CARLEY, RUHLMAN, THOMAS & SINGLETON CONTINUE TO RACK UP SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL WINS

By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone

June 11, 2014             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)…Rain spoiled the end of the weekend on Sunday, but not before beautiful weather again for Friday and Saturday night Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series member tracks’ racing programs.

After rave reviews from the May 30 Sweeney Late Model Tour event, it was good to see several new competitors take in action last Friday night at Freedom Speedway in Delevan, New York.  Hometown racer Ed Carley captured his first win at the speedway; however, it was the veteran racer’s third Sweeney Weekly Series win of 2014 as he also has a pair of wins at Humberstone Speedway.  Carley beat out Adam Sixt, T.J. Downs, Bruno Mowery and Bill Holmes.  Sweeney RUSH Late Model Weekly Series racing continues this Friday night as they are joined by the Ontario Topless Sprints.  

McKean County Raceway held a special Friday night program last weekend for the “Bill Law Memorial”.  Law was instrumental in helping get Crate Late Model racing going in the North many years ago and was one of the first to have a car even before the inaugural 2007 season.  It’s been quite a year for Chad Ruhlman to date in 2014.  The Bemus Point, NY driver continued his dominance capturing his fourth win and earning $2,000 thanks to the increased payoff and accumulated lap money.

Ruhlman took the lead on the start over Jason Genco and Bobby Rohrer.  By lap five, defending track champion Max Blair was up to fifth behind 15-year-old Wyatt Scott.   Ruhlman had no trouble holding on the top spot throughout the event and when he crossed the line and got to victory lane, his true character showed as he turned the trophy and ceremonial winner’s check to the Law Family.  Ruhlman was followed across the line by Genco, Blair, Rohrer and Damien Bidwell.   The RUSH Late Models return to action this Saturday night on Warren PA night as all residents of Warren get $1 off general admission.

The Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds headed to Raceway 7 for the first of two visits last Friday night.  Buffalo, New York driver Adam Hilton made the trip down pay off as he captured his third victory of the season and increased his point lead in the $3,000 to-win title.  Ken Moy, Jr. recorded a runner-up in his second start.  Jamie Duncan, Rocky Kugel, and Andy Paden in his debut completed the top five.  The Mods will head east to America’s Motorsports Park in Clearfield, Pa. on Saturday night for the first time. 

The gorgeous summer weather continued on Saturday as Sharon Speedway held their regular “Steel Valley Thunder” program.  After a slow start, 2012 champion Will Thomas III has turned up the wick, and has kept fans wondering if the intervention from above may be what continues to propel him to the front.  Standing in victory lane last week, Thomas said, “When I lost my dad, I worried if I'd ever win again without him, but I think we'll probably win more now that he's up there looking out after us."

Thomas started 10th in the feature, and by lap six of the 20-lap event had secured his spot in first place and cruised to his unprecedented third straight win!  Russ Byler gave Thomas his only competition of the race, but came up short for his second runner-up of the year.  Eric Andrus was a career best third.  Ben Black was fourth in his season debut ahead of Jamie Wrightsman. “Steel Valley Thunder” continues this Saturday night as Sharon Speedway offers FREE general admission to all fans and an on-track autograph session at intermission.

Saturday Night also featured the Sweeney Late Model Touring Series in their first of two visits the Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex.  On tap was the "Bill Hendren Memorial" as the Knob has now hosted this Northeast event for the second straight year.  The special Touring event paid out over $18,000 in contingencies randomly to the 29 race teams from six states in attendance!

A semi-regular competitor and not at all unfamiliar with victory lane at Roaring Knob, Rick Singleton, added his third win of the season at the Markleysburg, Pa. oval, but his first in Sweeney Tour competition since the inaugural event last April at Hagerstown Speedway!  The Front Royal, Virginia former Seattle Seahawk started five and worked through some of the heavy hitters on the RUSH circuit taking the lead from Jason Rider on the 16^th circuit and never looked back.

The $1,500 payday of the “Bill Hendren Memorial” made for a very excited winner in victory lane, who said, "The track was awesome- that was some good racing.  It's awesome to win this race.  I know Hendren was a large part of crate racing. I never knew him. I talked to him on the phone a few years ago, and was a good guy to talk to. You can't beat this RUSH deal. It's good close racing.”  

Rider turned in a career best Tour effort in second over Ryan Montgomery, John Over, who earned the hard charger from the 19^th starting spot, and opening event Tour winner Chad McClellan. Regular Saturday night racing continues this Saturday at Roaring Knob.

Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway held their annual monster truck event last Saturday night, and then Sunday’s Sweeney Tour “Steel City 100” presented by Bilstein Shock Absorbers was rained out.   Competitors will be anxious to resume action this season night as the Imperial, Pa. track is coming off a season high RUSH car count of 20.

After two weeks off, the RUSH Late Models return to action at Virginia’s Winchester Speedway as they are joined by the URC Sprints.  

Ontario’s Humberstone Speedway also fell victim to the rain last Sunday and will resume racing this Sunday, June 15 as the track also welcomes the Southern Ontario Sprints.

The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series will be off this weekend, but will return in a big way the following weekend as sister tracks Potomac and Winchester Speedways hold the “Mid Atlantic States Classic” with each race paying $2,500 to-win!  Potomac in Mechanicsville, Maryland goes first on Friday night, June 20 followed by Winchester, VA on Saturday. It could prove to be a weekend that could shake up the Sweeney Touring Series points!

RUSH Late Model marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, The Brake Man, Bilstein Shocks, Lincoln Electric, TurboStart, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Driven Racing Oil, Crate Innovations Inc., Moroso Performance Products, High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, Utsinger’s Towing, 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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