Sweeney RUSH Series July 5 weekend recap; 3 wins for Bilstein Shocks

3 MORE SWEENEY RUSH LM WINS FOR BILSTEIN BANDIT COMPETITORS AS SANDER(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) SWEEPS ACTION AT CAN-AM & BRIGHTON WHILE SCHIRNHOFER WINS 1ST AT PITTSBURGH
By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone

July 11, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)…The wettest month in quite some time has given racing fans all across the Northeast more cancelled races in the month of June than any of us care to remember. With it all hopefully behind us, July kicked off with a much more forgiving weekend for the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series.

That said, it was not without its casualties. Lernerville Speedway, which was set to host a Bazell/Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model Touring Series and Bicknell Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modified Weekly Series events was forced to cut their program short after heavy, misty skies gave way to rain about halfway through the evening. The RUSH Late Model race at the Sarver, Pennsylvania oval has been rescheduled to July 24 when Daryl Charlier and John Waters will start the 25-lap feature on the front row. The night will also include a non-qualifier RUSH Late Model main in addition to a Bicknell Racing Products Tour event for the RUSH Mods.

Up north at Delevan, New York’s Freedom Speedway got back to racing with a special Thursday night racing card that saw John Waters take his second victory in Sweeney RUSH Late Model Weekly Series action over a strong 22-car field. Waters was followed by Brad Mesler, Jeremy Wonderling, Dennis Lunger, Jr. in his first start, and Randy Hall for the top five. The RUSH Late Models get the night off this Friday, July 10 as the Patriot Sprint Tour comes to Freedom, but returns to action on July 17.

Further north, the RUSH Late Models were back for a bi-weekly appearance at Chapman’s Can Am Motorsports Park. Charlie Sander(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) continued his dominance at the half-mile oval scoring his third win in four RUSH races. Sander(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)’s other finish was a runner-up. His win once again came on the $135 Bilstein sealed, spec shocks. Lee Gill, Dan Ferguson, Aaron Jacobs, and Elmer Stevenson rounded out the first five. The RUSH Late Models will return on July 17.

Across the border in Brighton Ontario, the RUSH Late Model division returned to racing on “Canada Day Championship Night,” where Charlie Sander(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) took home his fourth trophy of the season after setting fast time in time trials earlier in the evening over the 19-car field. Sander(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) took the lead from pole-sitter Steve Baldwin after an exciting side-by-side battle for the lead. Baldwin relinquished the lead on lap 13. “We made some changes on the car this week and we didn’t get a chance to test it before time trials so it wasn’t exactly how we wanted it, but we pulled through and we got it done,” said Sander(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) after his 50-lap win. Adam Turner took the runner up spot in the later stages of the race, Baldwin held on for third while Kyle Sopaz and Phil Potts rounded out the top five. A full night of racing including the Southern Ontario Sprints is on tap for this Saturday, July 11.

Saturday night at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Tommy Schirnhofer, Jr. stood in victory lane for the first time this season in the Precise Racing Product RUSH Late Models. The win was even more impressive as it came on the $135 Bilstein sealed, spec shocks in just his third race of the season. Schirnhofer held off all challengers in a competitive field of racers well behind him. Chuck Medved took his #2M to the lead from the drop of the green only to be overtaken by Ron Hall in the early going. Hall held the lead until lap six when Schirnhofer took over. Tons of position changes throughout the field of top finishers as Russ Kolesar, Steve Beatty, Ben Policz and Dennis Niedereiter all advanced a number of positions to finish in their top five spots.

It’ll be a RUSH doubleheader this Saturday at Pittsburgh as the RUSH Late Models will be joined by the first of two appearances by the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds in a Bicknell Racing Products Weekly Series event. Lernerville had a record 16 RUSH Mods before the rainout last Friday. Sharon and Sportsman’s Speedway were both off last weekend, and Sharon has the “Lou Blaney Memorial” this Saturday featuring the All Star Sprints and BRP Big-Block Modified Tour.

A large Independence Day crowd filled the Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio on Saturday night where the Bazell/Sunoco Race Fuels Touring Series returned to action for the second of three appearances. Eric Wilson and Kyle Lukon led the field to green. Tenth place starter Max Blair was up to third place after just three laps. With a few more caution laps bunching up the field, Blair made his way to the front by lap 14 with many battles for position behind him. Justin Chance, Damian Bidwell, Charlie Duncan and Jason Knowles all had a shot at the runner up spot and even the lead, but Blair would have none of it capturing his fourth Touring Series victory of the season, which was worth $1,500. Chance, Bidwell, Duncan and Knowles rounded out the top five.

Ryan Markham of Ashland, Ohio was the night’s big winner as he was selected as the winner of the GM 604 engine from Sweeney/Pace Performance valued at over $6,200 after being dressed by Jones Racing Products with a belt drive system and water pump. Racing continues this Saturday, July 11 with a full program celebrating the speedway’s 50th anniversary.

Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex held two events with three RUSH Late Model features contested over the Independence Day holiday weekend. Saturday included a regular program in addition to a make-up feature event. Youngsters Garrett Paugh and Braeden Dillinger not only captured their first career Roaring Knob wins, but first ever on the RUSH circuit. Then on Sunday, veteran Troy Shields repeated his opening night feat winning for the second time this season. Complete results were not available at press time.

Sunday night at Eriez Speedway saw Max Blair try to double up for the weekend in the Bonnell’s Collision RUSH Late Models, but former champion Chad Wright had other ideas. Wright survived a couple of caution laps while making his way to the front, holding off Blair in the feature, his first of the season. Blair, who won the Super Late Model feature, was followed by Jason Genco, Matt Latta and Bruce Hordusky. Eriez had over 20 cars for the third straight race. Racing continues at Eriez this Sunday, July 12 for Autograph Night.

Dennis Lunger, Jr. continued his dominance of the Pinty’s Delicious Foods RUSH Late Models at Humberstone Speedway on Sunday night. Lunger has now won six of the seven feature events with a runner-up in the other one. The Albion, Pennsylvania driver’s win didn’t come easy as he battled for a lead that he would get on lap 14. Lunger was involved in a two car spin early in the event, relinquishing him to the rear for the restart. As the laps ticked away he continued to move back into position to challenge for the win. After Lunger took the top spot he pulled away from the field, leaving behind a battle for second between Rob Pietz and Colton Ledingham. In the end it was Lunger, Pietz, Ledingham, Jeff Dayman and Tim Gillespie making up the top five. The RUSH Late Models return to action this Sunday night for a regular weekly show that includes the vintage cars.

Potomac Speedway had the RUSH Late Models at the track on Friday night before rain washed out the program. The Late Models had the night off from Winchester Speedway on Saturday, but will be on the card this Saturday night. Fulton Speedway’s feature from last Saturday night is being carried over to this Saturday night along with a complete new show.

Speaking of Potomac and Winchester, 16-time Pure Stock winner and current point leader, Mike Franklin, has picked up a GM 604 crate engine and has joined the Sweeney RUSH Pro Stock Series as a member racer.

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

RUSH Sportsman Modified marketing partners: Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Bicknell Racing Products, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, MSD Ignition, Maxima Racing Oil, Jones Racing Products, VP Racing Fuels, FK Rod Ends, Sherwood Racing Wheels, Velocita-USA, Precise Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, K&N Filters, TBM Brakes, Lincoln Electric, Rocket Racing, and B.R.A.K.E.S.

E-mail can be sent to the RUSH Racing Series at info@rushracingseries.com 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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