MAX BLAIR BECOMES 1ST PACE RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR REPEAT WINNER OF 2020 WITH 3RD "STEEL CITY STAMPEDE" VICTORY AT LERNERVILLE

By Mike Leone October 16-17, 2020

(Sarver, PA)...The Pace Performance RUSH Racing Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC once again participated in the "Steel City Stampede" finale at Lernerville Speedway this past weekend. The 12th edition saw three of RUSH's classes spotlighted with Max Blair capturing the Pace Late Model Touring Series victory, while Gale Ruth, Jr. copped the Equipment Rental Options Sprint Car Weekly Series special, and Chas Wolbert claimed the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Sportsman Modified Weekly Series special on Saturday night. In addition, Zach Kane closed out the 13-division racing program winning the RUSH Late Model Non-Qualifier. For the first 10 years of the "Steel City Stampede", there had never been a repeat winner in the Crate Late Model division.

Last year, Max Blair ended a seven-year drought between "Steel City Stampede" victories, and on Saturday night Blair led all 25 laps for his second consecutive event win and third of his career. Blair, who opened the 2020 Pace RUSH Late Model Touring Series with a victory at Lernerville in the $10,000 to-win "Bill Emig Memorial", ended the season by becoming the first repeat winner of 2020. Blair had to fend off challenges by Joe Martin on several late race restarts for the $2,000 victory.

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MARYLAND TEEN LEVI CROWL SLAYS "THE MONSTER HALF-MILE" WITH 1ST CAREER RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR WIN WORTH $3100 IN NIGHT 2 OF THE "BILL HENDREN MEMORIAL" PRESENTED BY FK ROD ENDS & PRO FAB AT PITTSBURGH

By Mike Leone October 3, 2020

(Imperial, PA)...The Pace Performance RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC returned to Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway on Saturday for night two of the 10th annual “Bill Hendren Memorial” presented by FK Rod Ends together with Pro Fabrication as part of the “Pittsburgher 100” weekend with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. A total of 43 different RUSH cars participated over the two nights, which were two complete shows for the first time. The four 2020 Tour events at PPMS averaged 41 cars per night! The following helped make the “Bill Hendren Memorial” the richest to date: FK Rod Ends, Pro Fabrication, Pace Performance, Miley Motor Sports, Hendren Racing Engines, CrateInsider.com, Dirtwrap, Zarin Truck & Auto, Branden Lockwich, and the RUSH Racing Series.

Third year RUSH Late Model teenage racer Levi Crowl pulled off one of the biggest upset wins in Pace Performance Touring Series history on Saturday night. Crowl charged from the seventh starting spot to pass Kyle Lukon, winner of four of the last six Tour races at Pittsburgh, with seven laps to go then fended off challenges from two-time Tour champion Jeremy Wonderling and track regular Jake Gunn to capture the popular victory. In addition to the $3,100 payday, Crowl received a free wrap for the 2021 season from Dirtwrap valued at $800! Crowl became the fifth different Tour winner in five races in 2020 and third different driver to earn his first career Tour win!

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KYLE LUKON TOPS 41-CAR RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR FIELD FROM 8 STATES TO WIN NIGHT 1 OF “BILL HENDREN MEMORIAL” PRESENTED BY FK ROD ENDS & PRO FAB AT PITTSBURGH; TEAMMATE LEVI SPINNEWEBER CAPTURES $1000 PACE PERFORMANCE “ONE TO REMEMBER” NON-WINNERS RACE

By Mike Leone October 2, 2020

(Imperial, PA)...The Pace Performance RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC returned to Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway on Friday night for night one of the 10th annual “Bill Hendren Memorial” presented by FK Rod Ends together with Pro Fabrication as part of the “Pittsburgher 100” weekend. Capturing wins were Kyle Lukon in the main event and teammate Levi Spinneweber in the “One to Remember” Non-Winners race presented by Pace Performance. Forty-one cars from eight different states participated as all three Tour shows to date at PPMS have attracted over 40 cars. The following helped make the “Bill Hendren Memorial” the richest to date: FK Rod Ends, Pro Fabrication, Pace Performance, Miley Motor Sports, Hendren Racing Engines, CrateInsider.com, Dirtwrap, Zarin Truck & Auto, Branden Lockwich, and the RUSH Racing Series.

