HOVIS RUSH LATE MODELS RETURN TO SHARON SATURDAY AFTER A NEAR 4-YEAR ABSENCE FOR A $4000 TO-WIN FLYNN'S TIRE/GUNTER'S HONEY TOURING SERIES EVENT PRESENTED BY KUHNLE MOTORSPORTS PARK

By Mike Leone

 

June 3, 2026               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Hartford, OH)... For the first time in nearly four years, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Model Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants will return to Sharon Speedway this Saturday night (June 6) for a Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series event.  Kuhnle Motorsports Park in Thompson, Ohio is the presenting sponsor of the $4,000 to-win event, which will be streamed live on DIRTVision. 

 

The 3/8-mile red clay oval in Hartford, Ohio has hosted 12 RUSH Late Model Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series events all-time, but none since July 9, 2022 when Joe Martin was victorious for the second straight time.  Other two-time Touring Series winners at Sharon include Max Blair and Ryan Montgomery, while Will Thomas III, Mike Pegher, Jr., Matt Latta, Chub Frank, Rick Singleton, and Russell King have also reached Landrum Performance Springs Victory Lane.

 

Thomas, who joined Dave and Ryan Blaney as part of the new Sharon Speedway ownership group in 2025, ironically leads the Chevrolet Performance division's all-time win list at the track with 15 victories.  Thomas was also the 2012 and 2014 track champion.  There have been 87 races run all-time at Sharon with 24 different winners.  Latta, who owns four wins at Sharon including the April 16, 2016 RUSH Tour victory, presents the $3,000 Rookie-of-the-Year award for the Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Tour through his 3C Graphix company.  

 

"It's going to be great to return to Sharon," stated RUSH Director Vicki Emig.  "Sharon has produced some amazing races and last lap winning passes in our most recent visits.  Sharon is always one of the most requested venues by our racers and the slick, red clay surface is very conducive to excellent racing by our RUSH Late Models.  We have to thank Kuhnle Motorsports Park for stepping up and presenting this event." 

 

Kuhnle Motorsports Park, formerly Thompson Drag Raceway, has been an Ohio racing landmark since 1960.  Kuhnle Motorsports Park is NHRA-sanctioned and delivers nonstop action with bracket racing, grudge nights, semi drags, tractor pulls, nostalgia shows, karting, autocross, festivals, and more.  Kuhnle Motorsports Park is proud to host the annual " Semi Stampede", Ohio's only Quebec-style Uphill, loaded and bobtail semi truck drag racing event which will take place June 26-28, along with the "Fall Brawl" which will be held September 25-27.  For more information, check out www.kuhnlemotorsports.com and like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KuhnleMotorsportsPark

 

Kuhnle Motorsports Park also sponsors the Jonathan Stockdale-owned RUSH Late Models driven by Kyle Zimmerman, Logan Stockdale, and Joe Martin.  Zimmerman won a Weekly Series event in 2025 at Muskingum County Speedway and finished third in the season ending Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey "Steel City Stampede" Tour event at Lernerville.  Stockdale meanwhile finished second in the Russ King Racing Futures Cup points, third in Track Pack points in points at Raceway 7 and fifth at Muskingum.  Martin finished fourth in the 2025 "Bill Emig Memorial" at Lernerville, which had a record 62-car field, and then second in the prestigious "Jook George Steel City Classic" at Pittsburgh PA Motor Speedway.  

 

Sandwiched between rainouts at Pittsburgh and Winchester Speedways, Georgetown Speedway opened the 2026 Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Tour on April 24 in the return to the Sussex County oval for the first time in more than three years.  Hardy won the $5,000 to-win event over local Derek Magee.  It was the 2021 Series Champion's 15th career Tour victory.  On May 17, five-time Series Champion, Jeremy Wonderling won his third Eriez Tour event in the last six races.  Thirty-nine cars were on hand. 

 

Wonderling currently leads the $20,000 to-win points by 10 over 2025 3C Graphix Rookie-of-the-Year, Demetrios Drellos, who is in search of his first Series win.  Sitting third is Kurt Stebbins, who sits atop the 2026 3C Graphix Rookie-of-the-Year standings.  Ironically 2024 3C Graphix Rookie-of-the-Year, Daryl Charlier, is fourth ahead of Austin Allen, who finished second in the 2024 RoY points.  Completing the top 10 in points are Ben Easler, Zack Carley, Jason Knowles, Bill Holmes III and Brodie Oravetz. 

 

$100 "Shock the Clock" Qualifying and $25 to-win heat races will be presented by FK Rod Ends.  The Sunoco Dash will set the beginning rows of the feature lineup and will award the winner a $100 Sunoco fuel gift card.  The "Fill'er up with Sunoco Bucks" program co-presented by Bazell Race Fuels will include an additional $400 of Sunoco fuel card giveaways; two $100 random draws for drivers in the top 15 of 2025 Tour points and another four $50 random draws for all other competitors each night.

 

Hoosier Tire Western PA/Big Daddy's Speed Center will award a $100 gift card for the "Pedal Down" Hard Charger that passes the most cars in the feature.  Close Racing Supply will award a $100 gift card for the driver chosen as the "Tough Break of the Night".  Ontime Body & Graphic's "Spoiler Alert" will award a spoiler kit to the third place finisher.  Schneider Trucks will present the new "Hottest of the Hot" with $50 going to the driver that turns the fastest lap in hot laps.  There will also be five BOGO Landrum Performance Springs certificates given away through drawings each night. 

 

Feature Payoff: 1. $4,000  2. $2,000  3. $1,000  4. $800  5. $700  6. $600  7. $550  8. $500  9. $475  10. $450  11. $425  12. $400 13. $375  14. $360  15. $350  16. $340  17. $330  18. $320  19. $310  20-24. $300  (25-26. $300).

 

Real Merchant Services DMV Non-Qualifier Payoff: 1. $200  2. $190  3. $185  4. $180  5. $175  6. $170  7. $165  8. $160  9. $155  10-24. $150.  Tow $125

 

You do not have to be a member of RUSH to compete only to receive Weekly and/or Tour points.  The entry fee is $100.  AMB/MyLaps transponders will be used; Westhold transponders will NOT work.  Units are available to rent for $25.  Driver radio channel is 454.000. 

 

The pits will be open throughout the afternoon with passes going on sale at 4 p.m.  RUSH registration/pre-race tech will open at 3 p.m.  Warm-ups are scheduled for approximately 6:30 p.m. followed by qualifying and racing.  

 

Sharon Speedway is located at 3241 Custer-Orangeville Road, Hartford, Ohio 44424 near the intersection of Routes 7 & 305.  For more information, check out the website at www.sharonspeedway.com.  Like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sharonspeedway and follow on X (formerly known as Twitter) @sharonspdwy.

  

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.

 

###