RUSH Late Models Expo Wednesday, PPMS Saturday
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(Pulaski, PA)…After wrapping up two great days of racing last weekend at Lernerville and Sharon Speedways with the “Bill Emig Memorial”, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series gets right back at it this week with two big events on Wednesday (July 9) at Expo Speedway followed by Saturday (July 12) at Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway.
Race number seven of the season will be a big one as $2,000 will be on the line Wednesday evening at Expo Speedway as the Trumbull County Fair hosts its annual racing program at the 5/8-mile track in Cortland, Ohio. It’s been typical for the races to come right down to the wire with exciting finishes in front of the huge crowd in the covered grandstands. Past Crate Late Model winners include Bobby Powell (2008), Max Blair (2009 & 2010), Russell King (2011 & 2013), and Will Thomas III (2012). Remember, racing begins early at the fair with heats at 6 PM due to no lights.
For the first time, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC/Pace Performance GM 604 Engine giveaway will take place at Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway. The event will be on Saturday night with a $1,500 to-win Sweeney Tour event. For the past three years, the drawing was held at Sharon Speedway near the Sweeney/Pace headquarters in Boardman, Ohio. Past winners include Ben Black (2011), Paul Jablonski (2012), and Bobby Whitling (2013).
The engine is valued at over $5,500. Drivers will receive one chance for competing, a second chance if they are a Weekly or Touring member, and a third chance if they are a member of both. Ironically, Black and Jablonski won with just one chance, while Whitling won with two chances.
It’s been a very competitive season in Sweeney RUSH Weekly Series action at PPMS this year with seven different winners in nine events. Ryan Montgomery and Ben Policz are the only repeat winners, while Josh Holtgraver, Nico Dabecco, Russ Kolesar, Corey McPherson, and Andrew Wylie all have single victories.
“We’re looking forward to these two events,” stated RUSH Co-Director Vicki Emig. “It’s always a privilege to be part of the race program at the Trumbull County Fair. We have to thank Bud Rogers and the Fair Board for again giving us the opportunity. The Tour races at Pittsburgh are always exciting and have drawn in excellent car counts. Last year we averaged 38 cars in the four shows and we hope the racers support this wonderful promotion that Sweeney/Pace continue to do providing us with an engine to give away. This should be great night of racing for the fans with the Sprint Cars and Super Late Models also part of the program.”
Virginia’s Rick Singleton enters the week red hot winning four of the five Sweeney Tour events he has competed in. His only non-win was at Lernerville where he finished a close third. Singleton has earned a whopping $9,400 in five races!
Chad McClellan of Stoystown, Pa. is the only other winner this season capturing the opener at Freedom Speedway in his first ever appearance there then winning Friday at Lernerville for his first career win at the Sarver, Pa. oval.
With Singleton missing the opening event and McClellan suffering two DNFs during the “Mid-Atlantic States Classic” it’s left consistent Ryan Montgomery atop the standings. The 17-year-old Fairmont, West Virginia racer hasn’t finished worse than fourth in the last five events, but last year’s top winner at five would surely love to earn his first win of the year. While Montgomery has never won at Expo, he has PPMS figured out. Last year Montgomery swept the two-day Pittsburgher and finished second in the other two Tour events. This year, Montgomery already has two Sweeney Weekly Series win in three tries at the Imperial, Pa. oval.
Cody Dawson finished fourth in last year’s Sweeney Tour points and currently finds himself in third just nine points behind McClellan for runner-up. Dawson tows from Westover, Maryland near the Atlantic Ocean and has been much improved this season with three top six finishes including a career best runner-up at Winchester’s event.
First year Sweeney Tour racers Jason Rider, John Waters, and Eric Wilson are fourth through sixth in points. PPMS has been a home track for Rider during his racing career, while Wilson lives in the shadow of Expo. Singleton has worked his way up to seventh in points and is just 30 behind McClellan for the runner-up spot. The complete point list is posted below with the top 15 being eligible for a provisional and season ending point fund monies.
The K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash will be run each night paying $100 K&N certificate to win, $50 K&N certificate for second, and $25 cash for third and fourth spot. Singleton is currently leading the K&N Dash Championship standings. Each night, a K&N “Cold Air Induction” system valued at up to $500 will be given away to a lucky fan!
