JEREMY WONDERLING WINS “GARY MONTGOMERY MEMORIAL” FOR 3RD TIME IN 5 YEARS TOPPING AN OUTLAW SPEEDWAY RECORD 33 HOVIS RUSH LATE MODELS FOR THE FLYNN’S TIRE/GUNTER’S HONEY TOURING SERIES EVENT

By Mike Leone

 

May 24, 2024               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Dundee, NY)...After four rainouts in the first five events, beautiful weather finally returned to the region allowing action to resume for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Model Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series on Friday night at Outlaw Speedway.  The fifth annual "Gary Montgomery Memorial" attracted an Outlaw Speedway all-time division record 33 cars with drivers from four different states plus Ontario, Canada.

 

After struggling at the season opening event at Pittsburgh PA Motor Speedway, four-time Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Touring Series Champion, Jeremy Wonderling, captured the “Gary Montgomery Memorial” for the third time in five tries!  Wonderling overtook Jared Miley on a restart on lap seven and set sail over the final 26 caution-free laps going unchallenged for the $3,000 win, which he celebrated in the Landrum Performance Springs victory lane.  It was Wonderling’s first Tour win since August 8, 2023 at Woodhull Raceway- not far from Wonderling’s home in Wellsville, NY.

 

“It means a lot to win this,” expressed the 44-year-old Wonderling, who also has a pair of City Chevrolet Weekly Series wins this year at Genesee Speedway.  “I’ve won this race before, but I’ll try my hardest to win every time for Gary (Montgomery).  All night long I was good on the bottom and I thought I might have it covered on the bottom, but Jared (Miley) showed me the top was there.  The caution came out and he chose the top, which is where he wanted to be, but at the same time you can get a better start on the bottom.  I just sailed it in as far as I could and knew I’d be up in front of him once we got to the corner.  Lapped traffic got dicey, but the car was really drivable and I was able to make some bold moves to get by lapped cars.”

 

After fireworks lit up the shy during the Dave Poske’s Performance Parts “Feel the RUSH” 4-Wide Salute, Miley and Wonderling raced side-by-side for the first three laps of the 30-lap feature before Miley opened up a slight advantage with the momentum around the topside of the speedway.  Rob Pitcher, who was making his Tour debut, passed Brock Pinkerous for third, while Damian Bidwell cracked the top five on lap three.

 

Bill Taylor and Jason Knowles tangled off turn four on the frontstretch as everyone scattered to miss them, which brought out the event’s only caution with six laps scored.  When racing resumed on lap seven, Wonderling took charge and immediately began to pull away, while Pinkerous regained third from Pitcher.  Wonderling stretched out his lead before he caught lapped traffic on lap 14 allowing Miley and Pinkerous to close in as the lead trio pulled away from the field.

 

Pitcher’s excellent run ended when he slowed and exited the event on lap 17 moving Chad Homan to fourth and Bidwell back into the top five.  Wonderling navigated lapped traffic to perfection, while Miley and Pinkerous battled for second.  As the laps wound down, Wonderling continued to stretch his advantage and by the time he crossed the checkered flag it was a whopping 3.878 seconds!  Wonderling’s 23rd career Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Touring Series victory came in his Close Racing Supply/Shuttleworth Auto Sales/Batavia Downs/955 Automotive/Penske Shocks by JDS/Swift Springs-sponsored #3J.

 

Miley and Pinkerous raced side-by-side on numerous occasions over the final 10 laps, but Miley was able to hold on for a runner-up finish in the John Deller #75 worth $1,500 along with a spoiler kit from Ontime Body & Graphic in his first Outlaw start.  Pinkerous followed up his runner-up at Pittsburgh with a third-place effort to take over the points lead in the Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Touring Series for the first time in his young career.  All three of podium teams received a three-pack of premium Heritage Wine Cellars products.

 

Homan was fourth in his 2024 Tour debut, while Bidwell bounced back from failing to qualify for the feature at Pittsburgh with a solid fifth place.  Bryce Davis, who won the inaugural “Gary Montgomery Memorial”, went 15th to 6th in his first Tour start of 2024.  Last year’s winner, Joe Martin, was seventh.  In his first ever Outlaw appearance, Daryl Charlier raced from 19th to 8th to earn the $50 Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger gift card.  Austin Allen, who also failed to qualify for the feature at Pittsburgh, was ninth.  Canadian Craig Graham, who kicked off his third year on the Tour, recorded his second career top 10 finish in 10th.

