6/10/2023
RUSH Late Model Series
JEREMY WONDERLING WINS A THRILLER WITH A LAST LAP PASS IN 1ST EVER HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN’S TIRE TOURING SERIES EVENT AT MARION CENTER
JEREMY WONDERLING WINS A THRILLER WITH A LAST LAP PASS IN 1ST EVER HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN’S TIRE TOURING SERIES EVENT AT MARION CENTER
By Mike Leone
June 10, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Marion Center, PA)...The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Model Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants headed to Marion Center Raceway on Saturday night for the first ever Flynn’s Tire Touring Series race at the historic ¼-mile dirt track. Race #10 of the 2023 season took place at the northern Indiana County facility owned by Randy Reitz that is part of the City Chevrolet Weekly Series Championship for the first time ever attracted competitors from six different states plus Ontario, Canada!
Jeremy Wonderling led only one lap on Saturday night, but it was the one that counted. After hounding Joe Martin for 20 laps, Wonderling made a last lap pass and survived a turn four bonsai move by Martin that left Martin spun out to capture his Series leading fourth victory of the season in front of a packed grandstand. The three-time champion and current points leader earned $3,000 for his eighth win over the last 15 Flynn’s Tire Touring Series events dating back to last season!
“This was one of the harder ones,” expressed the 43-year-old Wellsville, NY standout. “Hopefully the fans enjoyed that with that last lap pass; the track was nice and it was a lot of fun here. I thought the lapped car screwed me up with three to go, but it actually helped me because I went to the very outside in turns three and four. I felt all race long I was better than (Joe) in (turns) one and two and he was better than me in (turns) three and four. I went around that lap car on the outside and it had more grip- that’s when I realized I probably should have been doing that all race long. I saw the white flag waving and traffic ahead. I could enter the corner better than Joe could because I think he was getting tight in the middle. I kind of used the lap car as a pick then it was a dogfight down the backstretch and through three and four. He bumped me in the middle of the corner, but it’s the last lap so no hard feelings there.”
Tom Snyder, Jr. and his driver Joe Martin led the field to green for the 30-lap feature with Martin taking over. Fourth starting Brock Pinkerous and Wonderling passed Snyder for second and third respectively on lap two. After Wonderling and Pinkerous battled for the win at the last event at Bradford, the duo resumed their battle this time for second. The two raced side-by-side for three laps before Wonderling ducked under the 13-year-old in turn two on lap seven for second.
Martin had opened up a lead, but once Wonderling made his way to second he quickly began to cut into the deficit. Wonderling closed in on lap nine and was on the leader on lap 10. With Wonderling ready to challenge Martin for the lead and lapped traffic looming, Pinkerous and Cody Dawson closed in making it a four-car race for the lead. Four separate single car spins slowed action between laps 11-13; one for Michael Duritsky, Jr, who had went ninth to sixth and was selected as the TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night” recipient.
After 11 caution-free laps followed by four cautions between laps 11-13, the last 17 laps went green-to-checkered. When racing resumed, Wonderling pulled even with Martin. Between the cautions, Dawson had passed Pinkerous for third and closed in on the lead duo on lap 17 making it a three-car race for the lead. Dawson though would lose pace with Martin and Wonderling on lap 20.
Wonderling once again made a bid for the lead in lapped traffic on lap 26, but Martin continue to lead. Martin made a good move in traffic that allowed him to gap Wonderling and appeared like maybe was headed to victory with three laps to go. Wonderling though moved up a lane and began to track Martin back down with two laps to go. Lapped traffic was looming as Martin took the white flag. Wonderling was able to make a move on the bottom of turn one and this time made the pass stick. Martin dove hard into the bottom of turn three, washed out and made contact with Wonderling in turn four. Wonderling took the checkered flag, while the contact caused Martin to spin out ending the race.
