“Jook George Steel City Classic” With Guaranteed Minimum $6,010 To Win

By Mike Leone

May 29, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Imperial, PA)…While the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series powered by Pace Performance is gearing up for a busy month of June with five events including the $10,000 to-win “Bill Emig Memorial” at Lernerville Speedway June 20-22, RUSH and event coordinator, Branden Lockwich, are pleased to announce that the 2019 “Jook George Steel City Classic” presented by Zarin Truck & Automotive on August 10 at Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway will pay a minimum of $6,010 to-win with a goal of $7,510 to-win! In addition, if the event winner also competes at the June 29 “Manufacturers Night” presented by MSD Performance and the July 20 “Red Miley Rumble”, he or she will receive a $1,000 bonus compliments of Miley Motorsports and Branden Lockwich! The event carries a rain date of August 11.

“Miley Motor Sports is ecstatic about the 30th edition of the RUSH Dirt Late Model Series ‘Jook George Classic’, which is set up to be the biggest and best ever to honor our great friend of racing, Jook George,” expressed PPMS promoter Matt Miley. “We can’t thank Brandon, the RUSH Team, and all who have contributed enough. It’s a win, win, win, win- racers, fans, sponsors, and the Speedway.”

“This is the type of thing that energizes Miley Motor Sports to keep Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway alive,” continued Miley. “It’s been a long ride, 31 consecutive seasons! Age and what comes with it take a toll on us. We simply can’t do everything ourselves. Younger folks who love the sport stepping up and making some of our best events is unbelievably refreshing. It energizes an old ownership team. A very sincere Thank You from all of us at Miley Motor Sports!”

The event has been spurred once again by the efforts of Branden Lockwich. Lockwich grew up around racing as his parents started taking him to PPMS when he was three years old. Lockwich knew Jook when he was a youngster, and always had time for a young. His lifelong friends Daryl Charlier and Tommy Schirnhofer raced in the RUSH Late Model class and wanted to renew the interest of the days gone by on the “Jook George Classic.

Starting in 2015, Lockwich took up the effort to make the “Jook George Classic” the biggest race in the tri-state area for the RUSH Late Models. The event has grown in stature every year. In 2017, the event was under the Sweeney Tour banner for the first time and drew 43 cars with Mike Pegher, Jr. capturing the $4,010 win. Last year, Jacob Hawkins scored the event’s richest payday, worth $5,010, that attracted an event record 51 cars.

Already this year, Zarin Truck & Auto has come on board as the event’s presenting sponsor, the Miley Family upped their contribution to the purse as did the anonymous donor, who has annually pumped thousands of dollars into the event. In addition, Lockwich is hoping all of his previous contributors continue to support the event as those will push the event to the $7,510 to-win goal.

William Thomas “Jook” George had a brief driving career himself, but as he turned to car owner he chose and had for most of his racing career the #10 and that was in honor of his racing hero, Lou Blaney, who drove his car on a couple occasions. Other highlights of his career was being nominated as the Sportsman of the Year at PPMS, being nominated into the Pittsburgh Circle Track Hall of Fame, winning the track championship at PPMS in 1990 with John Beatty behind the wheel, and winning the Fall Classic in 1993 with Bill Yakin, also at PPMS. His most dominant stretch as a car owner came in the late ‘70s when Earl Teeters was his driver.

“We’re really looking forward to it,” expressed Dana George. “On behalf of the George family, we can’t thank you all enough for how much time, effort, and dedication that each & every one of you put forth in honoring my Dad and his incredible love for stock car racing! With this being the BIG 30, I don’t doubt that this will be the best one yet!”

“The funding Branden continues to be able to come up with for this event is tremendous and simply amazing,” stated RUSH Director Vicki Emig. “We were thrilled when Branden called us a few weeks ago to inform us he had already secured additional monies over and above last year, and we have to thank the Miley Family for upping their contribution from years past so that the event can already guarantee $6,010 to-win and $350 to-start with the goal of $7,510 to-win and $400 to-start. We also have to thank the George Family for allowing us to be part of this tremendous memorial event.”

“I’m thrilled that this year’s event will pay at minimum of $6,010 to the winner,” expressed Lockwich. “Not only will it be the second highest paying RUSH race behind this year’s Bill Emig Memorial, it will be the richest Jook George Memorial in the 30th running of the event! I really want to thank Jim Zarin for stepping up to be the presenting sponsor this year. Jim was a longtime racer at Pittsburgh and now with his son Logan racing, he has really been a huge help to my efforts this year.”

“I also want to thank both the Jook George Family, the anonymous donor who has been incredible year after year, and the Miley family who have also increased their efforts this year,” added Lockwich. “I have already started reaching out to individuals who have supported this event since I began organizing it back in 2016, and I feel confident that with all the wonderful supporters of this great race year in and year out, we can get it up to the $7,510 to-win purse structure.”

All contribution can be sent to Branden Lockwich at 200 Pine Valley Drive, Imperial, PA 15126 or he can be reached at 412-639-3723. Anyone who sponsors a lap to help build the purse will receive an entry into the drawing for 10 pit and 10 grandstand passes compliments of Miley Motorsports.

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 Racing Series is brought to you by Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC & Pace Performance along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, FK Rod Ends, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Dirt Defender, Wrisco Industries, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Trailer-Alarms.com, Bonnell’s Rod Shop, Zarin Truck & Automotive, Sherwood Wheels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, CrateInsider.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.