CAREER 1ST SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL WINS FOR SPOONER & BENTON; HOLDEN HOT IN RUSH SPORTSMAN MODS; MCPHERSON & LUNGER CONTINUE DOMINANCE OF RUSH PRO STOCKS & PRO MODS

By Jim Zufall

 

June 20, 2017             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Pulaski, PA)...Action across the entire spectrum of the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series powered by Pace Performance family of tracks and divisions got underway on Friday night with the RUSH Pro Stocks at the Lernerville Speedway.  On a night where the reigning champions stole the show, Corey McPherson bested a field of 20 CARS including a hard charging Aaron Easler for his fourth win in six events so far. McPherson, who leads the Sweeney Weekly Series points, also locked in a starting spot in the late season "Autumn-Motive Fest" for the RUSH Pro Stocks.  Tyler Dietz, Terry Young and Brett McDonald made up the rest of the top five.

 

Brian Knowles scored the win in the RUSH Late Model feature event at Dundee, New York’s Outlaw Speedway on Friday night. Knowles held off the likes of JJ Mazur, Kurt Stebbins and Brad Smith for his second win of the season. The RUSH Late Models return to action at Outlaw on Friday, June 30.  

 

Unfortunately, rain was the winner of the feature races at Potomac Speedway on Friday night where nearly all the feature races had to be rescheduled.  The RUSH event will be run on Monday, July 3 on a holiday special date of racing.

 

A bit of history was made on Saturday night at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway when the visiting RUSH Sportsman Modified heat races were both won by siblings. And not just siblings, but sisters! Both Jessica and Chelsie Kriegisch took the victories on their respective preliminary events, but it was Rocky Kugel and Kole Holden who put on the show in the feature event.  Kugel, just coming back from a hard crash at Thunder Mountain Speedway a week ago, proved he was still the one to beat at PPMS, but Holden had other ideas.  Holden stayed close to Kugel the entire feature event with a lots of side-by-side action thrown in as well. In the end, it was a lap 13 pass that did it for Holden who held off Kugel for his first ever Pittsburgh win, and third overall of the season. Wolbert was a close third over Chelsie Kriegisch and Kyle Martell.

 

In the RUSH Late Model event at Pittsburgh, a hard charging Daryl Charlier methodically picked off one position at a time until he took the lead on lap 12 sending leader Justin Lamb to second and securing his second win of the season by nearly five seconds.  Lamb, Ben Policz, Brandon Wearing and Michael Reft finished the top five. Racing resumes at PPMS on July 1.

 

Jason Parkhurst dominated the 20-lap RUSH Late Model feature on Saturday night at New York’s Fulton Speedway.  After grabbing the lead from Brandon Carvey on lap two, Parkhurst took a lead that would stretch to nearly five seconds at the finish for his season's second win.  Chris Fleming finished a distant second with Kevan Cook, Sean Beardsley and Jason Occhino making up the top five. Fulton also returns to action on July 1 after a week off; however, sister speedway, Brewerton, will host their first Sweeney Weekly Series event of the season on Friday night.

 

A furious battle for the top spot was the order of the day at Stateline Speedway in Busti, New York on Saturday night as some of the best in the business did battle at the front of the field for the 20-lap distance.  Jason Genco held the position for the early part of the race with a gaggle of top notch competitors vying for position behind him. By mid-race, Dave Lyon took advantage of a restart and edged out Genco for the lead.  Lyon had no easy task on his hands, but in the end passed under the checkered flag first for his second win in the past three events with Genco just behind.  The battles for position ended with Dennis Lunger, Scott Gurdak and Darrell Bossard third through fifth.

 

In the RUSH Pro Mod 20-lap feature event, it was Dennis Lunger, Jr. extending his perfect streak to six victories in six tries with a healthy battle going on behind him. Second through fifth were Chad Carlson, Ryan Scott, Scott Gurdak and Jason Covey.  The RUSH Pro Mods  will be a part of Stateline Speedway’s "Open Wheel Mania" this Saturday night.

 

Saturday night at the Path Valley Speedway in Spring Run, Pa. it was twin 15 features for the RUSH Late Models.  In the first 15-lap event it was Brad McGinnis beating out Bryan Benton, Michael Ott, Matthew Bassaro and Jakob Piper for his second win of the season.  Twin 15 number two went to Benton for his first career RUSH win with Jennae Piper for the runner up. Ott, McGinnis and Jakob Piper rounded out the top five.  The RUSH Late Models make their next appearance at Path Valley on July 7.

 

Up in Batavia, NY, Jimmy Johnson continued his hot streak of wins at Genesee Speedway. Johnson had not won a heat or feature at his hometown speedway until a few weeks ago, and now he has two trophies under his belt making him the first repeat winner in the RUSH Late Models in 2017.  Johnson hugged the outside wall for the entire 20 laps last Saturday, but still felt the pressure from his competitors. “It never gets any easier.  These crate late guys are tough,” noted Johnson in victory lane after his second feature win in four weeks.  “We blew the engine last week and had to go get a new one this week, without that we wouldn’t be here.” Quite a bit of battling for position was going on behind him as he crossed first ahead of T.J. Downs, Doug Ricotta, Bill Holmes, Zack Carley and JJ Mazur made up the top five.

 

Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex was able to complete their 10th event of the season on Saturday night for the RUSH Late Models at the Markleysburg, Pa. facility.  Andy Spooner put his name in the record books scoring his first career RUSH win.  Troy Shields, Mark Wells, Bob Nelson, and Brad Ramsey completed the top five.  It was Ramsey's best finish of the season.

 

The RUSH Late Models had the night off last Saturday at Winchester, but will return to action this Saturday night at the Winchester, Virginia facility on Rocket Chassis Night.  Delaware International Speedway was closed last Saturday night, but the RUSH Late Models will be back in action this Saturday night. 

 

Sharon Speedway was off on Saturday night, but will host a big night this Saturday for the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds.  It'll be the annual "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance featuring a $600 to-win Bicknell Touring Series event plus the $800 to-win 2016 "Apple Festival Nationals" Bicknell Touring Series make-up feature.

 

Saturday night on the asphalt at Jennerstown Speedway for the Sweeney RUSH Asphalt Series, former track champion Matt Sever took the victory in the Late Models with Jeremiah Kuntz, Barry Awtey, Bryan Shipp and Teddy Gibala following. Chris Brink took the win in the Modifieds with Jason Busch, Zane Ferrell, Patrick Waugh and Gary Scott making up the top five.  Finally, in the Street Stocks, Shawn Beam led Josh Coughenour, Zac Todaro, Lauren Butler and Steven Singo to the checkers.

 

The Sunday race tracks of the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series took the hardest hit from the weather last weekend once again.  Humberstone, Eriez Bradford, and Tri-City Speedways all had to cancel due to a strong storm system that moved across the region.  Tri-City's rained out "Bill Emig Memorial" will take place this season featuring a $2,000 to-win Sweeney Late Model Touring Series event and a $600 to-win Bicknell Sportsman Modified Touring Series event.  Bradford is off this Sunday, but will return to action on Sunday, July 2 for the first ever Sweeney Late Model Touring Series event at the 1/4-mile, which will pay $3,000 to-win!

 

McKean County Raceway in East Smethport, Pa. will host the World of Outlaws Late Models tonight (Tuesday) with the RUSH Late Models on the card in a Sweeney Weekly Series event.

 

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.

 

###