SWEENEY RUSH SERIES HONORS CHAMPIONS & TOP RACERS IN LM, SPORTSMAN MOD, PRO MOD
& STOCK DIVISIONS AS $115,000 IN CASH & THOUSANDS IN CONTINGENCIES DOLED OUT AT
2016 AWARDS BANQUET
By
Mike Leone
January 21, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Edinburg, PA)…While the 2017 racing season
is only a few months away, Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series
Directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone put a final wrap on the 2016 racing season
with the annual awards banquet and dinner on Saturday night at the Gatherings
Banquet & Event Center in Edinburg, Pa.
Spring like conditions in the 60s prevailed as a record number of
attendees filled the beautiful banquet hall as over $115,000 in cash and
thousands in contingencies were distributed to Sweeney RUSH Late Model,
Sportsman Modified, Pro Mod, and Pro Stock racers.
The Sweeney
Crowned 2016 Late Model champions were John Waters-Sweeney Touring Series, Max
Blair-Sweeney Weekly Series and Pace "Summer Chase", Kris Eaton-"Bilstein
Bandits", Wyatt Scott-"Futures Cup", and Greg Beach-Wheelman Bonus Event
Challenge Series. In the Sweeney
RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, it was Brian Schaffer-Bicknell Racing Products Weekly
& Touring Series and Kyle Martell-Bicknell "Futures Cup".
Corey McPherson captured the Sweeney Pro Stock title.
Justin Carlson won the inaugural Sweeney Pro Mod Weekly Series crown,
while Zach Johnson earned the “Futures Cup”.
All of the champions received their
point fund monies, laser etched championship marble awards,
inscribed RUSH championship leather jackets, and Hoosier championship jackets
For the
first time in his career, John Waters is a RUSH Champion.
After waging a battle with good friend and fellow New Yorker Bryce Davis
throughout the season, the Whitesville, NY driver would earn the $5,000 Sweeney
Tour championship by just seven points.
Waters started the year off red hot winning the opening two events at
Humberstone and Merrittville Speedway, added another win at Expo Speedway, and
ended the season with just one finish outside the top 10.
Waters ironically tied for sixth with Davis in Sweeney Weekly Series.
Overall, Waters earned $6,350 in RUSH point fund monies to Davis’ $4,900.
Waters also received a special marble award inscribed for his amazing
accomplishment of winning four of the last five Touring Series events in Canada
including three straight at Humberstone!
Max Blair left Saturday's banquet as RUSH’s top point fund earner once again by
garnering $8,150- much in part from his third Sweeney Weekly Series Championship
($5,000) in four years and his second Pace Summer Chase title ($3,000).
The Centerville, Pa. 27-year-old focused more on Super Late Model racing
in 2016 rather than following the Sweeney Tour, but did win in both starts in
addition to his father Rob winning in his car.
The third top earner was Kris Eaton at $5,700.
The Winchester, Virginia racer won year two of the “Bilstein Bandits”
program for the $5,000 paycheck.
Eaton won twice at newly-sanctioned Path Valley Speedway Park and added a win at
his home track, Winchester, but impressively recorded 22 top 10 finishes in 24
starts. Eaton won’t look to defend
his title as he plans to get his daughter started in go-kart racing.
Third generation racer Wyatt Scott became the latest to enshrine his name as a
“Futures Cup” Champion. The
recently-turned 18-year-old won two feature events at his home track, Stateline,
which is owned by grandparents, and ended the year with seven top 5s and 24 top
10s in 33 races. Scott earned $1,000
joining past champs Ryan Montgomery, Nico Dabecco, Michael Lake, Eric Wilson,
and Clinton Hersh.
Greg
Beach ended Tony White’s run at two consecutive “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge
Series titles. The Chicora, Pa.
driver won the non-qualifier at Lernerville, the track he grew up racing Stocks
at, and had two other top 5s. Beach
received $200 cash and $200 in K&N gift cards in addition to his championship
jacket and hardware.
The top
five in RUSH member points at each RUSH Late Model weekly-sanctioned track
shared in $800 cash ($300,200,100,50) with positions six through eight receiving
contingencies that will be mailed out as part of the new “Track Pack” Weekly
Bonus Program.
