JEREMY WONDERLING DOMINATES THE NIGHT AT STATELINE FOR PACE RUSH LATE MODELS EARNING HIS 3RD “BILL LAW MEMORIAL” IN 4 TRIES FOR FLYNN’S TIRE/BORN2RUN LUBRICANTS TOURING SERIES; STATELINE RECORD 43 CARS COMPETE

By Mike Leone

 

May 15, 2021               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Busti, NY)...One month after a successful “Battle of the Bay” Speedweek, the Pace Performance RUSH Dirt Late Model Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC resumed action on Saturday night for the season’s only appearance at Stateline Speedway located just across the Pennsylvania border in Busti, NY.  The “Bill Law Memorial” marked just the fourth appearance by the Flynn’s Tire/Born2Run Lubricants Tour at Stateline, and the 43-car turnout was a high watermark for the track shattering the prior record of 33 set at the 2019 show.  The event paid tribute to the late Law, who had the first Crate Late Model in the Northeast more than 14 years ago.  Law was a huge supporter of racing in the region and helped kick-start the racing career of his grandson, Kyle Murray, who currently competes in a RUSH Late Model. 

 

Jeremy Wonderling has never been a regular at Stateline Speedway, but you sure would never know it.  The defending and three-time Touring Series Champion won his heat race, the Sunoco Dash, and completely dominated the 30-lap caution-free feature for his third “Bill Law Memorial” victory in four tries at Stateline.  The $2,000 win was Wonderling’s first in 2021 RUSH competition and propelled him from sixth to third in Tour points in his run for an unprecedented fourth straight title.    

 

“This race is on the bucket list every year and it’s pretty cool to win this three times,” stated the 41-year-old Wellsville, NY winner.  “I grew up with Jon (Law) and knew Bill (Law) since he used to help my uncle on his race cars.  I’m good friends with Kyle (Murray) now so this means a lot.  I’ve been struggling with this car since the beginning of the year at Delaware.  I worked on it all week long trying to get it back to where it was last year.  I have to thank Jim Stevens a ton, Close Racing Supply, everyone that helps, and my parents.  We finally got my race car back where it needs to be- and it’s pretty good.”

 

Wonderling shed fellow New Yorker and front row starter John Waters at the start of the 30-lap event, while Jason Genco and Michael Duritsky, Jr. were able to move by Waters for second and third on the opening lap.  Wonderling had close to a straightaway advantage on Genco by the time he caught lapped traffic on lap nine.  Wonderling maintained a comfortable advantage in lapped traffic as the laps ticked off; meanwhile Duritsky had his hands full trying to fend off Waters, Joe Martin, and Darrell Bossard.  Duritsky was able to finally break away as he left Waters, Martin, and Bossard to really go at it for fourth on lap 26.

 

Wonderling lapped up to 15th as he was able to maneuver through traffic putting his car wherever it needed to be.  Wonderling’s Terry Prince Contracting/Close Racing Supply/Performance Bodies/The Store/

Winters Performance/Beyea Headers/Swift Springs/Penske Shocks/Hoosier Tire-sponsored #3J took the checkered flag first for his eighth career Tour win by 4.112 seconds in the feature event that was timed in 9:41.576.  Wonderling also received a Precise Racing Products 5-Gallon Race Jug for his victory.

 

Genco’s runner-up was worth $1,000 and matched his best Tour finish since a runner-up at Genesee Speedway on June 1, 2019.  Duritsky, who is in his third year running full-time and has made starts every year since 2015, recorded his career best Tour finish in third as he rounded out the podium.  Durisky’s prior best effort was a fourth on July 13, 2019 at Le RPM Speedway in Quebec. 

 

“This is the best run we’ve had in a Tour race and we usually don’t run well here so I’m real happy,” expressed Duritsky, 24-year-old Masontown, Pa.  “This is a brand new car and I couldn’t be happier with it.  I have to thank my Lord and Savior, Mike’s Repair, Ingram Engines, RUSH for having us, my dad, Jenna Frazee, all of my sponsors, and everyone that works on the car during the week- it’s a big help.”

