NICO DABECCO BREAKS IN SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL VICTORY LANE AT PITTSBURGH; 1ST EVER RUSH LM STATELINE WIN FOR ANDY BOOZEL; BIG NIGHT FOR THE DEEMS BROTHERS IN RUSH SPORTSMAN MODS AT SHARON
By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone
September 3, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Pulaski, PA)...Even though the curtain is beginning to close on the regular season for the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series powered by Pace Performance family of speedways, there is plenty of point chases and post-season action remaining on the calendar.
Raceway 7 completed a very successful second season under the RUSH banner last Friday night for their Late Model division. A strong field of 26 cars were on hand with Matt Latta scoring his sixth victory of the season. Joe Long recorded his career best RUSH finish with Jared Kane, Andy Boozel, and Kyle Zimmerman completing the top five. Darrell Bossard was the track champion for the second straight year. The Conneaut, Ohio oval completed 14 events with an average of more than 22 cars per night. On two different occasions they had 26 for weekly shows and only one time had less than 18 cars.
With the RUSH Pro Stock division championship race in the books for 2019, Lernerville Speedway shifts into post-season mode and Saturday night racing. This past Saturday, the Sarver, Pennsylvania oval held their annual Sprint Spectacular with the RUSH Sprint Cars part of the show; and it may have been the best part of the program. Zach Morrow and Jeremy Weaver started on the front row and did battle for the entire event. Multiple lead changes throughout the race between the two set the tone for the battle with Morrow finally able to turn Weaver back from a late-race slide job and a wide, outside move on the final turn to take his second win of 2019. Brian Woodhall, Brandon Hawkins and Arnie Kent made up the top five. The RUSH Late Models, Sportsman Modifieds, Sprints will all be a part of Lernerville’s "Steel City Stampede" October 18-19.
The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds joined up with the World of Outlaws Late Models for a special Friday night program. The Sportsman Modified portion of the night was one to remember for the Deems Family. In the main event, Josh Deems out-dueled former two-time RUSH Late Model champion Will Thomas III for the $600 win; his first of 2019. Chas Wolbert was able to get by Thomas at the finish for second with early leader Thomas dropping to third. Garrett Krummert came from 23rd to fourth over Tony Tatgenhorst.
Not to be outdone, Josh's brother Clayton took the “Wheelman” non-winners race for the first time to become the seventh different winner in 10 races. Three-time winner, Tatgenhorst, who currently leads the points, was second over D.J. Schrader, Brandon Albert, and Amelia Clay. The final "Wheelman" race will be part of the "Apple Festival Nationals" on September 21.
It all came down to the final turn and the final lap in the RUSH Late Model feature at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway Saturday night. The 20-lap main event featured battles up front as well as through the field. Front row starters Ben Policz and John Mollick were both rendered pit side after mechanical issues sidelined them. A series of lead changes would be the story of the race, and when it came down to the last turn, the tight battle between Tommy Schirnhofer and Nico Dabecco would result in contact between the two and Schirnhofer slamming the outside wall in a shower of sparks just before the flagstand handing the win to Dabecco- his first of the season. Schirnhofer would be scored second with Logan Zarin, and RUSH rookies Bobby Springer and rookie Eric Hamilton, Jr. making up the top five. Points in all divisions at PPMS will continue through the end of September.
Also on the card at PPMS on Saturday were the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds making their second appearance of the season, and first of three consecutive weeks. A remarkably clean and competitive race went flag-to-flag with Garrett Krummert taking the win in the Jerry Shaffer-owned #10s for the second time in as many tries. A spirited battle for the lead between Krummert and Rob Kristyak in the closing laps would have Kristyak settling for second with Chas Wolbert, Eric Gabany and Connor King making up the top five. Wolbert and Kristyak are now tied for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Weekly Series points lead. Both the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds and the RUSH Sprints will be on the card at PPMS this Saturday.
Newly crowned Winchester Speedway RUSH Late Model track champion Devin Brannon continued his late season surge with his second win in a row, and fourth of the season, in the division's 30-lap event. Brannon took the race lead from Kyle Lear on the 19th lap and would drive off uncontested to score the special $1,000 win. "We seem to be on a roll, and I hope we can keep it going." Brannon said in victory lane. "The track was a little slick tonight, but it was wide and racy, and Kyle made it tough for us." Lear would take second with Mike Franklin, Steve Lowery and Tanner Kerr rounding out the top-five. The RUSH Late Models return to the Virginia oval on September 28 for their final race of the season paying $2,000 to-win.