Brian
Schaffer had a stellar first season competing in the Sweeney RUSH Sportsman
Modifieds joining his cousin Will and uncle Jerry Schaffer in competition.
The Boyers, Pa. driver competed in all 27 events and finished the year
with only two finishes outside the top 10!
He won twice at Sharon and once each at Lernerville and Thunder Mountain,
which propelled him to the $3,000 Bicknell Weekly Series championship.
Though he failed to win a Bicknell Tour event, his consistency led him to
the $800 title beating Chas Wolbert by a mere three points.
Second
year RUSH racer Kyle Martell had a tremendous season.
The 16-year-old Rootstown, Ohio driver finished in the top five 17 times
including at least one at all six tracks the RUSH Sportsman Mods raced at.
His first career win came at Sharon on June 18 that started a strong of
an impressive seven straight top four finishes.
Martell finished in the top five in all three of the Bicknell RUSH
Sportsman Modified point funds including the “Futures Cup” title, a tie for
third in Weekly, and fourth in Touring.
All six “Futures Cup” racers were in attendance at the banquet that also
included Jeremy Weaver, 12-year-old Blaze Myers, Preston Cope, Amelia Clay, and
Jacob Jordan. Fourteen-year-old
David Kalb, Jr., who took in the banquet, will be a new racer becoming part of
the 2017 “Futures Cup”.
Justin
Carlson will go down in the history books as the inaugural champion of the
Sweeney RUSH Pro Mods. The Sherman,
New York veteran E-Mod racer was attracted to the affordable class due to the
point fund that he capitalized on taking the $3,500 Weekly Series crown by
winning eight features. During the
homestretch he failed to finish worse than third after July 2 including a run of
four straight wins! Carlson beat out
veteran Scott Gurdak, who won the Stateline track championship, by 15 points.
Gurdak did double duty and also collected point fund monies from the RUSH
Late Models. Fourteen-year-old Zach
Johnson of Busti, NY finished eighth in Weekly Series points, but more
importantly captured the first ever “Futures Cup” honors and earned $300.
After finishing
runner-up to inaugural Canadian champion Justin Ramsay in 2015, Corey McPherson
left little doubt about his $1,000 Sweeney RUSH Pro Stock Championship.
The Tarentum, Pa. driver won seven features at Lernerville and after a
season worst sixth on April 23, McPherson rattled off 16 straight top five
finishes in route to his fourth track championship in five years.
The highlight of the program was the special awards ceremony.
The Series’ major sponsor, Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC/Pace Performance,
was recognized with a special appreciation plaque for their continued support of
the Series as was Bicknell Racing Products for their second year presenting the
Touring, Weekly, and “Futures Cup” programs in the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds.
The new “Legacy” Award was started to honor historical significance as RUSH
directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone have completed their 10th year of
directing crate engine racing in the Northeast.
The inaugural award winners were the former promoters of Raceway 7 (Ron
Nielson) and McKean County Raceway (Rich Yeager, Ken Leet, Tom Gleason & Rod
Biehler) as they were two of the first four tracks to commit to running Crate
Late Models in the 2007 season.
Tony White was presented the prestigious Gary Knollinger Memorial “Golden
Award”. The Aliquippa, Pa. driver
reminded Series Officials much like the Knollinger Family with the late Gary,
Jr. White completed his first season
Touring finishing ninth in points and did it much like Knollinger did- with a
limited crew featuring just his father and wife, and in a quiet and unassuming
way.
The "Majestic" was
awarded to RUSH’s pit steward and point keeper, Rich Yeager.
The Little Valley, NY resident was coming off his run at promoting McKean
County Raceway and joined the staff in 2013.
His duties have increased becoming point keeper in 2014 and that task has
grown year with the addition of new divisions and championship programs.
The "Car Owner of
the Year" Award was won by Dale LeBarron.
The Troupsburg, NY resident rarely attended those races run by his driver
John Waters as he was back home working, but gave Waters everything he needed to
have a tremendous season highlighted by the Sweeney RUSH Late Model Touring
Series Championship along with several other wins and accomplishments.
LeBarron joked, “If you need a tax deduction, hire John Waters!”
Chelsie Kriegisch
was awarded the “Outstanding Achievement”.
