CAREER 1ST HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL WINS FOR YOUNGSTERS MATT BENARD (PITTSBURGH) & ANDREW CHESS (ERIEZ) WHILE MATT HILL'S 1ST WIN OF 2026 COMES AT GEORGETOWN

By Marcie Barlow

 

July 17, 2026              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

(Pulaski, PA)....It was another exciting weekend in the various Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series divisions presented by Born2Run Lubricants. Matt Benard and Andrew Chess celebrated their first career victories in RUSH Late Model Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series racing, while Matt Hill won his first race of 2026.  Meanwhile, Jeremy Wonderling became the first repeat winner in Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Touring Series action at Woodhull Raceway.  Gale Ruth, Jr. won the lone RUSH Sprint Car Rustler Sales and Service Weekly Series event and Raiddan Wilson added to his win total in RUSH Stock Car action.

 

RUSH Late Model teams returned to action at Georgetown Speedway last Friday night in a $1,000 to-win Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series event.  Joey Warren and Amanda Robinson led the field to green, but it was third place starter Matt Hill who would take the lead as the first lap was completed.  Hill went on to lead the entire distance of the 20-lap event to score his first divisional victory of the season by 4.026 seconds over Nick Davis.  Robinson, Trevor Collins and Derek Magee rounded out the top five.

 

Saturday evening at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Cale Schwartzmiller and Clinton Hersh led the 20-car field to green.  Hersh led laps one through four with fourth place starter Matt Benard challenging Hersh by lap eight.  Benard got the top spot on lap nine but Hersh battled back and took command on lap ten.  Hersh continued to lead the way with Benard in close pursuit.  Bernard made his move to take over the lead on lap 15 before a lap 16 caution would slow the field.  Benard maintained the lead when racing resumed and led the final four circuits to score his career first RUSH Late Model victory.  Kyle Lukon, Brandon Burgoon, Jake Gunn and 14th place starter Tim Shaffer completed the top five.

 

The RUSH Late Model Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Touring Series returned to Woodhull Raceway for the first time in almost two years on Saturday evening. Jeremy Wonderling and Brett Marlett led the field to the green with Wonderling grabbing the lead.  The duo battled for the top spot with Wonderling showing the way for the first eight circuits until a slower car provided Marlett with the opportunity to sneak by and gain the lead. Marlett led the next eight laps until he got caught up behind a lapped car giving the lead back to Wonderling. A caution for Wyatt White and Rickie Loucks, with two laps to go, gave Marlett and third place runner Jason Knowles one final opportunity to challenge Wonderling, but the five-time Series Champion prevailed and would score the victory over Knowles by 0.523 seconds. The win was the 32nd of Wonderling’s career in Tour action. Marlett nipped Knowles for second for his career best finish in Tour action. Dusty Waters also had a career best Tour finish coming home in fourth with Kurt Stebbins getting fifth.

 

Wonderling also captured the checkered flag at Bradford Speedway on Sunday.  The Wellsville, NY driver led the entire distance of the 25-lap event to pick up his first win of the season at the track and seventh overall of 2026 to take over the points lead in the Colussy Chevrolet National Weekly Series. Kurt Stebbins, Jake Wilber, Zack Carley and Jason Dobson completed the top five. 

 

Sunday at Eriez Speedway in Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action, pole-sitter Andy Michael led the first three laps before Billy Henry, Jr. took the top spot on lap four.  Henry led the next five circuits with third place starter Andrew Chess getting the lead on lap ten.  The Ripley, NY teenager went on to lead the remainder of the feature event and score his career first RUSH Late Model victory.  Breyton Santee finished second with Ben Easler getting third. Henry and Michael rounded out the top five.

 

After rain cancelled Friday’s racing action at Tri-City Raceway Park, Hovis RUSH Sprint Car teams headed south to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway to complete in their lone Rustler Sales & Service Weekly Series event of the weekend.  Ashton Riggle and Zach Morrow paced the field, but it was veteran John Mollick, who started fourth, that led the first nine circuits.  As the laps ticked off Gale Ruth, Jr. slowly reeled Mollick in and made his move for the top spot on lap 11. Ruth, Jr. went on to lead the final four laps and tally his fourth victory of 2026 over Mollick. Sixth place starter Trent Marshall claimed third with Wyatt Long and Riggle completing the top five. 

 

Hovis RUSH Stock Car teams were in action Sunday at Eriez Speedway with Raiddan Wilson scoring the victory.  The win was Wilson’s second at the Erie, PA oval and his third overall in divisional action. William Baker, Jr., Cole Strickland, Alex Bush and Kaden Kinder followed.

 

Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action at Dog Hollow Speedway was rained out. In addition, RUSH Late Model competitors at Raceway 7 and Stateline Speedway had the weekend off. Hovis Auto and Truck Supply Sprint Car and Stock Car action at Tri-City Raceway Park were cancelled on Friday.

 

Both the Hovis Auto and Truck Supply Sportsman Modified and Pro Mod competitors were off this past weekend.

 

Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Colussy Chevrolet Weekly Series action is scheduled at Raceway 7 on Friday, Delaware International Speedway, Stateline Speedway and Woodhull Raceway on Saturday and Eriez Speedway and Bradford Speedway on Sunday.

 

The Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey RUSH Late Model Touring Series returns to action on July 21 at The Dirt Track at Genesee for a $4,000 to-win Platinum Event which is part of the Genesee County Fair in Batavia, NY. The Tour will then compete in the “Jook George Steel City Classic” on July 25 at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, which pays a minimum of $6,010 to-win.

 

Hovis RUSH Sprint Car teams have two races scheduled this weekend; Friday evening they will be at Tri-City Raceway Park and then travel to Sharon Speedway for action on Saturday.  Hovis RUSH Sportsman Modified competitors will be in action Friday at Raceway 7.  Hovis RUSH Stock Car teams have another three-day weekend with Tri-City Raceway Park scheduled Friday, Stateline Speedway on Saturday and a $600 to win event at Eriez Speedway on Sunday.  RUSH Pro Mod competitors are off this weekend. 

 

It’s hard to believe that we are more than halfway through the month of July so be sure to get out and enjoy some exciting RUSH racing action at a speedway near you as the racing season is in high gear.

 

The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Colussy Chevrolet Flynn's Tire, Gunter's Honey, Rustler Sales & Service, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Capital Contracting Service, Joseph J. Oliva Attorney at Law, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Landrum Performance Springs, Russ King Racing, 3C Graphix, Velocita-USA, Wieland Metal Services, Real Merchant Services DMV, IllusionCoats Powder Coating, Hoosier Tire Western Pennsylvania/Big Daddy's Speed Center, Close Racing Supply, Keyser Manufacturing/Integra Racing Shocks, Seal-Tite Paving & Excavating, MotoRad, Schneider Trucks, Ontime Body & Graphic, Henry's Headers & Exhaust Systems, D&V Jewelers, AERO Race Wheels, Racing Electronics, Design Creations, and Competition Crate Parts.

 

E-mail can be sent to the RUSH Racing Series at [email protected] and 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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