Precise Racing Products will award a $100 gift card for the “Pedal Down” Hard Charger that passes the most cars in the feature both nights. The Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night” will award three bottles of Xtreme6 Racing Brake Fluid valued at approximately $45 along with a certificate good for either $50 off of a purchase of $100 or more or 20% off any The Brake Man purchase.
Driven Racing Oil’s “Slick Move of the Night” winner will receive a bottle of Driven Racing Oil Race Wax, a can of Driven Racing Oil Speed Clean, and a certificate for $50 off a case of Driven XP Synthetic Racing Oil! TurboStart will give away a 16-volt racing battery valued at $252 to one lucky driver in a random draw of all competitors on Saturday night following the engine giveaway.
Crate Innovations will present both the “Ignite” and “Performance Plus” Awards. The seventh place finisher on Wednesday night and the eighth place finisher on Saturday night will receive a carb spacer kit that includes one billet aluminum Accelerator-1, one upper and one lower spacer gasket, and four specifically designed washers used for installation, while the driver that finishes last on the lead lap each night will receive the Moroso Custom Fit Plug Wire Set, which are custom tailored for use with the Chevrolet Performance 602 and 604 circle track engines.
Expo Feature payoff: 1. $2,000 2. $1,000 3. $650 4. $550 5. $470 6. $435 7. $410 8. $370 9. $340 10. $310 11. $280 12. $270 13. $260 14. $250 15. $240 16. $230 17. $220 18-24. $210.
Expo Non-Qualifier: 1. $175 2. $150 3. $140 4. $135 5. $130 6. $125 7. $120 8. $115 9. $110 10-24. $105. Tow $100.
Pittsburgh Feature Payoff : 1. $1,500 2. $800 3. $550 4. $410 5. $375 6. $340 7. $325 8. $295 9. $285 10. $280 11. $255 12. $250 13. $230 14. $225 15. $200 16. $195 17. $190 18-24. $185.
Pittsburgh Non-Qualifier: 1. $150 2. $125 3. $115 4. $110 5. $105 6. $100 7. $95 8. $90 9. $85 10-24. $80. $75 to any driver failing to start either feature.
Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Touring Series DRIVER Points (must be Touring member to receive points): 1. Ryan Montgomery 564 2. Chad McClellan 526 3. Cody Dawson 517 4. Jason Rider 513 5. John Waters 512 6. Eric Wilson 505 7. Rick Singleton 496 8. John Imler 318 9. Reese Masiello 303 10. John Over 260 11. Ralph Morgan, Jr. 259 12. Andrew Wylie 258 13. Russell Baird, Jr. 248 14. W.L. Stile 235 13. Josh Holtgraver & Josh Double 183 17. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 172 18. Jamie Wrightsman 162 19. Robby Marhefka 158 20. Michael Lake 153 21. Will Thomas III & Max Blair 94 23. Bryce Davis 90 24. Jamie Brown & Nolan Dalton 89 26. Matt Glanden & Adam Sixt 86 28. Bob Kish 85 29. Joe Martin 84 30. Kyle Lukon & Jacob Burdette 78.
You do not have to be a member of RUSH to compete. There is a $100 entry fee on Wednesday night and a $75 entry fee on Saturday night. RACEceivers are required. The red AMB transponders will be used at Pittsburgh.
Pits open at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Expo with warm-ups at 5:30 and racing at 6. Pit passes are $20 and includes fair admission. For all others, fair admission is just $8 and includes rides and admission into the races! Seniors are only $4. On Saturday at PPMS, pits open at 4 p.m. with warm-ups at 6 followed by racing at Saturday.
Expo Speedway is a 5/8-mile dirt track located at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds just north of Route 305 on Hoagland-Blackstub Road in Bazetta Township, Cortland, Ohio. Pit access is Gate A right past the church. ATVs and golf carts must be kept in the pits and cannot go outside this area. For more information, check out www.trumbullcountyfair.com or call 330-637-6010.
Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway is a ½-mile dirt track with a GPS address of 170 Kelso Rd, Imperial PA 15126, which is located just off the Noblestown exit on Routes 22/30. For more information, check out their website at www.ppms.com or call 412-279-7223. The track number on race day is 724-695-3363 or 724-695-0393. As for their social media outlets, you can like their page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PittsburghsPennsylvaniaMotorSpeedway or follow them on Twitter @PAMotorSpeedway.
RUSH Late Model marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, The Brake Man, Bilstein Shocks, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, TurboStart, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Driven Racing Oil, Crate Innovations Inc., 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 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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