SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR TO INVADE FREEDOM FRIDAY FOR "RON BAKER MEMORIAL" IN THE TRACK'S RICHEST CRATE RACE EVER

By Mike Leone

June 2, 2016            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Delevan, NY)…The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series will complete a busy stretch of racing with its fifth race in the past 13 days as they travel to Freedom Motorsports Park for their appearance this Friday night (June 3).  Great weather is expected for Delevan, New York for this $1,500 to-win "Ron Baker Memorial" Platinum Event.

The second annual "Ron Baker Memorial" remembers the longtime driver and car owner throughout western New York and northwest Pennsylvania.  Most recently, Ward Schell drove the #74 RUSH Late Model in 2014 before Baker’s passing at age 78 in December 2014.  The duo won several feature events as well as the 2013 RUSH track championship at Bradford Speedway. 

This year's event pays a record $1,500 to-win- the highest since Crate Late Models debuted at Freedom back in 2007!  Last year's event saw a Freedom Crate Late Model record 28 cars participate with Bryce Davis holding off Max Blair for the $1,200 win.  In 2014, Chad McClellan won the first ever Freedom Tour race with 19 cars participating.   

"Bob Reis has done a tremendous job with Freedom," stated RUSH Series Director Vicki Emig.  "He's continued to make improvements to the facility, which looks great.  Last year's show was not only Freedom's highest ever crate car count, but was the track's highest attended event.   With good weather expected for Friday, we hope that holds true once again.  Freedom is a racey bullring that always provides exciting racing and we could very easily see a new winner.  We also have to thank Outlaw Speedway promoter Tyler Siri for not running the RUSH Late Models at his Dundee, NY track Friday night to allow his racers to participate at Freedom."

To date this season, Freedom has completed three Sweeney Weekly Series events with Jeremy Wonderling, Adam Sixt, and Randy Hall victorious.  Meanwhile, the Sweeney Tour has completed five events with four different winners.  Matt Latta won the non-point "Apple Festival Nationals" make-up on April 16 at Sharon Speedway.  John Waters swept the Canadian weekend at Humberstone and Merrittville.  Last weekend saw 2013 Tour champion, Mike Pegher, Jr., win his first RUSH race of 2016 at Wayne County, while Rob Blair swept the entire night at Eriez in his first start in nearly a year. 

Pegher, who has yet to finish worse than third this year or second in a Marquee Event, has taken over the point lead by two from Waters.  Davis, who will look to repeat last year's win, is only eight points back.  Brian Knowles is fourth over Will Thomas III, who will make his first ever Freedom start on Friday night. 

Friday's show is the second of the six designated Platinum Events that pay a minimum of $1,500 to-win.  Sweeney Tour member racers can use one of these events to replace a missed Marquee Event.  Tour members can also use up to three of these shows to replace their worst finishes in Marquee Event races or two if a Platinum show is used to replaced a missed Marquee Event. 

There will be no qualifying as the pill draw format will be used.  The K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash will be run paying a $100 K&N certificate to win, $50 K&N certificate for second with $25 cash for third and fourth place.  The dash will set the line-up for the first four positions out of the redraw.   

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.  

RUSH Officials will choose the "Maxima Performance" Award for a driver that exhibits a performance worthy of such.  The winner will receive a free case of either Maxima Semi-Syn High Performance Racing Oil or Maxima Performance Racing Oil of your choice.  In addition, the winner will receive one can of SC-1 clear coat, one 16-oz bottle of Maxima Cool-Aide concentrate, one 32-oz quart of Maxima PSF power steering fluid, and a Maxima t-shirt.  The value of this prize package is $170!  

Also, CrateInsider.com will award a $25 gift certificate to the driver that finishes last on the lead lap at the finish. 

Feature payoff : 1. $1,500  2. $800  3. $550  4. $410  5. $375  6. $340  7. $325  8. $295  9. $285  10. $280  11. $255  12. $250  13. $230  14. $225  15. $200  16. $195  17. $190  18-24. $185. 

Non-Qualifier payoff: 1. $150  2. $125  3. $115  4. $110  5. $105  6. $100  7. $95  8. $90  9. $85  10-24. $80. Tow $75.

2016 Sweeney Touring Series Points (Adjusted on Marquee/Platinum): 1. Mike Pegher, Jr. 296  2. John Waters 294  3. Bryce Davis 286  4. Brian Knowles 271  5. Will Thomas III 264  6. Jason Knowles 255  7. Eric Wilson & Bruce Hordusky, Jr. 243  9. Brian Swank 239  10. Dave Lyon 182  11. Randy Hall 175  12. Alan Dellinger 168  13. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 161  14. Tony White 160  15. Clinton Hersh 151  16. Matt Latta 94  17. Kyle Zimmerman 92  18. Josh Double 89  19. Charlie Duncan 77. 

You do not have to a member of RUSH to compete.  The red AMB transponders are required at Freedom.  RACEceivers are always mandatory.  The entry fee is $75.  Pit passes are $35.  Pits open at 5 p.m. with warm-ups slated for 7:30 for RUSH only followed by racing.

Freedom is located at 11099 Bixby Hill Road, Delevan, New York 14042.  Their website is www.freedommotorsportspark.com.  Like them on Facebook by searching for Freedom Motorsports Park.  Any questions on Freedom can be e-mailed to [email protected]. 

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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