Matt Hill came back from an early spin and raced his way to the front to capture the RUSH Late Model win on Saturday at Delaware International Speedway. For Hill, it was seventh win of the season at Delaware to go along with one at nearby Georgetown. Trevor Collins was second for his best finish of the season. Sparky White, Derek Magee, and Kerry King, Jr. completed the top five.
Saturday night at New York’s Fulton Speedway, the 20-lap RUSH Late Model feature was edge of your seat excitement between Bret Belden and Kevan Cook. Belden and Cook would race side-by-side almost the entire race in one of the best races at the speedway during the 2019 season. The difference in the race was a caution and single file restart with three laps to go that gave Belden the win, his second of the 2019. Kyle Sopaz, Kevan Cook, Dale Caswell and Chad Homan finished second through fifth. Chad Homan crowned the Late Model track champion.
All five division championships were on the line at New York’s Genesee Speedway going into Saturday night’s action. In the RUSH Late Model division, while Kyle Murray scored his first win of the season at the track, all eyes were on the tight point battle between J.J. Mazur and Bill Holmes. Mazur entered the night with a small lead, but Holmes would only need to finish a few positions ahead of Mazur to snatch the title. In the end, Holmes faded and finished fourth, just one spot ahead of Mazur giving Mazur his third consecutive Late Model championship. Genesee Speedway transitions into post-season mode on September 14-15 for the Topless Nationals Weekend featuring the RUSH Late Models paying $1,500 to-win and $3,000 to-win and the RUSH Sprint Cars paying $800 to-win each night.
Saturday night at Stateline Speedway, the RUSH Late Model feature event went to front row starting Andy Boozel holding off all comers to take the last regular RUSH Late Model event of 2019. It was Boozel's first ever RUSH win at Stateline and first RUSH win in general since July 2, 2017 at Eriez. Darrell Bossard, Kyle Zimmerman, David Lyon and Scott Gurdak made up the top five. Gurdak needed a third-place finish to capture the point title from the absent Max Blair but was only able to muster a fifth place finish, giving Blair the title. Stateline has yet to have less than 20 cars at any event in 2019 and have had eight different winners in 10 races! The RUSH Late Models will make one final appearance at the Busti, New York track when they join the World of Outlaw Late models for a special Thursday night show on September 19.
In RUSH Pro Mod action, Chad Carlson captured his third Stateline win of the season and fourth overall in the division. Adam Ashcroft and C J Irons were second and third. Dennis Lunger, Jr., who captured his third straight Sweeney Weekly Series title, was fourth ahead of Scott Gurdak. S
Saturday night at Woodhull Speedway, Steve LeBarron picked up his second win of the season with Jason Knowles, Scott Waters, Dustin Waters and Brian Knowles making up the top five. Jason Knowles and Stebbins take a tight point battle into championship night this Saturday at Woodhull.
In RUSH Asphalt Series action at Jennerstown Speedway on Saturday night, Teddy Gibala picked up his seventh win of the season and extending his points lead in the process. Gibala was followed by Gary Wiltrout, Zane Ferrell, Bryan Shipp and Jared Barclay. In the Modifieds, Anthony Aiello took the win over RJ Dallape, Jason Busch, Adam Kostelnik and Tom Golik. In the RUSH Asphalt Street stocks, Casey Fleegle picked up the win over Aaron Van Fleet, Mel Wilt, Greg Burbidge and Zac Todaro. Five division racing continues Saturday, September 7th.
Humberstone Speedway fell to a large storm system moving through the Northeast on Sunday. Rob Pietz, on the strength of his three victories, has been crowned Humberstone Speedway RUSH Late Model Champion. The RUSH Late Models will be back at Humberstone this Sunday evening.
Eriez also fell victim to the same storm, but decided to race on Monday (Labor Day). The postponement worked out well for Max Blair, who was able to make the Monday program and he continued his dominance at Eriez without another sweep. Blair won the $4,000 "Bob Rohrer Memorial" for the Super Late Models then added his ninth RUSH Late Model win in 10 starts! The only nights Blair didn't win was on June 30 when he wasn't in action and Jason Genco was victorious and July 28 when Darrell Bossard picked up the win and Blair was third. Gurdak was a second best second with Bossard, Genco, and Andy Boozel completing the top five. One more RUSH Late Model race remains at Eriez with the "September Sweep" in two weeks.
RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC & Pace Performance 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, FK Rod Ends, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Dirt Defender, Wrisco Industries, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Trailer-Alarms.com, Bonnell's Rod Shop, Zarin Truck & Automotive, Sherwood Wheels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, CrateInsider.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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