MAX BLAIR OUT-DUELS 4-TIME CHAMP JEREMY WONDERLING TO WIN AT ERIEZ OVER THE 43-CAR FIELD AS HIS FLYNN'S TIRE/GUNTER'S HONEY TOUR WEEKEND SWEEP IS WORTH $8,150
By Mike Leone
May 11, 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Erie, PA)...After five consecutive rain outs to open the season, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Model Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series completed a beautiful weekend of racing on Sunday to celebrate Mother's Day at Eriez Speedway. Following a Stateline record 49-car field on Saturday, the teams traveled 50 miles west to Eriez on Sunday where 43 cars turned out for the highest car count at the track for any non "Manufacturers Night" event. A total of 57 different cars from six different states plus Ontario, Canada competed over the two-night swing!
It was a coming home party for Max Blair with a weekend off from World of Outlaws competition. On Sunday, Blair muscled his way past four-time Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series Champion Jeremy Wonderling with 10 laps to go to for the two-night RUSH Late Model sweep worth $8,150 plus contingencies. In addition, Blair won the Super Late Model features at Tri-City Raceway Park, Stateline, and Eriez for additional $9,500 and most impressively topped out at 400 career victories!
"I love this place," expressed the 35-year-old Centerville, Pa. star. "This is opening night in May in northwest Pennsylvania and they did a heck of a job on the race track- it's beautiful for sure! When the yellow came out when we were in lapped traffic, I thought it was over; he (Wonderling) just doesn't make many mistakes. I didn't think the top was clean enough to pull it off as I definitely wasn't going to get underneath him because he wasn't going to mess up out of lapped traffic. I went up there a couple laps and I don't know if I cleaned it off just enough to work, but it did and was a lot of fun. The lapped traffic was wild and I didn't know how much of a lead I had and thought we were all going to wreck coming to the checkered."
Following the Dave Poske's Performance Parts "Feel the RUSH" 4-Wide Salute, Wonderling and Blair led the 26-car starting field to green on an absolute perfect racing surface on opening night at Eriez. Wonderling was able to race into the early lead over Blair, Austin Allen, Jason Knowles, and Logan Zarin. It was side-by-side for the lead on lap two with Wonderling still holding on, while seventh starting Dave Hess, Jr. cracked the top five.
By lap three, Wonderling and Blair began to distance themselves from the field. Hess continued marching forward driving around Knowles for fourth on lap five. As Wonderling continued to fend off Blair, lapped traffic came into play on lap 10, while Hess closed in on Allen for third. The entire night's only caution was for a spin by Kurt Stebbins with 17 laps completed.
Wonderling chose the inside for the double-file restart and continued his advantage over Blair when racing resumed on lap 18, while Hess used the outside to take over third from Allen. While most think of Blair excelling on the bottom, both of his winning passes this weekend came on the outside. On Saturday night at Stateline, he surprised race-long leader Greg Carrico on a bottom-dominant track on lap 13 with an outside pass, and on Sunday was able to power around Wonderling off the outside of turn four to nose ahead to lead lap 20.
Blair quickly pulled away and stretched out his lead to 2.598 seconds when he caught lapped traffic on lap 27, while Hess closed in on Wonderling for second. Lapped traffic didn't slow Blair's race to the checkered flag much as crossed the finish line first by 2.327 seconds for the $4,000 win aboard the Murphy’s Logging/C&J Dairy/Creek Pizza & Pub/Coltman Farms/Tavern 618/Gable Inn/Riggs Fiber/Creekside Auto Sales/Deer Lake Bowl/Bish Heating & Cooling/TLW Trucking-sponsored, Dave McManus-owned #114. Blair upped his all-time leading Tour win total to 35.
Wonderling fended off Hess in the closing laps for the $2,000 runner-up payday for the second straight night. Wonderling also received a spoiler kit from Ontime Body & Graphic and all three podium finishers received a three-pack of Heritage Wine Cellars premium product.
"I felt like I was a sitting duck," explained Wonderling. "I didn't think there was a whole lot he could do in (turns) one and two because the bottom was dominant there, but I knew eventually he was going to do it down there (turns three and four). I was just waiting for it to clean up enough and he had the full advantage, but that's why he's one of the best in the area. I tried the top early and felt tight and figured if I got up there I was just going to give it to him so I went back to the bottom and was surprised I held him off as long as I did. When the lap 17 caution came out, I didn't know if the top was clean enough or not, but if I was running second I would have done the same thing he did."
