OHIO'S NAPA WAYNE COUNTY SPEEDWAY SIGNS ON AS A SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL WEEKLY SERIES TRACK; SATURDAY RACING AT SERIES' WESTERNMOST FACILITY

By Mike Leone

December 11, 2014                FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Orrville, OH)…Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Series Directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone are proud to welcome on NAPA Wayne County Speedway as a weekly-sanctioned Late Model track in 2015!  Celebrating their 50th anniversary, the famed Orrville, Ohio facility will run the RUSH Late Models as part of their weekly Saturday night program, and will be the Series' westernmost sanctioned facility.

On Sunday afternoon (December 7), the Creston (OH) Community Center hosted a Wayne County Crate Late Model informational meeting.  The highly-attended meeting was put on by Speedway promoters Jason and Kristin Flory.  Attendees learned about the Sweeney RUSH Series programs and at the conclusion of the meeting, the overwhelming consensus was for RUSH to sanction the weekly Crate Late Model program.  Come April 2015, weather permitting, the first ever Crate Late Model race will be held on the 3/8-mile oval!

“Kristin and I both believe that the future of weekly Late Model racing is going in the direction of the crate class,” stated Jason Flory.  “We as promoters need to help control the cost of racing the best we can.  Starting a crate class at WCS is a step in the right direction.  We were pleased with then turn out for the meeting we had with the drivers and firmly believe that this will be very successful for not only WCS, but the teams as well and we look forward to working with the RUSH Series this coming season.”

"We really commend both Jason and Kristin for taking such a proactive and decisive approach in bringing sanctioned Crate Late Model racing to Wayne County on a weekly basis in 2015," stated Emig.  "I had always hoped to include their speedway in our great group of facilities that host either RUSH weekly sanctioned or Sweeney Tour events.  We were scheduled to present a Touring Series event this past Labor Day Weekend that was unfortunately rained out, I would have never believed that three months later they would become our leader in introducing quality Crate Late Model racing to that part of our region.  I believe they have had the foresight to choose the perfect time to do so and I think they will be pleased with the results of their decision to do so under the RUSH banner."

"We couldn't be happier to have Wayne County begin the development of their Crate Late Model division under the RUSH banner," continued Emig.  "From the beginning of our negotiations, the Florys have been very strong in their belief that Crate Late Models are going to be a very important part of Wayne County Speedway's future.   We consider their facility one of the most respected speedways in Ohio, one that has a long and respected history and a fan base in Late Model racing.  We truly believe they will be the catalyst in the development of Crate Late Model racing throughout the most western part of our region and beyond."    

RUSH member racers will be able to participate at Wayne County in 2015 and be eligible for all of the programs including the Sweeney Weekly Series Championship, the Pace Performance Summer Chase title, and the “Futures Cup” for those eligible racers.  While membership is not mandatory to compete in any RUSH-sanctioned event, membership will again include a $100,000 excess participant accident policy which is over and above drivers’ health insurance and speedways’ participant accident policy.

It is expected Wayne County will host a pair of Sweeney Tour events in 2015.  One of the events will include the Sweeney/Pace Performance GM 604 Engine Giveaway Night.  On this night, one lucky competing Crate Late Model driver will win a brand new engine valued at over $5,700!  The 2015 event will be the fifth annual giveaway as past winners have included Paul Jablonski, Bobby Whitling, Ben Black, and Robbie Marhefka.   

The location of Wayne County's drivers will give them the ability to easily compete in Sweeney Touring Series events in both the Northern and Southern regions.  With the new $4,000 to-win in each region and the $2,000 overall Series bonus, one Touring Series driver has the opportunity to win $10,000 in 2015! 

"Although the RUSH Late Models will not have near the presence that they had in the past at Hartford, Ohio's Sharon Speedway  as they have opted to run our Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds weekly in 2015, general manager Dave Willoughby has already spoken to the Florys about working with them to fill in some of the gaps at Wayne County that may occur due to special events," explained Leone.  "This cooperation between the two facilities will make for a perfect situation for racers in this area and ensure Saturday night weekly racing for these drivers.  In fact, several of the Sharon racers have already expressed their desire to race at Wayne County, and Wayne County will start out by matching the weekly payoff Sharon has used (see below)."

2015 Wayne County Speedway Weekly RUSH Late Model Payoffs:
(24+ cars): 1. $800  2. $450  3. $350  4. $265  5. $240  6. $225  7. $200  8. $195  9. $190  10. $185  11. $160  12. $135  13. $110  14. $100  15-24. $90.  Tow $40

(14-23 cars): 1. $700  2. $400  3. $300  4. $245  5. $220  6. $205  7. $190  8. $185  9. $180  10. $175  11. $150  12. $125  13. $100  14. $90  15-23. $80.  Tow $40

(1-13 cars): 1. $600  2. $350  3. $265  4. $225  5. $200  6. $190  7. $175  8. $160  9. $150  10. $140  11. $125  12. $110  13. $95.  Tow $40. 

Wayne County Speedway is a 3/8-mile dirt track located at 1083 North Carr Road, Orrville, OH 44667.  Wayne County also features "410" Sprint Cars, Super Late Models, Super Stocks, and Mini Stocks on Saturday nights along with Mini Wedges and Go-Karts on their small track.  For more information on Wayne County, check out their website at www.waynecountyspeedway.com, like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/waynecountyspeedway and follow them on Twitter @wcsohio.  The track phone number is 330-465-2365.

2014 RUSH Late Model marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, The Brake Man, K&N Filters, Bilstein Shocks, Lincoln Electric, TurboStart, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Driven Racing Oil, Crate Innovations Inc., Moroso Performance Products, Velocita-USA, High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, Utsinger’s Towing, B.R.A.K.E.S., 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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