Preview on RUSH LM Tour Bill Hendren Memorial events at Pittsburgh Oct 2-3

"BILL HENDREN MEMORIAL" FOR RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR THIS FRIDAY & SATURDAY AT PITTSBURGH; $3100 TO-WIN EACH NIGHT PRESENTED BY FK ROD ENDS & PRO FAB; $1000 TO-WIN PACE "ONE TO REMEMBER" NON-WINNERS RACE & $500 TO-WIN NON-QUALIFIER ALSO PART OF WEEKEND
By Mike Leone

September 29, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Imperial, PA)…The Pace Performance RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC will return to action this weekend at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway for the expanded "Bill Hendren Memorial" presented by FK Rod Ends in conjunction with Pro Fabrication. The 10th annual edition will feature a $3,100 to-win, $275 to-start complete show on both Friday and Saturday night! In addition, Friday night will also include the third annual "One to Remember" Non-Winners race presented by Pace Performance paying a record $1,000 to-win, $75 to-start, while Saturday night will conclude with the $500 to-win, $150 to-start Non-Qualifier!

This marks the fifth straight year PPMS has hosted the "Bill Hendren Memorial" as part of the "Pittsburgher" weekend that also includes the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series on Saturday night. This will be the third straight year that the event purse will increase! This is due to the great efforts by Bill Hendren's son Steve and his family along with FK Rod Ends, Pro Fabrication, Pace Performance, CrateInsider.com, Dirtwrap, Miley Motor Sports, RUSH, Zarin Truck and Auto, and Branden Lockwich.

The $3,100 feature winners and the "One to Remember" victor will receive a 16" x 16" custom, laser-etched award from the Hendren Family. The second and third place finishers along with the winner of the Non-Qualifier will receive a 12" x 12" custom laser etched award.

Thanks to Kate Dillon of CrateInsider, two complete GoPro packages, which include a GoPro Hero 8 camera, SD card, waterproof case, and a JOES GoPro Mount (valued at $480 each), will be given away! One will go to the victor of the "One to Remember" Non-Winners race and the other will be randomly drawn at the drivers meeting on Saturday!

Dirtwrap has come on board for this year's event to post an additional $6,175 in cash and prizes! Dirtwrap, a trend-setter and leader in the racing graphics industry for 25 years, is launching their new venture, Dirtink. Formerly Thunderbolt Tees, Dirtink will provide screen-printing services to the commercial and racing industry.

Each of the "Bill Hendren Memorial" feature winners will receive $100 from Dirtwrap making it $3,100 to-win, while the "One to Remember" victor will receive an extra $200 making it $1,000 to-win! Each of those drivers will also receive a free wrap (non-transferrable) for the 2021 season from Dirtwrap. Second place in each of the three features will receive $50 cash and $250 off a Wrap N' Wear Package from Dirtwrap and Dirtink, while third through fifth in each feature will receive $25 cash and $250 off a Wrap N' Wear Package.

"I’ve always respected the RUSH Series and drivers," stated Dirtwrap owner Jimmy Schiltz. "I’ve been looking forward to making the trip up north for awhile. I’m excited to share this new expansion of my business. We can now offer a complete package to racers."

"It's truly unbelievable to see this event continue to grow," expressed RUSH Director Vicki Emig. "In 2017 this was a $2,500 to-win event spread over two nights and to see where it's come in three short years is amazing! The Miley Family continues their effort of showcasing the RUSH Late Models as their weekly headlining division with excellent car counts and was willing to do four Tour events during this difficult season. They had an idea to change things up this year and when we all put our heads together, the RUSH racers will now be showcased each night in full Tour events as part of the Pittsburgher in addition to the Non-Winners and Non-Qualifier events!"

Each night will include $100 FK Rod Ends "Shock the Clock" Qualifying. Drivers will then compete in FK Rod End heats heat races paying $25 to-win. The dash will determine the beginning of the feature lineup each night. Last chance B mains will be run to complete the starting feature field. Not only is each night a $3,100 to-win Tour feature, but positions 1-5 and 11-24 have been increased over the standard $3,000 to-win Tour purse! And not only will Touring Series points be on the line, but each night will allow Weekly members the ability to earn Weekly Series points with the Weekly Series Championship being extended through end of the 2020 season due to COVID-19.

