JEREMY WONDERLING STEALS $10,000 "BILL HENDREN MEMORIAL" PRESENTED BY FK ROD ENDS AWAY FROM PITTSBURGH STANDOUT KYLE LUKON FOR HIS 4TH STRAIGHT HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN'S TIRE TOURING SERIES VICTORY
By Mike Leone
September 30, 2022 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Imperial, PA)...The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Model Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants competed in the annual "Bill Hendren Memorial" on Friday night at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway. In what was supposed to be night one of the two-night affair for the 34th annual "Pittsburgher" turned into one night due to the early cancellation of Saturday night's event with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series from the remnants of Hurricane Ian. Flynn's Tire Touring Series race #18 of the season attracted 41 cars from seven states plus Ontario, Canada in the third and final appearance of 2022 to "Dirt's Monster Half-Mile".
Thanks to the gracious support from FK Rod Ends, Pro Fabrication, City Chevrolet, Hendren Racing Engines, Keyser Manufacturing, Precise Racing Products, 955 Automotive, CrateInsider.com, Daytona 1 Performance Lubricants, West Mifflin Collision, Stan's Transmission, and Branden Lockwich, approximately $22,500 was added into the standard Touring Series purse, which allowed Saturday's show to be held on Friday night with the blessing of Miley Motor Sports and the Bill Hendren Family! It marked the seventh straight year the "Bill Hendren Memorial" has been held at Pittsburgh with an increased purse each year.
On July 3, 2021, three-time Flynn's Tire Touring Series Champion Jeremy Wonderling finally slayed the 'Monster' winning his first at Pittsburgh. Little did Wonderling know that would be his last Series victory for 14 months and 20 days. Wonderling finally returned to victory lane sweeping the two-night "Topless Nationals" at his Saturday night home track Genesee Speedway for $6,000 last Friday and Saturday night with a new Longhorn Chassis. Then on Thursday night in his first ever start at Tyler County, beat out home track favorite Kyle Thomas for $4,000. And on Friday night, Wonderling passed 43-time Pittsburgh winner, Kyle Lukon, with five laps to go to steal the $10,000 payday in the "Bill Hendren Memorial"! Wonderling's four straight Tour wins in eight days have been worth more than $20,000, and tied Max Blair's run of four straight wins in 2015 for the record long win streak in Series history.
"I never thought I was going to win a race at Pittsburgh last year let alone to come here tonight and do it," expressed the 42-year-old Wellsville, NY racer. "I wasn't great in time trials, pretty good in the heat, then we tried some stuff in the dash, which was the wrong call that I probably would have made in the feature. This is a place you don't come to once or twice a year and run well. Kyle (Lukon) was better in the open and long runs than I was, and I knew once we got to lapped traffic that was going to be a big deal. We were both digging the ditch down there, close to wall as we could be. I was just close enough to him that one time and he slipped it up off the corner. He tried to slide me once and we made a little contact, but this is 10 grand. I seen five to go when I got the lead and I knew it was going to be nothing but a dog fight for the next five laps. I tried to stay as calm as I could be. He's impressive down here as well as he can roll the top so I figured he'd really roll the top in (turns) one and two and gain on me or something."
Following his first Sunoco Dash win of the season, Lukon took off in the lead at the start of the 50-lap feature over five-time 2022 Pittsburgh winner, Ben Policz, while Michael Duritsky, Jr., Cole Petrelle, and Joe Martin were in tow. Lukon quickly distanced himself from the pack, while five cars battled for runner-up. Wonderling started in eighth and was already halfway to the front when he passed Petrelle for fourth on lap six. Lukon had a lead of 2.866 seconds when he caught lapped traffic on lap eight. That lead quickly dissipated as Lukon struggled in dirty air allowing Policz to close in on lap nine and was right on the leader on lap 10. Duritsky joined the battle making it a three-car race for the lead on lap 11 before the event's first caution when Delaware star Matt Hill slowed.
