DOUG RICOTTA, KYLE
ZIMMERMAN, MIKE FRANKLIN & MICHAEL NORRIS CAPTURE 1ST HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL WINS
OF 2023; BLAZE MYERS WINS 1ST EVER SPRINT CAR RACE AT HUMMINGBIRD; SEASON'S 1ST
FOR ROB KRISTYAK IN RUSH MODS; ZAIN HARVEY BOUNCES BACK FROM A FLIP TO WIN RUSH
PRO MODS AT STATELINE
By Marcie Barlow
August 11, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Pulaski, PA)...The
“Dog Days of Summer” are upon us but the warmer temperatures have not cooled the
Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants
action as Michael Norris scored another Jook George Classic victory in RUSH Late
Model Flynn's Touring Series action at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway
this past weekend. Other first time
2023 RUSH Late Model winners last weekend were veterans Doug Ricotta, Kyle
Zimmerman, and Mike Franklin. Blaze
Myers entered his name into the history books as he captured the first ever RUSH
Sprint Car main event held at the Hummingbird Speedway.
Rob Kristyak won his first race of 2023 in the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds
at Sharon. Zain Harvey bounced back
from a flip at McKean to win the next night at Stateline.
The RUSH Late Models were added on to the August 3 program at Georgetown
Speedway in their first race at the 4/10-mile oval in more than two months.
Hometown racer Matt Hill led wire-to-wire for his second straight win at
the track worth $1,000. Trevor
Collins was second over Matt Glanden, Derek Magee, and central Pa. invader Matt
Adams in his first visit to the
track.
The McKean County Raceway reopened last Thursday after being dark for nearly two
years. In RUSH Late Model action,
Doug Ricotta bested the 22-car field to capture his first City Chevrolet Weekly
Series victory of 2023. Jeremy
Wonderling,
Kurt Stebbins, Austin Hauser and Brad Mesler followed.
In RUSH Pro Mod action, a strong field of 26 competitors were on hand,
which was a season high for the class in 2023.
Dennis Lunger, Jr. picked up the win over Steve Dixon for his fourth
overall Hovis Weekly Series win of the season.
Adam Ashcroft, Chad Ramsey Jr. and Tyler Oakes completed the top five.
The marquee RUSH event last weekend was the 34th Annual "Jook George
Steel City Classic" presented by All Interior Painting for the RUSH Late Model
Flynn's Tire Touring Series held at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on
Saturday night. Michael Norris, who
was involved in a terrifying crash battling for the lead at last year’s event,
took the lead with a three-wide pass on a lap 17 restart and went on to lead the
remainder of the 50-lap event to score the victory and a $7,248 payday!
It was Norris' third win in the event and first RUSH victory of 2023.
Brandon Burgoon had his best career Tour finish to come in second with
Kyle Lukon, who started in 22nd, claiming the third position.
Jeremy Wonderling and Ben Policz rounded out the top five.
A solid field o 42 cars turned out.
Event promoter Branden Lockwich raised more than $21,300!
Jared Powell and Mike Franklin led the field to the green in RUSH Late Model
action at Winchester Speedway Saturday evening. Franklin won the battle and led
the opening laps before a caution for Dylan High slowed the field.
When the action resumed Franklin maintained the lead while Jeremiah
Marshall took over the second spot.
Darrick Graner spun on lap 19 to set up a one lap battle to the finish between
Franklin and Marshall. Franklin held
on to claim his first City Chevrolet Weekly Series win of the season with
Marshall finishing second. Jacob Burdette, Jared Powell and Tyler Hoy finished
third through fifth respectively.
Brock Pinkerous led the first nine circuits of the RUSH Late Model main event at
Raceway 7 Friday evening before veteran Kyle Zimmerman wrestled the top spot
away from him. Zimmerman went on to
lead the remaining 11 laps to score his first victory at speedway since August
19, 2019. Cory Sines got by
Pinkerous to finish second.
Pinkerous, Billy Henry and Jim Rasey completed the top five.
