CAREER 1ST PACE RUSH LATE MODEL WINS FOR MORROW & ALLEN IN THEIR ROOKIE SEASON; 17-YEAR-OLD GROVES WINS CAREER 1ST IN RUSH SPRINTS; AGELESS WONDER BREWER SWEEPS RUSH PRO MOD WEEKEND; CURRY IS 1ST FEMALE RUSH ADULT KART WINNER
By Marcie Barlow
June 10, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Pulaski, PA)...All of the Pace Performance RUSH Racing Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC divisions were in action this past weekend including the Late Models, Sportsman Modifieds, Sprint Cars, Pro Mods, Stock Cars, and Karts as Mother Nature provided sunshine and warm temperatures throughout the region. Zach Morrow, Austin Allen, Nolan Groves, and Morgan Curry tallied their career first victories in their respective RUSH divisions. In addition, veterans Mike Knight and Al Brewer proved that they still had the skills needed to make it to victory lane.
The RUSH Late Model Division made their first ever appearance of 2021 at New York's Utica-Rome Speedway for a Pace Performance Weekly Series special on Friday night. Chad Homan and Austin Allen led the field to the green with Allen taking the lead. The two battled for the lead before Homan took command on lap five and went on to claim the $1,000 victory. Allen held on for second with Sean Beardsley, Brett Belden and Jason Knowles completing the top five. The RUSH Late Models will return on August 6.
Virginia driver Kyle Hardy invaded Dog Hollow Speedway Friday evening and was able to score his first ever victory at the Northern Cambrian Pa. oval. Hardy, who leads both the National Weekly Series and Flynn's Tire/Born2Run Lubricants Touring Series standings, led the 20-lap main event from start to finish and scored a convincing over Zach Morrow, Tom Snyder, who was subbing for Joe Martin, Michael Duritsky, Jr., and Kyle Smith, Jr. Hardy was getting tuned up for the $3,000 to-win Tour race on July 2.
Raceway 7 RUSH Late Model action was brought to the green by Joe Long and Cory Sines. Long grabbed the top spot with Dave Airgood, Jr. in second. The fight for positions three through six saw Sines, Darrell Bossard, Breyton Santee and Josh Ferry battle early on with Bud Watson joining in as the event neared its midpoint. A caution on lap 11 slowed the field and also saw Airgood retire to the pits. Long went on to lead the final nine circuits to claim his first win of 2021 and second of his career in RUSH competition. Santee, Sines, Bossard and Watson rounded out the top five.
Jeremy Pilkerton claimed his fourth RUSH Late Model victory at Potomac Speedway on Friday night. Pilkerton took the top spot from Delaware invader Matt Hill on the 14th circuit and went on to the victory over Hill, Megan Mann, Ed Pope, Jr. and Ben Bowie.
Friday night racing action at The Hill Speedway saw Ernie Martin lead the first circuit of the Pace RUSH Late Model main event. Steve LeBarron took command on lap two with Jared Keeney close behind. The duo’s battle for the top spot kept the fans on the edge of their seats for the remainder of the main event. Keeney edged ahead to claim the lead on lap eight but a determined LeBarron fought back and took the lead one lap later. At the checkered it was LeBarron, the track's 2020 champion, scoring a very well deserved first RUSH Late Model victory of 2021 over Keeney. Brad Smith, Darrin Horton and Ernie Martin claimed spots three through five.
Saturday evening’s RUSH Late Model action at the Stateline Speedway provided lots of side-by-side racing action. Brian Larson led the first eight circuits holding off the challenges of D.J. Krug and Bud Watson. Watson nosed ahead to lead lap nine followed by Larson, Khole Wanzer and Steve Dixon. Several cautions slowed the action on laps 11, 12 and 13 and provided veteran Scott Gurdak with the opportunity he needed to take the lead. Gurdak was able to work his way around Watson when racing action resumed. He led the remainder of the main event to score his first victory of 2021 over Watson, Darrell Bossard, David Parker and Jason Genco.
Defending track champion Ben Policz and former RUSH Sprint Car racer Zach Morrow led the 19-car field to the green in RUSH Late Model action at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Saturday. Morrow, a rookie RUSH Late Model competitor in 2021, led the entire 20-lap distance to score his first ever Late Model victory as he currently leads the $1,000 to-win RUSH "Track Pack" points at PPMS. Joe Martin, brothers Jake and Zach Gunn, and Daryl Charlier followed Morrow across the finish line.
Chad Homan continued his winning ways at Fulton Speedway on Saturday night as he picked up his third win of the season at the New York oval. Max Hill led the first 12 circuits before Homan took the lead. Chris Fleming battled Homan for the top spot in the final five laps but was unable to overtake him. At the checkered it was Homan who scored his second victory of the weekend. Fleming held on for the second spot with David Pangrazio, Sean Beardsley and Hill completing the top five.
Rookie competitor Austin Allen scored his career victory on Saturday night at Woodhull Raceway in RUSH Late Model competition. Allen weathered four cautions and withstood the challenges of Brian Knowles to score a very popular win in just the eighth race of his career! Jason Knowles, Dusty Waters and Steve LeBarron claimed positions three through five.
