“FALL CLASSIC” TO FEATURE COMPLETE SHOWS FRI & SAT FOR SWEENEY RUSH LM TOUR AT MCKEAN; 2 ROUNDS OF QUALIFYING THURSDAY

By Mike Leone

September 17, 2013               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(East Smethport, PA)…After a successful “Apple Festival Nationals” at Sharon Speedway last weekend, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series will get right back at it this weekend with the eighth annual “Fall Classic” at McKean County Raceway.  The three-day extravaganza will feature two rounds of group qualifying this Thursday night (September 19) for RUSH followed by complete shows both Friday and Saturday night for races #18 and 19 on the 2013 slate.  Sunday has been reserved as a rain date. 

Thursday’s qualifying will set the heat race line-ups for Friday’s $1,200 to-win event and Saturday’s $2,000 to-win event, and award $150 to each of the fast qualifiers!  New arriving cars on Friday and/or Saturday are able to join the heat race lineups those nights behind the cars that qualified on Thursday.  Saturday’s feature purse is over $2,000 greater than the typical $2,000 to-win feature purse with $250 now being paid to start the feature!  McKean has also upped tow money to $75 on Friday, and has added over $2,500 into the purses on top of the standard Sweeney Tour purses! 

“The Fall Classic has always been a great weekend for the fans and racers and this year should be no different under the new promotional team at MCR,” acknowledged RUSH Co-Director Vicki Emig.  “Not only is John Kennedy putting up two complete shows for RUSH, but has gone above and beyond with the payoff especially on Saturday.  We have to thank John along with Chris Zuver and Jason Shank for their great support of our Series at not only McKean this season, but at his NDRL events at Roaring Knob and the upcoming huge Pittsburgher next month at PPMS.”

Max Blair enters the weekend as the perennial favorite.  The Centerville, Pa. 23-year-old is fresh off his third Sweeney Tour win of the season in dramatic fashion last Saturday night at Sharon with a late race pass of Series point leader Mike Pegher, Jr.  Blair has dominated action at the East Smethport, Pa. oval this season winning in nine of his 12 starts including the July 11 Speedweek victory.  Blair’s worst finish of the year at McKean was a third in the first Sweeney Tour event back on June 14.  Blair can also clinch the $5,000 Sweeney Weekly Series crown this weekend as well. 

Pegher’s amazing consistency has kept him in front of the Sweeney Tour points for much of the season with only one finish outside the top 10 in 17 starts- that being a 14^th.  The Wexford, Pa. 27-year-old has run off nine straight top four finishes including three straight third place efforts to lead 16-year-old Fairmont, West Virginia Ryan Montgomery by 22 points.  Montgomery has kept pace with Pegher thanks to 15 top eight finishes in 17 races including three wins.  Montgomery has been on a nice streak himself with six straight top four finishes!

Opening event Hagerstown winner, Rick Singleton, remains in the third spot in points over Butch Lambert, who has climbed the standings into fourth.  Completing the top 15 points paying positions are Joe Martin, Matt Glanden, Chad Ruhlman, Cody Dawson, Jorden Peters, Andrew Wylie, Max Blair & Michael Lake (tie), Matt Latta, W.L. Stile, and Dennis Lunger, Jr.

The K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash will be run Friday and Saturday night to determine the beginning of the feature line and will award $100 K&N certificate for the win, $50 certificate for second with $25 cash to all other starters.  There have been an amazing 16 different winners in 17 races held this season!  Montgomery is the K&N point leader.  One lucky fan this weekend will win a K&N Cold Air Induction System valued up to $500!

Several other contingency programs will take place this weekend.  The driver that passes the most cars in the feature each night will receive $100 Precise Racing Products certificate for being the “Pedal Down Hard Charger”.  RUSH Officials will choose The Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night” both Friday and Saturday as theses driver 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 first non-qualifier on Friday night will receive a certificate for an ARbodies nose kit valued at $245!  Also, a random drawing will be held to award a 16-volt TurboStart racing battery valued at $250!

McKean Friday Payoff (25 laps): 1. $1,200  2. $900  3. $500  4. $400  5. $350  6. $330  7. $315  8. $300  9. $270  10. $250  11. $230  12. $220  13. $200  14. $170  15. $165  16. $160  17. $155  18-24. $150.  Tow $75.

McKean Saturday payoff (30 laps): 1. $2,000  2. $1,000  3. $750  4. $650  5. $600  6. $550  7. $500  8. $450  9. $425  10. $400  11. $375  12. $360  13. $350  14. $325  15. $310  16. $300  17. $275  18-24. $250.  Tow $100.

Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Touring Series DRIVER Points (must be Touring member to receive points): 1. Mike Pegher, Jr. 1752  2. Ryan Montgomery 1730  3. Rick Singleton 1503  4. Butch Lambert 1384  5. Joe Martin 1328  6. Matt Glanden 1182  7. Chad Ruhlman 1175  8. Cody Dawson 1146  9. Jorden Peters 1026  10. Andrew Wylie 946  11. Max Blair & Michael Lake 933  13. Matt Latta 887  14. W.L. Stile 810  15. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 732  16. Josh Double 721  17. John Over 665  18. Josh Holtgraver 644  19. Nico Dabecco 640  20. Glenn Elliott 617  21. Eric Wilson 616  22.  Justin Tatlow 557  23. Will Thomas III 505  24. Scott Tessman 446  25. Bryce Davis 436  26. Dan Angelicchio 350  27. Lauren Longbrake 326  28. Adam Sixt 324  29. D.J. Troutman 304  30. Russell Baird, Jr. 288  31. Andrew Satterlee 263  32. Shane Weaver 229  33. Paul McGinley 217  34. Mike Wharton 151  35. Luke Carleton 143  36. Jamie Brown & Mike Laughard 140  38. Nolan Dalton 88  39. Darren Peters 87  40. Troy Swindell 85  41. Steve Beatty 79  42. Randy Wible 70.

You do not have to be a RUSH member to compete in any RUSH-sanctioned event.  RACEceivers are mandatory and transponders will be required.  Both the Yellow Westhold and Red AMB transponders will now be able to be used.  

Pit gates open at 3 p.m. on Thursday with racing at 7:30.  On Friday, pit gates open at 3 p.m. with racing at 7, and then on Saturday, pits open at 11 a.m. with racing at 6.  McKean County Raceway is a 1/3-mile dirt track located at the McKean County Fairgrounds in East Smethport, Pa. at the intersections of Route 6 and 46.  For more information on McKean County Raceway, check out their website at www.mckeancountyraceway.com or call Chris Zuver at 814-598-2601. The track number is 814-887-2600.

2013 RUSH marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, RainEater Wiper Blades, Hoosier Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, 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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