"The competition in these RUSH racers are just as stiff as any regional and even some of the big Super Late Model shows we go to," acknowledged Hess, who earned $1,000 for his third place finish. "There's just so many good cars in this RUSH Late Model class and everyone is so even. I'm really happy with a third. This thing was awesome at Lernerville (last year for the $20,000 to-win "Bill Emig Memorial"), but at our home smaller tracks we've been close but have just been missing something. I think tonight we made some gains and we'll just keep adjusting and maybe next time we'll go one or two spots better. I have to thank Alex Anderson for having the trust in me to put me in his equipment with a great car, along with all of his sponsors and my sponsors."
Allen improved on his fifth place finish at Stateline with a solid fourth getting his sophomore season of Touring Series competition off to a solid start. One night after a career best Touring Series finish of third, Demetrios Drellos charged from the 13th starting spot to finish 5th after a last lap pass of Kyle Hardy. Hardy had been on the move from his eighth starting spot and was battling for fourth when he cut a tire, but the 2021 Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Tour Champ was able to limp home in sixth. Knowles dropped to seventh at the finish as Zarin, Zack Carley, and Billy Henry, Jr. completed the top 10. Henry came all the way from the 20th starting spot to earn the $50 Precise Racing Products "Pedal Down" Hard Charger gift card.
Making his RUSH Late Model debut,13-year-old Logen Lockhart ran a flawless 10 laps to win the D&V Jewelers Non-Qualifier. The Seneca, Pa. driver has competed in the RUSH Sprint Car and RUSH Sportsman Modified divisions over the past two years, but his performance on a big stage on Sunday was quite impressive, and even turned in the sixth fastest lap overall against the 43-car field in qualifying after never competing at Eriez! Lockart earned $200 in the Lockhart Raceway/Classic Ink/Russ King Racing-sponsored #58 to become the amazing 84th different winner in 103 "Wheelman" Bonus Event Challenge Series races all-time. Lockhart also received a $50 Holley Performance gift card for being the first feature non-qualifier. Jacob Peterson was second over Jon Lee in his debut in the Deller Motorsports #75 as Brandt Graham and Andrew Chess completed the top five.
Blair earned $100 for setting fast time overall in FK Rod Ends "Shock the Clock" Qualifying with a lap of 16.179. Capturing $25 FK Rod Ends heat races were Blair, Zimmerman, Allen, Knowles, Zarin, and Wonderling. Breyton Santee, Henry, and Stebbins copped victories in the last chance B mains. Wonderling won his first Sunoco Dash of the season for a $100 Sunoco gift card. Also winning $100 Sunoco gift cards in the random drawings were Mike Wonderling and Cody Dawson, while the $50 gift cards went to Blair, Henry, David Parker, and Santee.
Landrum Performance Springs, which will award a $5,000 “Loyalty Bonus” later in the year to a lucky full-time Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Touring Series regular, distributed ‘buy one, get one’ spring certificates to Kassandra Norman, Brady Wonderling, Ben Easler, Hardy, and Peterson.
The Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series will return to action May 23-25 with a Memorial Day Weekend tripleheader with Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, NY on Friday for the "Gary Montgomery Memorial", Genesee Speedway in Batavia, NY on Saturday, and Tri-City Raceway Park in Franklin, Pa. on Sunday.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series Race #2 (30 laps, $4,000 to-win): 1. MAX BLAIR (McManus 114) 2. Jeremy Wonderling (3J) 3. Dave Hess, Jr. (Anderson 44) 4. Austin Allen (Mullen 32) 5. Demetrios Drellos (111) 6. Kyle Hardy (99) 7. Jason Knowles (4) 8. Logan Zarin (Beach 33x) 9. Zack Carley (2) 10. Billy Henry, Jr. (21*) 11. Brad Mesler (Sturdevant 87s) 12. Kyle Zimmerman (Stockdale 31) 13. Braeden Dillinger (14) 14. David Parker (2) 15. Bill Holmes III (8) 16. Ben Easler (02) 17. Brady Wonderling (1s) 18. Daryl Charlier (Dobnak 42) 19. Bud Watson (225) 20. Ryan Hare (29) 21. Kurt Stebbins (26) 22. Andy Michael (17x) 23. Breyton Santee (9) 24. Greg Carrico (Hurley 39) 25. Bryce Davis (94) 26. Jason Genco (Craig/Badgley 29J). (Note: Greg Carrico took a Tour provisional and Andy Michael a Track provisional.)
