DEREK MAGEE WINS 1ST SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL RACE IN OVER 2 YEARS AT DELAWARE; KYLE MURRAY WINS $1000 SPECIAL IN 1ST EVER APPEARANCE AT FULTON; 1ST WIN OF 2019 FOR CHUCK BOWIE & JOHN WATERS; TERRY YOUNG ENDS 3-YR WINLESS DROUGHT IN RUSH PRO STOCKS AT LERNERVILLE

By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone

August 16, 2019               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)...A near perfect weekend from the weatherman as the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series powered by Pace Performance family of speedways enjoyed three full days of great racing.  Several drivers were able to win either their first ever races of 2019 or first race at a particular track.

The action kicked off Friday night at Potomac Speedway where Chuck Bowie went green to checkered in the 20-lap RUSH Late Model feature event.  On his way to victory, Bowie set a new track record of five minutes and 38 seconds to run the non-stop race.  Bowie has suffered a difficult season but was quick to thank the right person in victory lane. “Most nights it's just me and my wife Rosie, she does so much, I don't know what I'd do without her."  Bowie's first win came in the 14th race of the season at the southern Maryland oval.  Dale Hollidge, Mike Raleigh, Jeremy Pilkerton and Ben Bowie made up the top five. After a weekend of motocross racing, Potomac Speedway returns to stock car racing action on August 23.

Point races are coming into view at Conneaut, Ohio’s Raceway 7 on Friday night where Darrell Bossard padded his substantial lead over Dave Airgood, Jr. with a victory over runner-up Matt Latta.  The win was not without a fight for Bossard, who had to hold back the likes of Latta and Airgood, who would settle for third.   After being shutout of victory lane for the first four weeks, Bossard has now won four of the last eight feature events.  Jason Genco and Breyton Santee rounded out the top five.   Five-Division racing returns to Raceway 7 this Friday night.

The RUSH Late Models made their second appearance of the season at New York’s Brewerton Speedway on Friday night.  In the 20-lap feature, Dale Caswell and Kyle Sopaz ran almost the entire distance side-by-side within inches of each other, never touching, while swapping the lead back and forth all over the speedway.   In the later laps, Chad Homan joined the battle up front.  The difference in the race came down to a late caution and single file restart that allowed Dale Caswell to drive away for the win- his second overall in RUSH for 2019.  Kyle Sopaz, Chad Homan, Brian Knowles and Kevan Cook finished second through fifth. 

Friday night in the RUSH Pro Stock ranks, it was a long time coming for Lernerville Speedway regular Terry Young when he checkered his first feature at the Sarver, Pennsylvania oval since 2016!  Young’s victory did not come easy as he had to hold off the best in the business that Lernerville has to offer.  Young passed Joey Zambotti then kept Tyler Dietz and Corey McPherson at bay in the final laps.  Joe Kelley and Brett McDonald were fourth and fifth.  Just two weeks remain in the point titles at Lernerville with McPherson holding a slim lead over Dietz.

The eyes of the RUSH Late Model world were on Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Saturday night for the 30th running of the "Jook George Steel City Classic", a RUSH Touring Series race that would break records for payouts in all sorts of ways for RUSH as over $43,000 was posted much in part to the efforts of race promoter Branden Lockwich.  A minimum of $10,010 would go to the winner, with more added in bonus money along the way.  

When the checkered flag fell over winner Kyle Lukon, who picked up his second tour event in as many tries, he took home a cool $11,610 in winnings for the night. A race full of twists and turns for Lukon and others, the Burgettstown, Pa. driver was understandably thrilled in victory lane. “I thought I threw it all away when I got into the wall in (turns) one and two.  I was surprised on the last restart to see Logan (Roberson) take the bottom, but I threw it away anyways with a bad restart.  Then I got a big run down the front stretch with five to go and I knew that was my only shot at it, so I was just hoping I'd clear him.  Logan probably could have moved me if he wanted to.  It's great running with him- he's a class act and one of the best there is.”

Roberson crossed as runner-up with Ross Robinson, Eddie Carrier, Jr. and Garret Paugh made up the top five, with Chad Sines taking the 12-lap, $400 to-win Non-Qualifier race for the first time ever. Racing continues at PPMS this Saturday.  The RUSH Late Model Touring Series returns to action once again at PPMS on October 4-5 for the "Bill Hendren Memorial" part of the "Pittsburgher 100" weekend.

