Sweeney RUSH LM Tour Bill Hendren Memorial PPMS 10/7-8/16 preview

SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR PART OF "PITTSBURGHER" WEEKEND AT PPMS; $2500 TO-WIN "BILL HENDREN MEMORIAL" TO FEATURE AN ADDITIONAL $3000+ IN CASH & CONTINGENCIES
By Mike Leone

October 4, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Imperial, PA)...After a weekend off and a rain out last Saturday at McKean County Raceway, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series powered by Pace Performance looks forward to resuming action this weekend at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway as part of the "Monster Half-Mile's" 28th annual "Pittsburgher 100" weekend with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The Sweeney Marquee Tour event will be the "Bill Hendren Memorial" with qualifying and heat races on Friday night (October 7) followed by the remainder of the program on Saturday night. The rain date is Sunday.

This year marks the fourth time that the Hendren Family has presented the "Bill Hendren Memorial" in the Northeast, but the first time ever at Pittsburgh. Not only will drivers be competing in the $2,500 to-win, $250 to-start feature, but also the Hendren Family has posted over $3,000 in cash and contingencies awarded over the 30-lap feature on Saturday night! The majority of the prizes this year will be awarded in $100 cash increments per lap to random drivers. The complete list is posted below. In addition and like in the past, the top three feature finishers will received beautiful, custom laser etched plaques presented by Steve himself.

In 2005, Bill Hendren, the patriarch of the Hendren family and founder of Hendren Racing Engines, had the foresight to began building his affiliation with crate racing. As many of his open engine customers looked to crate racing as an opportunity to continue racing Bill began offering free advice via the well know 4M.net message board. As the concept grew throughout the country, his generosity and expertise was rewarded as many of those who had utilized his knowledge in the beginning utilized him as their engine rebuilder as their needs arose. Bill passed away on March 19, 2011, but his legacy and dedication to crate racing lives on through his sons, Steve & Mike, as the Hendrens are recognized throughout the entire country as a leader in this specialized form of racing as they continue to operate Hendren Racing Engines.

"It truly is an honor that Steve and his family continue to align not only his father's memorial event with us, but also presents the RUSH Engine Rebuilder of the Year award," explained RUSH Director Vicki Emig. "Over the years, the Hendrens have brought over $45,000 in cash and contingencies to these RUSH events and we know how much the racers annually appreciate his efforts. We're also really looking forward to being part of the Pittsburgher and it's always a great opportunity for our racers to be able to race on the same stage as Lucas Oil. We have to thank the Miley Family for their continued support of RUSH."

The Sweeney Tour last competed on September 17 at Sharon Speedway in the "Gary Knollinger Memorial" where Will Thomas III captured his first career RUSH Tour victory and became the ninth different winner of the season! The win propelled Thomas from sixth in points into a third place tie. After three wins and a runner-up in four Tour events from June 19-July 15, Bryce Davis has cooled off with only one top five in the last four events; however, he still has an eight-point lead on three-time winner, John Waters. Jason Knowles is tied with Thomas for third. Completing the top 12 points-paying positions are Brian Knowles, Dave Lyon, Wilson, Bruce Hordusky, Jr., Alan Dellinger, Mike Pegher, Jr., Tony White, and Brian Swank.

This weekend is not only the first appearance of the season by the Sweeney Tour to Pittsburgh, but the first since September 13, 2014 when Colton Flinner captured his first career RUSH Tour victory. Ryan Montgomery won the other appearance in 2014 in route to the Sweeney Tour championship. Montgomery is expected to make his first start of the season this weekend. The 2015 Sweeney Tour event was rained out.

Pittsburgh meanwhile completed 11 Sweeney Weekly Series events during the 2016 season as unfortunately rain wrecked havoc on numerous Saturday nights. John Mollick led the way winning six feature events, while Daryl Charlier was the only other driver to win multiple races with two victories. Single victories went to Ben Policz, Justin Lamb on the $135 spec, sealed RUSH Bilstein Bandits Shocks, and Michael Reft, who won over $4,000 in the "Jook George Memorial".

Bobby Lake Motorsports "Shock the Clock Qualifying and Beat the Heat" will be utilized on Friday night meaning the fastest qualifier will receive $100 and all heat race winners will earn $25. The K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash will be run on Saturday night paying a $100 K&N certificate to win, $50 K&N certificate for second with $25 cash for third and fourth place. The K&N Dash will also set the beginning of the 30-lap feature lineup for the top two finishers in the heat races if there are less than five heats or for the heat winners if there are five or more heats.

Precise Racing Products will award a $100 gift card for the "Pedal Down" Hard Charger that passes the most cars in the feature. The TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night” will award three bottles of Xtreme6 Racing Brake Fluid valued at approximately $45 along with a certificate for a discount off any TBM Brakes purchase.

