“CROSS THE BORDERS” SPEEDWEEK FOR SWEENEY RUSH LM TOUR CONTINUES WITH EXPO WEDNESDAY, MCKEAN THURSDAY, PITTSBURGH SATURDAY
By Mike Leone

July 2, 2013                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)…After getting one of the two scheduled Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series events completed last weekend, the “Cross the Borders” Speedweek will resume this week with a trio of events Wednesday (July 10) at Expo Speedway, Thursday (July 11) at McKean County Raceway, and Saturday (July 13) at Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway.  Saturday will also include the first of three “Futures Cup” Trifecta races!

 

It all begins Wednesday as the Trumbull County Fair hosts its annual racing program at the 5/8-mile Expo Speedway in Cortland, Ohio. It's been typical for the races to come right down to the wire with exciting finishes in front of the huge crowd in the covered grandstands.  Past Crate Late Model winners include Bobby Powell (2008), Max Blair (2009 and 2010), Russell King (2011), and Will Thomas III (2012).   

 

Not only will $2,000 be on the line and the normal contingencies, but the second ARbodies “Nosed Out” nose kit giveaway will be held for the first driver not making the feature.  This is nearly a $250 value!  Russell Baird, Jr. won the prize earlier this year at Sharon.  Keep in mind racing begins early at 6 p.m. due to no lights with hot laps at 5:30. Admission to the fair, which includes grandstand admission and rides, is just $8!

 

On Thursday, action shifts back to the Keystone State for the second of five Sweeney Tour races at McKean County Raceway.  Earlier this season, Bryce Davis capitalized on a misfortune by Joe Martin to win his first.  That May 23 show drew a season high 38 cars.  McKean has drawn excellent car counts all season long averaging nearly 28 cars per show for their eight events completed!  Max Blair has clearly been the dominant car winning five of the six races he’s entered.  Race time is 7:30 p.m.

 

No Sweeney Tour event is scheduled for Friday, but RUSH weekly-sanctioned Bradford Speedway will host a Sweeney Weekly Series event paying $600 to-win, $100 to-start for those interested.  Of course it’s also part of the Pace Performance “Summer Chase”.

 

Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway has been a huge supporter of RUSH this season.  Four Sweeney Tour events are part of their 2013 schedule at “The Monster Half-Mile” including Speedweek on Saturday, “Manufacturers Night” on August 31 and the Pittsburgher two-day event October 11-12.  Saturday will be a big night with not only RUSH, but the ULMS Super Late Models and UEMS E-Mod Series events!

 

In addition to Saturday’s $1,200 to-win Tour event for RUSH, “Futures Cup” racers will be able to participate in the first of three “Trifecta” races.  These $200 to-win, $55 to-start events will add points onto racer’ best 15 total.  Currently, 12-year-old Michael Lake leads Jorden Peters, Eric Wilson, Clay Ruffo, Lauren Longbrake, Jennae Piper, Matt Glanden, Shane Weaver, Cody Dawson, and Brad Blackshear. 

 

Providing a minimum of four of the five events are completed, a $3,000 Speedweek point fund will be paid out with $1,000 going to the champion paying down to $100 for 10th.  If three events are completed, a $2,000 point fund will be paid.  Currently Josh Double is leading the points via his July 5 Lernerville win.

 

“We’re looking forward to picking up with our Speedweek Wednesday,” stated RUSH Co-Director Vicki Emig.  “These are great events for the racers at top notch facilities and at the same time offering bonus monies through our Speedweek point fund.  We have to thank the speedways for taking part and of course Bud Rogers, who’s on the Trumbull County Fairboard.  Expo always draws a large crowd and it’s always neat to be part of fair races.”    

 

There have been seven Sweeney Tour events completed this season with five different winners led by Mike Pegher, Jr. (3), Rick Singleton, Ryan Montgomery, Davis, and Double.  Pegher leads the points by just one over Singleton!  Montgomery, Joe Martin, and Peters round out the top five.  Chad Ruhlman, Butch Lambert, Glenn Elliott, Matt Glanden, and John Over are sixth through tenth.  A total of 15 positions will pay in the season ending point fund and rounding out those spots are Lake, Double, Dawson, W.L. Stile, and Josh Holtgraver. 