When racing resumed, Lukon again pulled away in clean air, while Duritsky and Policz swapped second and third three times between laps 12-14. After losing second, Duritsky now had his hands full trying to hold off Wonderling as Wonderling drove under the Dog Hollow Speedway Champion for third on lap 15. Action came to a halt with 16 laps scored when several cars made contact in turn two with Matt Latta spinning toward the fence; unfortunately, Tim Shaffer had nowhere to go and launched over Latta and landed partially on top of him against the fence. All drivers were okay.
When racing resumed, Lukon's teammate Justin Chance entered the fray as he passed Duritsky for fourth on lap 18. After a caution for Dan Lepro, Tom Klein, and Michael Reft with 20 laps scored, Policz pitted with a flat tire yielding runner-up to Wonderling with Chance up to third. Back under green, Lukon again resumed his lead and stretched it to nearly 1.5 seconds when he caught lapped traffic on lap 32. The event's final caution was displayed when Zach Gunn slowed with 34 laps completed.
Back under green for the final 16 laps, Chance, who finished fourth at the "Jook George Steel City Classic" on August 6, slowed running third and pitted ending a shot for two Lukon #184 cars on the podium. Chance would be credited with 19th and received a spoiler kit from Ontime Body & Graphic.
The remaining laps saw Wonderling trying everything he could to keep Lukon in his sights. After Lukon stretched his lead back to around 1.5 seconds, Wonderling began closing the gap by 1-2 tenths every lap. Lapped traffic allowed Wonderling to close even more. Wonderling surprised Lukon ducking under and past the leader for what would be the winning pass on lap 45. Lukon tried a big move on lap 46 and temporarily got back by for the lead. The two then made contact in turns three and four, but both were able to continue as Wonderling maintained the lead.
Wonderling then went unchallenged in the final laps and garnered his 14th career Tour victory by 1.218 seconds in his Terry Prince Contracting/Close Racing Supply/Cummings Trucking/Shuttleworth Auto Sales/Cummings Trucking/Dynamic Drivelines/Swift Springs-sponsored #3J. It was also Wonderling's leading 17th RUSH-sanctioned victory of 2022 as he officially won the National Weekly Series Championship!
"I've always really liked the Hendren races," acknowledged Wonderling. "I know how big he is to crate racing and the importance he plays. I watch his videos on YouTube and Facebook. Steve is definitely one of the top engine builders out there, but I guess I better thank 955 Automotive. He (Jason Ore/955) does my motors. I've always been so close to winning one of those plaques in a Hendren race. I never got one, but I'll definitely take this check over one of those from the past!"
(Note: Wonderling's engine passed the post-race engine inspection, and the win will be official once the results of the fuel and tire samples that were taken are verified to be in compliance.)
Lukon followed up his $3,000 runner-up finish from the August 6 "Jook George Steel City Classic" with another runner-up in a Tour race at Pittsburgh, but this time worth $5,000! "I knew I wasn't great on the restarts so I was pinching him (Wonderling) off a little bit into one," explained the 32-year-old Burgettstown, Pa. resident. "I'd leave him just enough room to get down there. I just really couldn't take off. I thought I was running good until that last time when I caught traffic. They kept running through the water down in one and two, but I'm told that's not part of the race track. It's frustrating, but a week ago we didn't know if we were even going to be able to make it tonight. I said it in the dash, you run with Logan (Roberson), Joe (Martin), and Jeremy- all these guys are so tough to beat. The fact we were able to lead 44 of it, is upsetting but you can't be too upset about it."
Another big story of the event was Ben Scott. The Delmar, Delaware driver made more than a six-hour tow to Pittsburgh on Friday and charged from the 14th starting spot to an impressive third place finish. Earlier this season, Scott made the trip to Pittsburgh and finished 12th in a Weekly Series event. Scott's prior best career Tour finish was an 11th this year at Winchester. Scott, a 2022 Delaware International RUSH Weekly Series winner, earned a career best $2,500 for his third place finish.