Kyle Lukon became the fourth different RUSH Touring Series winner in as many 2020 races by winning his second straight “Bill Hendren Memorial” in night one of the “Pittsburgher 100” weekend. Lukon, who on all three 2019 Tour events at Pittsburgh for $18,800, led all 30 laps in Friday night’s feature for a $3,100 payday and received a free wrap for the 2021 season from Dirtwrap valued at $800.

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MICHAEL NORRIS MAKES HIS 1ST EVER CRATE START A WINNING ONE TAKING "JOOK GEORGE STEEL CITY CLASSIC" AT PITTSBURGH FOR $7,200+ AGAINST STOUT 46-CAR PACE RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR FIELD

By Mike Leone August 8, 2020

(Imperial, PA)...The Pace Performance RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC returned to Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway for the second of three appearances during the 2020 season. The 31st annual "Jook George Steel City Classic" presented by Zarin Truck & Auto attracted 46 cars from seven different states making for the highest car count of the year in Crate Late Model racing throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Special thanks to event coordinator Branden Lockwich, who despite the uncertainty in this challenging COVID-19 pandemic plagued year, still raised approximately $17,700! Those monies all added to the typical RUSH Tour purse.

Making his first ever crate engine start, 13-time PPMS Super Late Model winner, Michael Norris, nearly swept the night leaving the "Monster Half Mile" with $7,260 in winnings following his victory in the 50-lap "Jook George Steel City Classic" feature! Driving a #F1 entry normally driven by his brother-in-law Nico Dabecco, Norris took over the top spot from Ben Policz on lap 25 and broke away from a four-car battle for the lead. Norris kept last year's event winner, Kyle Lukon, at bay in the final laps for the $6,010 win and received the $1,000 feature winner contributor bonus from Lockwich and Miley Motor Sports.

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GARRET PAUGH CAPTURES 1ST CAREER PACE RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR WIN OVER STELLAR 41-CAR FIELD IN THE "HERB SCOTT MEMORIAL" AT PITTSBURGH

By Mike Leone July 18, 2020

(Imperial, PA)...The Pace Performance RUSH Racing Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC held a doubleheader of events on a stifling hot Saturday night at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway. Garret Paugh emerged victorious over a stellar 41-car RUSH Late Model Touring Series field in the rescheduled "Herb Scott Memorial" in the first of three visits to the "Monster Half-Mile", while Tony White won the "Wheelman" Non-Qualifiers race. Chas Wolbert captured his third straight at Pittsburgh in Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sportsman Modified Weekly Series competition in 2020.

After falling back to seventh early in the event, Garret Paugh charged back forward, made a bold move following a restart on lap 15 by driving around track standout John Mollick in turn two, and never looked back. After the final 10 laps went green-to-checkered, Paugh stretched his margin of victory over the talent-laden field to an impressive 4.014 seconds to earn the $2,000 "Herb Scott Memorial" victory plus a $110 bonus from "Jook George Steel City Classic" event coordinator, Branden Lockwich. Though never competing in more than a handful of events per year, Paugh's win was his first career RUSH Tour victory in eight years of trying!

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ALLEGHENY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ORDER FORCES CANCELLATION OF SATURDAY'S EVENT AT PITTSBURGH FEATURING PACE RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR, RUSH SPRINTS & RUSH SPORTSMAN MODS

By Mike Leone July 3, 2020

(Imperial, PA)...A new order issued by the Allegheny County Health Department effective July 3 (see below) has forced the cancellation of racing that was scheduled to take place on Saturday night (July 4) at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway. This marks that 10th Pace Performance RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series event that has succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic this season. The RUSH Sprint Cars and RUSH Sportsman Modifieds were also scheduled to be part of Saturday's program in Equipment Rental Options and Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Weekly Series events respectively.

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MAX BLAIR WINS 50-LAP CAUTION-FREE $10,000 30TH ANNUAL “BILL EMIG MEMORIAL” PRESENTED BY HOVIS FOR THE 2ND STRAIGHT YEAR IN THE PACE RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR PART OF THE “FIRECRACKER 100” WITH WORLD OF OUTLAWS AT LERNERVILLE

By Mike Leone June 27, 2020

(Sarver, PA)...After the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the first two and a half months of the 2020 season, the Pace Performance RUSH Late Model Touring Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC finally was able to get the green light to kickoff the year this past weekend with the running of the 30th annual “Bill Emig Memorial” presented by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply at Lernerville Speedway. For the second straight year, RUSH was part of the 14th annual “Firecracker 100” weekend with the World of Outlaws that features one of dirt Late Model racing’s crown jewel events, and RUSH is truly grateful to both Lernerville and the World of Outlaws. Despite rain all three days including round after round of storms Saturday afternoon into the evening, Lernerville’s track crew led by Dan Bauman had the track in perfect condition all weekend long.

