ALVEY & RICOTTA REPEAT IN
SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODELS AT POTOMAC & GENESEE; KERR WINS 1ST EVER IN LM AT
WINCHESTER; CAREER 1ST FOR SCHAFFER IN SPORTSMAN MODS AT LERNERVILLE
By
Jim Zufall & Mike Leone
May 17, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
One of the newest member tracks to RUSH is Dundee, New York’s Outlaw Speedway.
The track formerly known as Black Rock
Speedway is under new ownership by Tyler Siri and after three straight rainouts
and rain in the forecast for last Friday, Outlaw decided to move their program
to a special “Thursday Night Thunder”.
Mike Wonderling took the early lead in the RUSH Late Model
division. By mid-race, Bryce Davis took
the top spot from Wonderling, getting by on lap 10.
Davis would not be challenged the rest of
the way. Davis led a top five sweep by
Touring Series regulars beating out Dave Lyon, John Waters, and brothers Jason
and Brian Knowles . Wonderling finished just out of the top five in sixth.
Next up for Outlaw is this Friday (May
20) for the rained out "Outlaw Spring
Nationals".
Potomac Speedway in Budds Creek, Maryland waited out the early rain on Friday as
RUSH Late Model point leader Darren Alvey scored his second win of the season.
Pole-sitter Mike Franklin led the first
13 laps. A caution gave Avery a chance to
slip into the lead on the restart and go on unchallenged for the remainder of
the event in his Alvey Brothers Farm, Rocket no.30.
"I knew my only chance to get Mike would
be on a restart," Alvey stated afterwards. "He
gave me just enough room when the green came out to get by and we were able to
get it done.” Franklin held on for second
with Matt Tarbox, Ben Bowie and Corey Almond rounding out the top five. The RUSH
Late Models return to Potomac on Sunday, May 29 for Budweiser Night.
Friday night Freedom Speedway in Delevan, New York opened their season as Jeremy
Wonderling and defending track champion Randy Hall lined up on the front
row for the Wilson’s Crane Service RUSH Late Model feature event.
Wonderling took the early lead from Hall
on the first lap. With Hall and
Wonderling putting on a show up front, eighth starting Adam Sixt was working his
way through the field. Hall would suffer
mechanical issues on lap for sending him pit side.
John Waters, Sixt, Damian Bidwell and JJ
Mazur were battling for third, when a dust up between Jimmy Johnson and Nick
Snayczuk bunched up the field.
Later in the race Bidwell was able to take second from Waters and make a bid for
the lead from Wonderling. Bidwell’s attempt fell short giving Wonderling his
first win of 2016. Following Bidwell were
Waters, Brad Mesler and Brady Wonderling. Next up at Freedom this Friday night
is a regular show featuring the NY6A Mini Sprint Tour.
Saturday night at Winchester Speedway, Mike Franklin shot into the lead of the
RUSH Late Model feature leading the first 16 laps of the 20 lap race. Tanner
Kerr had held on to second for most of the event and overtook Franklin on the 17th
circuit and held on for his first career RUSH win, and his first since 2012 at
the track.
"Hats off to Winchester for getting this show in tonight." Kerr stated
post-race. "This class is a perfect fit for our team and to finally be back
racing and to get a win here tonight, I can't describe the feeling right
now." Kerr was followed across the line by Logan Robertson, who got by Franklin
for second. Franklin, Jennae Piper and
Matt Hill made up the top five. After
another good weekend, Franklin leads not only the $5,000 to-win Sweeney Weekly
Series points, but also the $5,000 to-win "Bilstein Bandits" points. The
RUSH Late Models return to action this Saturday.
Genesee Speedway in Batavia NY, another newcomer to the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick
GMC RUSH Racing Series family managed to get in a show despite less than
desirable weather conditions that cancelled most of the region's action.
Perry, New York’s Doug Ricotta fresh off
his win in the season opener at Genesee the week before, started on the pole for
Saturday night’s action. Ricotta
would hold the top spot throughout the feature marred by only one caution on lap
16. Runner up Dave DuBois gave a good challenge for the lead on the restart, but
Ricotta would prevail.
“The car is just absolutely hooked up right now,” exclaimed Ricotta in victory
lane. “The track could not have been any more perfect and the car worked great
on the top.” Following DuBois were Damian
Bidwell, Beamer Guzzardi and Jon Rivers. Action returns to Genesee
Speedway this Saturday night with a regular “Five Star” race program.
Friday night at Sarver, Pennsylvania’s Lernerville Speedway, the Sweeney
Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Sportsman Modifieds were in competition as a companion
event to Tony Stewart's All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars.
It was a Bicknell Weekly Series event and the second of a record six
visits during 2016.
In the Sportsman Modified feature, Chelsie Kriegisch took the early lead with
teammate Jerry Schaffer along with Chas Wolbert and Rocky Kugel in tow.
On lap five, Schaffer spun in the lead
and Kriegisch got caught up in the melee. After
a few more cautions into the event, it was eighth starting Brian Schaffer who
emerged with the lead and would hold on for his first career win in the
division. “We like to keep it interesting but the track was pretty slick in the
middle so we had to work to find the traction,” Schaffer said following his
first career Lernerville win.
Nick Ritchey, who his first career Lernerville race in October at the "Steel
City Stampede" was second.
Kriegisch, who led 18 laps at the April event before finishing second, came from
the rear of the field to finish third over Kyle Martell and Larry Kugel.
The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds return to
action at Lernerville on July 1st along with the RUSH Late Models and
the BOSS Sprints.
The remaining family of tracks in the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing
Series fell to rain, cold and even snow for some!
Sharon will have FREE "Fan Appreciation Night" on Saturday with the RUSH
Sportsman Modifieds back in action.
The first two events have seen a record 24 cars participate each night.
Sharon offers an increased payoff throughout the entire field with $500
to-win if 24 or more cars are on hand.
Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway has a $1,000 "Sizzler" event for the RUSH Late
Models on Saturday as they hope to get their season underway.
Bradford Speedway will try for a second time to open their season on
Sunday evening. Stateline Speedway
held their only event to date on May 7 as Wyatt Scott scored his first career
RUSH Late Model win on the circuit at his grandparents track, while Justin
Carlson will go down in the history books as the winner of the inaugural RUSH
Pro Mod event. Fulton Speedway in NY
has gotten a pair of Sweeney RUSH Late Model Weekly Series events in with Bryce
Davis and Chris Fleming victorious before last Saturday's rain out.
After a 2015 make-up event at Sharon on April 16 won by Matt Latta, the
scheduled Sweeney Tour kickoff the following Friday was rained out.
The Sweeney Tour has a doubleheader planned this Sunday and Monday in
Ontario, Canada. Sunday will be a
$2,000 to-win Marquee Event at Humberstone Speedway in Port Colborne, where Jeff
Dayman won the season opener RUSH Late Model event on May 8.
Then Monday will mark the second straight year RUSH will be part of the
Victoria Day holiday event at Merrittville Speedway in Thorold for a $2,000
to-win Platinum Event.
Wayne County Speedway (Orrville, OH) and Eriez Speedway (Erie, PA) will host a
pair of $2,000 to-win Marquee Sweeney Tour events on May 28-29.
Both tracks hope to resume Sweeney Weekly Series racing this Saturday and
Sunday.
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, FK Rod Ends, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink
USA, Rocket Chassis, Bobby Lake Motorsports High Gear Speed Shop,
CrateInsider.com, B.R.A.K.E.S., RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.
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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