 

Clayton Tarabori led all six caution-free laps of the non-qualifier.  The recently turned 26-year-old Coudersport, Pa. driver earned $200 for his second career win as part of the “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series presented by D&V Jewelers aboard his Quality Contracting/Fox Hill Lawns/Renna’s Pizza/Sinnemahoning Tavern/Ed Carley Motorsports-sponsored #16T.  Last year’s champion, Brandt Graham, went fifth to second after passing Jacob Tubbs on lap two for the runner-up spot.  Tubbs was third over sixth starting Alan Chapman and eighth starting Rickie Loucks.  Despite not starting the non-qualifier, Chuck LaFleur was the first feature non-qualifier and received a $50 certificate from Holley Performance brands.

 

Homan earned $100 for setting fast time overall in FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying with a lap of 15.254.  Picking up $25 FK Rod Ends heat race victories were Homan, Miley, Wonderling, and Craig Graham, while Jason Knowles copped the last chance B main.  Wonderling won the Sunoco Dash for a $100 Sunoco gift card and added a second $100 Sunoco gift card through the random drawings.  The other Tour racer that won a $100 Sunoco gift card was Austin Allen, while the $50 Sunoco gift cards went to Jacob Tubbs, Criag Graham, Brandt Graham, and Alan Chapman.

 

Winning the Landrum Performance Springs BOGO certificates were Ashton Briggs, Jim Rasey, Martin, Pinkerous, and Austin Hauser.

 

The Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series will return to action for night two of the three-race Memorial Day weekend swing on Saturday (May 25) at Genesee Speedway in Batavia, NY followed by Sunday at Tri-City Raceway Park in Franklin, Pa.  Both events pay $3,000 to-win.  Warmups will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and 5:15 on Sunday with qualifying and racing to follow.

 

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model "Gary Montgomery Memorial" Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series Race #2 (30 laps, $3,000 to-win): 1. JEREMY WONDERLING (3J)  2. Jared Miley (Deller 75)  3. Brock Pinkerous (555)  4. Chad Homan (91)  5. Damian Bidwell (1/2-Pint)  6. Bryce Davis (94)  7. Joe Martin (Snyder 10s) 8. Daryl Charlier (Dobnak 42)  9. Austin Allen (32)  10. Craig Graham (98)  11. Kyle Zimmerman (Stockdale 31)  12. Brian Knowles (7)  13. Jim Rasey (Wrightsman 21J)  14. Kurt Stebbins (26)  15. Brad Mesler (Sturdevant 87S)  16. Cody Dawson (36)  17. Dusty Waters (14W)  18. Ben Easler (02)  19. A.J. Miller (14AJ)  20. Ashton Briggs (11A)  21. Mike Wonderling (18)  22. Rob Pitcher (17)  23. Austin Hauser (51)  24. Bill Taylor (1)  25. Jason Knowles (4).  (Note: Ben Easler took a Tour provisional.)

 

D&V Jewelers Non-Qualifier (6 laps, $200 to-win): 1. Clayton Tarabori (16T)  2. Brandt Graham (14)  3. Jacob Tubbs (89JR)  4. Alan Chapman (64c)  5. Rickie Loucks (Krise 4R)  6. Jimmy Johnson (39J)  7. Mike Smith (96). DNS: Chuck LaFleur (61).

 

Car Count: 33

Feature Margin of Victory: 3.878 seconds
Feature Lap Leaders: Jared Miley (1-6), Jeremy Wonderling (7-30)

Ontime Body & Graphic “Spoiler Alert” Spoiler Kit: Jared Miley

Heritage Wine Cellars 3-Pack of Premium Products: Jeremy Wonderling, Jared Miley, Brock Pinkerous.

Holley Performance Group “Nosed Out”: Chuck LaFleur

Landrum Performance Springs BOGO Certificates: Ashton Briggs, Jim Rasey, Joe Martin, Brock Pinkerous, Austin Hauser.

Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Daryl Charlier (+11)

Precise Racing Products 5-Gallon Race Jug: Jeremy Wonderling

Sunoco Fuel Card Winners: Jeremy Wonderling ($100), Austin Allen ($100), Jacob Tubbs ($50), Craig Graham ($50), Brandt Graham ($50), Alan Chapman ($50)

 

FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Flight A Qualifying (Track record 15.128 by Joe Martin on 5/26/23)  ($100 for fast time): 1. 91-Chad Homan, 00:15.254[2]; 2. 17P-Rob Pitcher, 00:15.342[9]; 3. 1/2PT-Damian Bidwell, 00:15.402[15]; 4. 4-Jason Knowles, 00:15.459[1]; 5. 18-Mike Wonderling, 00:15.499[8]; 6. 94-Bryce Davis, 00:15.499[17]; 7. 21J-Jim Rasey, 00:15.541[13]; 8. 75-Jared Miley, 00:15.663[14]; 9. 02-Benjamin Easler, 00:15.681[16]; 10. 26-Kurt Stebbins, 00:15.695[7]; 11. 96-Mike Smith, 00:15.710[10]; 12. 42-Daryl Charlier, 00:15.738[11]; 13. 31-Kyle Zimmerman, 00:15.797[5]; 14. 89JR-Jacob Tubbs, 00:15.959[4]; 15. 61-Chuck LaFleur, 00:15.960[6]; 16. 4R-Rickie Loucks, 00:16.031[3]; 17. 11A-Ashton Briggs, 00:16.114[12].

