8/7/2024
RUSH Late Model Series
BRYCE DAVIS REMEMBERS HIS UNCLE TO PERFECTION BY SWEEPING THE NIGHT AT WOODHULL; DAVIS SETS FAST TIME, WINS HIS HEAT, THE SUNOCO DASH & CAPS IT OFF BY
BRYCE DAVIS REMEMBERS HIS UNCLE TO PERFECTION BY SWEEPING THE NIGHT AT WOODHULL; DAVIS SETS FAST TIME, WINS HIS HEAT, THE SUNOCO DASH & CAPS IT OFF BY GARNERING THE $4000 “DARWIN DAVIS MEMORIAL” FOR THE HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN’S TIRE/GUNTER’S HONEY TOUR
By Mike Leone
August 7, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Woodhull, NY)...After the 11th postponement of the weather challenged 2024 season for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Model Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Touring Series on Tuesday at Woodhull, better conditions were present on Wednesday, albeit overcast with a sprinkle here and there and unseasonably cool temperatures, for the “Darwin Davis Memorial”. It was the second straight year to remember Davis- a former racer around the Woodhull area, who lost his life in a tragic automobile accident in 2008. Race #9 of 2024 began a busy three-race week for the cars and stars of the Tour.
One year ago, Bryce Davis came up one position short as it was eventual four-time Series Champion, Jeremy Wonderling, winning the event. This time, Davis had a flawless night. The 2017 Series Champion set fast time in FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying, won his FK Rod Ends heat race, captured the Sunoco Dash, and then capped it off by winning the “Darwin Davis Memorial” feature. Davis passed Brock Pinkerous on lap two and held off the 14-year-old Series points leader throughout the duration of the 30-lap feature for the $4,000 payday. It was the second win of the season for Davis, who has won more than $17,600 over the past five events!
“This feels great,” acknowledged the 33-year-old from nearby Canisteo, NY in Landrum Performance Springs victory lane. “I just had to hit my marks every lap and keep it straight; just didn’t want to break anything or get a flat tire. I felt Brock (Pinkerous) and knew he wasn’t going to give me any slack, but I knew if I kept it slow and straight around the bottom, he was going to have a hard time getting by me. It was a good night. I’m happy we could get it done this year after coming close last year. This is certainly my most memorable win. I have to thank my crew, my wife and kids; there’s a ton of people here tonight in support of us and I can’t thank them enough.”
Following the Dave Poske’s Performance Parts “Feel the RUSH” Four-Wide Salute, Davis and Pinkerous led the 24-car field to green for the feature as it was Pinkerous using the outside to lead the opening lap. Action was slowed quickly as Austin Allen tangled with Woodhull regulars Steve LeBarron and Marshall O’Brian. Pinkerous chose the outside for the double file restart and didn’t fire off great as Davis got the bite on the bottom for what would be the winning pass. Seventh starting Mike Wonderling would also get by Pinkerous, but Pinkerous regained the spot on lap five.
Following a caution for a spin by O’Brian with five laps scored, Jeremy Wonderling passed his brother Mike for third, but Mike regained it back on lap seven. The brothers continued to battle before Jeremy took back the spot for good on 11. The top three of Davis, Pinkerous, and Jeremy Wonderling pulled away from the pack on lap 13 as Wonderling grabbed second. The runner-up position however for Wonderling would be short-lived as Pinkerous took it back for good on lap 14.
Two more cautions slowed action with 18 and 19 laps scored before the final 11 went green-to-checkered. Pinkerous and Wonderling were right there, but Davis failed to make as mistake as he took the checkered flag first by 0.981 seconds in his father David Davis, Jr.-owned, Griswold's ETR Services/Davis Electric/The Brick House on Main/McCourt’s Auto Refinishing/ML Performance/Close Racing Supply/Ed Carley Motorsports-sponsored #94. Career Tour win #12 moved Davis into sole possession of third place on the all-time win list.