The Ellwood City, Pa. former go-kart racer completed her second full
season behind the wheel of a full size car and made history in several facets on
July 13. She became the first female
winner in the 46-year history of Expo Speedway; the first female to win a Crate
Touring Series event in the 10-year history of the Northeast; and the first
female to win a RUSH Sportsman Modified feature!
The "Miles
Traveled" Award was given to driver Dave Lyon and his uncle and car owner, Gary
Lyon. The Spring Creek, Pa. duo ran
more RUSH-sanctioned races (43) than any driver in the four divisions.
Not only did they race a lot, they traveled to do it as they completed
their first season of following the RUSH Late Model Tour.
They were also successful winning a weekly race at Stateline and recorded
20 top 5 finishes.
Steve Damon of
Steve’s Auto & Truck Repair was awarded the second annual Bill Hendren Memorial
RUSH Engine “Rebuilder of the Year”.
The Little Valley, NY businessman has been part of crate engine rebuilding since
the inception and has been a strong supporter of RUSH.
Top racers from the
K&N “Air Induction” Dash Championship in both the RUSH Late Models and Sportsman
Modifieds received K&N gift cards.
Champions were Bryce Davis in the Late Models and Josh Seippel in the Sportsman
Mods. Dash points were kept at all
tour events.
Velocita-USA provided $100 gift cards to every “Futures Cup” racer in all four
divisions. A 50% off gift card for a
custom driver’s suit drawing was for all RUSH Pro Mod members, and the lucky
recipient was Scott Gurdak.
RUSH
Series announcer, Brian Spaid, emceed the affair and also previewed the upcoming
2017 season. The Touring Series
schedules for both the Late Models and Sportsman Modifieds will be released on
Monday night (January 23). While no
Touring Series programs will be held for the Pro Mods or Pro Stocks, the Pro
Mods will see weekly competition added at Bradford Speedway on Sunday nights and
special events at McKean County Raceway, while Lernerville Speedway becomes the
first track to fully sanction their Pro Stock division under RUSH.
John and Christine Stivason photographed the event and the photo link
will be posted as soon as it’s available.
2016 Sweeney Chevrolet Buick
GMC RUSH Late Model Touring Series Top 12 Driver Points:
1. John Waters 1052 2. Bryce Davis
1045 3. Jason Knowles 979
4. Brian Knowles 959 5. Dave
Lyon 957 6. Will Thomas III 948
7. Bruce Hordusky, Jr. 903 8.
Alan Dellinger 869 9. Tony White 780
10. Eric Wilson 771 11. Mike
Pegher, Jr. 742 12. Clinton Hersh
690.
2016 Sweeney Chevrolet Buick
GMC RUSH Late Model Weekly Series Top 40 Points:
1. Max Blair 1341 2. Damian Bidwell
1332 3. Logan Roberson 1328
4. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 1319 5.
Darrell Bossard 1317 6. Bryce Davis
& John Waters 1316 8. Jason Genco
1314 9. Dave Lyon 1310
10. Chris Fleming & Rob Pietz 1298
12. Darin Henderson 1297 13.
Kris Eaton 1294 14. Brad Mesler 1293
15. Andy Boozel & Mike Pegher, Jr. 1286
17. Brad McGinnis 1285 18.
Kevan Cook 1282 19. Eric Wilson 1279
20. John Imler 1278 21. Jason
Knowles 1276 22. Daryl Charlier 1275
23. Charlie Duncan 1271 24.
Jeff Dayman 1269 25. Matt Latta 1266
26. Alan Dellinger & Brandon Ford 1265
28. Bruce Hordusky, Jr. & Justin Lamb 1264
30. Wyatt Scott 1262 31.
Brian Knowles 1259 32. Mike Franklin
1251 33. Randy Hall 1249
34. Steve Lowery 1246 35. Tim
Snare 1243 36. Kyle Zimmerman 1241
37. Jimmy Johnson, Jr. 1238
38. Scott Gurdak 1237 39. Timmy
Booth 1234 40. Jennae Piper 1230.