In order to be eligible for the "One to Remember" race, driver must compete in the regular "Bill Hendren Memorial" event on Friday night and never have won a Late Model (full-size) feature or any headlining division feature event or prior "One to Remember" race. Drivers that have won non-qualifier races are still eligible to compete. The lineup will be determined off the qualifying times with a pill drawn for an invert (4, 6 or 8) depending on car count.

Past "Bill Hendren Memorial" winners at Pittsburgh include John Mollick (2017), Daryl Charlier (2017-2018), and Kyle Lukon (2019). Past "One to Remember" winners include Chuck Medved (2018) and Logan Zarin (2019).

There have three winners in three 2020 Tour races including Max Blair (Lernerville), Garret Paugh (Pittsburgh), and Michael Norris (Pittsburgh). Paugh and Norris' wins were their first career RUSH Tour wins. Jeremy Wonderling leads the Tour points by just six over Joe Martin. Wonderling is in search of his third straight Tour championship. Martin last competed with RUSH in 2015. Pittsburgh regular, John Mollick, is third. Michael Duritsky, Jr., who finished third in 2019 points, is fourth over veteran John Waters. Completing the top 10 in points are Late Model rookie Josh Ferry, Chad Sines, "Futures Cup" points leader Logan Zarin, Bill Kessler, and Ryan Frazee.

Pittsburgh has completed 12 RUSH events to date this season with eight different winners! Ben Policz leads the way with four, while Zarin is the only other repeat winner with two. Others winners include Christian Schneider, Keith Barbara, Paugh, Norris, Lukon, and most recently Duritsky this past Saturday night in the $1,000 to-win topless show.
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 and 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.

"I look back to several years ago to a surprise phone call I received from Steve Hendren expressing interest in having a memorial event for his late father Bill Hendren in conjunction with a RUSH Touring event," explained Emig. "Although I never knew Bill Hendren personally, I certainly was well aware of his pioneering spirit and great success in the world of GM Performance crate engine racing. And to have the Hendren Family allow us to hold their patriarch's only memorial event of the year under the RUSH banner is truly an honor. What Steve and his family continue to do for this event is tremendous! We have to thank all of the contributors as well as the Mileys for allowing this event to be part of the Pittsburgher 100 weekend."

"Bill Hendren Memorial" presented by FK Rod Ends in conjunction with Pro Fabrication Feature Payoff EACH night: 1. $3,100 2. $1,550 3. $825 4. $625 5. $525 6. $475 7. $450 8. $425 9. $400 10. $350 11. $325 12. $310 13. $300 14. $295 15. $290 16. $285 17. $280 18-24. $275. (25-26. $275 if provisionals are added). Any driver not qualifying for Friday night's feature will receive $125. Any driver not starting Saturday's Non-Qualifier will receive $125.

"One of to Remember" Non-Winners presented by Pace Performance Feature Payoff: 1. $1,000 2. $350 3. $250 4. $225 5. $175 6. $125 7. $120 8. $115 9. $110 10. $105 11. $100 12. $95 13. $90 14. $85 15. $80 16-24. $75.

"Wheelman" Non-Qualifier Payoff (Night 2 only): 1. $500 2. $200 3. $195 4. $190 5. $185 6. $180 7. $175 8. $170 9. $165 10. $160 11. $155 12-24. $150.

In the unlikely event Friday night is rained out and unable to be rescheduled, Saturday's "Bill Hendren Memorial" will revert to the 2019 payoff of $5,200 to-win, $325 to-start. Also in this case, the "One to Remember" race will move to Saturday night and there will be no Non-Qualifier. The rain date is Sunday (October 4).

The pits will be open all afternoon both days. Registration and pre-race tech will begin at 3 p.m. with the drivers meeting scheduled for 5:35 p.m., warm-ups at 6 followed by qualifying and then racing at 7. You do not have to be a member of RUSH to compete only to receive Weekly and/or Tour points. The entry fee is $100 per event. Pit passes are $40 on Friday night and $75 on Saturday night. AMB/MyLaps transponders will be required; rentals are available. One-way driver radio channel is 454.000.

PPMS COVID-19 guidelines: https://ppms.com/covid-19-updates/

Friday's schedule of events: https://ppms.com/wp-content/uploads/...gher-100-3.pdf

Saturday's schedule of events: https://ppms.com/wp-content/uploads/...rgher-2020.pdf