Wonderling’s second straight win, fourth in the last six races, and 18th of his career on the Flynn’s Tire Tour came in his Terry Prince Contracting/Close Racing Supply/Cummings Trucking/Shuttleworth Sales/Penske Shocks by JDS/Swift Springs-sponsored #3J.
Dawson crossed the finish line 1.342 seconds back in second matching his best career Tour finish that occurred on June 21, 2014 at Winchester (VA) Speedway. Dawson’s second place comes just three races after finishing on the podium at Genesee Speedway for the first time since that Winchester race nine years ago.
“I have to thank all my sponsors and everyone that helps me,” stated the 28-year-old Millsboro, Delaware driver. “Brian Daugherty with Integra Shocks- he’s been a big help for me this year, and without my dad I wouldn’t be here. My sister, brother, nephew, and girlfriend are all here today so I have to thank all of them. I saw them (Wonderling and Martin) get together coming out of (turn) four. I saw Joe loop around and luckily I cleared him. We travel a ton- six, seven hours every time we leave the house. To come and race with Vicki (Emig) and the RUSH Tour is a big deal; she has a great program and I like following it. To race against Jeremy and Brock (Pinkerous) is a pleasure.”
After a career best Flynn’s Tire Tour runner-up finish at the Bradford event, Pinkerous recorded his second straight podium finish in his first visit to Marion Center. “Ah man I thought I had Cody at the end,” expressed the Ellenville, NY teenage phenom. “I started digging on the top once I found it about lap 13. Ever since that I just rolled the top and I thought I was going to get him. The track was great tonight. It had a lot of good grip on the top. These cars are fast, the engines really rip, and I’m happy to be in one. I can’t thank my team and all my sponsors enough.”
Josh Ferry, who won the first ever RUSH-sanctioned event at Marion Center last year, raced from 10th to 4th. Mike Laughard completed the top five in his first Tour start of 2023. Kyle Lukon went 16th to 6th to earn the $50 Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger gift card. Former Tour regular, Ryan Frazee, made his first Tour start of 2023 and finished 7th after starting 11th. Like Lukon, Garrett Paugh also gained 10 positions as he raced from 18th to 8th. Colby Beighey was ninth. Snyder dropped to 10th at the finish, but did receive a spoiler kit from Ontime Body & Graphic.
Martin set fast time in FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying with a lap of 16.635 beating out his teammate Snyder, who owns the track record of 16.516. Martin, Snyder, and Wonderling won the FK Rod Ends heat races for an additional $25. Snyder won his first career Sunoco Dash and earned a $100 Sunoco fuel card as he became the 9th different winner in 10 races this year!
Also winning $100 Sunoco fuel cards were Craig Graham and his son Brandt through the random drawings for the Tour regulars, while the $50 fuel cards went to Lukon, Duritsky, Shane Crotty, and Andrew Koenig.
The Flynn’s Tire Touring Series will right back in action on Sunday evening (June 11) for the first ever Tour event at Knox (PA) Raceway. Race #11 will be a Marquee Event paying $3,000 to-win.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Flynn’s Tire Touring Series Race #10 (30 laps, $3,000 to-win): 1. JEREMY WONDERLING (3J) 2. Cody Dawson (36) 3. Brock Pinkerous (555) 4. Josh Ferry (33) 5. Mike Laughard (38L) 6. Kyle Lukon (184) 7. Ryan Frazee (17) 8. Garret Paugh (03) 9. Colby Beighey (36) 10. Tom Snyder, Jr. (10) 11. Mike Wonderling (18) 12. Ashton Briggs (11A) 13. Austin Hauser (51) 14. Sammy Stile (Zulisky 58) 15. Shane Crotty (Briggs 4) 16. Jim Rasey (Wrightsman 21J) 17. Joe Moyer (42) 18. Craig Graham (98) 19. Joe Martin (Snyder 10s) 20. Andrew Koenig (33K) 21. Michael Duritsky, Jr. (90J) 22. Brandt Graham (14). DNS: Marc Berzowski (25M).