2016 Pace Performance “Summer Chase” Late Model Top
10 Points: 1. Max Blair 110.67
2. Darrell Bossard 110.00 3.
Dennis Lunger, Jr. 108.36 4. Brad
McGinnis 108 5. Chris Fleming 106.89
6. Bryce Davis 106.57 7. Rob
Pietz 106.36 8. Damian Bidwell
106.06 9. Logan Roberson 105.17
10. Daryl Charlier 104.75.
2016 "Bilstein Bandits" Late Model Points:
1. Kris Eaton 1294
2. Alan Dellinger 1265 3.
Justin Lamb 1264 4. Mike Franklin
1246 5. Joe Chamberlain 1229
6. Randy Ralyea 1173 7. Jared
Kane 1106 8. Tony White 1103
9. Megan Mann 964 10. W.L.
Stile 642 11. Jim Nicely 395
12. Charlie Sandercock 386
13. Bobby Pifer III 285 14. Chuck
Recker 177.
2016 Late Model “Futures Cup” Points:
1. Wyatt Scott 1262
2. Hunter Hulley 1105 3.
Megan Mann 864.
2016 K&N “Cold Air Induction”
Dash Late Model Champion:
Bryce Davis
2016 “Wheelman” Bonus Event
Challenge Series Late Model Champion:
Greg Beach
2016 Bicknell Racing
Products RUSH Sportsman Modified Weekly Series Top 15 Points: 1. Brian
Schaffer 1318 2. Nick Ritchey 1301
3. Kyle Martell & Chas Wolbert 1299
5. Kole Holden 1294 6.
Brandon Ritchey 1282 7. Chelsie
Kriegisch 1278 8. Rocky Kugel 1263
9. Jeremy Weaver 1254 10.
Jerry Schaffer 1247 11. Josh Deems
1235 12. Tiffany Williams 1205
13. Justin Shea 1195 14.
Steve Slater 1189 15. Michael Sparks
1162.
2016 Bicknell Racing
Products RUSH Sportsman Modified Touring Series Top 10 Driver Points: 1.
Brian Schaffer 539 2. Chas Wolbert
536 3. Kole Holden 529
4. Kyle Martell 527 5.
Brandon Ritchey & Jeremy Weaver 510
7. Tiffany Williams 507 8. Chelsie
Kriegisch 504 9. Steve Slater 477
10. Michael Sparks 466.
2016 Bicknell Racing
Products RUSH Sportsman Modified "Futures Cup" Points: 1. Kyle Martell 1299
2. Jeremy Weaver 1254 3.
Blaze Myers 1101 4. Preston Cope
1085 5. Amelia Clay 1080
6. Jacob Jordan 1009.
2016 K&N "Cold Air
Induction" Dash RUSH Sportsman Modified Champion: Josh Seippel
2016 Sweeney
Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Pro Mod Weekly Series Points: 1. Justin Carlson
1327 2. Scott Gurdak 1312
3. Kelly Frederes 1308 4.
Jason Covey 1291 5. Jeramy Williams
1248 6. Dennis Asel & Bill Silvis
1221 8. Zach Johnson 1184
9. Brian Mohawk 1182.
2016 RUSH Pro Mod
"Futures Cup" Points: 1. Zach Johnson 1184
2. Brian Mohawk 1182.
2016 Sweeney
Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Pro Stock Weekly Series Points: 1. Corey McPherson
1332 2. Joey Zambotti 1296
3. Aaron Easler 1280 4. Terry
Young 1278 5. Bob Egley 1272
6. Joe Kelley 1245 7. Jim
Fosnaught 1242 8. Brett McDonald
1206 9. Brandon Wearing 1189
10. Jeff Miller 1188 11.
Steve D'Apolito 1186 12. Scott Byers
1167 13. Noah Brunell 1159
14. Sadie Siegel 1134 15.
Dave McManus 91.
Special Award Winners:
"Legacy”:
Raceway 7 (Ron Nielson) &
McKean County Raceway (Rich Yeager, Ken Leet, Tom Gleason & Rod Biehler)
Gary Knollinger Memorial
“Golden Award”:
Tony White
“Majestic”:
Rich Yeager
“Car Owner of the Year”:
Dale LeBarron
“Outstanding Achievement”:
Chelsie Kriegisch
“Miles Traveled” Special
Appreciation:
Gary & Dave Lyons
Bill Hendren Memorial “Engine
Rebuilder of the Year”:
Steve's Auto & Truck Repair
2016 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.
2016 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.