drivers to win three consecutive Tour events.  Blair holds the record with four consecutive Tour wins during the 2015 season.  Hardy, who leads the Pace Performance National Weekly Series standings, is not expected to be in action on Sunday.

After a 20th place finish at the Georgetown opener, Jeremy Wonderling bounced back with finishes of fifth and eighth at Potomac and Winchester respectively as he looks for his fourth straight Tour championship, but this year with $12,000 on the line!  Kyle Lukon, who battled with Wonderling down to the wire in the 2019 Tour chase, had three solid nights at the "Battle of the Bay" with finishes of third, seventh, and sixth.  Last year's runner-up in points, Joe Martin, also had a consistent three nights with finishes of 11th, 11th, and ended Speedweek with a fifth at Winchester.

There have been 13 RUSH Tour events held all-time at McKean with seven different winners.  Max Blair leads the list with five victories, while the only multi-winner is Bryce Davis with three scores.  Other drivers earning a single victory include Mike Pegher, Jr., Chad McClellan, Joe Martin, Jeremy Wonderling, and John Waters.

Feature Payoff: 1. $2,000  2. $1,000  3. $650  4. $550  5. $470  6. $435  7. $410  8. $370  9. $340  10. $310  11. $280  12. $270  13. $260  14. $250  15. $240  16. $235  17. $230  18-24 $225.

Non-Qualifier Payoffs: 1. $200  2. $190  3. $185  4. $180  5. $175  6. $170  7. $165  8. $160  9. $155  10-24. $150.

Tow $125.

Precise Racing Products will award a $100 gift card for the "Pedal Down" Hard Charger that passes the most cars in the feature.  The TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night” will award three bottles of Xtreme6 Racing Brake Fluid valued at approximately $45 along with a certificate for a discount off any TBM Brakes purchase.  

The feature winner will receive a 5-Gallon Race Jug from Precise.  Ontime Body & Graphic's "Spoiler Alert" will award a $150 spoiler kit to the fourth place finisher (note: if a driver has already won a spoiler this season, spoiler will be awarded to the next position).  In addition to a $100 Sunoco gift card for the Sunoco Dash winner, one driver will be randomly selected at the drivers meeting for a $100 Sunoco gift card. 

Pits open at 12 p.m.  RUSH registration will open by 1 p.m.  A RUSH drivers meeting will be held at 3:35 p.m. with warm-ups at 4 p.m. followed by group qualifying and racing at 6.  Pit notes/agenda: https://rushlatemodels.com/McKeanAgenda042521.pdf

You do not have to be a member of RUSH to compete; only to be eligible for the point funds.  The AMB/MyLaps transponders will be used.  One-way driver radios are always mandatory on the default 454.000 channel.  There will be a $100 entry fee.  

Sunday's event will also count towards the RUSH National Weekly Series Championships and "Futures Cup" for those eligible racers.  In addition, points will also be awarded for the expanded "Track Pack" that features a $2,500 per track point fund for the top six racers in RUSH member points at year's end with $1,000 going to the champion.

The 2021 Touring Series is being presented by new marketing partners Flynn's Tire along with Born2Run Lubricants.  Drivers will compete for the richest Chevrolet Performance Crate Engine Touring Series championship with $43,000 on the line.  Points will be accumulated at each Marquee Event.  Drivers can use Platinum Event(s) to replace worst Marquee finishes and/or up to two for missed Marquee Events.  Memberships forms are available at https://rushlatemodels.com/memberships.html.

McKean County Raceway is 1/3-mile clay oval located at the McKean County Fairgrounds at 7172 PA-46, Smethport, PA 16749.  McKean County Raceway will has eight events scheduled for the 2021 season including the RUSH Late Models and RUSH Pro Mods at each event.  For more information, check out their website at https://mckeancounty-raceway.com/.  Like their Facebook at www.facebook.com/McKeanCountyRacewayMCR and follow them on Twitter @McKeanCoRaceway.

RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Pace Performance together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, Born2Run Lubricants, Flynn's Tire & Auto Service, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Wrisco Industries, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Zarin Truck & Automotive, Sherwood Wheels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, Stop-Fyre, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Waterstone Mortgage Hermitage, CrateInsider.com, and Wedge Motorsports.

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.

###