“OFF WITH THE TOPS” COMING FRIDAY & SATURDAY TO LERNERVILLE & SHARON; PART OF 5-NIGHT SPEEDWEEK FOR SWEENEY RUSH LM TOUR WITH ADDITIONAL $10K IN CASH & CONTINGENCIES
By Mike Leone

July 2, 2013                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)…After a weekend off, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series is gearing up for a big stretch of competition with five nights of racing over a nine-day period all part of the “Cross the Borders” Speedweek.  This weekend will be the first two nights of action titled “Off with the Tops” presented by RainEater Wiper Blades at Lernerville Speedway on Friday night (July 5) and at Sharon Speedway on Saturday night (July 6).

 

Both events this weekend will be topless in a unique pairing with the non-wing BOSS Sprint Series.  Events #7 and 8 of the 2013 26-event Sweeny Touring slate will pay $1,200 to-win on Friday night at Lernerville then $2,000 to-win on Saturday night at Sharon! 

 

Sharon’s event will also be “Sweeney Night” as one lucky RUSH racer will leave with a brand new GM 604 engine valued at over $5,500 thanks to Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC/Pace Performance!  Drivers will get one chance for participating, a second chance for being either a Weekly or Touring Series member, and a third chance if they are members of both Series.  Past winners include Ben Black (2011) and Paul Jablonski (2012). 

 

“If Mother Natures cooperates, this should be a great weekend,” expressed RUSH Co-Director Vicki Emig.  “We’ve received a lot of interest and excitement about both days.  It’s no secret guys love racing at Lernerville and we were disappointed to lose our Sweeney Weekly Series event back in May.  With $2,000 on the line Saturday and the engine giveaway, it’ll add a lot of prestige and excitement to Sharon’s event.  Then to top it off, it’ll be an exciting weekend for the fans with us racing topless with the non-wing BOSS Sprints.”

 

In addition to the engine giveaway and the normal Touring Series contingencies, TurboStart will again giveaway a 16-volt racing battery valued at over $250!  TurboStart is giving 10 of these batteries away this season.  So far, Michael Lake and Mike Pegher, Jr. have been the recipients. 

 

Also effective immediately, RUSH, in conjunction with Sunoco Race Fuels, will award the first racer that wins a Sweeney Touring Series feature event utilizing Sunoco 260 GT Plus a $500 bonus! 

 

This weekend’s events will also make up the five-night “Cross the Borders” Speedweek as it will join up with Expo Speedway on Wednesday, July 10, McKean County Raceway on Thursday, July 11, and finish up with Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 12! 

 

Providing a minimum of four of the events are completed, a $3,000 additional Speedweek point fund will be paid out with $1,000 going to the champion paying down to $100 for 10th.  If three events are completed, a $2,000 point fund will be paid.  With the Speedweek point fund, engine giveaway, and the various other contingencies over $10,000 in cash and contingencies will be distributed during Speedweek!

 

Mike Pegher, Jr. enters the weekend on a hot streak and as the Sweeney Touring Series point leader.  The Wexford, Pa. driver swept the events on June 21 and 22 at Hagerstown and Roaring Knob for over $4,000! Pegher leads opening event Hagerstown winner, Rick Singleton, by 12 in the championship chase.  Glenn Elliott, Sharon May 26 winner Ryan Montgomery, and Joe Martin are separated by just eight points in the battle for third!

The top 15 drivers will share in the season ending Sweeney Touring Series point fund.  Currently occupying sixth through 15th in points are John Over, Jorden Peters, Chad Ruhlman, Butch Lambert, Matt Glanden, Michael Lake, Cody Dawson, Josh Double, D.J. Troutman, and Scott Tessman.

The Bobby Lake Motorsports “Shock the Clock & Beat the Heat” Quick Cash Programs will be in effect on Saturday night at Sharon.  The fast qualifier will receive $100, while each of the heat race winners will receive an extra $25 cash. 

 

The K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash will be run each night awarding $100 K&N certificate for the win, $50 certificate for second and $25 cash to all other starters.  Saturday’s K&N Dash will determine the beginning of the feature lineup.  Chad McClellan, Chad Ruhlman, Glenn Elliott, Doug Ricotta, D.J. Troutman, and Mike Pegher, Jr. have picked up the victories so far.  Elliott is the K&N point leader.


