ALVEY & RICOTTA REPEAT IN SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODELS AT POTOMAC & GENESEE; KERR WINS 1ST EVER IN LM AT WINCHESTER; CAREER 1ST FOR SCHAFFER IN SPORTSMAN MODS AT LERNERVILLE

By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone

 

May 17, 2016            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Pulaski, PA)...As the 2016 racing season continues to sputter to a start thanks to a rainy spring, the family of tracks in the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series powered by Pace Performance continues to fight Mother Nature to get events in from Canada down to the Mid-Atlantic.

 

One of the newest member tracks to RUSH is Dundee, New York’s Outlaw Speedway.  The track formerly known as Black Rock Speedway is under new ownership by Tyler Siri and after three straight rainouts and rain in the forecast for last Friday, Outlaw decided to move their program to a special “Thursday Night Thunder”.  Mike Wonderling  took the early lead in the RUSH Late Model division.  By mid-race, Bryce Davis took the top spot from Wonderling, getting by on lap 10.  Davis would not be challenged the rest of the way.  Davis led a top five sweep by Touring Series regulars beating out Dave Lyon, John Waters, and brothers Jason and Brian Knowles . Wonderling finished just out of the top five in sixth.  Next up for Outlaw is this Friday (May 20) for the rained out "Outlaw Spring Nationals".

 

Potomac Speedway in Budds Creek, Maryland waited out the early rain on Friday as RUSH Late Model point leader Darren Alvey scored his second win of the season.  Pole-sitter Mike Franklin led the first 13 laps.  A caution gave Avery a chance to slip into the lead on the restart and go on unchallenged for the remainder of the event in his Alvey Brothers Farm, Rocket no.30.   "I knew my only chance to get Mike would be on a restart," Alvey stated afterwards.  "He gave me just enough room when the green came out to get by and we were able to get it done.”  Franklin held on for second with Matt Tarbox, Ben Bowie and Corey Almond rounding out the top five. The RUSH Late Models return to Potomac on Sunday, May 29 for Budweiser Night.

 

Friday night Freedom Speedway in Delevan, New York opened their season as Jeremy Wonderling  and defending track champion Randy Hall lined up on the front row for the Wilson’s Crane Service RUSH Late Model feature event.  Wonderling took the early lead from Hall on the first lap.  With Hall and Wonderling putting on a show up front, eighth starting Adam Sixt was working his way through the field.  Hall would suffer mechanical issues on lap for sending him pit side.  John Waters, Sixt, Damian Bidwell and JJ Mazur were battling for third, when a dust up between Jimmy Johnson and Nick Snayczuk bunched up the field.

 

Later in the race Bidwell was able to take second from Waters and make a bid for the lead from Wonderling. Bidwell’s attempt fell short giving Wonderling his first win of 2016.  Following Bidwell were Waters, Brad Mesler and Brady Wonderling. Next up at Freedom this Friday night is a regular show featuring the NY6A Mini Sprint Tour.

 

Saturday night at Winchester Speedway, Mike Franklin shot into the lead of the RUSH Late Model feature leading the first 16 laps of the 20 lap race. Tanner Kerr had held on to second for most of the event and overtook Franklin on the 17th circuit and held on for his first career RUSH win, and his first since 2012 at the track.

 

"Hats off to Winchester for getting this show in tonight." Kerr stated post-race. "This class is a perfect fit for our team and to finally be back racing and to get a win here tonight, I can't describe the feeling right now." Kerr was followed across the line by Logan Robertson, who got by Franklin for second.  Franklin, Jennae Piper and Matt Hill made up the top five.  After another good weekend, Franklin leads not only the $5,000 to-win Sweeney Weekly Series points, but also the $5,000 to-win "Bilstein Bandits" points.  The RUSH Late Models return to action this Saturday.

 

Genesee Speedway in Batavia NY, another newcomer to the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series family managed to get in a show despite less than desirable weather conditions that cancelled most of the region's action.  Perry, New York’s Doug Ricotta fresh off his win in the season opener at Genesee the week before, started on the pole for Saturday night’s action.  Ricotta would hold the top spot throughout the feature marred by only one caution on lap 16. Runner up Dave DuBois gave a good challenge for the lead on the restart, but Ricotta would prevail.

 

“The car is just absolutely hooked up right now,” exclaimed Ricotta in victory lane. “The track could not have been any more perfect and the car worked great on the top.”  Following DuBois were Damian Bidwell, Beamer Guzzardi and Jon Rivers.  Action returns to Genesee Speedway this Saturday night with a regular “Five Star” race program.

 

Friday night at Sarver, Pennsylvania’s Lernerville Speedway, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Sportsman Modifieds were in competition as a companion event to Tony Stewart's All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars.  It was a Bicknell Weekly Series event and the second of a record six visits during 2016.

 

In the Sportsman Modified feature, Chelsie Kriegisch took the early lead with teammate Jerry Schaffer along with Chas Wolbert and Rocky Kugel in tow.  On lap five, Schaffer spun in the lead and Kriegisch got caught up in the melee.  After a few more cautions into the event, it was eighth starting Brian Schaffer who emerged with the lead and would hold on for his first career win in the division. “We like to keep it interesting but the track was pretty slick in the middle so we had to work to find the traction,” Schaffer said following his first career Lernerville win.  

 

Nick Ritchey, who his first career Lernerville race in October at the "Steel City Stampede" was second.  Kriegisch, who led 18 laps at the April event before finishing second, came from the rear of the field to finish third over Kyle Martell and Larry Kugel.  The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds return to action at Lernerville on July 1st along with the RUSH Late Models and the BOSS Sprints.

 

The remaining family of tracks in the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series fell to rain, cold and even snow for some!  Sharon will have FREE "Fan Appreciation Night" on Saturday with the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds back in action.  The first two events have seen a record 24 cars participate each night.  Sharon offers an increased payoff throughout the entire field with $500 to-win if 24 or more cars are on hand.

 

Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway has a $1,000 "Sizzler" event for the RUSH Late Models on Saturday as they hope to get their season underway.  Bradford Speedway will try for a second time to open their season on Sunday evening.  Stateline Speedway held their only event to date on May 7 as Wyatt Scott scored his first career RUSH Late Model win on the circuit at his grandparents track, while Justin Carlson will go down in the history books as the winner of the inaugural RUSH Pro Mod event.  Fulton Speedway in NY has gotten a pair of Sweeney RUSH Late Model Weekly Series events in with Bryce Davis and Chris Fleming victorious before last Saturday's rain out. 

 

After a 2015 make-up event at Sharon on April 16 won by Matt Latta, the scheduled Sweeney Tour kickoff the following Friday was rained out.  The Sweeney Tour has a doubleheader planned this Sunday and Monday in Ontario, Canada.  Sunday will be a $2,000 to-win Marquee Event at Humberstone Speedway in Port Colborne, where Jeff Dayman won the season opener RUSH Late Model event on May 8.  Then Monday will mark the second straight year RUSH will be part of the Victoria Day holiday event at Merrittville Speedway in Thorold for a $2,000 to-win Platinum Event. 

 

Wayne County Speedway (Orrville, OH) and Eriez Speedway (Erie, PA) will host a pair of $2,000 to-win Marquee Sweeney Tour events on May 28-29.  Both tracks hope to resume Sweeney Weekly Series racing this Saturday and Sunday.

 

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, FK Rod Ends, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, Rocket Chassis, Bobby Lake Motorsports High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, B.R.A.K.E.S., RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.

 

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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