HOVIS RUSH SERIES SET TO CLOSE OUT 2026 SEASON AT LERNERVILLE THIS WEEKEND FOR “STEEL CITY STAMPEDE” FEATURING RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN'S TIRE/GUNTER'S HONEY TOUR ALONG WITH RUSH SPRINTS & RUSH SPORTSMAN MODS

By Mike Leone

October 14, 2026               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Sarver, PA)...The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants will have a tripleheader of action this weekend (October 15-17) at Lernerville Speedway for the "Steel City Stampede".  The RUSH Late Model Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series will lead the way along with the RUSH Sprint Car Rustler Sales & Service Weekly Series and the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will also be in action.  The event will be streamed live on Dirt.tv. 

Practice will be held Thursday night (October 15) with heat races for all divisions on Friday night followed by the conclusion of the event on Saturday.  Action gets underway on Friday at 7 p.m. with group qualifying for the RUSH Late Models followed by heat race action.  On Saturday, racing will begin early at 4 p.m.  The rain date is Sunday. 

"This is always a great way to end our season," stated RUSH Director Vicki Emig.  "The RUSH championships annually comes down to this event.  Our Late Model racers are always excited to get the chance to compete at Lernerville.  The car counts have always been strong and the racing at Lernerville is always some of the best of the season.  The Sportsman Modifieds have been given the opportunity to race numerous times over the past 13 seasons at Lernerville.  Lernerville was a very important part of getting our RUSH Sprint division off the ground in 2018.  All three classes always put on tremendous races at Lernerville."

This year’s “Steel City Stampede” will be the 18th edition of the huge event that includes many of the region’s racing divisions all showcased in this end of the season blowout.  There have been 13 different RUSH Late Model winners in 17 years with only three repeat winners.  Past winners include Josh Holtgraver (2009), Bryan Force (2010), Butch Lambert (2011), Max Blair (2012, 2019 & 2020), Dennis Lunger, Jr. (2013), Chad Ruhlman (2014), Jacob Hawkins (2015), John Mollick (2016), John Waters (2017), Colton Flinner (2018), Kyle Hardy (2021 & 2025), Logan Roberson (2022), and Michael Norris (2023-2024). 

The fastest car in Schneider Trucks warmups on Thursday night will receive $50.  FK Rod Ends "Shock the Clock Qualifying, heat races, and the Sunoco Dash will be run on Friday night for the Late Models.  The fastest qualifier will receive $100 and all heat race winners will earn $25.  The last chance B main(s) will kick-off Saturday's program.  The 30-lap feature will pay $4,000 to-win.  There will also be a $200 to-win, $150 to-start Real Merchant Services non-qualifier.  There have been an amazing 11 different winners this season on the Tour in 12 races to date.

For the third straight year, one lucky eligible RUSH Late Model Touring Series driver will take home a $5,000 check thanks to the Landrum Performance Springs "Loyalty Bonus"!  That drawing will take place on Saturday for Touring Series member drivers that have competed in at least 75% of the Tour events, which is 12 drivers.  Austin Allen and Jason Knowles are prior winners, who are both eligible again this year.

Also, the new "Allegiance Rewards" program presented by Capital Contracting Service drawings will take place.  RUSH Tour member drivers that have competed in at least 75% of the completed events to date will be eligible for the drawings of $300, $200, and $100.  Capital Contracting Service is owned by RUSH Late Model driver Sean Boskovich. 

The "Fill'er up with Sunoco Bucks" program co-presented by Bazell Race Fuels will include an additional $400 of Sunoco fuel card giveaways; two $100 random draws for drivers in the top 15 of Tour points and another four $50 random draws for all other competitors

Hoosier Tire Western PA/Big Daddy's Speed Center will award a $100 gift card for the "Pedal Down" Hard Charger that passes the most cars in the feature.  Close Racing Supply will award a $100 gift card for the driver chosen as the "Tough Break of the Night".  Ontime Body & Graphic's "Spoiler Alert" will award a spoiler kit to the 13th place finisher.  There will also be five BOGO Landrum Performance Springs certificates given away through drawings.  The first feature non-qualifier will receive a $50 certificate from Holley Performance brands each night.  Henry's Headers & Exhaust will award a $500 off certificate towards the purchase of custom 604 Crate Late Model headers to a Touring member driver that has competed in 75% or more of the completed events.   