RUSH Officials will choose the "Maxima Performance" Award for a driver that exhibits a performance worthy of such. The winner will receive a free case of either Maxima Semi-Syn High Performance Racing Oil or Maxima Performance Racing Oil of your choice. In addition, the winner will receive one can of SC-1 clear coat, one 16-oz bottle of Maxima Cool-Aide concentrate, one 32-oz quart of Maxima PSF power steering fluid, and a Maxima t-shirt. The value of this prize package is $170!

Also, CrateInsider.com will award a $25 gift certificate to the driver that finishes last on the lead lap at the finish. The first non-qualifier in the Late Models will receive an ARbodies nosed kit valued at $260 for the "Nosed Out" contingency.

Feature payoff : 1. $2,500 2. $1,200 3. $700 4. $600 5. $500 6. $450 7. $425 8. $400 9. $350 10. $325 11. $300 12. $280 13. $275 14. $270 15. $265 16. $260 17. $255 18-24 (25-26). $250.

Non-Qualifier payoff: 1. $200 2. $150 3. $140 4. $135 5. $130 6. $125 7. $120 8. $115 9. $110 10-24. $105. Tow $100.

Feature Lap Prizes
1. Race 1 - $100 to the 11th place car
2. Crate Insider - $100 to the 17th place car
2. Dynatech Headers - $100 Product Certificate to the 17th place car
3. High Velocity Heads - $100 to the 14th place car
4. Maria Melillo (FK Rod Ends) - $100 to the 4th place car
5. CrateInsider.com - $100 to the 5th place car
6. Jonathan Davenport - $100 to the 6th place car
7. On Time Body & Graphics - $100 to the 19th place car
8. Jennerstown Engine Technologies - $100 to the 15th place car
9. Maria Melillo (FK Rod Ends) - $100 to the 9th place car
10. RUSH Racing Series - $100 to the last place car on the track
11. Hendren Racing Engines - $100 to the 7th place car
11. Dynatech Headers - $100 Product Certificate to the 7th place car
12. Flyin' Ryan Montgomery Racing - $100 to the 2nd place car
13. Lake Norman Motors - $100 to the 10th place car
14. Pace Performance - $100 to the 14th place car
15. Crate Racin’ USA/NeSmith Racing Series - $100 to the 12th place car
16. Pace Performance - $100 to the 5th place car
17. Don Ramon’s Mexican Restaurant - $100 to the 3rd place car
18. Pace Performance - $100 to the 1st place car
19. 955 Automotive - $100 to the 6th place car
20. Willy's Carburetor & Dyno Shop - $100 to the 9th place car
21. South Eastern Crate Association (SECA) - $100 to the 13th place car
22. Pace Performance - $100 to the last car on the lead lap
23. Lake Norman Motors - $100 to the 8th place car
24. Dirtwrap - $100 to the 8th place car
25. Daytona 1 - $100 to the 4th place car
26. Alex, Igor, Steven, Alyssa, Michayla, & Johnathan Hendren - $100 to the 5th place car
26. Bernheisel Racing Components - $250 Lazer Lid Roof to the 11th place car
27. Bobby Lake Motorsports - $100 to the 14th place car
27. www.raizedcrazy.bigcartel.com - $100 Gift Certificate to the last place car on the track
28. Crate Racin’ USA / NeSmith Racing Series - $100 to the 2nd place car
29. Hendren Racing Engines - $100 to the 9th place car
30. Ingram Racing Engines - $100 to the last car on the lead lap

2016 Sweeney Late Model Touring Series Points (must be a Touring Series member to receive points): 1. Bryce Davis 872 2. John Waters 864 3. Jason Knowles & Will Thomas III 799 5. Brian Knowles 792 6. Dave Lyon 790 7. Eric Wilson 770 8. Bruce Hordusky, Jr. 762 9. Alan Dellinger 702 10. Mike Pegher, Jr. 661 11. Tony White 625 12. Brian Swank 542 13. Clinton Hersh 532 14. Matt Latta 525 15. Kyle Zimmerman 325 16. Damian Bidwell 280 17. Randy Hall 270 18. W.L. Stile 219 19. Jared Kane 210 20. Max Blair 200 21. Charlie Duncan & Michael Duritsky, Jr. 166 23. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 161 24. Josh Double 89 25. Mike Franklin 71.

You do not have to a member of RUSH to compete. The red AMB transponders are required. RACEceivers are always mandatory. The entry fee is $100. Pits will open at 2 p.m. on Friday and will be open all day on Saturday. Drivers meeting is at 5:30 p.m. on Friday with pill cutoff at 5:45. Warm-ups are 6 p.m. both days. In the event of rain on Friday, provisions have been made to run the entire show Saturday. A Sunday rain date is also available.

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