11 DIFFERENT WINNERS IN 12 SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL EVENTS OVER BUSY WEEKEND; GREAT WEEKEND AT TRI-CITY FOR LATTA WITH 1ST WIN ON SAT & RUNNER-UP SUN TO EARN $1800

By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone

 

August 18, 2015               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Pulaski, PA)...Another busy weekend of racing as great weather prevailed for the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model and Sportsman Modified Series as the 2015 racing season rolls on through the final two months of racing.  One weekend after eight winners in eight racers, RUSH boasted an amazing 11 different winners in 12 sanctioned events on the Late Model side, while Greg Martin continued his winning ways capturing both Bicknell Racing Products Sportsman Modified Weekly Series events.   

 

On Friday night at Freedom Speedway in Delevan, NY, Randy Hall picked up the win over John Waters, Bryce Davis, Scott Waters and Jim Johnson for the top five spots in the 20-lap feature event.  The win was the Olean, NY driver’s sixth win at Freedom.  This Friday (August 21), the Mid State Vintage Stock Car Club joins the RUSH Late Models and all the other divisions for a night of racing.

 

A 15-feature event for the RUSH Late Models was part of Can Am Motorsports Park’s annual Autograph Night festivities on Friday.  The RUSH feature was lead to the green by Phil Potts and Charlie Sandercock.  As the field raced into turn one for the first time, Sandercock was already in the lead.  By lap three Lee Gill was challenging Potts for the runner up spot.  In the end, it was Sandercock who stayed strong and held off a late race challenge from Potts. Billy Eisele moved to third with Gill and Aaron Jacobs rounding out the top five.  Sandercock has now won five of the six features this season at Can Am on the $135 sealed, spec Bilstein Shocks.  The RUSH Late Models return to the La Fargeville, NY speedway on August 28 for the second to last point race of the season.

 

With Potomac giving the RUSH Late Models the night off for the World of Outlaw Late Models, Path Valley Speedway Park took an opportunity to host their first ever RUSH-sanctioned event.  The Sweeney Weekly Series show offered a payoff of $600 to-win, $100 to-start with numerous added contingencies.  An impressive field of 16 cars gathered in central Pa. and the ¼-mile Spring Run bullring.  In the end it was Virginia teen Logan Roberson winning the exiting event over Transton Stoner, Steve Lowery, Ralph Morgan, Jr., and Rob Marhefka.  Path Valley was pleased with the turnout and racing RUSH put on so hopefully additional shows will be held in the future.

 

On Saturday night at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, the RUSH Late Models put on one of the best shows of the evening.  After Mark Moats and previous week’s winner Michael Reft  won their respective heat races, the 20-lap feature event was set.  While Daryl Charlier controlled the top spot for most of the event, it wasn’t without challenges. Those challenges came primarily in the form of three-time winner Josh Holtgraver.  The 00 car of Holtgraver raced side-by-side with Charlier at times during the feature, but in the end it was Charlier scoring his second victory over Holtgraver, Tommy Schirnhofer, Justin Lamb (the latest to purchase the $135 Bilstein Shocks) and Russ Kolesar.  Holtgraver has now finished runner-up in the last three features at PPMS.  

 

This Saturday’s action will effectively be a tune up for the upcoming three-day Pittsburgher 100 weekend late in August. The Precise Racing Products RUSH Late Models will be in action along with all other regular divisions.

 

In other RUSH sanctioned action at PPMS, the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds visited the Imperial PA track for their second and final time this season.  On Saturday they would contest two feature events, one being a makeup race from July 11.  In the makeup race, Greg Martin led the field to the checkers with Rocky Kugel, Kole Holden, Nick Ritchey and Jerry Schaffer in tow.  After a pair of heat races won by Ritchey and Martin, it was again Greg Martin holding the checkered flag in victory lane in the scheduled race. This time Holden was second with Kugel, Ritchey and Justin Shea making the top five.

 

After the dominating performance on Friday night at Can Am, Charlie Sandercock returned to his native Ontario, Canada to do it again.  This time it was at Brighton Speedway.  The hard charging Sandercock started in the 11th spot at the start of the special 35-lap feature event.  The race was the final leg of the inaugural Hotch’s Auto Parts Triple Crown for the Vanderlaan Building Products RUSH Pro Late Models.

 

Through a series of early cautions, Sandercock moved his way through the field, and by lap 11 had passed for the runner up spot.  From lap 11 through lap 16, he caught and passed Mark Rayner for first place. In the end, Sandercock captured his seventh win followed by Adam Nayler, Rayner, Adam Turner and Andy Mayhew. Sandercock’s win completed a sweep of the Triple Crown events, handing him the inaugural crown. A full racing program is on tap for next Saturday night at Brighton.

 

The Harriger Towing RUSH Late Models were in action on Saturday night at Orrville, Ohio’s Wayne County Speedway.  Point leader Charlie Duncan led the field to the green with Brandon Gardner, Justin Chance and Ryan Markham close behind.  Markham worked his way up through the field.  Markham and Duncan would race side-by-side for half a lap when Markham pulled ahead to the top spot and hold on for his second win in the last four races with the GM 604 engine he won from Sweeney.  Duncan, Chance, Jamie Wrightsman and Gardner made up the top five.  