"All those restarts seemed to go our way and the race surface was just phenomenal tonight," stated the 23-year-old First State resident. "Driving from 14th to third was pretty awesome. I really needed this run tonight. This is the second race back on the this car after getting it off the jig from Longhorn so it feels good to be in a straight car again. Lapped traffic was holding them (Lukon and Wonderling) up a bit and letting me close the gap a bit. I didn't want anything to happen to Jeremy, but I was just praying traffic would hold them up a bit more so I could get there. Congrats to Jeremy and all his team- they had a great run."
Michael Norris, who won three RUSH Late Model races in four starts this year at Pittsburgh and was leading the "Jook George Steel City Classic" before a scary crash, went seventh to fourth for $2,000. Brandon Burgoon drove Ken Chernik's #5x from 11th to a career best Tour finish of fifth worth $1,500. Duritsky dropped to sixth for $1,200. Policz charged back through the field in the final 30 laps following his flat tire to finish seventh and earned $1,000. Second place points man, Martin, was eighth after making several pit stops. Garret Paugh went 23rd to ninth and received the $50 Precise Racing Products "Pedal Down" Hard Charger gift card. Reft came back from an early spin to complete the top 10.
Making just his third start in a RUSH Late Model and first ever in a Tour event, 18-year-old Frank Magill captured the victory in the 10-lap D&V Jewelers Non-Qualifier worth $300. Magill also received a complimentary pass to the Race Logic Chassis School to be held January 28-29, 2023 at Gatherings Event & Banquet Center in Edinburg, Pa., which is an additional $399 value! The Clairton, Pa. driver started sixth and passed Brandt Graham on lap three and never looked back dominating the caution-free event. Magill took the victory over Graham by a huge margin of 6.202 seconds in the #05 as he became the amazing 63rd different winner in 75 Non-Qualifier races run all-time! Colby Beighey was third. Pole-sitter Ashton Briggs finished fourth and also received a $100 Performance Bodies gift card for being the first feature non-qualifier. Breyton Santee was fifth.
Duritsky earned his first $100 FK Rod Ends "Shock the Clock" Qualifying award of the season with a lap of 19.040. Scoring $25 FK Rod Ends heat race wins were Duritsky, Petrelle, Wonderling, and Policz. Lukon picked a good time to win his first Sunoco Dash of the season as he not only received a $100 Sunoco gift card, but also $250 cash from 955 Automotive. Also receiving $100 Sunoco gift cards in the random drawings were Latta and Logan Roberson, while $50 Sunoco gift cards went to Ryan Frazee, Chance, Dan Lepro, and Kayla McManus.
Dave Goble was the highest finishing non-winner in the feature with a career best Tour finish of 13th and also received a complimentary pass to the Race Logic Chassis School valued at $399! Roberson, who continues to lead the $15,000 to-win Flynn's Tire Touring Series points, lost an engine leading his heat race. Roberson was unable to get the engine changed in time to run his B main, and was chosen as the TBM Brakes "Tough Brake of the Night" recipient.
The Flynn’s Tire Touring Series will now be off until the season finale at Lernerville Speedway October 13-15. The "Steel City Stampede" will include practice on Thursday. Qualifying, heat races and the dash will be run on Friday night. Last chance B mains, the $3500 to-win feature, and non-qualifier will be contested on Saturday night. Rain date is Sunday.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model "Bill Hendren Memorial" for the Flynn’s Tire Touring Series Race #18 (50 laps, $10,010 to-win): 1. JEREMY WONDERLING (3J) 2. Kyle Lukon (184) 3. Ben Scott (80) 4. Michael Norris (Dabecco N1) 5. Brandon Burgoon (Chernik 5x) 6. Michael Duritsky, Jr. (90J) 7. Ben Policz (14B) 8. Joe Martin (Snyder 10s) 9. Garret Paugh (03) 10. Michael Reft (9R) 11. Jon Lee (5L) 12. Braeden Dillinger (14) 13. Dave Goble (20G) 14. Zach Gunn (17G) 15. Ryan Frazee (17) 16. Dan Lepro (2L) 17. Craig Graham (98) 18. Brady Wonderling (z1) 19. Justin Chance (Lukon 184C) 20. Matt Hill (84) 21. Cole Petrelle (84) 22. Tom Klein (77) 23. Philip Bubeck (4) 24. Tony Musolino (42) 25. Matt Latta (21) 26. Tim Shaffer (45). (Note: Matt Latta took a Tour provisional & Philip Bubeck took a Track provisional).
