1ST SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL WINS IN 2017 FOR SUTPHIN, DILLINGER, BAIRD, REFT, CASWELL, MAGEE, WATERS, DAVIS; BRINK REPEATS IN ASPHALT MODS AT JENNERSTOWN

By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone

June 7, 2017               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)...Finally some dry weather greeted Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series powered by Pace Performance weekly-sanctioned speedways on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night of last weekend; however, the wet weather trend continued on Sunday washing out all racing action.  For the second straight weekend, the RUSH Late Models were filled with many new winners.  Kole Holden picked up his first win of the season in RUSH Sportsman Modified action.  The RUSH Pro Mods had the night off at Lernerville, while Jennerstown Speedway was able to complete another program at their beautiful facility on the asphalt site.

A career first win in the RUSH Late Models was scored by Jamie Sutphin at Potomac Speedway in Budds Creek, Maryland on Friday night.  Sutphin grabbed the lead at the green from his front row starting spot.  After surviving a race with severe yellow fever, he came out a survivor over a top five that was in constant flux.  With all the racing going on behind him, he had the time to dial in the car to his liking. "It’s taken us a while to get this new car figured out, but it was pretty good tonight." Sutphin stated post-race. "All the cautions seemed to help me because it would give me clear track and I could see where I had to put the car." For his first win he bested a top five that included Mike Franklin, Darren Alvey, Corey Almond and Ben Bowie.  After a week off, racing action returns to Potomac on June 16^th.

At Potomac's sister speedway, Winchester, on Saturday night, veteran Allen Brannon continued his domination of the RUSH Late Model division at the Virginia track winning for the fourth time in eight starts.  "Futures Cup" point leader, Jakob Piper, was second for the second time in three weeks.  Veteran standout, Jonathan DeHaven made just his second start of the season and was third over Mike Franklin and Transton Stoner, who leads the Sweeney RUSH Weekly Series points at Winchester. 

Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex hosted Sweeney RUSH Late Model competition on two different occasions last week.  On Thursday, Braeden Dillinger won his first career RUSH feature over 2015 "Futures Cup" Champion, Clinton Hersh.  Jennae Piper was third in just her second start of the season at the Markleysburg, Pa. oval as Mark Wells and Troy Shields completed the top five.  Then on Saturday night, Russell Baird, Jr. scored his season's first win.  Shields and Dillinger were second and third.  Michael Duritsky, Jr., who won four of his first five starts at the track, was fourth over Bob Nelson,

Dundee, New York’s Outlaw Speedway was the site of the "Gary Montgomery Memorial", which was a RUSH Late Model Touring event.  The race meant a lot to the competitors in an event that paid tribute to a man who had such deep roots in the central New York racing world.  The racers made this first memorial race for Montgomery a memorable one for sure as three of the biggest names in the sport did battle in a barnburner that saw Bryce Davis, Jeremy Wonderling, and Wayne Robertson put on a high-speed clinic for the fans.  The three raced side-by-side in close quarters for several of the final ten laps when Bryce Davis emerged as the victor and the owner of the $2,000 win. "I haven't gotten chills like this from a race in a long time," revealed the 26-year-old Hornell, NY driver.  "I can't thank Jeremy (Wonderling) for running me clean like that.” After Wonderling in the runner-up spot it was Robertson, Kurt Stebbins and Bryan Knowles making the top five.  Racing returns to Outlaw Speedway this Friday (June 9)

Saturday at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, young Michael Reft came out on top after a challenge from hard charger Daryl Charlier. In a night that was highlighted by a race for the Penn-Ohio Pro-Stock Series, the RUSH Late Model field ran a clean race green-to-checkered with a group of eight to ten drivers capable of winning on any given Saturday. But this night was for Reft for the first time this season.  After Charlier it was Ben Policz, John Mollick and Chuck Medved for the top five.  Racing action continues this Saturday at PPMS with a regular “Action Event.”

At Fulton Speedway on Saturday night, Brett Belden went to the high side of the track from his outside row two starting position to take the lead on just lap two.  By the halfway point Belden was feeling pressure from Dale Caswell.  At lap 14 Caswell made his move to the front as Belden suffered a flat and the two made contact on the front stretch. Caswell drove away for the win after that, besting Kevan Cook. Chris Fleming, AJ Kingsley and Chad Homan for his season's first win.  Racing action returns to Fulton Speedway this Saturday night.

Action at Delaware International Speedway saw Derek Magee take his first career RUSH Late Model win over a stout field of 19 cars.  Magee was followed to the line by Brandon Sturgis, Joe Warren, Matt Glanden and Sparky White.  The Mid-Atlantic 305 Sprint Cars headline racing this Saturday when Delaware returns to racing.

