SIXT WINS HIS 1ST SWEENEY RUSH WEEKLY SERIES EVENT IN 2014; DELLINGER WINS AGAIN ON THE $135 BILSTEIN “SEALED” SPEC SHOCKS

By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone

 

August 13, 2014

 

(Pulaski, PA)… The weatherman finally yielded an excellent weekend of racing during the past weekend, giving nearly all the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series member tracks a chance to get some racing in.

 

Last Thursday night at McKean County Raceway the weekend got underway early with the running of the $1,000 to-win “Bill Bigley Memorial” for the Sweeney RUSH Late Model Weekly Series.  Ward Schell and Adam Sixt made up the front row as the race got underway.  Sixt got off to a substantial lead and held that lead through a number of yellow flag periods. Through the course of the event, standouts Max Blair and Chad Ruhlman had worked their way into the top five, but Sixt held off all challengers for his first McKean win of the season. 

 

Schell, Damian Bidwell, Ruhlman and Blair completed the top five.  This Thursday (August 14), the Sweeney Touring Series pays a visit to McKean County Raceway for race number 10 of the 2014 season. The event is part of the 109th annual McKean County Fair. This will be the final race at MCR until August 30 for another Sweeney Tour event featuring “Manufacturers Night”.  Racing begins at 7:30.

 

Friday night at Delevan, New York’s Freedom Speedway, it was Chad Ruhlman of Bemus Point, New York taking his third checkered flag of the season in just four starts.  Ruhlman was followed across the strip by Ward Schell, who recorded his second runner-up finish in as many nights, Bill Holmes, Brad Mesler and Scott Waters.   Point leader Adam Sixt, who has a commanding 61 point lead in the standings finished Friday’s feature sixth following his win the night before.  Sweeney Weekly Series racing action returns to Freedom on Friday night.

 

Potomac Speedway was back in action on Friday night as Jeff Pilkerton took another step towards entering the "50-win club" with his third win of the season in the 20-lap feature. Pilkerton took off in the lead on lap one and never looked back to score his 49th-career win at the Mechanicsville, Maryland speed plant. "This car was on a rail tonight." Pilkerton stated. "I like it when the top is there like it was tonight and I could just about run this thing wide-open. We have one more shot to get the 50th win this season and I hope we can pull it off."

 

John Imler, who has been near the top of the Sweeney Weekly Series standings for much of the year, came home second to earn important points.  Ben Bowie was third after starting 11th.  “Futures Cup” racer Reese Masiello was fourth with Darin Henderson completing the top five.  Just one more race remains for RUSH at Potomac on Sunday, August 31.

 

After a night off and three consecutive Saturday night rainouts, Sharon Speedway was finally back in action for the first time on a Saturday night since July 5!  A great crowed watched the inaugural “Johnny Zdelar Memorial” on FREE Driver Appreciation Night, which attracted a whopping 130 cars!

 

In the RUSH Late Model feature race, Alan Dellinger took off in the lead from the beginning over Humberstone Speedway regular Jordon Peters. Lots of position swapping took place behind Dellinger included racing between Josh Double, Peters and Will Thomas III.

 

When Thomas finally took the runner up spot, he began to eat away at the substantial five-second lead by Dellinger, almost taking the lead at the end.  Thomas got alongside of the leader, but Dellinger held on for the win by a mere five-thousandths of a second! Dellinger’s victory in the non-stop 20-lap Barris Supply/Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Weekly Series feature came on the $135 Bilstein “sealed” spec shocks for the second time this season!

 

After the win, a very happy Alan Dellinger talked about the win and the track. “There was a line off the bottom with rubber in it and I was on it and was alright, but I was trying to be easy with those lapped cars and didn’t realize he (Thomas) was there. I appreciate Bob Williams giving me the opportunity to drive this car and his boy Jeff and Bob Jones works on the car.”

 

The Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds made their fourth appearance of the season as Greg Martin became the first repeat winner.  Martin led all 15 laps for his third overall win of the season.  Series point leader Adam Hilton was second as he just hasn’t been able to find victory lane this season at Sharon.  Rocky Kugel, Ken Moy, Jr., and Jeremy Paup completed the top five.

 

This week Sharon Speedway presents the second “$5 Fan Appreciation Night” as the RUSH Late Models will again be on the card.  The Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will be at Raceway 7 on Friday night for their second appearance at the Conneaut, Ohio oval before returning to Sharon on August 23 for the Sweeney/Pace GM 602 engine giveaway night.

  

Nico Dabecco of Pittsburgh started on the pole of the RUSH Late Model feature Saturday night at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.  Dabecco held on to the lead through lap 10 when eventual winner Russ Kolesar took the top spot on lap 11.  Kolesar races on for his second Sweeney Weekly Series win holding off the likes of heat winners Daryl Charlier and Josh Holtgraver. Dabecco faded to fourth and Colton Flinner rounded out the top five in his first start of the season.

 

Racing action continues this Saturday at PPMS as the track pays tribute to the former promoter, Red Miley, when they present the annual “Red Miley Rumble,” a 53-lap event for the Super Late Models. Joining the Supers will be all the regular divisions including the RUSH Late Models.  The Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will return to PPMS on August 30.

 

Saturday night at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex it was Troy Shields of Acme, Pa. holding the checkered flag at the end of the RUSH feature.  The win was Shields’ second since June 14 as he hasn’t finished worse than seventh during that period at the Markleysbug oval.  West Virginia racer Derek Rogers and Maryland invader Darin Henderson were second and third for their best finishes.  Andrew Wylie and Nolan Dalton finishing out the top five.

 

This Saturday at the Knob is the “Sprout Cossell Memorial” featuring Twin 15 features paying $1,500 to-win each!  The event will allow RUSH member racers to accumulate valuable Sweeney Weekly Series, Pace Summer Chase, and Futures Cup points for each feature!  

 

The weekend for the Sweeney RUSH Weekly Series wrapped up north of the border as always at Port Colborne, Ontario’s Humberstone Speedway.  Rob Pietz and Jeff Dayman led the field to the green for the 20-lap feature event with Pietz taking command early. Dennis Lunger of Albion, PA, who has become somewhat of a Humberstone regular this season, took over second place on lap two making a charge for the lead. A caution on lap six gave Lunger what he needed and took the top spot on the restart.

 

Pietz and Jordan Peters were the race to watch as Lunger had checked out in the late stages of the race.  In the end, it was Lunger by a wide margin for his second win of the season as he chases after important Series points.  Pietz was second.  Peters saw his two-race win streak end by his good friend Lunger.  Paul Grigsby and Tim Gillespie rounded out the first five.  Action returns to Humberstone on Sunday with a regular night of racing as the season begins to wind down.  Grigsby holds a slight lead over Peters with just four race nights to go.

 

Winchester Speedway will have the RUSH Late Models again for back-to-back weeks on August 23 and August 30.

 

You can follow the latest news from both series by going to www.rushracingseries.com.  Current point leaders are Ryan Montgomery-Sweeney RUSH Late Model Touring Series, Chad Ruhlman-Sweeney RUSH Late Model Weekly Series, Michael Lake-“Futures Cup”, Rick Singleton-Pace “Summer Chase” for Late Models, and Adam Hilton leads the Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds.

 

RUSH Late Model marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, The Brake Man, K&N Filters, Bilstein Shocks, Lincoln Electric, TurboStart, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Driven Racing Oil, Crate Innovations Inc., Moroso Performance Products, Velocita-USA, High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, Utsinger’s Towing, B.R.A.K.E.S., 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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