Other programs taking place this weekend will be the Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down Hard Charger” as the driver that passes the most cars in the feature will receive $100 Precise certificate.  RUSH Officials will choose The Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night” each night as these drivers will receive three
bottles of Xtreme6 Racing Brake Fluid valued at approximately $45 along with a certificate good for either $50 off of a purchase of $100 or more or 20% off any The Brake Man purchase.

 

The “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series will be held for drivers failing to qualify for the feature each night.  Randy Wible won the opening event at Hagerstown, Russell Baird, Jr. and Mike Anderson won the Sharon races, and Matt Harvey won at McKean.  Jamie Brown is the current point leader.

 

Lernerville Feature Payoff: 1. $1,200  2. $700  3. $500  4. $370  5. $350  6. $315  7. $300  8. $270  9. $260  10. $255  11. $230  12. $215  13. $205  14. $200  15. $175  16. $170  17. $165  18-24. $160.

Lernerville Non-Qualifier: 1. $125  2. $100  3. $90  4. $85  5. $80  6. $75  7. $70  8. $65  9. $60  10-24. $55.  Tow $50.

 

Sharon 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. 


Sharon 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.

 

Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Touring Series DRIVER Points (must be Touring member to receive points): 1. Mike Pegher, Jr. 647  2. Rick Singleton 635  3. Glenn Elliott 617  4. Ryan Montgomery 610  5. Joe Martin 609  6. John Over 575  7. Jorden Peters 559  8. Chad Ruhlman 516  9. Butch Lambert 480  10. Matt Glanden 466  11. Michael Lake 451  12. Cody Dawson 444  13. Josh Double 321  14. D.J. Troutman 304  15. Scott Tessman 292  16. W.L. Stile 287  17. Lauren Longbrake 256  18. Josh Holtgraver 250  19. Andrew Wylie 246  20. Matt Latta 240  21. Shane Weaver 229  22. Paul McGinley 217  23. Andrew Satterlee 187  24. Bryce Davis 184  25. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 170  26. Mike Wharton 151  27. Justin Tatlow 148  28. Russell Baird, Jr. 142  29. Jamie Brown 140  30. Max Blair 96  31. Dan Angelicchio 92  32. Darren Peters 87  33. Troy Swindell 85  34. Adam Sixt 80  35. Will Thomas III 75  36. Eric Wilson & Randy Wible 70.

 

You do not have to be a RUSH member to compete in any RUSH-sanctioned event.  There will be a $50 entry fee at Lernerville and $100 at Sharon.  RACEceivers and transponders will be mandatory at both events.  Rentals will be available. 

 

For Lernerville, gates open at 5 p.m. with warm-ups at 7 and racing at 7:30.  Lernerville has been gracious enough to allow RUSH members the same pit discount ($10) as DIRTcar members.  Pit passes will be $20 for DIRTcar/RUSH members and $30 for all others.  For Sharon, pits open at 4 p.m. with group qualifying at approximately 6:30 and racing at 7.  Pit passes are $30.

 

Lernerville is a 4/10-mile high-banked clay oval located 11 miles southeast of Butler, Pa. on Route 356 at 313 North Pike Road, Sarver, PA 16055.  Lernerville is just 30 miles northeast of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.  For more information, check out their website at www.lernerville.com or call 724-353-1511 (office) or 724-353-1350 (track).

 

Sharon Speedway is a 3/8-mile dirt track with a GPS address of 3241 Custer-Orangeville Rd. NE, Burghill, OH 44404.  For more information, check out their website at www.sharonspeedway.com or call 330-772-5481.  As for their social media outlets, you can like their page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SharonSpeedway or follow them on Twitter @SharonSpdwy.

 

2013 RUSH marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, RainEater Wiper Blades, Hoosier Tire, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, The Brake Man, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, TurboStart, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, K1 RaceGear, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Wrisco Industries, High Gear Speed Shop, Utsinger’s Towing, 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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