Saturday night the RUSH Touring Series moved from Outlaw Speedway to Genesee Speedway to continue the northern swing for the tour.  The 30-lap, $2000 to win victory belonged to John Waters of Whitesville, NY.  Waters has sputtered a bit in the early stages of the 2017 campaign, so when he had a charging Jason Genco challenging him for the lead, Waters was concerned.  Genco was putting on quite the challenge when the yellow flag flew three laps from the finish.  Waters knew at that point he had to make a change to hold the top spot on the restart. “My tires were spinning up (in the top groove),” said Waters in Victory Lane, who decided to move to the bottom line on the restart.  “I usually don’t change my line because it usually screws me up but I had to do something.  I had to throw (Genco) a curveball.  He’s a good racer and I knew I couldn’t slack.”  The move was the right one for Waters as he held off the field for the tour win.  Genco settled for second with Brad Mesler, Andy Michael and Andy Boozel making up the top five.  Racing continues at Genesee Speedway this Saturday with another 5-Star Racing program.

The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds were in action twice this weekend with two of its top runners taking the checkers.  Friday night at the Lernerville Speedway, the RUSH Sportsman Mods competed in a companion race to Tony Stewart's All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars where Rocky Kugel proved his dominance by taking the win over a hard charging Kole Holden.  It was Kugel's second win in as many starts this season at Lernerville and fourth overall.  After Holden it was Brian Schaffer, Kyle Martell and Chelsie Kriegisch. With the special show on the schedule Friday, the RUSH Pro Stocks had the night off, but will return this Friday night.

The next night, the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds were back home at Sharon Speedway, where Kole Holden improved on his runner up spot from the night before and took the victory.  He beat out Chas Wolbert, Chelsie Kriegisch, Shayne Izzo and Kyle Martell. Sharon returns to action this Saturday in grand fashion with a FREE “Fan Appreciation Night”!  The evening also includes autograph night with racing at 7 p.m.

Thunder Mountain Speedway in Brookville, Pa. will host their first ever Bicknell Racing Products Touring Series event for the Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds on Friday night at 7:30.  The event will pay $800 to-win.  Last year, Thunder Mountain held two $500 to-win Bicknell Weekly Series races with Adam Hilton and Brian Schaffer victorious. 

Stateline Speedway gave the RUSH Late Models the night off so they could compete at the Touring Series event at Genesee; however, the RUSH Pro Mods were on the program and it was Dennis Lunger, Jr. continuing his perfect streak in the division.  The Albion, Pa. driver is now four-for-four on the season at the Busti, NY oval.  Ryan Scott was second for the second straight week as was Chad Carlson in third, who has yet to finish worse than third this season.  Scott Gurdak was fourth over Rich Michael, Jr. in his first start at the track this season.  Fourteen cars were on hand matching the all-time high car count for the division set on opening night.

Saturday night in Jennerstown, Pennsylvania the newly minted Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Asphalt Series was in competition at the storied Jennerstown Speedway. Somerset, PA’s Garry Wiltrout bested a strong field of Late Models, taking the win over Matt Sever, Barry Awtey, Jeremiah Kuntz and Bobby Henry.  In the Modifieds it was Chris Brink winning for the second straight week.  Brink won from eighth as he persevered from an earlier heat race crash that saw his car get airborne.  Jason Busch, Dustin Gursky, Gary Scott and Tom Golik were second through fifth.  The Street Stocks saw Shawn Beam take the win over Aaron Van Fleet, Josh Coughenour, Lauren Butler and Anthony Aiello. All five regular divisions are back in action at Jennerstown this Saturday.

A strong storm system came through the northeast on Sunday washing out Humberstone, Eriez, Bradford and Path Valley Speedways.  Path Valley was also rained out for their Monday rain date.  Eriez, Bradford, and Humberstone will all try to get in their second race of the season this season with better weather forecasted.  Path Valley meanwhile will have twin 15s for the RUSH Late Models on Saturday night.

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, Holley Performance Products, Earl's Performance Plumbing, Quick Fuel Technology, FK Rod Ends, Maxima Racing Oil, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, TBM Brakes, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, Rocket Chassis, Landrum Performance Spring, CrateInsider.com, RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.

RUSH Sportsman Modified marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, Earl's Performance Plumbing, Quick Fuel Technology, FK Rod Ends, Maxima Racing Oil, Sherwood Racing Wheels, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, TBM Brakes, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, CrateInsider.com, RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.

RUSH Pro Mod and Pro Stock marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, Earl's Performance Plumbing, Quick Fuel Technology, FK Rod Ends, Maxima Racing Oil, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Precise Racing Products, TBM Brakes, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, CrateInsider.com, 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.

###