For the first time ever, Demetrios Drellos sits atop the Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Tour standings!  Drellos has just a one-point lead on Jeremy Wonderling heading into this weekend.  Drellos has beat Wonderling the last five races and seven of the last eight to overtake Wonderling, who is the only repeat winner this season.  Christian Schneider is ahead of Kurt Stebbins by 21 points for not only third place in points, but also the $3,000 3C Graphix Rookie-of-the-Year.  Dary Charlier is fifth in points- just one-point behind Stebbins.  Completing the top 10 in points are Austin Allen, Ben Easler, Knowles, Cody Dawson, and Brodie Oravetz.    

The Hovis RUSH Sprints will wrap up their ninth season and will be racing for $800 to-win.  Past "Steel City Stampede" RUSH Sprint winners include John Mollick, who has won the last three SSC and is tied for wins with Chad Ruhlman.  Gale Ruth, Jr., Zach Morrow, and Blaze Myers each have one victory.  Mollick, who has already clinched his second Rustler Sales & Service Weekly Series Championship worth $5,000, won the most recent events at Lernerville on September 11 over the 21-car field.  On July 24 at Lernerville, Trent Marshall won his first career RUSH Sprint Car feature.  Brayden Blackshear leads the Russ King Racing Futures Cup points.   

The “Kenny’s Cash” Loyalty Bonus will award one lucky RUSH Sprint Car racer that has competed in a minimum of 75% of the completed events with a $1,000 bonus!  In addition, RUSH Sprint Car racer, Arnie Kent, has posted a $100 bonus to a rotating position at each event this season in memory of his father, Kenny.  Position nine will receive the $100 bonus this weekend.      

Meanwhile, the Hovis RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will join the "Steel City Stampede" for the 13th consecutive year also racing for $800.  This will be the season’s first appearance by the RUSH Mods to Lernerville.  Kole Holden has already clinched the $3,500 Weekly Series Championship- his first in 12 years of trying!  Second year racer, Nolan Burns, won the Russ King Racing Futures Cup. 

Greg Martin won the inaugural SCS race in 2014, while Nick Ritchey won his first ever at Lernerville in 2015.  Rocky Kugel topped what was at the time in 2016 was a record field of 29 cars.  Steve Slater won the 2017 show, while teen Blaze Myers scored a popular first Tour win in 2018 after coming out of the B main to also win the Futures Cup title.  In 2019, Eric Gabany was victorious.  Wolbert capped off his 2020 championship season by winning his first.  Garrett Krummert finally broke into victory lane in 2021.  Ben Easler clinched the 2022 championship to become the ninth different winner.  Krummert won the 2023 Stampede make-up in April of 2024 to become the first repeat winner.  In 2024, Jacob Rutana closed out his fourth season of racing in victory lane for the first time in his career.  Last year, Holden won his first SSC to become the 11^th different winner in 12 years!

RUSH Late Model Feature Payoff: 1. $4,000  2. $2,000  3. $1,000  4. $800  5. $700  6. $600  7. $550  8. $500  9. $475  10. $450  11. $425  12. $400 13. $375  14. $360  15. $350  16. $340  17. $330  18. $320  19. $310  20-24. $300 (25. $300).

Real Merchant Services DMV Non-Qualifier Payoff: 1. $200  2. $190  3. $185  4. $180  5. $175  6. $170  7. $165  8. $160  9. $155  10-24. $150. Tow $125.

RUSH Sportsman Modified Feature Payoff: 1. $800  2. $500  3. $350  4. $300  5. $250  6. $220  7. $180  8. $175  9. $170  10. $165  11. $160  12. $155  13. $150  14. $145  15. $140  16. $135  17. $130  18-24. $125.  Tow $75.

RUSH Sprint Car Feature Payoff: 1. $800  2. $400 3. $300  4. $250  5. $225  6. $220  7. $210  8. $200  9. $190  10. $185  11. $180  12. $175  13. $170  14-18. $165  19-24. $160.  Tow $75.

The AMB/MyLaps transponders are required for all divisions; rentals will be available for $25 for the weekend.  Driver radios are always mandatory; channel 454.000.  The entry fee is $100 for Late Models.  There will be an open practice from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday night.  Registration will open at 3 p.m. on Thursday and 2 p.m. on Friday.  There will be a drivers meeting on Friday at 6:20 p.m.  Group qualifying will get underway at 7:00 followed by heat races.  Racing begins early on Saturday at 4 p.m.  Additional information can be found here: https://www.lernerville.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=1274855

Lernerville is a 4/10-mile high-banked clay oval located 11 miles southeast of Butler, Pa. on Route 356 at 313 North Pike Road, Sarver, PA 16055.  Lernerville is just 30 miles northeast of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.  For more information, check out their website at www.lernerville.com or call 724-353-1511.

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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