 

FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Flight B Qualifying (Track record 15.128 by Joe Martin on 5/26/23): 1. 10S-Joe Martin, 00:15.521[3]; 2. 32A-Austin Allen, 00:15.642[1]; 3. 7-Brian Knowles, 00:15.657[6]; 4. 98-Craig Graham, 00:15.669[5]; 5. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling, 00:15.717[14]; 6. 555-Brock Pinkerous, 00:15.764[11]; 7. 16T-Clayton Tarabori, 00:15.767[9]; 8. 36-Cody Dawson, 00:15.776[2]; 9. 87S-Brad Mesler, 00:15.784[10]; 10. 51-Austin Hauser, 00:15.790[13]; 11. 1-Bill Taylor, 00:15.832[4]; 12. 14-Brandt Graham, 00:15.858[12]; 13. 14AJ-AJ Miller, 00:15.975[16]; 14. 14W-Dusty Waters, 00:16.050[8]; 15. 39J-Jimmy Johnson, 00:16.243[7]; 16. 64C-Alan Chapman, 00:16.324[15].

 

FK Rod Ends Heat 1 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 91-Chad Homan[1]; 2. 1/2PT-Damian Bidwell[2]; 3. 18-Mike Wonderling[3]; 4. 11A-Ashton Briggs[9]; 5. 31-Kyle Zimmerman[7]; 6. 21J-Jim Rasey[4]; 7. 02-Benjamin Easler[5]; 8. 61-Chuck LaFleur[8]; 9. 96-Mike Smith[6].

 

FK Rod Ends Heat 2 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 75-Jared Miley[4]; 2. 17P-Rob Pitcher[1]; 3. 26-Kurt Stebbins[5]; 4. 94-Bryce Davis[3]; 5. 42-Daryl Charlier[6]; 6. 4-Jason Knowles[2]; 7. 89JR-Jacob Tubbs[7]; 8. 4R-Rickie Loucks[8].

 

FK Rod Ends Heat 3 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[3]; 2. 10S-Joe Martin[1]; 3. 7-Brian Knowles[2]; 4. 87S-Brad Mesler[5]; 5. 14AJ-AJ Miller[7]; 6. 1-Bill Taylor[6]; 7. 16T-Clayton Tarabori[4]; 8. 39J-Jimmy Johnson[8].

 

FK Rod Ends Heat 4 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 98-Craig Graham[2]; 2. 555-Brock Pinkerous[3]; 3. 32A-Austin Allen[1]; 4. 51-Austin Hauser[5]; 5. 14W-Dusty Waters[7]; 6. 36-Cody Dawson[4]; 7. 64C-Alan Chapman[8]; 8. 14-Brandt Graham[6].

  

Last Chance B Main (10 laps, Top 4 transfer to A): 1. 4-Jason Knowles[3]; 2. 1-Bill Taylor[2]; 3. 21J-Jim Rasey[1]; 4. 36-Cody Dawson[4]; 5. 02-Benjamin Easler[5]; 6. 61-Chuck LaFleur[9]; 7. 16T-Clayton Tarabori[6]; 8. 89JR-Jacob Tubbs[7]; 9. 39J-Jimmy Johnson[10]; 10. 14-Brandt Graham[12]; 11. 64C-Alan Chapman[8]; 12. 96-Mike Smith[13]; 13. 4R-Rickie Loucks[11].

 

Sunoco Dash (6 laps, $100 Sunoco fuel card to win): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[3]; 2. 75-Jared Miley[1]; 3. 555-Brock Pinkerous[7]; 4. 17P-Rob Pitcher[4]; 5. 91-Chad Homan[2]; 6. 1/2PT-Damian Bidwell[6]; 7. 98-Craig Graham[8]; 8. 10S-Joe Martin[5].

 

The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Flynn's Tire, Gunter's Honey, Sunbelt Rentals, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Landrum Performance Springs, 3C Graphix, Dave Poske's Performance Parts, Velocita-USA, Wieland Metal Services, Frankland Racing Supply, Dusted Steak Seasoning, Ontime Body & Graphic, Sherwood Wheels, D&V Jewelers, Dusted, Heritage Wine Cellars, Precise Racing Products, Wedge Motorsports, Racing Electronics, and Billy’s Garage.   

 

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 X (formerly known as Twitter) @RUSHLM.

 

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