SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOURING SERIES HEADS TO ERIEZ SUNDAY FOR 1ST OF 2 $2,000 TO-WIN MARQUEE EVENTS

By Mike Leone

May 24, 2017             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Erie, PA)…After a successful pair of events to open the season last weekend at Stateline and Merrittville Speedways, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series powered by Pace Performance will make a stop on Sunday (May 28) at Eriez Speedway.  The 3/8-mile facility owned by Bob and Kathy Rohrer will host the first of two $2,000 to-win Marquee Tour events at their Erie, Pa. track.  Warm-ups are slated for 6 p.m.

The 2017 season marks the third consecutive year under the Sweeney RUSH Weekly Series banner for Eriez.  Eriez has only been able to complete one event during the wet spring with Jason Genco victorious over a 19-car field on May 14.  The Sweeney Tour has made a pair of visits each of the past two seasons with the Blairs winning all four as Max has three wins and his father, Rob, one in a substitution role at the event last May.  The average car count for the four events has been just over 33 cars per night.

"We have to thank the Rohrer Family for their continued support of RUSH," stated RUSH Director Vicki Emig.  "Not only do their sanction their Crate Late Models weekly with us, but again have stepped up to offer two $2,000 to-win Marquee Tour events, and this year are bringing in our RUSH Sportsman Modifieds for the first time ever in August.  Last year they averaged over 20 cars per weekly event and that's expected to continue this year.  The Rohrers have done tremendous job with the facility and racing surface, and continually receive rave reviews.  We always enjoy our Touring Series events at Eriez as their tough weekly field always poses a challenge to our Touring stars and other invaders."

Jeremy Wonderling laid down the gauntlet last Saturday night winning a thrilling first ever Sweeney Tour event at Stateline over the 31-car field.  The exiting 30-lap feature went right down to the wire with Wonderling making a bold move in lapped traffic on the final lap to withstand the challenges by Max Blair for the $2,000 victory.  Last August at McKean County Raceway, Wonderling won his first career Sweeney Tour event and is primed to make a run at the championship in 2017 for the first time. 

Then on Monday, Charlie Sandercock made history by becoming the first Canadian to win a Sweeney Tour event and did it on Canadian soil at Merrittville Speedway.  Sandercock's victory was also worth $2,000 in the Platinum event. 

After losing the 2016 Touring Series Championship to John Waters on the final night at Lernerville, Bryce Davis is off to a strong start with a fourth and a second place finishes last weekend to tie 2013 champion, Mike Pegher, Jr., for the early point lead.  Pegher is coming off a pair of third place finishes.  Waters meanwhile hasn't gotten off to the start he had hoped for crashing out of the feature at Stateline and then fading from the pole position to a sixth place finish on Monday at Merrittville.

FK Rod Ends "Shock the Clock Qualifying and Beat the Heat" will be utilized meaning the fastest qualifier will receive $100 and all heat race winners will earn $25.  The K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash will be run paying a $100 K&N certificate to win, $50 K&N certificate for second with $25 cash for third and fourth place.  The K&N Dash will also set the beginning of the 30-lap feature lineup for the top two finishers in the heat races if there are less than five heats or for the heat winners if there are five or more heats. 

Precise Racing Products will award a $100 gift card for the "Pedal Down" Hard Charger that passes the most cars in the feature.  The TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night” will award three bottles of Xtreme6 Racing Brake Fluid valued at approximately $45 along with a certificate for a discount off any TBM Brakes purchase.  

RUSH Officials will choose the "Maxima Performance" Award for a driver that exhibits a performance worthy of such.  The winner will receive a free case of either Maxima Semi-Syn High Performance Racing Oil or Maxima Performance Racing Oil of your choice.  In addition, the winner will receive one can of SC-1 clear coat, one 16-oz bottle of Maxima Cool-Aide concentrate, one 32-oz quart of Maxima PSF power steering fluid, and a Maxima t-shirt.  The value of this prize package is $170!  

ARbodies will award a nose kit to the first non-qualifier part of the "Nosed Out" contingency program.  Also, CrateInsider.com will award a $25 gift certificate to the driver that finishes last on the lead lap at the finish each night. 

Feature payoff: 1. $2,000  2. $1,000  3. $650  4. $550  5. $470  6. $435  7. $410  8. $370  9. $340  10. $310  11. $280  12. $270  13. $260  14. $250  15. $240  16. $230  17. $220  18-24. $210. 

Non-Qualifier: 1. $175  2. $150  3. $140  4. $135  5. $130  6. $125  7. $120  8. $115  9. $110  10-24. $105.  Tow $100.

Cumulative Touring Series points (only Touring members receive points): 1. Bryce Davis & Mike Pegher, Jr. 192  3. Jason Knowles 181  4. J.J. Mazur 173  5. Bruce Hordusky, Jr. & John Waters 162  7. Chad Wright 156  8. Brian Knowles 155  9. Jeremy Wonderling 100  10. Max Blair 98  11. Matt Latta 86  12. Jamie Brown 81  13. Jamie Wrightsman 76  14. Kyle Murray, Tony White & DJ Krug 70.  

You do not have to a member of RUSH to compete.  The yellow Westhold transponders will be used.  RACEceivers are always mandatory on the default 454.000 channel.  There will be a $100 entry fee.  Pit passes are $30.  Pit gates open at 4 p.m.  Drivers meeting is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. with warm-ups at 6:00 followed by qualifying and racing and racing at 6:30. 

Eriez Speedway is a 3/8-mile track located outside of Erie, Pa. in Hammett at 9821 Sampson Rd., Erie, PA 16509.  For more information, check out www.eriez-speedway.com.  Follow them on Twitter @EriezSpeedway1 and like their page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/eriezspeedway. 

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, Holley Performance Products, Earl's Performance Plumbing, Quick Fuel Technology, FK Rod Ends, Maxima Racing Oil, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, TBM Brakes, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, Rocket Chassis, Landrum Performance Spring, CrateInsider.com, 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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