D&V Jewelers Non-Qualifier (10 laps, $300 to-win): 1. Frank Magill (05) 2. Brandt Graham (14) 3. Colby Beighey (36) 4. Ashton Briggs (11A) 5. Breyton Santee (9) 6. Andy Michael (17x) 7. Kayla McManus (Centerline 00K) 8. Kassidy Kamicker (72B) 9. Jim Rasey (Wrightsman 21J) 10. Kurt Stebbins (26) 11. Greg Goble (21G). DNS: Jake Gunn (14G), Marc Berzowski (25M), Daryl Charlier (Centerline 3RK), Logan Roberson (17).
Car Count: 41
Feature Margin of Victory:
1.218 seconds
Feature Lap Leaders: Kyle Lukon (1-44), Jeremy Wonderling (45-50)
Ontime Body & Graphic “Spoiler Alert” Spoiler Kit: Justin Chance
Performance Bodies “Nosed Out”: Ashton Briggs
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Garret Paugh (+14)
Precise Racing Products 5-Gallon Race Jug: Jeremy Wonderling
Race Logic Chassis School Winners: Dave Goble & Frank Magill
Sunoco Fuel Card Winners: Matt Latta ($100), Logan Roberson ($100), Ryan Frazee ($50), Justin Chance ($50), Dan Lepro ($50), Kayla McManus ($50).
TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night”: Logan Roberson
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying A ($100 for fast time) (Track record 18.652 by Daryl Charlier on 7/3/21): 1. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr, 00:19.040[10]; 2. 5X-Brandon Burgoon, 00:19.207[4]; 3. 17-Ryan Frazee, 00:19.215[3]; 4. 17R-Logan Roberson, 00:19.253[13]; 5. 10S-Joe Martin, 00:19.289[17]; 6. 84P-Cole Petrelle, 00:19.290[15]; 7. 9R-Mike Reft, 00:19.637[12]; 8. 05-Frank Magill, 00:19.735[8]; 9. 21J-Jim Rasey, 00:19.781[19]; 10. 184C-Justin Chance, 00:19.887[16]; 11. 9S-Breyton Santee, 00:19.976[14]; 12. 5L-Jon Lee, 00:20.036[20]; 13. 03-Garret Paugh, 00:20.099[9]; 14. 17X-Andy Michael, 00:20.208[21]; 15. 11A-Ashton Briggs, 00:20.293[6]; 16. 45-Tim Shaffer, 00:20.336[5]; 17. Z1-Brady Wonderling, 00:20.352[1]; 18. 36B-Colby Beighey, 00:20.466[18]; 19. 72B-Kassidy Kamicker, 00:20.660[7]; 20. 21L-Matt Latta, 00:20.848[2]; 21. 20G-Dave Goble, NT.
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying B (Track record 18.652 by Daryl Charlier on 7/3/21): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling, 00:19.311[14]; 2. 184-Kyle Lukon, 00:19.428[17]; 3. N1-Michael Norris, 00:19.529[18]; 4. 14B-Ben Policz, 00:19.551[16]; 5. 42-Tony Musolino, 00:19.636[9]; 6. 17G-Zach Gunn, 00:19.772[4]; 7. 84-Matt Hill, 00:19.786[3]; 8. 14D-Braeden Dillinger, 00:19.844[8]; 9. 77-Tom Klein, 00:19.844[11]; 10. 98-Craig Graham, 00:19.935[2]; 11. 26-Kurt Stebbins, 00:19.953[20]; 12. 4B-Philip Bubeck, 00:19.964[1]; 13. 80-Ben Scott, 00:19.996[13]; 14. 14-Brandt Graham, 00:20.095[12]; 15. 2L-Dan Lepro, 00:20.120[7]; 16. 00K-Kayla McManus, 00:20.318[19]; 17. 14G-Jake Gunn, 00:20.400[15]; 18. 21G-Greg Goble, 00:20.407[10]; 19. 25M-Marc Berzowski, 00:20.613[5]; 20. 3RK-Daryl Charlier, 00:21.025[6].