New York’s Fulton Speedway was the site of a $1,000-to-win RUSH Late Model Weekly Series special event where 18 race teams signed into the pits.  The 25-lap race saw Kyle Murray and Chris Fleming pace the field and trade the top spot over the first couple of laps.  The battle between Fleming and Murray continued throughout much of the event with the two trading the lead.  The closing laps saw side-by-side and bumper-to-bumper racing between the two through heavy traffic with Murray making his first trip to Fulton Speedway a memorable one going to Fulton’s victory lane.  Fleming settled for second with Dale Caswell, Chad Homan and Kyle Sopaz finishing third through fifth.  Racing resumes at Fulton this Saturday with just three race nights remaining on the schedule with Fleming trailing Chad Homan for the title by 25 points.

Saturday night at Sharon Speedway, Chas Wolbert became the all-time winningest driver in the RUSH Sportsman Modified division on the strength of his 12th career win in the division.  Wolbert moved to the lead from his fifth place starting position and finished there over points leader Kole Holden, who came from seventh.  It was Wolbert's track leading third victory of the season.  Jim Rasey, Rob Kristyak and Will Thomas III were third through fifth.  Tony Tatgenhorst picked up his second victory of the season by winning the "Wheelman" Non-Winners event. The RUSH Sportsman Modified Touring series invades the Hartford, Ohio oval this Saturday for "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance with $23,000 in product giveaways and will be joined by the RUSH Sprint Cars.

At Delaware International Speedway on Saturday night, Derek Magee took advantage of his front starting position becoming another first-time 2019 winner in the RUSH Late Model division.  Magee would drive a consistent race and not falter with the late race challenges of Sparky White. Jason Dean, Trevor Collins, and Matt Hill, who completed the top five.  It was Magee's first win since June 1, 2017.

Jason Knowles and Dustin Waters took the heat race wins at New York’s Woodhull Raceway, with Knowles going on the pick up his second straight feature win and third of the season at the track in RUSH Late Model competition.  Kane Stebbins, who hadn't finished in the top five all season long, was a career best second in his first season in a RUSH Late Model.  Kurt Stebbins, Dusty Waters and Steve LeBarron finished third through fifth.  Racing resumes this Saturday at Woodhull.

Jennerstown hosted a special event for the RUSH Asphalt Modifieds on Saturday night.  RJ Dallape picked up the win with Anthony Aiello, Jason Busch, Jeff Dunfee and Mike Carlson making up the top five. Jennerstown gets back to five division racing this Saturday when it will be Autograph Night.

Sunday night at Eriez Speedway it was all about the open wheel racers. Among them were the RUSH Sprints, where Chad Ruhlman continued his winning ways.  Ruhlman took the lead from Zach Morrow on lap eight following a restart and cruised to his season's sixth win.  Morrow was second over Bonnell's Rod Shop points leader, Brian Woodhall with Jeremy Weaver and former Eriez Stock Car racer, Brad Church, completing the top five.  The RUSH Late Models will be off again this Sunday night due to the World of Outlaws Late Models special event. 

Old Bradford Speedway held the "Jim Byerly Memorial" and a record 20 cars turned out for the RUSH Late Model Weekly Series special.  After a tough night not making the feature at Pittsburgh the night before, John Waters turned things around and captured his first win of 2019 taking the $800 payday by holding off Scott Gurdak and Jeremy Wonderling.  It was the tio's first Bradford starts of the season.  Damian Bidwell was fourth over track champion, Ward Schell.  Bradford is off this Sunday and then will have their season finale on August 25.

The RUSH Late Models will return to Genesee Speedway this Saturday after a week away. 

After a week off, New York’s Stateline Speedway will return to their Six Pack racing this Saturday when it will be Veterans and Youth Baseball night as the RUSH Late Models and Pro Mods will be in action. 

Dog Hollow Speedway was off this past weekend and will now change race nights again, this time to Fridays starting this week for the RUSH Late Models.

The RUSH Late Models will also return to the Humberstone Speedway schedule this Sunday.  

After a few weeks away, the RUSH Late Models will return to the Winchester Speedway schedule on August 24 where they will run a regular program plus a make-up feature.

RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC & Pace Performance along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, FK Rod Ends, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Dirt Defender, Wrisco Industries, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Trailer-Alarms.com, Bonnell's Rod Shop, Zarin Truck & Automotive, Sherwood Wheels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, CrateInsider.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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