 

Despite dropping two positions from his outside pole starting spot, Waters’ fourth place was the first top 10 of the Tour season for the 2016 champion.  Waters also received a $150 spoiler kit from Ontime Body & Graphic.  Martin, who won Friday night’s Pace Weekly Series opener at Dog Hollow Speedway, backed up his fifth place at Winchester with another top five run as he climbs the point ladder.

 

While Bossard qualified for the feature at all three “Battle of the Bay” events, he was only was able to record a best finish of 18th.  Bossard improved on that with a solid sixth place effort.  Stateline regular and 62-year-old racing veteran, Scott Gurdak, raced from 10th to seventh at the finish.  Jason Knowles, who won last Saturday night at New York’s Woodhull Raceway, made his first Tour start of 2021 and went 12th to eighth.  Kyle Lukon, who has now finished in the top 10 at all four Tour events, moved into second in points after his ninth place finish.  After sweeping the three “Battle of the Bay” events, Virginia’s Kyle Hardy made his first visit to Stateline and completed the top 10 after starting 14th.  Hardy continues to lead both the Tour and National Weekly Series standings.

 

Khole Wanzer passed Matt Sipes on the opening lap and held off a valiant effort by Jake Gunn to close out the night winning the 10-lap Non-Qualifier.  Wanzer beat Gunn in a drag race off turn four by just 0.168 of a second as he became the amazing 47th different winner in 56 Non-Qualifier races run-all-time.  Wanzer’s $200 victory came in the Ken Wanzer-owned, MS Photos/Mill Run Collision Center/Kim’s Waterford Diner/JW Landscaping/Pioneer Resale-sponsored #01W.  Brian Kotarski was third after starting seventh.  Rookie Logan Jaquay charged from 11th to fourth, while Gary Troyer went 12th to fifth. 

 

Seventeen-year-old Ryan Frazee earned his second career FK Rod Ends $100 “Shock the Clock” fast qualifier award.  Frazee’s 17.399 was best over the 43-car field and came in flight B coming up just short of eclipsing Waters’ 17.376 standard set back at the 2017 inaugural “Bill Law Memorial” event.  Genco, John Woodward, Duritsky, Waters, Wonderling, and Martin earned $25 for winning FK Rod Ends heat races.  Chad Clement, Josh Ferry, and Mazur copped the three last chance B mains.  Wonderling’s first Sunoco Dash win of 2021 earned him a $100 Sunoco gift card, while Darrell Bossard received a $100 gift card as well through the random draw at the drivers meeting part of the “Fill’er up with Sunoco Bucks” presented by Sunoco and Zarin Truck & Auto.  

 

J.J. Mazur went 21st to 16th in the feature to earn the $100 Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger gift card.  Matt Sipes missed transferring to the feature by one spot and earned the “Nosed Out” $100 gift card from Performance Bodies.  T.J. Downs, who had mechanical issues throughout the night, was selected as the TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night” recipient.

 

The Flynn’s Tire/Born2Run Lubricants Touring Series will be right back in action on Sunday (May 17) for the first of two appearances in 2021 at Eriez Speedway in Erie, Pa. for a $2,000 to-win Marquee event.  Warmups will get underway at 6:15 p.m.

 

Pace Performance RUSH Late Model Flynn’s Tire/Born2Run Lubricants Touring Series “Bill Law Memorial” Race #4 (30 laps, $2,000 to-win): 1. JEREMY WONDERLING (3J)  2. Jason Genco (Craig/Badgley 29J)  3. Michael Duritsky, Jr. (90J)  4. John Waters (LeBarron 11)  5. Joe Martin (Snyder 10s)  6. Darrell Bossard (Winans 213)  7. Scott Gurdak (Hollabaugh 5G)  8. Jason Knowles (4)  9. Kyle Lukon (184)  10. Kyle Hardy (99)  11. John Woodward (Krug 87)  12. Ryan Frazee (11F)  13. Andy Boozel (12B)  14. David Pangrazio (136)  15. Bud Watson (225)  16. J.J. Mazur (13)  17. Bobby Rohrer (11)  18. Cory Sines (25S)  19. Chad Schauers (28K)  20. Tommy Schirnhofer, Jr. (8)  21. Josh Ferry (33)  22. Logan Zarin (1z)  23. Jeff Hoffman (32)  24. Chad Clement (45)  25. Jared Keeney (33z)  (Note: Logan Zarin took a Series provisional).

