TONY MUSOLINO ENDS 25-YEAR WINLESS DROUGHT AT PITTSBURGH WITH HIS 1ST CAREER HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL WIN; JEFF WATSON SCORES UPSET CAREER 1ST WIN AT MUSKINGUM ON NIGHT 1 OF “RONNIE MORAN MEMORIAL” WHILE LOGAN REED TAKES NIGHT 2 FOR $2,500
By Marcie Barlow

May 23, 2026          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)…After several weeks of dismal weather, the skies finally cleared to allow for some exciting Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series action presented by Born2Run Lubricants throughout the region the weekend of May 15-17. Tony Musolino and Jeff Watson celebrated their career first RUSH Late Model wins at Pittsburgh PA Motor Speedway and Muskingum County Speedway respectively.  Defending Champion, Blaze Myers, kicked off the season victorious for the Hovis RUSH Sprint Car Rustler Sales and Service Weekly Series at Tri-City Raceway Park.  William Baker, Jr. swept Hovis RUSH Stock Car action at Tri-City and Eriez.

Lernerville Speedway hosted a Hovis RUSH Late Model Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series event on Friday that attracted an impressive 29-car field. Clinton Hersh and Dylan Cecce led the field to green. Cecce, who was making his first appearance at the Sarver, PA oval, led the entire distance of the 20-lap event to score the $1,000 victory in a tune-up for the $20,000 to-win “Bill Emig Memorial” presented by Sunoco Race Fuels along with support from Seal Tite Paving & Excavating, Joseph J. Oliva Attorney at Law, Keyser Manufacturing and Integra Racing Shocks on June 25-27.  It was Cecce’s first RUSH Late Model win since 2019 at Woodhull Raceway.  Demetrios Drellos came home in second with Daryl Charlier making a late race pass of Hersh to finish third. Joe Martin completed the top five.

Mike Laughard scored win number two of the season on Friday night at Dog Hollow Speedway in the RUSH Late Models.  Avery Macmellen and Davin Kaiser followed.

RUSH Late Model competitors were in action both Friday and Saturday at Muskingum County Speedway as part of the “Ronnie Moran Memorial” for Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action.  On Friday night, Kolbe Kimbrew and Jeff Watson paced the field for the 20-lap feature. Watson immediately grabbed the lead. The Conneaut, OH drive led the entire distance of the event to score a 9.278 win over Brian Nethers. The win was also Watson’s career first in the RUSH Late Models. Kimbrew, Rusty Redman and Lauren Longbrake, who was making her return to RUSH action, rounded out the top five.

The same duo of Watson and Kimbrew led Saturday’s feature event to the green, but it was sixth place starter Logan Reed who would claim the $2,500 victory. Watson completed the weekend with another great run to finish second with Ryan Hare finishing third.  Longbrake and Russ King Racing Futures Cup driver, Logan Stockdale, rounded out the top five.

Dusty Waters and Mike Wonderling led the RUSH Late Model main event to the green Saturday evening at Woodhull Raceway. Waters led the first seven laps before fourth place starter Steve LeBarron took the lead. LeBarron led the remainder of the 20-lap event to score a convincing 5.384 second victory over Wonderling. Brett Marlatt, Waters and Rickie Loucks completed the top five.

RUSH Late Model Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action finally got underway at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Saturday.  Clinton Hersh and Tony Musolino led the field to green with Hersh leading the first four laps. Musolino nosed ahead on lap five with Hersh getting the top spot back on the following circuit.  Musolino took the top spot back for good on lap six, weathered two cautions for debris and then held off the late race challenges of Tim Shaffer to score his first career RUSH Late Model win.  It was Musolino’s first win at Pittsburgh since 2001 in a Limited Late Model! Zach Gunn, Hersh and Brandon Burgoon completed the top five.

Virginia’s Winchester Speedway has been one of the few RUSH-sanctioned tracks to get more than one event on the record this season; seven in fact, as Devin Brannon tallied his third RUSH Late Model victory of the year last Saturday night.  Brannon used his front row starting position to score a convincing win over Davin Kaiser. Brayden Armel, Kris Hutton and Branson Woodward finished third through fifth respectively.

Kurt Stebbins led the first lap of the RUSH Late Model Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Tour event at Eriez Speedway on Sunday before Jeremy Wonderling took the top spot on the second lap.  A caution for Kyle Zimmerman and Zack Carley slowed the field on lap seven.  When the racing action resumed, Dave Hess, Jr. challenged Wonderling and the two raced side-by-side on the ninth circuit before Hess nosed in front on laps 10-11.  Another caution slowed the field and Wonderling made the winning move on the lap 12 restart. Wonderling then led the remainder of the 30-lap event to score his 31st career victory in Touring Series action worth $4,000. Sixth place starter Jason Genco came home in the runner-up spot with New Yorker Demetrios Drellos claiming third.  Daryl Charlier and Ashton Briggs completed the top five.

Hovis RUSH Sprint Car competitors opened the Rustler Sales & Service Weekly Series action at Tri-City Raceway Park last Friday evening.  Zach Morrow grabbed the lead at the start of the 20-lap main event and built up a comfortable lead while Blaze Myers worked his way to the second position. Myers slowly chipped away at Morrow’s lead and by lap 16 the duo were racing side-by-side for the top spot. On the final circuit, Morrow chose the low side as they entered turn one while Myers stayed high; Myers then took the lead as the twosome entered turn three and went on to score the win.  Myers earned an additional $100 from “Kenny’s Cash” in memory of Kenny Kent.  Morrow settled for second with Wyatt Long, Ricky Tucker III and Charlie Utsinger completing the top five.

Hovis RUSH Stock Car action also got underway for the first time in 2026 at Tri-City Raceway Park. William Baker, Jr. claimed the victory after a 15-lap battle with Raiddan Wilson. Devan Jones, Camron Kramer, and Joe Buchanan rounded out the top five.

Baker repeated the feat on Sunday evening at Eriez winning over Wilson, the 2025 Russ King Racing Futures Cup Champion.  Darr Diegelman was third in his 2026 debut.  Two-time and defending champion, Kaden Michael, was fourth over Cole Strickland.

The Hovis RUSH Sportsman Modifieds and Hovis RUSH Pro Mods have yet to be able to complete an event thus far during the rainy spring.

Several rounds of rain and damp conditions forced the postponement of the RUSH Late Model Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series “Bill Law Memorial” event that was scheduled at Stateline Speedway the last three Saturdays. The event will now take place on Saturday, June 13 along with a $5,000 to-win Super Late Model event.

A busy upcoming stretch for the RUSH Sprint Cars finds them in three events over five days featuring Michaels Mercer Raceway Park on Wednesday, May 27 followed by Stateline Speedway on Saturday, May 30 and then Tri-City Raceway Park on Sunday, May 31.

Hopefully the spring rains are nearing an end so that everyone can enjoy some exciting RUSH Racing Series action soon.

The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Colussy Chevrolet Flynn's Tire, Gunter's Honey, Rustler Sales & Service, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Capital Contracting Service, Joseph J. Oliva Attorney at Law, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Landrum Performance Springs, Russ King Racing, 3C Graphix, Velocita-USA, Wieland Metal Services, Real Merchant Services DMV, IllusionCoats Powder Coating, Hoosier Tire Western Pennsylvania/Big Daddy's Speed Center, Close Racing Supply, Keyser Manufacturing, Integra Racing Shocks, Seal-Tite Paving & Excavating, Schneider Trucks, Ontime Body & Graphic, Henry's Headers & Exhaust Systems, D&V Jewelers, AERO Race Wheels, 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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