Pinkerous earned $1,500 for his runner-up finish to maintain the points lead over Jeremy Wonderling, who ironically finished one spot behind in third. It was Pinkerous’ sixth podium finish of the season as he’s yet to finish worse than seventh all season long. Wonderling meanwhile has finished in the top eight in eight of the nine races this season. All three podium teams received a three-pack of Heritage Wine Cellars premium product.
The man on the move was 3C Graphix Rookie-of the-Year candidate Austin Allen. The 2023 Woodhull track champion used the outside to come forward after his opening lap spin. Allen passed Mike Wonderling on lap 19 to garner the fourth position for his second top five finish in the last three races. After getting as high as second, Mike Wonderling crossed the finish in fifth for his second top five of the season.
Brett Marlatt, who has five City Chevrolet Weekly Series wins at Woodhull this season to lead the $1,000 to-win City Chevrolet Track Pack points, charged from 20th to 6th to earn the $50 Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger gift card. Track regular, Brian Knowles, had a solid run going from 15th to 7th. Damian Bidwell was eighth. Woodhull regular and 3C Graphix Futures Cup racer, Marshall O’Brian, crossed the finish in ninth and also received a spoiler kit from Ontime Body & Graphic. In his second year on the Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Tour, Austin Hauser was a season best 10th.
Davis established a new track record in qualifying with a lap of 16.134 shattering last year’s 16.669 set by Marlatt to earn $100 from FK Rod Ends. Winning $25 FK Rod Ends heat races were Davis, Cody Dawson, and Pinkerous. Davis won his third Sunoco Dash of the season for a $100 fuel card.
Also winning $100 Sunoco fuel cards were Tour racers Jim Rasey and Brad Mesler, while the $50 Sunoco fuel cards went to Joe Layfield, Rickie Loucks, Chad Homan, and Dusty Waters. Winning the $50 Landrum Performance Springs certificates were Davis, Kurt Stebbins, Jason Knowles, Brian Knowles, and Pinkerous
The Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series will return to action this weekend for a western Pennsylvania doubleheader. Saturday will be the second and final appearance of the season to Marion Center Raceway for $3,000 to-win. Sunday will be the third try to complete an event this season at Eriez Speedway for the annual “Manufacturers Night” presented by MSD Performance. The $3,000 to-win event will feature over $30,000 in valuable product giveaways as each driver is guaranteed to take home a package valued at a minimum of $400.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model "Darwin Davis Memorial" Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series Race #9 (30 laps, $4,000 to-win Platinum): 1. BRYCE DAVIS (94) 2. Brock Pinkerous (555) 3. Jeremy Wonderling (3J) 4. Austin Allen (32) 5. Mike Wonderling (18) 6. Brett Marlatt (99) 7. Brian Knowles (7) 8. Damian Bidwell (1/-Pint) 9. Marshall O’Brian (32M) 10. Austin Hauser (51) 11. Joe Martin (Snyder 10s) 12. Jason Knowles (4) 13. Steve LeBarron (29) 14. Kurt Stebbins (26) 15. Cody Dawson (36) 16. Dusty Waters (14) 17. Rickie Loucks (Krise 4R) 18. Daryl Charlier (Dobnak 42) 19. Christian Schneider (Deller 75) 20. Jim Rasey (Wrightsman 21J) 21. John Haggerty (49) 22. Brad Mesler (Sturdevant 87s) 23. Chad Homan (91) 24. Joe Layfield (121). DNS: Ben Easler (02).