 

Non-Qualifier (10 laps, $200 to-win): 1. Khole Wanzer (01W)  2. Jake Gunn (14G)  3. Brian Kotarski (129)  4. Logan Jaquay (Briggs 99*)  5. Gary Troyer (13)  6. Brian Larson (2B)  7. Ward Schell (61s)  8. Jacob Peterson (McGee 112)  9. Matt Sipes (25)  10. Paul Norman (6)  11. D.J. Krug (83)  12. Steve Houzer (33z)  13. David Parker (2).  DNS: T.J. Downs (1), Rodney Houser (360), Lonnie Waldron (43), Darrin Waldron (97), Gary Youngs (Y26).

 

Car Count: 43

Feature Time of the Event: 9:41.576

Feature Margin of Victory: 4.112 seconds
Feature Lap Leaders: Jeremy Wonderling (1-30)

Ontime Body & Graphic “Spoiler Alert” Spoiler Kit: John Waters

Performance Bodies “Nosed Out”: Matt Sipes

Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: J.J. Mazur (+5)

Precise Racing Products 5-Gallon Race Jug: Jeremy Wonderling

Sunoco and Zarin Truck & Auto $100 Sunoco Fuel Cards: Darrell Bossard & Jeremy Wonderling

TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night”: T.J. Downs

 

FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying Flight A: 1. 213-Darrell Bossard, 00:17.671[3]; 2. 184-Kyle Lukon, 00:17.694[1]; 3. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr, 00:17.744[17]; 4. 29J-Jason Genco, 00:17.777[9]; 5. 87-John Woodward, 00:17.795[15]; 6. 99*-Logan Jaquay, 00:17.865[13]; 7. 225-Bud Watson, 00:17.971[19]; 8. 33K-Jared Keeney, 00:18.059[12]; 9. 11R-Robert Rohrer, 00:18.079[5]; 10. 2B-Brian Larson, 00:18.195[14]; 11. 25-Matt Sipes, 00:18.206[8]; 12. 28K-Chad Schauers, 00:18.334[4]; 13. 45C-Chad Clement, 00:18.398[20]; 14. 83-DJ Krug, 00:18.418[16]; 15. 112-Jacob Peterson, 00:18.596[21]; 16. 33Z-Steve Houser, 00:19.028[2]; 17. 129-Brian Kotarski, NT; 18. 97-Darrin Waldron, DSQ; 19. Y26-Gary Youngs, DSQ; 20. 25S-Cory Sines, DSQ; 21. 360-Rodney Houser, DSQ; 22. 43-Lonnie Waldron, DSQ.

 

FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying Flight B: ($100 for fast time) (Track Record: 17.376 by John Waters 5/20/17): 1. 11F-Ryan Frazee, 00:17.399[10]; 2. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling, 00:17.412[18]; 3. 10S-Joe Martin, 00:17.437[17]; 4. 11L-John Waters, 00:17.544[2]; 5. 12B-Andy Boozel, 00:17.677[11]; 6. 136-David Pangrazio, 00:17.688[5]; 7. 99-Kyle Hardy, 00:17.696[4]; 8. 5G-Scott Gurdak, 00:17.728[20]; 9. 4-Jason Knowles, 00:17.801[12]; 10. 33-Josh Ferry, 00:17.918[8]; 11. 32-Jeff Hoffman, 00:17.935[3]; 12. 13-JJ Mazur, 00:17.976[19]; 13. 8S-Tommy Schirnhofer Jr, 00:17.997[14]; 14. 1Z-Logan Zarin, 00:18.070[21]; 15. 14G-Jake Gunn, 00:18.125[7]; 16. 2-David Parker, 00:18.130[13]; 17. 13T-Gary Troyer, 00:18.250[6]; 18. 61S-Ward Schell, 00:18.257[15]; 19. 01W-Khole Wanzer, 00:18.340[1]; 20. 6N-Paul Norman, 00:18.483[9]; 21. 1-TJ Downs, NT[16].