 

At Fulton Speedway in Fulton NY, the NAPA RUSH Late Model feature saw Kevin Cook set the early pace in the 20-lap feature event. Cook was challenged by Chris Fleming for the early part of the race as they were well ahead of the rest of the field.  A couple of mid-race yellows bunched up the field, but when the green flew, it was Cook and Fleming dueling again for the lead. When the checkers fell, Fleming was trying his hardest to get around Cook, but the high side was to Cook’s liking and he used the top side momentum to hold off Fleming for his third win. Following Fleming were Alan Fink, Sean Beardsley and Dave Talbot. Regular racing continues this Saturday at Fulton as the season begins to come to a close.

 

Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex completed their RUSH-leading 15th event on Saturday night.  Last year’s “Futures Cup” Champion, Michael Lake picked up his second win of the season at the Markleysburg, Pa. oval.  Lake has only been a semi-regular this season as he’s been testing the waters in the Super Late Models.  Lake led a top five sweep of youngsters winning over Garret Paugh, Clinton Hersh, Braeden Dillinger, and Russell Baird, Jr. as part of the Robert “Sprout” Cossell” Memorial. 

 

Tri-City Raceway Park held their second doubleheader weekend and have now run five events under the new ownership of Mark Tatalovic.  Forty-two different RUSH Late Model racers participated over the weekend with 24 on Saturday night for the Sweeney Weekly Series event and 36 on Sunday for the Insinger/Sunoco Northern Tour race.  Saturday saw Matt Latta of Conneaut Lake win his first RUSH-sanctioned event of the season.  Latta was able to hold off Max Blair; however, on Sunday the tables were turned as Blair won the $2,125 “Bill Emig Memorial” over fifth starting Latta.  It was a great weekend for Latta, who earned $1,800!  Kyle Lukon was third in his first appearance at Tri-City since 2011.  Alan Dellinger had another impressive Tour performance on the Bilstein Shocks finishing fourth over Bryce Davis, who is runner-up in the Northern Tour points.

 

Dennis Lunger Jr. continued his winning ways at Humberstone Speedway in Port Colborne, Ontario Sunday night. Lunger ‘s front row starting spot had him side by side with Jeff Dayman at the drop of the green in the Pinty’s RUSH Late Models feature event. Lunger opened up a lead from the start with the likes of Rob Pietz and Dayman behind by a good margin. The field was bunched up by a caution period on the 17th circuit.  Lunger took off at the drop of the green and held the top spot for the final three laps of the 20-lap feature event. It was Lunger’s 10th win of the season in 13 RUSH events!  Pietz, Dayman, Tim Gillespie and Sam Pennacchio rounded out the top five.

 

Bradford Speedway contested their third event of the season under the helm of Norm Asel and for the second time it was Jeremy Wonderling victorious over Damian Bidwell, who won the other Bradford event.  Mikey Wonderling, Andy Michael, and veteran John Haggerty completed the top five.  Bradford will have an $800 to-win special event this Sunday night.

 

After the Saturday night appearance at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds moved to their normal Sunday night home at Sportsman’s Speedway in Knox PA.  Larry Kugel was able to come out on top of one of the better fields of the season at Sportsman’s for his second win.  Nick Richey, Kole Holden, Brandon Richey and Tiffany Williams- one of the newcomers to the Series completed the top five. The RUSH Sportsman Mods return to “Sunday Night Thunder” action this Sunday, August 23rd at Sportsman’s Speedway.

 

The RUSH Late Models will return to Winchester this Saturday night; however, will again be off at Potomac and Eriez Speedways.  Sharon Speedway will hold a RUSH doubleheader on Saturday featuring the Late Models in a Sweeney Weekly Series event and the Sportsman Modifieds in a Bicknell Racing Products Weekly Series event.  Sharon also recently announced that GM 604 crate engines can compete in their Stock Car division and earn points toward the Sweeney Weekly Series Championship.   

 

Current RUSH Late Model point leaders are Max Blair in the Sweeney Weekly Series, Bazell/Sunoco Southern Tour, Insinger/Sunoco Northern Tour, and combined Sweeney Tour points; Charlie Sandercock leads the Pace Performance “Summer Chase” and “Bilstein Bandits”, while Clinton Hersh leads the “Futures Cup” points.  In the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, Greg Martin leads the Bicknell Weekly Series points, while Larry Kugel leads the Bicknell Tour, and Kole Holden leads the Bicknell “Futures Cup”. 

 

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, Maxima Racing Oil, Jones Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, TBM Brakes, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Velocita-USA, High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, B.R.A.K.E.S., RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.

 

RUSH Sportsman Modified marketing partners: Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Bicknell Racing Products, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, MSD Ignition, Maxima Racing Oil, Jones Racing Products, VP Racing Fuels, FK Rod Ends, Sherwood Racing Wheels, Velocita-USA, Precise Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, K&N Filters, TBM Brakes, Lincoln Electric, CrateInsider.com, Rocket Racing, and B.R.A.K.E.S.

 

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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