Car Count: 23
Feature Margin of Victory: 1.342 seconds
Feature Lap Leaders: Joe Martin (1-29), Jeremy Wonderling (30)
Ontime Body & Graphic “Spoiler Alert” Spoiler Kit: Tom Snyder, Jr.
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Kyle Lukon (+10)
Sunoco Fuel Card Winners: Craig Graham ($100), Brandt Graham ($100), Kyle Lukon ($50), Michael Duritsky, Jr. ($50), Shane Crotty ($50), Andre Koenig ($50)
TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night”: Michael Duritsky, Jr.
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Flight Qualifying (Track record 16.516 by Tom Snyder, Jr. on 8/20/22) ($100 for fast time): 1. 10S-Joe Martin, 00:15.635[16]; 2. 10T-Tom Snyder Jr, 00:15.957[15]; 3. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling, 00:16.034[18]; 4. 33-Josh Ferry, 00:16.045[1]; 5. 36-Cody Dawson, 00:16.057[10]; 6. 18-Mike Wonderling, 00:16.088[21]; 7. 555-Brock Pinkerous, 00:16.105[12]; 8. 36B-Colby Beighey, 00:16.131[23]; 9. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr, 00:16.148[22]; 10. 38L-Mike Laughard, 00:16.193[19]; 11. 17-Ryan Frazee, 00:16.379[9]; 12. 11A-Ashton Briggs, 00:16.397[8]; 13. 21J-Jim Rasey, 00:16.404[6]; 14. 51-Austin Hauser, 00:16.439[4]; 15. 58-Sammy Stile, 00:16.498[2]; 16. 184-Kyle Lukon, 00:16.539[13]; 17. 33K-Andrew Koenig, 00:16.568[11]; 18. 03-Garret Paugh, 00:16.573[5]; 19. 4C-Shane Crotty, 00:16.595[7]; 20. 14-Brandt Graham, 00:16.650[14]; 21. 42M-Joe Moyer, 00:16.754[3]; 22. 98-Craig Graham, 00:16.771[17]; 23. 25M-Marc Berzowski, NT.
FK Rod Ends Heat 1 (8 laps, $25 to-win): 1. 10S-Joe Martin[1]; 2. 555-Brock Pinkerous[3]; 3. 38L-Mike Laughard[4]; 4. 33-Josh Ferry[2]; 5. 21J-Jim Rasey[5]; 6. 184-Kyle Lukon[6]; 7. 4C-Shane Crotty[7]; 8. 98-Craig Graham[8].
FK Rod Ends Heat 2 (8 laps, $25 to-win): 1. 10T-Tom Snyder Jr[1]; 2. 36-Cody Dawson[2]; 3. 36B-Colby Beighey[3]; 4. 17-Ryan Frazee[4]; 5. 33K-Andrew Ko.enig[6]; 6. 51-Austin Hauser[5]; 7. 14-Brandt Graham[7]. DNS: 25M-Marc Berzowski.
FK Rod Ends Heat 3 (8 laps, $25 to-win): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[1]; 2. 18-Mike Wonderling[2]; 3. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr[3]; 4. 11A-Ashton Briggs[4]; 5. 58-Sammy Stile[5]; 6. 03-Garret Paugh[6]; 7. 42M-Joe Moyer[7].
Sunoco Dash (6 laps, $100 Sunoco fuel card to-win): 1. 10T-Tom Snyder Jr[1]; 2. 10S-Joe Martin[4]; 3. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[3]; 4. 555-Brock Pinkerous[6]; 5. 36-Cody Dawson[2]; 6. 18-Mike Wonderling[5]
The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Flynn's Tire, Sunbelt Rentals, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Bilstein Shocks, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Wieland Metal Services, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Sherwood Wheels, Precise Racing Products, Velocita-USA, Wedge Motorsports, 3C Graphix, D&V Jewelers, CrateInsider.com, and Terry Bowser Excavating.
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. The RUSH Late Model website is www.rushlatemodels.com. Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
