HERSH SCORES CAREER 1ST WIN WHILE SANDERCOCK ADDS ANOTHER SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL WIN AS BOTH DRIVERS EXCEL ON BILSTEIN SHOCKS

By Jim Zufall and Mike Leone       

 

May 20, 2015             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Pulaski, PA)…Another race weekend and another bout with the weather highlighted the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model and Sportsman Modified Series. The persistent rain and thunderstorms throughout the weekend forced the majority of RUSH-sanctioned tracks to cancel racing.

 

On Friday night, Freedom Speedway almost got a full show in the books; however, the division that did fall to rain was the RUSH Late Models. John Waters, Adam Sixt and Zach Carley were the winners of the three heat races in the Carley Collision RUSH Late Models, but the feature event was postponed due to rain after five laps with Waters leading. After a Memorial Day Weekend of Motocross events, regular auto racing returns to the Delevan, New York oval on Friday, May 29 with the make-up RUSH feature along with a complete new program.

 

Further north in La Fargeville, New York, Can-Am Motorsports Park battled the rain, but eventually lost out.  The program got underway, but showers during the program proved too much. 

 

Saturday night’s rains did the most damage to the RUSH schedule as Sharon Speedway, Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Wayne County Speedway and Stateline Speedway all fell to rain.  The RUSH Late Models were off at Winchester as they were on Friday night at sister speedway, Potomac.

 

Saturday night at Brighton Speedway, Charlie Sandercock claimed his second victory of the season after starting 10th in a 17-car field.  Phil Potts started on Sandercock’s left in ninth place at the start of the 30-lap main event, and ultimately it was these two contending for the lead in the final laps.  Before the first 10 laps had clicked off, both drivers were in the top five.  Potts stole the lead spot from pole sitter Adam Turner.

 

By mid-race, Sandercock had moved further ahead taking the runner up spot from Adam Nayler, who had taken second place from Turner earlier. Potts was holding a substantial lead when encountered lapped traffic, slowing him to the point where Sandercock could get by him on lap 21.  Sandercock went on for another victory on the Bilstein sealed, spec shocks. Potts finished second with Nayler, Steve Baldwin and Corey Earl rounding out the top five.  

 

Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex promoter Rick Jones never misses an opportunity to try and complete his racing programs even if Mother Nature is against him.  Roaring Knob went on with the program on Saturday night despite a high likelihood of rain and threatening weather all around.  The rain never did hit the scenic Markleysburg, Pa. facility, and one driver that was certainly glad was Clinton Hersh. 

 

The 15-year-old Somerset, Pa. "Futures Cup" point leader led all 20 laps for his first career win, and did it on the $135 Bilstein Shocks!  Hersh beat some tough customers in former track champions Troy Shields and Michael Lake, Super Late Model star Jared Hawkins, and 2014 Touring Series Champion Ryan Montgomery, who all finished second through fifth!

 

Saturday at New York's Fulton Speedway , the RUSH Late Models competed in a 20-lap feature event.  Alan Fink took the lead from Bret Belden on the eighth lap and never looked back, leading the final 12 laps to take the win, his second of the season.  Belden, Brandon Ford, Sean Beardsley and AJ Kingsley were second through fifth.

 

As the calendar turned to Sunday, rain struck again forcing cancellation of racing at Eriez Speedway.  Action for the RUSH Late Models will return to the Erie, PA speedway this Sunday with a Memorial Day event featuring the Patriot Sprint Tour. The Insinger Performance/Sunoco Race Fuels RUSH Late Model Northern Touring Series comes to Eriez on Sunday June 7th.

 

Sportsman’s Speedway also had to cancel racing after a storm hit the track during the heat races. Racing will return for the Bicknell Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modified Weekly Series and all other divisions at the Knox, PA oval on Sunday with a regular “Sunday Night Thunder” program.

 

The weather was much better in Canada all weekend as Humberstone Speedway completed their show on Sunday night.  Dennis Lunger, Jr. took the lead on lap three and never looked back as he remained a perfect three-for-three this year in Sweeney RUSH Late Model Weekly Series action at the Port Colborne, Ontario oval!  Adam Sixt made his 2015 debut a successful one finishing runner-up over Jorden Peters, Rob Pietz, and Jeff Dayman.

 

And as already posted, Merrittville Speedway wrapped up the Canadian Victory Day holiday weekend on Monday as Max Blair won the debut of Crate Late Models at the Thorold, Ontario speed plant.  Blair's victory was worth $2,000 and came in the opener of the Insinger Performance/Sunoco Race Fuels Northern Touring Series.  Phil Potts was second in his first ever Tour start as Brian Knowles, Lunger, and 17-year-old Colton Ledingham rounded out the top five. 

 

Coming events for some of the other RUSH Member tracks include Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway hosting the annual PENNational for the Precise Racing Products RUSH Late Models this Saturday.  The 25-lap, $1,000 to win show will also pay a minimum of $100 to all participating cars.

 

Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio will have a regular “Steel Valley Thunder” program including the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds on Saturday along with the TUSA Mod Lites.

 

On Saturday, Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio will have a full show including the "410" Sprints, Super Late Models, RUSH Late Models, Super Stocks and Mini Stocks on Boy Scout and McDonalds Night.

 

The Patriot Sprint Tour invades Stateline Speedway in Busti, NY on Saturday night.  Along with the PST, the Memorial Day weekend show also includes the Super Late Models, RUSH Late Models, Modifieds, Street Stocks and Challengers.

 

After a week off, the RUSH Late Models will be back on the card at Winchester Speedway on Saturday night taking part in a program that will feature a $3,500 to-win event for the Super Late Models.

 

Racing continues this Saturday once again in regular weekly events at Brighton, Fulton, and Roaring Knob.

 

The RUSH Late Models return to action at Potomac Speedway for a special Sunday show featuring the Third Annual Ernie Jones Memorial for the Super Late Models. Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks and a special Winchester/Potomac U-Car Challenge are also on the card. 

 

RUSH Late Model marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Bazell Race Fuels, MSD Ignition, Maxima Racing Oil, Jones Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, The Brake Man, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, TurboStart, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Crate Innovations Inc., Velocita-USA, High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, B.R.A.K.E.S., RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.

 

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, 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.
 

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