Sweeney RUSH Late Model Tour To Align With World Of Outlaws Late Models At Lernerville’s 2019 “Firecracker”
4 min read
By Mike Leone
January 11, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Sarver, PA)…The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series in conjunction with Lernerville Speedway and the World of Outlaws are thrilled to announce a major and historic addition to Pennsylvania’s richest Late Model event. The 2019 “Firecracker 100” at Lernerville Speedway on June 20-22 will not only again feature three World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series events capped off by the $30,000 to-win 100-lap main event on Saturday night, but also a 50-lap $10,000 to-win Sweeney RUSH Late Model Touring Series event!
The RUSH portion will become the “Bill Emig Memorial” and will be the richest Crate Late Model event in the 13-year history of the Northeast. This is thought to be the first time that a major Crate Late Model event will be held in conjunction with a national crown jewel Super Late Model event.
The 2019 “Firecracker 100” will be the 13th annual edition not only featuring the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models, but many of the nation’s top Super Late Model teams as well as local talent. At last year’s event, Lernerville track champion Michael Norris captured his first career World of Outlaws win on Friday’s event then finished 10th on Saturday night to winner Chris Madden. Tickets are on sale through Lernerville’s website at https://lernervilletickets.com/13th-annual-firecracker-100-….
“I can’t thank Lernerville and the World of Outlaws enough for allowing the RUSH Late Models to be part of the renowned ‘Firecracker’ event,” expressed RUSH Director Vicki Emig. “To be able to showcase our racers at what is considered to be one the country’s premier Super Late Model events is truly an honor for all of us and I know our racers will put on a great show for the fans as they compete for $10,000. We expect a very large car count with drivers traveling in from throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Canada.”
“On a personal note I honestly can’t describe what it means to bring the ‘Bill Emig Memorial’ to the ‘Firecracker’ and back to Lernerville where the inaugural event took place in 1991,” added Emig. “To have this event pay $10,000 to win, which will be the richest ever event throughout our region since my involvement with crate racing, of course makes it even more meaningful. As a car owner, my dad had a very long and storied history at Lernerville and I know he would be so proud to see that his love of racing and legacy continues on through this historic event.”
“I think this is a wonderful opportunity to enhance the Firecracker with the largest purse ever for Crate Late Models in the history of the Northeast,” stated Lernerville promoter Father Tim Tomson. “With the addition of the RUSH Late Models to this longstanding premier event for the World of Outlaws Late Models, fans, racers, and sponsors will have the time of their life. Come and camp, enjoy the races, take part in all of the entertainment, and have a terrific time!”
The RUSH Late Model Tour events at Lernerville always draw great car counts and produce tremendous racing. The 2018 season concluded at Lernerville for the DIRTcar “Steel City Stampede” when Colton Flinner fought off Tour Champion Jeremy Wonderling, Pittsburgh standout Daryl Charlier, and Mike Pegher, Jr. for his first career Lernerville win. The 2015 “Steel City Stampede” attracted 54 RUSH Late Models, which at the time was an all-time Northeast record car count. That number was eclipsed at the 2016 “Manufacturers Night” presented by MSD Performance at Tri-City Raceway Park when 58 cars turned out. Will the 2019 “Firecracker” event set a new all-time record high car count for the 13-year history of Crate Late Models in the Northeast!? The last time the “Bill Emig Memorial” was held at Lernerville was in 2014 when Chad McClellan was victorious.
The majority of the RUSH Late Model weekly-sanctioned tracks throughout the entire region have given the class the night off to compete in this historic event, while other tracks will accommodate racers that choose to participate in the event.
The RUSH Late Model Tour event will include $100 FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying, $25 FK Rod Ends heat races, last chance B mains, a dash that will determine the beginning of the feature line-up, the $10,000 to-win $450 to-start feature , and a $400 to-win $150 to-start non-qualifier. Additional details on the formatting of the event will be released in the future.
The 2019 Sweeney Tour schedule is nearing completion and will be the richest schedule of events in the Series history with at least six events paying a minimum of $4,000 or more to win. The season will get underway April 17-20 in the Mid-Atlantic for the second annual “Battle of the Bay” Speedweek at Delaware, Georgetown, Potomac, and Winchester Speedways.
Lernerville is a 4/10-mile high-banked clay oval located 11 miles southeast of Butler, Pa. on Route 356 at 313 North Pike Road, Sarver, PA 16055. Lernerville is just 30 miles northeast of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. For more information, check out their website at www.lernerville.com or call 724-353-1511 (office) or 724-353-1350 (track).
2018 RUSH Late Model marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, Earl’s Performance Plumbing, Quick Fuel Technology, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Racing Electronics, Dirt Defender, Dynamic Drivelines, Wrisco Industries, Frankland Racing Supply, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Lincoln Electric, Pancho’s Racing Products Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, Landrum Performance Spring, Schwartzmiller Ground Maintenance, CrateInsider.com, 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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