D&V Jewelers Non-Qualifier (10 laps, $200 to-win): 1. Logen Lockhart (58) 2. Jacob Peterson (112) 3. Jon Lee (Deller 75) 4. Brandt Graham (14) 5. Andrew Chess (8c) 6. Craig Graham (98) 7. Steve Blodgett (23GP) 8. Ward Schell (61s). DNS: Austin Hauser (51), Cody Dawson (36), Shane Crotty (Briggs 4), Bill Taylor (1), Kassandra Norman (6), Jacob Wilber (Suppa 4s), Christian Schneider (56), Tom Snyder, Jr. (10s), Mike Wonderling (18).
Car Count: 43
Feature Margin of Victory: 2.327 seconds
Feature Lap Leaders: Jeremy Wonderling (1-19), Max Blair (20-30)
Heritage Wine Cellars 3-Pack of Premium Products: Max Blair, Jeremy Wonderling, Dave Hess, Jr.
Holley Performance Group “Nosed Out”: Logen Lockhart
Landrum Performance Springs BOGO Certificates: Kassandra Norman, Brady Wonderling, Ben Easler, Kyle Hardy, Jacob Peterson
Ontime Body & Graphic “Spoiler Alert” Spoiler Kit: Jeremy Wonderling
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Billy Henry, Jr. (+10)
Precise Racing Products 5-Gallon Race Jug: Max Blair
Sunoco Fuel Card Winners presented by Bazell Race Fuels: Mike Wonderling ($100), Cody Dawson ($100), Max Blair ($50), Billy Henry, Jr. ($50), David Parker ($50), Breyton Santee ($50).
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Flight A Qualifying (Track record 15.655 by Max Blair 6/10/18) ($100 for fast time): 1. 114-Max Blair, 00:16.179[2]; 2. 31-Kyle Zimmerman, 00:16.377[10]; 3. 94-Bryce Davis, 00:16.402[22]; 4. 44-Dave Hess Jr, 00:16.433[12]; 5. 58L-Logen Lockhart, 00:16.522[18]; 6. 32A-Austin Allen, 00:16.605[6]; 7. 111D-Demetrios Drellos, 00:16.619[16]; 8. 8-Bill Holmes III, 00:16.635[15]; 9. 1S-Brady Wonderling, 00:16.637[8]; 10. 75-Jon Lee, 00:16.641[13]; 11. 18-Mike Wonderling, 00:16.732[17]; 12. 56-Christian Schneider, 00:16.741[7]; 13. 36-Cody Dawson, 00:16.783[1]; 14. 2C-Zack Carley, 00:16.875[4]; 15. 21*-Billy Henry, 00:16.883[21]; 16. 8C-Andrew Chess, 00:16.904[5]; 17. 225-Bud Watson, 00:16.936[9]; 18. 29-Ryan Hare, 00:16.967[11]; 19. 9S-Breyton Santee, 00:16.987[19]; 20. 61S-Ward Schell, 00:17.340[3]; 21. 6N-Kassandra Norman, 00:17.525[20]; 22. 23GB-Steve Blodgett, 00:17.614[14].
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Flight B Qualifying (Track record 15.655 by Max Blair 6/10/18): 1. 4-Jason Knowles, 00:16.448[12]; 2. 33X-Logan Zarin, 00:16.567[3]; 3. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling, 00:16.578[16]; 4. 99-Kyle Hardy, 00:16.602[9]; 5. 14D-Braeden Dillinger, 00:16.626[6]; 6. 2-David Parker, 00:16.735[19]; 7. 02-Benjamin Easler, 00:16.740[1]; 8. 26-Kurt Stebbins, 00:16.774[18]; 9. 42-Daryl Charlier, 00:16.801[7]; 10. 17X-Andy Michael, 00:16.810[20]; 11. 87S-Brad Mesler, 00:16.832[5]; 12. 51-Austin Hauser, 00:16.868[2]; 13. 1-Bill Taylor, 00:16.921[21]; 14. 29J-Jason Genco, 00:16.922[8]; 15. 4C-Shane Crotty, 00:16.962[17]; 16. 39-Gregory Carrico, 00:17.016[11]; 17. 10S-Tom Snyder Jr, 00:17.095[13]; 18. 98-Craig Graham, 00:17.103[4]; 19. 112-Jacob Peterson, 00:17.136[15]; 20. 14-Brandt Graham, 00:17.165[14]; 21. 4S-Jacob Wilber, 00:17.212[10].
