Sweeney RUSH LM Series 4/24/14 weekend recap; 11 winners now in 13 races

4 NEW SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL WINNERS BRING TOTAL TO 11 DIFFERENT DRIVERS IN 13 RACES
By Jim Zufall & Mike Leone

April 23, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Pulaski, PA)…As spring marches on, more and more green flags fly over Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Weekly Series member tracks. This past weekend’s new winners ups the total to 11 different winners in 13 races to date in 2014! Already in these 13 events, 118 different drivers have competed!

One of the two that has repeated this year already is newcomer to the Series Ben Bowie. Bowie made it two wins out of three tries at Maryland’s Potomac Speedway. The 20-lap feature race saw “Futures Cup” racer, Reese Masiello, take the early lead until Bowie took control on lap seven and held on for the win. "We had to work hard for that one tonight," Bowie stated in victory lane. "This class has made racing fun again, so we'll take this thing to Winchester tomorrow and see what we can do!"

John Imler, Masiello, a hard charging Jeff Pilkerton (the other winner at Potomac) and Sam Archer rounded out the top five. Potomac, one of the four new RUSH-sanctioned speedways in 2014 and the furthest away from the core base, has had 17 different competitors in their three events this season. RUSH will return next to Potomac on Friday, May 16 for autograph night.

The Sweeney RUSH Late Model feature at Virginia’s Winchester Speedway on Saturday night saw Bowie on the front row for the 20-lap event. It looked as though Bowie would pull off the weekend double after taking the early lead, but on lap 10 Rick Singleton charged from his sixth starting spot to take command. Singleton held on for the win in the stout 19-car field with Tyler Bare, Ralph Morgan, Bowie and Darin Henderson completing five.

Singleton, who starred in RUSH competition in 2013, was making just his first start of 2014 and the now Virginia-based driver has a perfect score after one event for car owner Clint Enyeart. Winchester has been a real success story after two RUSH events with already 29 different competitors with an average car count of 23. This coming Saturday (April 26), the Sweeney RUSH Late Models will again be on the card featuring a $3,000 to win 35-lap special for the Super Late Models.

Hartford Ohio’s Sharon Speedway kicked off the 2014 campaign on Saturday night, and when the dust settled over the RUSH Late Model feature it was the legendary Alan Dellinger with the checkered flag. Dellinger has reunited with car owner Bob Williams for the 2014 Sweeney RUSH Late Model season and by all means they will again be a force in the Sweeney Weekly Series Championship.

Dellinger for the most part dominated the event outside of the one-lap shootout keeping defending track champion Dennis Lunger, Jr. at bay. The rest of the top five were Will Thomas III, Matt Latta and Eric Wilson. Dellinger’s 161st career win at the speedway came on $135 Bilstein “sealed” spec shocks. “These are basically the same shocks that the new RUSH Sportsman Modifieds are going to have to run, stated Dellinger, who like Singleton won in his season debut. “They are a sealed shock and you can’t tear them apart. I remember when Bob (Williams) asked me if these shocks would work. I told him shocks are the biggest scam going in dirt racing today, and it shows that these work just fine.” The Sweeney RUSH Late Models will be joined by the Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modified Series this Saturday at Sharon Speedway in their debut.

The Sweeney RUSH Late Models took to the track first on Saturday night at Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway. Josh Holtgraver and Mark Moats, Jr. put on an entertaining side-by-side race for the first half of the feature event. At one point, young Nico Dabecco attempted to split Moats and Holtgraver coming out of turn four, but couldn’t make it stick. Holtgraver held on for the win followed by Dabecco, Justin Lamb, Moats, and Lernerville Speedway Stock Car Champion Cody McPherson. Racing continues this Saturday (April 26) with a regular five-division “Action Event” and a return appearance of the ¾ Late Models. Mark your calendar for the RUSH Late Model Spring Sizzler on May 10.

An impressive 25-car field took to the track at McKean County Raceway for opening night at the East Smethport, Pa. on Saturday night. Brian Knowles and Bobby Rohrer made up the front row at the start, Rohrer controlled the first lap as a hard charging Chad Ruhlman was up to second by the end of lap one. On lap four, Ruhlman was attempting a pass for the lead when he got sideways coming out of turn three. Jeremy Wonderling moved up to second as Ruhlman got corrected. After a couple of caution flags, Ruhlman took the lead and held on through a few more caution periods to take the checkered flag. Ruhlman joined Singleton and Holtgraver as winning drivers that debuted last weekend!

Behind Bemus Point, New York’s Ruhlman in the Terry Suppa-owned #4s were Wonderling, Damian Bidwell, Dave Shagla, and Dusty Waters. Early leader Rohrer slipped back to sixth. This Saturday (April 26), it’s a regular six division show at McKean, including the “Jim Duffy Memorial” for the Super Late Models.

Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex’s Sweeney RUSH Late Models took to the track Saturday night for the third time this season and a third new winner would emerge. Nolan Dalton led the first five laps before jumping the cushion, which allowed Chad McClellan to take control. John Over made his way to second place followed closely by young Michael Lake who started seventh. McClellan and Over put on a show for the lead mid-race, but with seven to go McClellan took command and never looked back. It was the Stoystown, Pa. driver’s second win this season joining Bowie.

Over held on for runner up after a tight battle with Lake, who finished third. Dalton and Bob Gordon finished fourth and fifth. A big Saturday night is coming up this weekend at Roaring Knob as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will compete at the Markleysburg, Pa. oval for a $10,000 to win feature! The RUSH Late Models and Street Stocks will also be in action.

Though he hasn’t won this season, Over has now taken “over” the Sweeney Weekly Series point lead thanks to his consistent finishes including three runner-ups, a third, and a fifth in five starts. Over leads Bowie by just five points. Imler is another five points behind Bowie with Lake and McClellan completing the top five.

The “Futures Cup” class has grown to nine competitors and it’s last year’s runner-up, Michael Lake, leading the way in the $1,000 to-win standings over newcomer Reese Masiello by 32 points. For complete RUSH points, check out the Points tab on the website at www.rushlatemodels.com.

With May drawing near, the northernmost two speedways, Freedom in Delevan, New York and Humberstone in Port Colborne, Ontario, will finally get underway. Humberstone will have a couple practice sessions before their season opens on May 4, while Freedom hopes to open the following Friday on the ninth. Freedom is in the process of re-claying their speedway. Freedom of course will host the Sweeney Tour kickoff on May 30.

For those of you with Android phones, be sure to download the RUSH Late Model Series app on the Google Play Store. Those of you that have already downloaded will be prompted to receive the new update for the season. We’re still hopeful to have the App for iPhones later this year.

RUSH marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, 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, High Gear Speed Shop, RainEater Wiper Blades, 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 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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