  

FK Rod Ends Heat 1 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 29J-Jason Genco[2]; 2. 213-Darrell Bossard[1]; 3. 225-Bud Watson[3]; 4. 45C-Chad Clement[5]; 5. 2B-Brian Larson[4]; 6. 33Z-Steve Houser[6]; 7. 43-Lonnie Waldron[8]; 8. (DNS) Y26-Gary Youngs.

 

FK Rod Ends Heat 2 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 87-John Woodward[2]; 2. 184-Kyle Lukon[1]; 3. 25S-Cory Sines[7]; 4. 33K-Jared Keeney[3]; 5. 25-Matt Sipes[4]; 6. 129-Brian Kotarski[6]; 7. 83-DJ Krug[5]

 

FK Rod Ends Heat 3 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr[1]; 2. 11R-Robert Rohrer[3]; 3. 28K-Chad Schauers[4]; 4. 112-Jacob Peterson[5]; 5. 99*-Logan Jaquay[2]; 6. (DNS) 360-Rodney Houser; 7. (DQ) 97-Darrin Waldron[6].

 

FK Rod Ends Heat 4 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 11L-John Waters[2]; 2. 11F-Ryan Frazee[1]; 3. 99-Kyle Hardy[3]; 4. 33-Josh Ferry[4]; 5. 8S-Tommy Schirnhofer Jr[5]; 6. 2-David Parker[6]; 7. 01W-Khole Wanzer[7].

 

FK Rod Ends Heat 5 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[1]; 2. 5G-Scott Gurdak[3]; 3. 12B-Andy Boozel[2]; 4. 32-Jeff Hoffman[4]; 5. 1Z-Logan Zarin[5]; 6. 13T-Gary Troyer[6]; 7. 6N-Paul Norman[7].

 

FK Rod Ends Heat 6 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 10S-Joe Martin[1]; 2. 4-Jason Knowles[3]; 3. 136-David Pangrazio[2]; 4. 13-JJ Mazur[4]; 5. 14G-Jake Gunn[5]; 6. 61S-Ward Schell[6]; 7. 1-TJ Downs[7]

 

Last Chance B Main 1 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 33K-Jared Keeney[2]; 2. 45C-Chad Clement[1]; 3. 25-Matt Sipes[4]; 4. 2B-Brian Larson[3]; 5. 129-Brian Kotarski[6]; 6. 83-DJ Krug[8]; 7. 43-Lonnie Waldron[7]; 8. 33Z-Steve Houser[5]; 9. (DNS) Y26-Gary Youngs.

 

Last Chance B Main 2 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 33-Josh Ferry[2]; 2. 8S-Tommy Schirnhofer Jr[4]; 3. 01W-Khole Wanzer[8]; 4. 112-Jacob Peterson[1]; 5. 2-David Parker[6]; 6. 99*-Logan Jaquay[3]; 7. (DNS) 360-Rodney Houser; 8. (DNS) 97-Darrin Waldron.

 

Last Chance B Main 3 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 13-JJ Mazur[2]; 2. 32-Jeff Hoffman[1]; 3. 14G-Jake Gunn[4]; 4. 6N-Paul Norman[7]; 5. 61S-Ward Schell[6]; 6. 1Z-Logan Zarin[3]; 7. 13T-Gary Troyer[5]; 8. (DNS) 1-TJ Downs.

 

Sunoco Dash (6 laps, $100 Sunoco fuel card to-win): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[4]; 2. 11L-John Waters[1]; 3. 29J-Jason Genco[2]; 4. 10S-Joe Martin[5]; 5. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr[6]; 6. 87-John Woodward[3].

 

RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Pace Performance together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, Born2Run Lubricants, Flynn's Tire & Auto Service, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Dirt Defender, Wrisco Industries, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Zarin Truck & Automotive, Sherwood Wheels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, Stop-Fyre, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Waterstone Mortgage Hermitage, CrateInsider.com, and Wedge Motorsports.

 

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.  The RUSH Late Model website is www.rushlatemodels.com. Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.

 

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