JACOB HAWKINS DENIES MIKE PEGHER JR OF 2ND STRAIGHT "JOOK GEORGE STEEL CITY CLASSIC" WIN BY TAKING THE SEASON'S RICHEST SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR EVENT WORTH MORE THAN $5100 OVER A PITTSBURGH RECORD 51-CAR FIELD

By Mike Leone August 11, 2018

(Imperial, PA)...Despite an unfavorable forecast all week, a major storm front blew through the region Friday night and pushed far enough south Saturday allowing for beautiful weather conditions for the 29th annual "Jook George Steel City Classic" at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway. For the second straight year, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series presented by Pace Performance sanctioned the event and once again brought out a record car count of 51 topping last year's count of 43. RUSH cannot thank the efforts enough by Branden Lockwich to organize and raise all of the record amount of donations, the George Family, all of the sponsors, and the Miley Family for hosting this successful event along with the 51 drivers from five states plus Ontario, Canada.

Mike Pegher, Jr. was on cruise control for the first 18 non-stop laps; however, a caution bunched up the field and allowed Jacob Hawkins to make the winning move on the ensuing restart. Hawkins' pass would deny Pegher of a second straight "Jook George Steel City Classic" victory as he'd make a winning season debut with the Sweeney Tour. Hawkins became the ninth different winner in 13 Tour races this season with his first victory since October 25, 2015. All told, Hawkins earned $5,110 with $5,010 for the win, $25 bonus from R2 Motorsports, $25 for winning his heat, and $50 for leading lap 28 from Bryant Hank.

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CAREER 1ST RUSH LATE MODEL WINS FOR JON RIVERS, SCOTT GURDAK & CHARLES SHAWVER JR; LUNGER SWEEPS RUSH PRO MODS AT STATELINE & BRADFORD

By Mike Leone August 7, 2018

(Pulaski, PA)...As the calendar turns to August, the racing action stays hot on the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series powered by Pace Performance family of speedways. Congrats to Jon Rivers, Scott Gurdak, and Charles Shawver, Jr., who captured their first career RUSH Late Model wins!

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BRANDEN LOCKWICH CONTINUES TO MAKE $5,010 TO-WIN "JOOK GEORGE STEEL CITY CLASSIC" AT PITTSBURGH A CROWN JEWEL EVENT; 29TH ANNUAL RACE ON AUGUST 11 WILL BE A SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR EVENT FOR 2ND STRAIGHT YEAR

By Mike Leone August 2, 2018

(Imperial, PA)...In 2017, the "Jook George Steel City Classic" race, held annually at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway, became a Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring event. This event, in its 29th year, is the second most important event at PPMS next to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 30th annual "Pittsburgher 100". The 2018 version of the "Jook George Steel City Classic" will again pay a minimum of $4,010 to-win, and will take place on Saturday, August 11 with a rain date of Sunday.

“We believe that they are two of the longest consecutive running events in the region,” said Matt Miley, PPMS promoter. “The Jook George is a big deal to the Miley family, the George family, and all the racers who have been or are part of it.”

The event is financed by contributions from a number of people, companies, race teams and racing organizations including RUSH. The bulk of the promotion is handled by 34-year-old Branden Lockwich of Imperial, Pennsylvania. The race is special for Lockwich because Jook was a friend of the family for a number of years. “I know his family very well and this event takes on a personal feeling…. it’s not just another event,” said Lockwich.

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DAMIAN BIDWELL SWEEPS THE NIGHT AT STATELINE SETTING FAST TIME, WINNING HIS HEAT, THE DASH & THRILLING FEATURE OVER SCOTT GUIRDAK IN THE $2000 “BILL LAW MEMORIAL” FOR HIS 1ST SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR VICTORY IN MORE THAN 3 YEARS

By Mike Leone July 28, 2018

(Busti, NY)...The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series powered by Pace Performance returned to the Empire State on Saturday for the third straight event and fourth in the last five. Saturday was race #12 of the 2018 season in the only appearance at Stateline Speedway. The “Bill Law Memorial” was originally scheduled for May 19, but rain postponed the event more than two months to Saturday night. It was the second straight year Stateline hosted the event for the grandfather of RUSH Late Model racer, Kyle Murray. Law was the first to have a Crate Late Model in the Northeast back in 2006- the season before Crate Late Models debuted in the region.