 

The K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash will be run each night awarding $100 K&N certificate for the win, $50 certificate for second with $25 cash to all other starters.  Wednesday’s K&N Dash will determine the beginning of the feature lineup.  Chad McClellan, Chad Ruhlman, Glenn Elliott, Doug Ricotta, D.J. Troutman, Mike Pegher, Jr., and Michael Lake have picked up the victories so far.  Elliott is the K&N point leader.


Other programs taking place this weekend will be the Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down Hard Charger” as the driver that passes the most cars in the feature will receive $100 Precise certificate.  RUSH Officials will choose The Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night” each night as this 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 “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series will be held for drivers failing to qualify for the feature each night.  Randy Wible won the opening event at Hagerstown, Russell Baird, Jr. and Mike Anderson won the Sharon races, Matt Harvey won at McKean, and current point leader Jamie Wrightsman at Lernerville.

 

Expo feature payoff: 1. $2,000  2. $1,000  3. $650  4. $550  5. $470  6. $435  7. $410  8. $370  9. $340  10. $310  11. $280  12. $270  13. $260  14. $250  15. $240  16. $230  17. $220  18-24. $210. 


Expo Non-Qualifier: 1. $175  2. $150  3. $140  4. $135  5. $130  6. $125  7. $120  8. $115  9. $110  10-24. $105. Tow $100.

 

McKean & Pittsburgh feature payoff: 1. $1,200  2. $700  3. $500  4. $370  5. $350  6. $315  7. $300  8. $270  9. $260  10. $255  11. $230  12. $215  13. $205  14. $200  15. $175  16. $170  17. $165  18-24. $160.

McKean & Pittsburgh Non-Qualifier: 1. $125  2. $100  3. $90  4. $85  5. $80  6. $75  7. $70  8. $65  9. $60  10-24. $55.  Tow $50.

 

Pittsburgh “Futures Cup” Trifecta race: 1. $200  2. $100  3. $90  4. $85  5. $80  6. $75  7. $70  8. $65  9. $60  10 on back. $55.

 

Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Touring Series DRIVER Points (must be Touring member to receive points): 1. Mike Pegher, Jr. 804  2. Rick Singleton 803  3. Ryan Montgomery 776  4. Joe Martin 749  5. Jorden Peters 710  6. Chad Ruhlman 680  7. Butch Lambert 638  8. Glenn Elliott 617  9. Matt Glanden 615  10. John Over 575  11. Michael Lake 531  12. Josh Double 491  13. Cody Dawson 444  14. W.L. Stile 427  15. Josh Holtgraver 409  16. Andrew Wylie 398  17. Matt Latta 387  18. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 310  19. D.J. Troutman & Justin Tatlow 304  21. Scott Tessman 292  22. Max Blair 258  23. Lauren Longbrake 256  24. Shane Weaver 229  25. Paul McGinley 217  26. Will Thomas III 215  27. Eric Wilson 210  28. Andrew Satterlee 187  29. Bryce Davis 184  30. Dan Angelicchio 182  31. Mike Wharton 151  32. Russell Baird, Jr. 142  33. Jamie Brown 140  34. Darren Peters 87  35. Troy Swindell 85  36. Adam Sixt 80  37. Luke Carleton, Mike Laughard, Randy Wible 70.

 

You do not have to be a RUSH member to compete in any RUSH-sanctioned event.  There will be a $100 entry fee at Expo and $50 at McKean and Pittsburgh.  RACEceivers are mandatory at all events. 

 

Expo Speedway is a 5/8-mile dirt track located at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds just north of Route 305 on Hoagland-Blackstub Road in Bazetta Township, Cortland, Ohio. Pit access is Gate A right past the church. ATVs and golf carts must be kept in the pits and cannot go outside this area. For more information, check out www.trumbullcountyfair.com or call 330-637-6010.

 

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.

 

Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway is a ½-mile dirt track with a GPS address of 170 Kelso Rd, Imperial PA 15126, which is located just off the Noblestown exit on Routes 22/30.  For more information, check out their website at www.ppms.com or call 412-279-7223.  The track number on race day is 724-695-3363 or 724-695-0393.  As for their social media outlets, you can like their page on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/PittsburghsPennsylvaniaMotorSpeedway or follow them on Twitter @PAMotorSpeedway.

 

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