6/29/2019
SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR CONTINUES HUGE 3 WEEKS OF RACING;
(Pulaski, PA)...After completing the richest Crate Late Model event in the history of the Northeast on Saturday at Lernerville Speedway for $10,000 to-win, the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series powered by Pace Performance continues its huge three-week stretch of big events. Up next is this Saturday (June 29) at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway for "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance followed by the MAVTV event presented by Sunoco Racing/Insinger Performance at Weedsport Speedway on July 2 and then the "Quebec Invasion" with back-to-back $4,000US to-win, $400 to-start events on July 12-13 at Autodrome Granby and Le RPM Speedway.
Saturday at Pittsburgh is also the "Herb Scott Memorial". Scott won 520 feature events. He was inducted into the National Dirt Track Hall of Fame, the Western PA Sports Hall of Fame, the Lernerville Speedway Hall of Fame and the Pocono Speedway Hall of Fame. Scott was a three-time "Dapper Dan" award winner and a 10-time Pittsburgh Racing Association winner.
Over the years, Series director Vicki Emig has strategically scheduled "Manufacturers Night" at various speedways throughout the region to ensure as many RUSH racers as possible have the opportunity to participate. With the growth of the Series, RUSH added a "traveling" Manufacturers Night" in 2017 with that event alternating between New York and the Mid-Atlantic regions.
Saturday will mark the eighth edition of "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance, which will take place at PPMS for the second time in conjunction with the $2,000 to-win Sweeney Marquee Tour event. Each participating racer is guaranteed to walk away with an item valued at the very minimum of $300, with the majority of items valued at $500 or more. It's possible that several drivers can win multiple prizes. Combined, the 2019 Late Model "MFG Nights" will see over $45,000 in valuable products dispersed to RUSH Late Model racers; and well over $100,000 of products dispersed throughout the entire RUSH Racing Series!
Past locations of "MFG Nights" with car counts in parentheses are Sharon Speedway in 2012 (57), Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway in 2013 (40), McKean County Raceway in 2014 (43), Eriez Speedway in 2015 (47), and Tri-City Raceway Park from 2016-2018. The 2016 event had a Northeast record 58 cars with 48 in 2017 and 45 last year. The average car count has been 48+!
The two major prizes Saturday valued at over $1,000 include four F3 Tornado Brake Calipers from TBM Brakes ($1,800) and a full custom driver's suit from Velocita-USA ($1,000). Velocita will actually be giving away a second suit valued at $700. Sylvan Easler, the owner of longtime Series sponsor, Alternative Power Sources, has been involved with "Manufacturers Night" since its inception in 2012 when it began as just as Late Model event. Easler has annually posted one of the most valuable prizes throughout several of the Series. This year a Yamaha Power washer valued at $790 will be going to a lucky racer on Saturday.
Other companies such as MSD, Holley, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Lincoln Electric, Jones Racing Products, Wehrs Machine, Ontime Body & Graphic, Schoenfeld Headers, Insinger Performance/Bazell Race Fuels, Trailer-Alarms.com, Landrum Performance Springs, Wrisco Industries, Hoosier Tire distributors, Performance Bodies & Parts, Frankland Racing Supply, Russell King Racing, Ingram Engines, Dirt Defender, Precise Racing Products, Close Racing Supply, and Absolute Powder Coating. The complete list of prizes to date is posted below.
"It has always been my goal to make sure every racer receives a useful and valuable product on this night." said Emig. "Every racer has the same chance of winning all of the items posted through a random draw. There have been instances over the years where a racer who may not have fared so well in the actual touring event that night left the facility with more value than the driver who actually won the race. It's really great to see everyone go home with something you know they can utilize in their racing efforts. Also thanks to the
Miley Family and Pennsylvania Motor Speedway management for again hosting this event and their continued support of all of RUSH's divisions."
"We are blessed with numerous nationally recognized and regional corporate marketing partners who believe not only in RUSH, but the various concepts that have helped us build the Series," continued Emig. "Being able to award tens of thousands of dollars in actual product via our sponsors directly into the hands of our racers in the long run helps RUSH stay healthy and viable. This concept provides a trickledown effect to all of our RUSH partners, racers, speedways, and of course our sponsors who through everyone's efforts along with their own continue to have race cars to sell their products to; our Manufacturers Nights simply would not be possible without their support."
Despite his first DNF in Tour competition since September 30, 2017 last Saturday at Lernerville Speedway, Jeremy Wonderling leads Series to dirt's "Monster Half-Mile" on Saturday with a 25-point lead over Jason Genco, who finished second to Wonderling in 2018 points. Last year's events at PPMS favored Wonderling, who had a pair of fourth place finishes, compared to Genco, who could manage just a pair of 10th place finishes in his first ever PPMS starts.
Third place points man, Kyle Lukon, led for 36 laps on Saturday at Lernerville before fading then getting caught up in an accident. Lukon owns 34 career wins at Pittsburgh in various Late Model divisions and hopes to be able to make up some points on Saturday night. Braeden Dillinger and Michael Duritsky, Jr., a one-time 2019 winner at PPMS, are tied for fourth in Tour points. Completing the top 12 points paying positions are Ryan Frazee, Kyle Murray, Logan Zarin, Bill Kessler, Max Blair, Sam Pennacchio, and Darrell Bossard.
Past PPMS Sweeney RUSH Tour winners include Ryan Montgomery (3), Daryl Charlier (2), Colton Flinner, John Mollick, Mike Pegher, Jr., and Jacob Hawkins. The Tour will return on August 10 for the "Jook George Steel City Classic" paying a minimum of $6,000 to-win followed by the "Bill Hendren Memorial" on October 4-5 paying a minimum of $4,000 to-win.
Following Saturday's Pittsburgh event, just three days later on Tuesday (July 2) will be the return to Weedsport (NY) Speedway. This will be the second straight year to have this event naturally broadcast through MAVTV presented by Sunoco Race Fuels and Insinger Performance. Last year's race was terrific with John Waters victorious and this was the first time ever for a nationally broadcast Crate Late Model event. Other major sponsors of the event include CrateInsider.com, Close Racing Supply, and Alternative Power Sources.
The three-week stretch of big races will conclude with the first ever RUSH Late Model events in the Canadian province of Quebec. The "Quebec Invasion" will feature back-to-back Platinum Touring Series events at Autodrome Granby (July 12) and Le RPM Speedway (July 13). Each night will be $4,000 to-win, $400 to-start in US funds. There will also be 20 $100 Sunoco gift cards given away.
FK Rod Ends "Shock the Clock" Qualifying and $25 heat races will take place. 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 Late Model Series Officials will also determine the Dirt Defender "Defensive Drive" to the driver that best defended his position throughout the event, and will receive a $40 product package. The feature winner will receive a Sunoco 5-Gallon Race Jugs. Ontime Body & Graphic's "Spoiler Alert" will award a $150 spoiler to the ninth place finisher on Saturday.
Article Credit: Mike Leone