Hovis RUSH Late Model action at Genesee Speedway had Chad Homan put on a
dominating performance to claim his fourth victory of the year at the New York
facility. Zack Carley ran a solid
race to come home in second for his season best finish followed by rookie
competitor Bill Taylor, Billy DuBois and Dave DuBois.
Saturday evening at Stateline Speedway David Parker led the RUSH Late Model
feature event before Jason Genco used the top groove to take the lead on lap 12.
Genco went on to lead the remainder of the 25-lap feature event to pick
up his third win of the season at the New York facility and fifth overall in
City Chevrolet Weekly Series action.
Randy Hall, David Parker, Matt Sipes and Khole Wanzer completed the top five.
Brian Knowles led the early laps in the RUSH Late Model feature at Woodhull
Raceway until Brett Marlatt powered by him.
Cautions filled the middle portion of the 25-lap event before Marlatt
would go on to lead the remainder of the feature to score his second consecutive
victory and fourth of the season at the New York oval.
The Knowles brothers battled for the second spot with Brian getting the
better finish. Jason Knowles settled
for third with Aaron Miller and Joe Layfield finishing fourth and fifth
respectively.
The Hovis RUSH Sprint Car Series made their first ever appearance at Hummingbird
Speedway on Saturday night; in fact, it was the first Sprint Car race of any
kind at the Reynoldsville, Pa. track.
Brian Hartzell and Blaze Myers led the 18-car field to the green with
Myers leading the way through lap five.
Chad Ruhlman led laps six through eight before Myers wrestled the lead
away from Ruhlman and then nipped him at the finish line to score the victory
and an $800 payday in the Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series special.
Ruhlman held on for second over Gale Ruth, Jr., Brian Cressley and Jeff
Metsger. It was announced that due
to the excellent fan and racer support, Hummingbird will host another $800
to-win event on September 2.
The Hovis Auto and Truck Supply Sportsman Modified teams had a busy weekend with
another round of Wedge Motorsports “Route 7 Rumble” action. Friday evening at
Raceway 7. Doug Rutana led the entire
distance of the 20-lap A min to score his second consecutive victory at the
Conneaut, OH oval. Ayden Cipriano
was able to close the gap in the closing stages of the event but settled for
second followed by Rob Kristyak, Ben Easler and J.C. Boyer.
On Saturday evening at Sharon Speedway, Cipriano appeared to be headed to the
victory until his engine exploded for the second straight week in the final
laps. Easler inherited the lead, but
veteran Kristyak used the top side of the speedway to get
by Easler and score his first victory of the 2023 season in divisional action.
Easler came home in the runner-up position with Boyer in third. Kole
Holden came home in fourth with 12th place starter Tony Tatgenhorst
completing the top five.
RUSH racing action at The Hill, Skyline and Eriez Speedways was rained out this
weekend while Freedom, Potomac, Tyler County, and Bradford Speedways were off.
The "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance for both the RUSH
Late Models and RUSH Stock Cars have been rescheduled to August 27.
Coming up this weekend both the Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Car and
Sportsman Modified Divisions will be in action on Saturday at Sharon Speedway.
RUSH Pro Mod action is scheduled for
Freedom Motorsports Park on Friday and Bradford Speedway on Sunday.
Weekly RUSH Late Model action is scheduled Raceway 7, Freedom, Potomac Speedway,
and Skyline Raceway on Friday.
Saturday night RUSH Late Model action includes Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor
Speedway, Marion Center Speedway, Tyler County Speedway and Woodhull Raceway.
Delaware International, Genesee, Stateline and Winchester Speedways will
be off on Saturday. Bradford, Eriez,
and Glen Ridge will be in action on Sunday.
The racing season may be winding down but the RUSH racing action is hotter than
ever so be sure to enjoy some at a speedway near you.
The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together
with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Rick Hendrick
City Chevrolet, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance,
Flynn's Tire, Sunbelt Rentals, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK
Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Bilstein
Shocks, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Wieland Metal Services,
Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic,
Sherwood Wheels, Precise Racing Products, Velocita-USA, Wedge Motorsports, 3C
Graphix, D&V Jewelers, CrateInsider.com, and Terry Bowser Excavating.
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. The RUSH Late
Model website is www.rushlatemodels.com. Like our Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.
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