ANDY BOOZEL, BRADY WONDERLING,
AJ KINGSLEY & ROB PIETZ CAPTURE THEIR 1ST SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL WINS OF 2016
ON ANOTHER RAINY WEEKEND
By
Jim Zufall & Mike Leone
June 7, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Pulaski, PA)…Once again the wet weather was a factor in the
weekends racing for the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series powered
by Pace Performance family of weekly tracks. McKean County, Pittsburgh, Wayne
County, Bradford, Eriez, and Path Valley all either rained out or postponed
their events.
With
the RUSH Late Models not on the card Friday at Potomac or Path Valley Speedways,
Freedom Motorsports Park in Delevan New York was the only game in town as they
played host to the Touring Series on Friday night.
Twenty-eight cars were on hand matching
last year's record count for the track at the very same event.
The
25-lap "Ron Baker Memorial" saw the Ron Baker Tribute Late Model pace the 25-car
field before the drop of the green flag. The
race saw pole sitter Andy Michael and Andy Boozel on the front row.
Boozel used the cushion to take the early
lead from Michael with Jason Knowles close behind close behind.
A tight battle was fought up front with
Boozel fending off a number of challenges from Michael for much of the event.
In the latter stages of the race, Jeremy
Wonderling had found his way to forth and made for a tight field of leaders in
the closing laps. Michael gave one more push for the lead, but Boozel prevailed
taking the $1699 winner’s share for his first ever Tour win.
Knowles and Wonderling finished in the
third and fourth spots with Eric Wilson rounding out the top five.
The RUSH Late Models return to Freedom
on June 17; meanwhile, the Touring Series is off until Sunday, June 19 at
Tri-City Raceway Park for the $2,000 to-win "Bill Emig Memorial".
After his Sweeney Tour race win on Friday at Freedom, Andy Boozel found himself
on the pole of the Shults Auto Group RUSH Late Model feature event at Busti, New
York’s Stateline Speedway one night later. Matt
Latta, who shared the front row with Boozel, took the early lead with third
starting Damian Bidwell coming to second. A
fierce battle ensued for the lead with defending champion Jason Genco running
side-by-side with Latta for the lead until Genco spun bringing out a caution. In
the end, Latta cruised to the win in his season's first appearance at Stateline.
Bidwell settled for second with Ryan Scott, Scott Gurdak and Boozel
completing the top five.
Also
in action at Stateline was the brand new RUSH- sanctioned Rusted Nutz Pro Mods.
Kelley Frederes took the top spot from the outside pole position and never
looked back through the feature event that suffered only one caution period in
the opening lap. Frederes became the
third different winner in as many events and continues to lead the $3,500 to-win
Sweeney Weekly Series points.
Veteran Scott Gurdak, pole sitter Jeramy Williams, Jason Covey and Dennis Asel
made up the balance of the top five. The
RUSH Late Models and Pro Mods return to action this Saturday as part of the
track's regular racing program.
Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway got half of a show in on Saturday night
as rains washed out the second half of the program just as the first feature of
the night took to the track. The RUSH
Late Models were able to get in two heat races for the 19 cars before the rains
came. Kyle Lukon and John Mollick won
their respective heats. The RUSH Late
Models return to action this Friday as part of the Herb Scott Championship for
the Super Late Models.
New
York’s Fulton Speedway got in a full night of racing.
In the Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux RUSH
Late Model feature Tony Finch came to the green for the opening lap, but his
lead wouldn’t last long. AJ Kingsley took
over the top spot one lap into the event leading Brandon Ford and Bret Belden,
who were both applying pressure to Kingsley. With
five to go, Kingsley continued his dominance in the lead, but there was quite a
battle for positions going on behind him. At
the finish it was Kingsley with his first Sweeney Weekly Series win of 2016 well
out in front with the battle going on back through fifth.
In the end the runner up would be new
Sweeney Weekly Series member Kevan Cook. Billy
Eisele, Belden and Chris Fleming were third through fifth.
Action returns to Fulton this Saturday as
Syracuse Haulers present a full program plus Mod Lites.
Last week, Brady Wonderling saw his
brother and Jeremy outduel him in the RUSH Late Model feature for the $1,000
special Sweeney Weekly Series win.
This time, Brady turned the tables capturing his first RUSH win since 2014.
The Scio, NY driver led all 20 laps of the feature on Batavia Downs
Gaming Night. Invader John Waters
was second. After a career best Tour runner-up finish on Friday night at
Freedom, Andy Michael completed the podium positions for a great weekend.
Jimmy Johnson and Jon Rivers rounded out
the top five.
Saturday night’s racing action also included the Sweeney RUSH Sportsman
Modifieds at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio. For
the fourth time in as many events this season 24 or more cars were on hand
meaning the drivers battled for the increased $500 to-win, $75 to-start purse.
Tiffany Williams led the first 13 laps until Brandon Ritchey made the
pass with two to go to become the first repeat winner on the circuit.
Williams held on for her best ever runner
up spot with May 28 winner Kole Holden, Jerry Schaffer and Lernerville winner
Brian Schaffer filling out the first five.
The
Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will hold their first ever event at Thunder
Mountain Speedway in Brookville, Pa. on Friday, June 17 in a $500 to-win
Bicknell Weekly Series event. Look
for additional dates to be possibly added in the future.
Sunday night at Humberstone Speedway, Colton Ledingham and Jeff Dayman brought
the field to green in the RUSH Late Model feature.
From there it was Ledingham, Dayman,
Dennis Lunger and Rob Pietz putting on a show. Pietz
took the lead from Dayman on lap 13. Lunger
passed Ledingham for second as Dayman faded. Lunger grabbed the lead on lap 15
only to have Pietz take it back on 16. Pietz pulled away in the late laps to
secure his first win of 2016 and became the fourth different winner in four
races at the Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada speedway this season.
Lunger settled for second with Ledingham,
Dayman and Ken Winfield making the top five. Racing
action returns to Humberstone on Sunday night with a full racing program a
vintage car race added the card.
Path
Valley's special Sunday program featuring the Appalachian Mountain Speedweek
event for the Super Late Models and a $1,000 to-win Sweeney Weekly Series event
for the RUSH Late Models was postponed until Monday.
The 1/4-mile in Spring Run, Pa. was in excellent shape for the first ever
Super Late Model show, which was won by Jason Covert.
In the RUSH Late Model companion event, Brad McGinnis was able to
withstand the pressure by Virginian invader Logan Roberson to score the richest
crate race ever held at Path Valley.
McGinnis is now three-for-three this season at Path Valley.
Allen Brannon was third over early leader Kris Eaton, who faded to fourth
as John Imler completed the first five.
The RUSH Late Models will be back at Path Valley on Friday, June 24.
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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