FK Rod Ends Heat 1 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr[1]; 2. 10S-Joe Martin[3]; 3. 17-Ryan Frazee[2]; 4. 9R-Mike Reft[4]; 5. Z1-Brady Wonderling[9]; 6. 03-Garret Paugh[7]; 7. 20G-Dave Goble[11]; 8. 9S-Breyton Santee[6]; 9. 11A-Ashton Briggs[8]; 10. 21J-Jim Rasey[5]; 11. 72B-Kassidy Kamicker[10].
FK Rod Ends Heat 2 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 84P-Cole Petrelle[3]; 2. 184C-Justin Chance[5]; 3. 5X-Brandon Burgoon[1]; 4. 45-Tim Shaffer[8]; 5. 5L-Jon Lee[6]; 6. 21L-Matt Latta[10]; 7. 05-Frank Magill[4]; 8. 36B-Colby Beighey[9]; 9. 17X-Andy Michael[7]; 10. 17R-Logan Roberson[2].
FK Rod Ends Heat 3 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[1]; 2. N1-Michael Norris[2]; 3. 42-Tony Musolino[3]; 4. 80-Ben Scott[7]; 5. 84-Matt Hill[4]; 6. 2L-Dan Lepro[8]; 7. 14G-Jake Gunn[9]; 8. 26-Kurt Stebbins[6]; 9. 77-Tom Klein[5]; 10. 25M-Marc Berzowski[10].
FK Rod Ends Heat 4 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 14B-Ben Policz[2]; 2. 184-Kyle Lukon[1]; 3. 17G-Zach Gunn[3]; 4. 14D-Braeden Dillinger[4]; 5. 98-Craig Graham[5]; 6. 14-Brandt Graham[7]; 7. 00K-Kayla McManus[8]; 8. 4B-Philip Bubeck[6]; 9. 21G-Greg Goble[9]; 10. 3RK-Daryl Charlier[10].
Last Chance B Main 1 (10 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 20G-Dave Goble[3]; 2. 03-Garret Paugh[1]; 3. 11A-Ashton Briggs[7]; 4. 9S-Breyton Santee[5]; 5. 36B-Colby Beighey[6]; 6. 05-Frank Magill[4]; 7. 17X-Andy Michael[8]; 8. 72B-Kassidy Kamicker[11]; 9. 21J-Jim Rasey[9]; 10. 21L-Matt Latta[2]; 11. (DNS) 17R-Logan Roberson.
Last Chance B Main 2 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A, $50 to-win): 1. 2L-Dan Lepro[1]; 2. 77-Tom Klein[7]; 3. 14-Brandt Graham[2]; 4. 14G-Jake Gunn[3]; 5. 00K-Kayla McManus[4]; 6. 26-Kurt Stebbins[5]; 7. 21G-Greg Goble[8]; 8. 4B-Philip Bubeck[6]; 9. (DNS) 25M-Marc Berzowski; 10. (DNS) 3RK-Daryl Charlier.
Sunoco Dash (6 laps, $250 to-win plus $100 Sunoco fuel card): 1. 184-Kyle Lukon[1]; 2. 14B-Ben Policz[3]; 3. 10S-Joe Martin[2]; 4. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr[4]; 5. 184C-Justin Chance[6]; 6. 84P-Cole Petrelle[7]; 7. N1-Michael Norris[8]; 8. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[5].
The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Wrisco Industries, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Sherwood Wheels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Waterstone Mortgage Hermitage, Wedge Motorsports, 3C Graphix, D&V Jewelers, DrumPreserve, CrateInsider.com, Marthinsen & Salvitti Insurance Group and Terry Bowser Excavating.
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. The RUSH Late Model website is www.rushlatemodels.com. Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.
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