Levi Crowl continued his winning ways at Winchester Speedway on Saturday. Crowl used the outside front row starting position to his advantage as beat Devin Brannon to the first turn and never looked back. A lap three caution slowed the field when Brannon spun and collected his father Allan in the process. Several late race cautions slowed the field but each time the racing action resumed Crowl maintained the top spot and went on to claim the $1,000 victory. Lady racer Megan Mann scored her second top five finish of the weekend to capture the second spot (a career Winchester best) over Scott Sweeney, Jr. and Daniel Brown, Jr. Devin Brannon recovered from the early race incident and worked his way back to the fifth spot.
Fresh off the $2,000 Flynn's Tire/Born2Run Lubricants Tour win, Jeremy Wonderling scored his second consecutive victory at the Genesee Speedway Saturday night. Wonderling led ever circuit of the 25-lap main event to score a six second victory over Doug Ricotta. Jimmy Johnson, J.J. Mazur and Bill Holmes followed Ricotta in positions three through five.
Sunday evening’s Pace Performance RUSH Late Model action at the Eriez Speedway was led to the green by veterans Mike Knight and Chub Frank. Knight took command at the start and was followed by Jason Genco, Frank, Scott Gurdak and Bruce Hordusky. Several cautions would slow the field but each time racing action resumed Knight stayed in command and went on to score his second RUSH Late Model victory of the season at the Erie oval and also maintained the points lead in the RUSH "Track Pack" at Eriez. Genco captured the runner-up position with Frank claiming third. Hordusky, who made his season debut, and Gurdak completed the top five.
The Pace Performance RUSH Sprint Cars were in action on both Saturday and Sunday as part of the Western PA Speedweek shows at Sharon Speedway and Tri-City Raceway Park. Saturday night at Sharon, 17-year-old Nolan Groves scored his first ever victory defeating two-time Series Champion Brian Ruhlman by more than 3.5 seconds. Most impressively was the fact that 2020 "Futures Cup" Champion did it from 12th starting spot against an all-time record 23-car field! Steve Pedley, Blaze Myers and Brian Ruhlman in his season debut rounded out the top five.
Third generation racer Gale Ruth, Jr. dominated Sunday’s RUSH Sprint Car event at Tri-City to become the third member of his family to stand in victory lane at the Franklin, PA oval! Ruth became the first repeat winner of the season after six Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series events. Veterans Arnie Kent and Rod George swapped the second and third positions several times during the 20-lap main event; at the checkered flag it was Kent who claimed the runner-up spot over George. John Mollick and Groves completed the top five.
An invert zero in RUSH Sportsman Modified action at the Sharon Speedway placed defending Series’ champion Chas Wolbert on the front row. Wolbert led the entire distance of the 20-lap event to claim his second win in three events thus far at the Hartford, Ohio oval in 2021. Wolbert continues to lead the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Weekly Series standings as well as the Wedge Motorsports "Route 7 Rumble" Series and Sharon track points. Justin Shea finished in the second spot with 14-year-old Rookie Ben Easler capturing third. Rob Kristyak and Tony Tatgenhorst completed the top five.
Weekly Pace Performance RUSH Pro Mod action took place at both Stateline and Bradford Speedways this past weekend. Sixty-five-year-old veteran Al Brewer proved that “age is just a number” as he scored victories at both tracks for his first wins of 2021! On Saturday evening at Stateline, Brewer led the main event from start to finish to claim the win over Mike Eschrich, Dennis Lunger, Adam Ashcroft and C.J. Irons. In Sunday night action at Bradford, Brewer defeated Lunger, and Critter Hemphill.
Weekly Pace Performance RUSH Stock Car action at Dog Hollow Speedway saw Bob Torquato score his second divisional win of 2021. Rookie Mikael Beaver was victorious in RUSH Stock Car action at both Stateline and Eriez Speedways.
Pace Performance/Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Karting action at the Stateline Speedway continued this week with the following visiting victory lane: RUSH Amateur – Bexley Smith; Junior #1 – Ryan Chase; Junior #2 – Cody Rickard and Adults – Morgan Curry. Curry's win came over standout Jay Groves amongst the 10-kart field as she became the first ever female winner in the RUSH Adult Kart class.
Pace Performance RUSH Late Model weekly action continues this weekend on Friday at Dog Hollow Speedway, Raceway 7 and The Hill Speedway. Saturday night RUSH Late Model racing is on the card at Delaware International Raceway, Fulton Speedway, Genesee Speedway, Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Stateline Speedway, Winchester Speedway and Woodhull Raceway. Eriez Speedway and Bradford Raceway will both host RUSH Late Model action Sunday evening. Potomac Speedway will be idle this week.
Pace Performance RUSH Sprint Car action will resume on Tuesday, June 15 at the Sharon Speedway as part of FloRacing All Star Circuit of Champions Ohio Sprint Speedweek action before a pair of $1,000 to-win races next Saturday and Sunday at McKean County Raceway and Bradford Speedway
The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds have two nights of racing scheduled this weekend as they will be at Raceway 7 on Friday for the Wedge Motorsports "Route 7 Rumble" Series and then head to Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway for their second appearance of the season on Saturday.
Stateline Speedway will host the RUSH Pro Mod “Manufacturers Night” presented by MSD Performance with nearly $15,000 of product giveaways. The Pro Mods will also be in action on Sunday at Bradford.
The Pace Performance RUSH Stock Car Division will be in action weekly at Dog Hollow, Stateline, and Eriez Speedways Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night respectively.
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, 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 Racing Series website is www.rushracingseries.com. Like our various Facebook page and Twitter accounts by searching for the appropriate divisions.
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