Damian Bidwell wasn’t even sure he was going to make it to Stateline on Saturday night, but a late decision to come proved fruitful. Bidwell swept the night setting fast time, winning his heat, the dash, and the 30-lap feature for a $2,125 pay day. Bidwell hounded Scott Gurdak before making the winning pass on lap 26 then held off the veteran over the final laps for his first Sweeney Touring Series victory since June 22, 2015 at Ohio’s Wayne County Speedway. Bidwell became the season’s eighth different winner as still no driver has been able to win more than two features.

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JEREMY WONDERLING'S 1ST SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR WIN OF 2018 COMES IN ANOTHER THRILLER AT OUTLAW; MEANINGFUL $2000 VICTORY COMES IN THE "GARY MONTGOMERY MEMORIAL"

By Mike Leone July 20, 2018

(Dundee, NY)...The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series powered by Pace Performance wrapped up the New York doubleheader on Friday night at Outlaw Speedway. The second annual "Gary Montgomery Memorial" was originally scheduled for June 1 before being rained out and rescheduled to the night after the stand-alone July 19 show at New York's Genesee Speedway. Race #11 of 18 for the 2018 season attracted racers from all over New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada.

One night after losing the Sweeney Tour point lead, Jeremy Wonderling may have picked the perfect time to score his first RUSH win of 2018. The former standout for Gary Montgomery's BRP Can-Am "360" Late Model Series won the thriller in the second annual event that remembered the late and longtime Series owner, track manager, and announcer. Wonderling passed Chad Homan on lap on lap 20 then held off Jason Genco for the $2,000 victory in the 30-lap non-stop affair timed in 8:33.432.

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JASON GENCO’S DOMINATING PERFORMANCE IN THURSDAY’S FAIR RACE GIVES HIM THE SWEEP OF THE 2018 SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR EVENTS AT GENESEE; OVER $14,000 IN PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTED FOR “TRAVELING” MFG NIGHT PRESENTED BY MSD

By Mike Leone July 19, 2018

(Batavia, NY)...The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series powered by Pace Performance returned to Genesee Speedway on Thursday night for the second and final appearance of the 2018 season. The Sweeney Tour was part of the annual Genesee County Fair races for the first time ever. A beautiful night saw a big crowd pack the grandstands with 28 teams from all over New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Ontario, Canada. Race #10 of the 2018 was the second annual “traveling” Manufacturers Night presented by MSD Performance that saw over $14,000 of product giveaways go to racers at Fulton, Genesee, Humberstone, and Outlaw Speedways.

In the first Sweeney Tour race at Genesee on June 2, Jason Genco inherited the lead after the top three cars of John Waters, Jason Knowles, and Jeremy Wonderling tangled allowing him to go on for his first career Tour win. On Thursday night, Genco left little doubt he was the driver to beat leading all 25 laps of the feature giving him the sweep of both Genesee Tour races in 2018. Before the event’s only caution came out, Genco had a half-lap lead built up! The $1,500 Platinum Event win also propelled Genco into the Tour points lead for the first time in his career.

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BRADY WONDERLING WINS SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR RACE IN 1ST START AT EXPO; DEFENDING CHAMPION KYLE MARTELL OPENS BICKNELL RUSH SPORTSMAN MOD TOUR SEASON VICTORIOUS

By Mike Leone July 11, 2018

(Pulaski, PA)...The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series powered by Pace Performance had a doubleheader of action on Wednesday for the first of two nights of racing at the 172nd annual Trumbull County Fair at Expo Speedway. The RUSH Late Models competed in a Sweeney Platinum Touring Series event for the 11th consecutive year in their ninth event of the season, while the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds raced in a Bicknell Touring Series event for the fourth straight year in their season opener.

Brady Wonderling has taken a liking to the big slick tracks in his first year on the Sweeney Tour. Wonderling captured the $2,000 "Bill Emig Memorial" last month on the big half-mile at Tri-City Raceway Park for his first career Series win, and on Tuesday night led all 20 laps at the 5/8-mile Expo Speedway in his first ever appearance for the $1,500 victory.

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