Car Count: 25
Feature Margin of Victory: 0.981 seconds
Feature Lap Leaders: Brock Pinkerous (1), Bryce Davis (2-30)
Ontime Body & Graphic “Spoiler Alert” Spoiler Kit: Marshall O’Brian
Heritage Wine Cellars 3-Pack of Premium Products: Bryce Davis, Brock Pinkerous, Jeremy Wonderling
Landrum Performance Springs BOGO Certificates: Bryce Davis, Kurt Stebbins, Jason Knowles, Brian Knowles, Brock Pinkerous
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Brett Marlatt (+14)
Precise Racing Products 5-Gallon Race Jug: Bryce Davis
Sunoco Fuel Card Winners: Jim Rasey ($100), Brad Mesler ($100), Joe Layfield ($50), Rickie Loucks ($50), Chad Homan ($50), Dusty Waters ($50)
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying (Track record 16.669 by Brett Marlatt on 8/8/23) ($100 for fast time): 1. 94-Bryce Davis, 00:16.134*[4] (NTR); 2. 36-Cody Dawson, 00:16.520[6]; 3. 14W-Dusty Waters, 00:16.521[8]; 4. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling, 00:16.590[12]; 5. 32A-Austin Allen, 00:16.711[17]; 6. 26-Kurt Stebbins, 00:16.724[10]; 7. 21J-Jim Rasey, 00:16.733[19]; 8. 42-Daryl Charlier, 00:16.742[13]; 9. 555-Brock Pinkerous, 00:16.754[25]; 10. 18-Mike Wonderling, 00:16.781[11]; 11. 10S-Joe Martin, 00:16.849[23]; 12. 02-Benjamin Easler, 00:17.061[2]; 13. 75-Christian Schneider, 00:17.100[14]; 14. 87S-Brad Mesler, 00:17.156[20]; 15. 4-Jason Knowles, 00:17.167[15]; 16. 1/2PT-Damian Bidwell, 00:17.212[16]; 17. 51-Austin Hauser, 00:17.238[9]; 18. 7-Brian Knowles, 00:17.261[24]; 19. 91-Chad Homan, 00:17.271[7]; 20. 29L-Steve LeBarron, 00:17.350[3]; 21. 4R-Rickie Loucks, 00:17.519[5]; 22. 49-John Haggerty, 00:17.636[22]; 23. 99M-Brett Marlatt, 00:17.652[21]; 24. 121-Joe Layfield, 00:17.850[1]; 25. 32M-Marshall O'Brian, 00:20.498[18].
FK Rod Ends Heat 1 (8 laps, $25 to-win): 1. 94-Bryce Davis[1]; 2. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[2]; 3. 18-Mike Wonderling[4]; 4. 21J-Jim Rasey[3]; 5. 75-Christian Schneider[5]; 6. 91-Chad Homan[7]; 7. 1/2PT-Damian Bidwell[6]; 8. 32M-Marshall O'Brian[9]; 9. 49-John Haggerty[8].
FK Rod Ends Heat 2 (8 laps, $25 to-win): 1. 36-Cody Dawson[1]; 2. 32A-Austin Allen[2]; 3. 42-Daryl Charlier[3]; 4. 51-Austin Hauser[6]; 5. 10S-Joe Martin[4]; 6. 87S-Brad Mesler[5]; 7. 99M-Brett Marlatt[8]; 8. 29L-Steve LeBarron[7].
FK Rod Ends Heat 3 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 555-Brock Pinkerous[3]; 2. 14W-Dusty Waters[1]; 3. 26-Kurt Stebbins[2]; 4. 4-Jason Knowles[5]; 5. 7-Brian Knowles[6]; 6. 4R-Rickie Loucks[7]; 7. 121-Joe Layfield[8]; 8. 02-Benjamin Easler[4].
Sunoco Dash (6 laps, $100 Sunoco fuel card to win): 1. 94-Bryce Davis[2]; 2. 555-Brock Pinkerous[6]; 3. 14W-Dusty Waters[1]; 4. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[3]; 5. 36-Cody Dawson[4]; 6. 32A-Austin Allen[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, Gunter's Honey, Sunbelt Rentals, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Landrum Performance Springs, 3C Graphix, Dave Poske's Performance Parts, Velocita-USA, Wieland Metal Services, Frankland Racing Supply, Dusted Steak Seasoning, Ontime Body & Graphic, Sherwood Wheels, D&V Jewelers, Dusted, Heritage Wine Cellars, Precise Racing Products, Wedge Motorsports, Racing Electronics, and Billy’s Garage.
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 X (formerly known as Twitter) @RUSHLM.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