FK Rod Ends Heat 1 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 114-Max Blair[1]; 2. 44-Dave Hess Jr[2]; 3. 111D-Demetrios Drellos[3]; 4. 9S-Breyton Santee[7]; 5. 36-Cody Dawson[5]; 6. 75-Jon Lee[4]; 7. 8C-Andrew Chess[6]; 8. 23GB-Steve Blodgett[8].
FK Rod Ends Heat 2 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 31-Kyle Zimmerman[1]; 2. 2C-Zack Carley[5]; 3. 8-Bill Holmes III[3]; 4. 225-Bud Watson[6]; 5. 58L-Logen Lockhart[2]; 6. 61S-Ward Schell[7]; 7. 18-Mike Wonderling[4].
FK Rod Ends Heat 3 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 32A-Austin Allen[2]; 2. 94-Bryce Davis[1]; 3. 1S-Brady Wonderling[3]; 4. 21*-Billy Henry[5]; 5. 29-Ryan Hare[6]; 6. 56-Christian Schneider[4]; 7. 6N-Kassandra Norman[7]
FK Rod Ends Heat 4 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 4-Jason Knowles[1]; 2. 99-Kyle Hardy[2]; 3. 02-Benjamin Easler[3]; 4. 17X-Andy Michael[4]; 5. 112-Jacob Peterson[7]; 6. 39-Gregory Carrico[6]; 7. 1-Bill Taylor[5]
FK Rod Ends Heat 5 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 33X-Logan Zarin[1]; 2. 87S-Brad Mesler[4]; 3. 14D-Braeden Dillinger[2]; 4. 26-Kurt Stebbins[3]; 5. 29J-Jason Genco[5]; 6. 14-Brandt Graham[7]; 7. 10S-Tom Snyder Jr[6].
FK Rod Ends Heat 6 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[1]; 2. 2-David Parker[2]; 3. 42-Daryl Charlier[3]; 4. 51-Austin Hauser[4]; 5. 4C-Shane Crotty[5]; 6. 98-Craig Graham[6]; 7. 4S-Jacob Wilber[7]
Last Chance B Main 1 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 9S-Breyton Santee[1]; 2. 225-Bud Watson[2]; 3. 58L-Logen Lockhart[4]; 4. 36-Cody Dawson[3]; 5. 75-Jon Lee[5]; 6. 8C-Andrew Chess[7]; 7. 23GB-Steve Blodgett[9]; 8. 61S-Ward Schell[6]; 9. 18-Mike Wonderling[8]
Last Chance B Main 2 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 21*-Billy Henry[1]; 2. 29-Ryan Hare[3]; 3. 17X-Andy Michael[2]; 4. 112-Jacob Peterson[4]; 5. 39-Gregory Carrico[6]; 6. 1-Bill Taylor[8]; 7. 6N-Kassandra Norman[7]. DNS: 56-Christian Schneider.
Last Chance B Main 3 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 26-Kurt Stebbins[1]; 2. 29J-Jason Genco[3]; 3. 51-Austin Hauser[2]; 4. 4C-Shane Crotty[4]; 5. 14-Brandt Graham[5]; 6. 98-Craig Graham[6]. DNS: 4S-Jacob Wilber & 10S-Tom Snyder Jr.
Sunoco Dash (6 laps, $100 Sunoco fuel card to win): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[3]; 2. 114-Max Blair[6]; 3. 32A-Austin Allen[2]; 4. 33X-Logan Zarin[4]; 5. 4-Jason Knowles[1]; 6. 31-Kyle Zimmerman[5]
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, Gunter's Honey, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Billy's Garage, Joseph J. Oliva Attorney at Law, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Landrum Performance Springs, Russ King Racing, 3C Graphix, Dave Poske's Performance Parts, Velocita-USA, Wieland Metal Services, Frankland Racing Supply, Dusted Steak Seasoning, Ontime Body & Graphic, D&V Jewelers, Dusted, Heritage Wine Cellars, Precise Racing Products, Racing Electronics, Design Creations, and Competition Crate Parts.
E-mail can be sent to the RUSH Racing Series at [email protected] and 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 X (formerly known as Twitter) @RUSHLM.
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