CAREER 1ST WIN FOR 14-YEAR-OLD COLE LASKEY COMES AT TRI-CITY IN HOVIS RUSH STOCKS; TYLER OAKES WINS 1ST RUSH PRO MOD RACE OF 2026 IN SPECIAL APPEARANCE AT MCKEAN COUNTY FAIR

By Marcie Barlow

August 28, 2026                     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)...As we approach the final weeks of the 2026 racing season, the various Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series divisions presented by Born2Run Lubricants have been busy getting in as much action as possible. Teenager and second-generation driver Cole Laskey tallied his career first win in RUSH Stock Car action at Tri-City Raceway Park.  Repeat winners led the way in RUSH Late Model Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action as Jeff Watson (Raceway 7), Matt Hill (Georgetown), Tom Snyder, Jr. (Dog Hollow), and Brett Marlatt (Woodhull Raceway) were among the winners. John Mollick and Kole Holden both added wins in the RUSH Sprint Cars and RUSH Sportsman Modifieds respectively.  Tyler Oakes won his first of the season in the RUSH Pro Mods.

Jeff Watson and Ashton Briggs led the 20-lap Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Late Model feature event to green Friday at Raceway 7. Watson went on to lead the entire distance of the event to score his second victory of the season at the Ohio oval and third overall in Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action. Briggs used lapped traffic to close in on Watson, but he had to settle for second. Breyton Santee, Jamie Wrightsman and Billy Henry completed the top five.

At Georgetown Speedway on Friday night, hometown racer, Matt Hill, won his third straight in the RUSH Late Models.  Derek Magee recorded his fourth runner-up finish of the season as he is still in search of his first win.  Joey Warren was third for his fifth podium of the season as he also continues to look for his first win.  Amanda Robinson and Mark Linton, Jr. were fourth and fifth. 

Tom Snyder, Jr. tallied his seventh victory of the season in Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action at Dog Hollow Speedway on Friday night.  Snyder defeated Dylan Cecce in his first ever appearance, Leo Iarrapino, Skylar Park, and West Virginia racer Phillip Bubeck, who made his first visit of 2026.

Steve LeBarron led the first two laps of the RUSH Late Model main event at Woodhull Raceway before fourth place starter Brett Marlatt got by for the lead.  Marlatt went on to lead the remainder of the 20-lap feature event to score win number six of the season.  LeBarron finished in the runner-up spot with Austin Allen getting third. Garrett Heffner and Wyatt White rounded out the top five.

Hovis RUSH Late Model Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action at The Dirt Track at Genesee saw Bill Holmes and Jon Rivers lead the field to green. Holmes would show the way with Rivers closing the gap as the race progressed.  At the checkered it was Holmes taking the win, his second of the year at the track, by just 0.342 seconds over Rivers. Paul Grigsby came home in third with Doug Ricotta, fourth and Dave Dubois fifth.

Both the RUSH Late Models and RUSH Pro Mods were in action last Wednesday at McKean County Raceway as part of the McKean County Fair.  Kurt Stebbins scored the win in RUSH Late Model Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action. The win was Stebbins’ second in weekly series action, and he scored a $1,200 payday for his efforts.  Jeremy Wonderling came home in second. Steve LeBarron claimed third with Ian Travis in fourth and Ricky Loucks fifth.

Tyler Oakes was the victor in the RUSH Pro Mod action as he bested Nick Arnold to score the $700 payday for his first victory of 2026. Derek Austin, Dave Shagla, Jr. and Cody VanGuilder completed the top five.

Michaels Mercer Raceway hosted the Hovis RUSH Sprint Cars on Friday night for just the second time of 2026 and third time ever.  John Mollick started on the pole and led the entire distance of the 20-lap event to tally the win and also received the $100 "Kenny's Cash" in memory of Kenny Kent bonus from Arnie Kent.  Mollick is now two-for-two at Mercer this season. In addition, the win was his eighth in the division this year and the 38th of his career.  Logen Lockhart was runner-up for the second straight race as he's now finished in the top four in four of the last five races. Gale Ruth, Jr. finished third as Grayson Bayle and Ashton Riggle completed the top five.

The lone RUSH Sportsman Modified event of the weekend was held at Raceway 7. Pole-sitter Kole Holden immediately took the top spot and went on to hold off the late race challenge of Jacob Rutana to score the win. The victory was the fourth of the season for Holden and the 35th of his career in the division. Russ King Racing Futures Cup points leader, Nolan Burns, was third as Doug Rutana and Brandon Tercho completed the top five.

Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Stock Car action at Tri-City Raceway Park on Friday saw Raiddan Wilson lead the first circuit before a caution for Rob Switzer slowed the field. The action resumed with William Baker, Jr. challenging Wilson for the top spot. As Baker attempted to clear Wilson, he spun Wilson and was ordered to the tail of the field by track officials. Baker then spun Wilson under caution, resulting in an immediate disqualification for the night.  When the racing action resumed, 14-year-old second generation driver, Cole Laskey, found himself leading the pack.  The Russ King Racing Futures Cup racer from nearby Oil City hit his marks for the remainder of the feature event and scored his career first victory. Wilson came back to finish in second with Switzer getting third. Michael Smiley, and J.R. Brown, who debuted in a new rid, completed the top five.

Mother Nature forced the cancellation of RUSH racing action at Stateline Speedway, Eriez Speedway, Bradford Speedway, Lernerville Speedway, Sharon Speedway and Winchester Speedway.

This weekend’s schedule for Hovis RUSH Late Model teams includes Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action at Dog Hollow Speedway and Raceway 7 on Friday.  Saturday evening will include The Dirt Track at Genesee, Stateline Speedway, Winchester Speedway, Muskingum County Speedway and Woodhull Raceway as well as Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, which will host Twin 20 feature events with each paying $1,010 to win.  Bradford Speedway and Eriez Speedway will feature RUSH Late Model action on Sunday.

Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Car teams will compete in two Rustler Sales and Service Weekly Series events this weekend.  The event Friday at Tri-City Raceway Park is also the division’s annual "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance. Each team in attendance will take home a product package with a minimum value of $300.  Competitors will then travel to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Saturday and tackle “Dirt’s Monster Half Mile”. 

Hovis RUSH Sportsman Modified competitors will be in action Friday at Raceway 7.  The lone RUSH Pro Mod event this weekend is scheduled at Stateline Speedway on Saturday.  RUSH Stock Car teams have another three-race weekend scheduled.  They will be in action Friday at Tri-City Raceway Park before heading to Stateline Speedway on Saturday and Eriez Speedway on Sunday.

The days of summer are rapidly winding down but we encourage you to take in some exciting RUSH Racing Series action at a speedway near you as you will not be disappointed.

The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Colussy Chevrolet Flynn's Tire, Gunter's Honey, Rustler Sales & Service, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Capital Contracting Service, Joseph J. Oliva Attorney at Law, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Landrum Performance Springs, Russ King Racing, 3C Graphix, Velocita-USA, Wieland Metal Services, Real Merchant Services DMV, IllusionCoats Powder Coating, Hoosier Tire Western Pennsylvania/Big Daddy's Speed Center, Close Racing Supply, Keyser Manufacturing/Integra Racing Shocks, Seal-Tite Paving & Excavating, MotoRad, Schneider Trucks, Ontime Body & Graphic, Henry's Headers & Exhaust Systems, D&V Jewelers, AERO Race Wheels, Racing Electronics, Design Creations, and Competition Crate Parts.

E-mail can be sent to the RUSH Racing Series at [email protected] and 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 X (formerly known as Twitter) @RUSHLM.

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