In the 2019 "Bill Emig Memorial", Max Blair passed Ross Robinson in the closing laps to earn the $10,000 payday. On Saturday night, Blair tracked down then stalked National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame racer, Chub Frank, in lapped traffic before making the winning pass on lap 32. Blair then drove an immaculate race through lapped traffic extending his lead and going unchallenged late in the event for a second consecutive $10,000 payday. The 50-lap feature went non-stop in 15:50.544. It was a surreal three nights for Blair, who won Thursday's $6,000 World of Outlaws feature and finished runner-up in Saturday's feature for $15,000 bringing his "Firecracker 100" weekend earnings to well over $31,000!

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PACE PERFORMANCE RUSH SERIES SLOWLY RETURNING TO RACING WITH BIGGEST WEEKEND TO DATE ON TAP

By Mike Leone June 12, 2020

(Pulaski, PA)...After more than two and a half months downtime due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sights and sound of auto racing is slowly returning to the Pace Performance RUSH Racing Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC tracks. In fact, the biggest weekend to date is planned with RUSH-sanctioned racing taking place in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

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PACE PERFORMANCE RUSH SERIES CLOSELY MONITORING COVID-19 PANDEMIC SITUATION; 2020 SEASON CONTINUES TO BE ON PAUSE

By Mike Leone May 11, 2020

(Pulaski, PA)...Heading into March, the Pace Performance RUSH Racing Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC was gearing up for what was poised to be a record breaking season across all divisions; however, an unprecedented situation developed as the COVID-19 pandemic spread throughout the world.

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COVID-19 PANDEMIC CANCELS "BATTLE OF THE BAY" SPEEDWEEK; PACE RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR EVENTS TO POTENTIALLY BE ADDED LATER IN 2020 AT DELAWARE, GEORGETOWN, POTOMAC & WINCHESTER

By Mike Leone April 1, 2020

(Pulaski, PA)...With stay at home orders and gathering bans in effect throughout the entire Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Canada through at least the end of April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RUSH Racing Series Directors along with the promoters of Delaware International, Georgetown, Potomac, and Winchester Speedways have cancelled the "Battle of the Bay" Mid-Atlantic Speedweek scheduled for April 15-18 for the Pace Performance RUSH Dirt Late Model Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC. RUSH Directors and track promoters will work together on potential 2020 Touring Series dates at each track for later in the year.

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ACCU-FORCE DYNOS & TESTERS TO PROVIDE SHOCK/SPRING TESTING & TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO PACE RUSH RACING SERIES IN 2020

By Mike Leone March 26, 2020

(Pulaski, PA)...The Pace Performance RUSH Racing Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC is looking forward to working with Accu-Force Dynos & Testers throughout the 2020 season. Owned by Keith Berner, Accu-Force will be providing shock/spring testing equipment as well as technical support to Series Tech Officials for the 2020 season.

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PACE PERFORMANCE RUSH SERIES JOINS WITH MYRACEPASS; LINEUPS, LIVE TIMING & RESULTS FOR 2020 TOUR EVENTS & OTHER SELECT EVENTS

By Mike Leone March 5, 2020

(Pulaski, PA)...The Pace Performance RUSH Racing Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC is pleased to announce that it has signed on with MyRacePass for the 2020 season. The race management software program will be utilized for RUSH Late Model Touring, RUSH Sportsman Modified Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Touring, and select RUSH Sprint Car events that will include lineups, live timing, and results available on the MyRacePass app.

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PACE PERFORMANCE MOVES TO FOREFRONT AS RUSH RACING SERIES' BRANDING SPONSOR FOR 2020 & BEYOND; SWEENEY CHEVROLET BUICK GMC TO ALSO CONTINUE LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP

By Mike Leone February 26, 2020

(Pulaski, PA)...Ten years ago Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC forged a partnership with Vicki Emig and Mike Leone to develop Chevrolet Performance crate engine Late Model racing in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Through the years, Sweeney's name became synonymous with RUSH's efforts in the expansion of not only Late Models, but Sportsman Modifieds, Sprint Cars, Pro Mods, Pro Stocks, and Asphalt Series. In 2012, Sweeney acquired Pace Performance; and due to their tremendous growth over the past several years in the motorsports industry, Pace Performance will now move to the forefront as the branding sponsor of the RUSH Racing Series.

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