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JEREMY WONDERLING OUT-DUELS BROCK PINKEROUS TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED AT MARION CENTER IN HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN'S TIRE/GUNTER'S HONEY TOUR EVENTS WIT

JEREMY WONDERLING OUT-DUELS BROCK PINKEROUS TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED AT MARION CENTER IN HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN'S TIRE/GUNTER'S HONEY TOUR EVENTS WITH HIS 3RD WIN IN 3 TRIES
By Mike Leone

August 10, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Marion Center, PA)...The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Model Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series was blessed with a beautiful race day on Saturday for the second time this season at Marion Center Raceway. Race #10 of the 2024 season beat the prior all-time Marion Center car count record for Pro Late Models of 29 set at the first show on June 8, 2024 with 32 cars from five states plus Ontario, Canada!

Jeremy Wonderling has taken a liking to Marion Center. Last year, Wonderling won the first ever Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Tour event at the 1/4-mile track with a last lap pass. Earlier this season, Wonderling emerged victorious in a race that had three different leaders and four lead changes. On Saturday night, Wonderling won another thriller by passing points leader Brock Pinkerous then staving him off through lapped traffic to win the 30-lap feature worth $3,000! Wonderling is now three-for-three in Tour events at Marion Center following his leading third Tour win of 2024.

"I love this place," acknowledged the 44-year-old Wellsville, NY driver. "It's always a tire game when you come here. The last time I felt I chose the wrong tire. I talked to Russ (King) and Bam Bam's crew (Pinkerous) on what they were going on; we're good friends and don't play jokes on each other. He told me what they had on and I figured I'd go the other way. It was probably a good thing the caution came out because my tires were probably done and I think his were coming. The car was good all night and the track was beautiful- it was a lot of fun to race on. The kid has a lot of respect for me. Last year at Bradford he raced me really hard and clean and that's a track you can really lose your cool at; ever since then I've had a lot of respect for him. He raced me overly clean tonight. There were times he could have slid up into me and smashed me, but he doesn't do it and that means a lot from a 14-year-old."

Following the Dave Poske's Performance Parts "Feel the RUSH" Four-Wide Salute, Pinkerous and Jim Rasey led the 24-car starting field to green in the feature as Pinkerous raced to the early lead over Wonderling, Rasey, and Demetrios Drellos. By lap four, Pinkerous and Wonderling pulled away from the pack. On lap five, Wondering dove under Pinkerous in turn one with a bold move, which would turn out to be the winning pass; Pinkerous tried to cross him back over, but to no avail.

Fifth starting Zack Carley passed Drellos for fourth on lap six before a caution for a spin by local racers Mike Laughard and Scott Stein. When racing resumed on lap seven, Carley moved past Rasey for third. Drellos then passed Rasey for fourth on lap eight. Rasey continued to fade as 12th starting Cody Dawson cracked the top five with a pass of Rasey on lap 12.

Wonderling caught lapped traffic on lap 16 and had a lead of 1.452 seconds on Pinkerous. Pinkerous quickly closed in on Wonderling on lap 17 and the two raced side-by-side with Wonderling hanging on. As the two battled hard in traffic, Carley closed in making it a three-car race for the lead on lap 21. The lead trio were heavy lapped traffic on lap 23. Pinkerous went three-wide with two other lapped cars on the frontstretch and contact was made; somehow Pinkerous was able to keep going as Christian Schneider spun into the infield to bring out the final caution of the event with 23 laps scored.

Wonderling chose the outside for the double-file restart and took off maintaining his lead; meanwhile, Rasey was able to get back by Dawson and Drellos to reclaim fourth. Drellos and Rasey battled for most of the 30-lap feature running side-by-side and swapping positions back and forth before Drellos got by for good on lap 26. The caution though was just what Wonderling needed as he was never seriously challenged by Pinkerous and Carley over the final seven laps.

Wonderling crossed the finish line first by 0.985 seconds and celebrated in the Landrum Performance Springs victory lane for his milestone 25th career Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series win in his Close Racing Supply/Shuttleworth Auto Sales/Batavia Downs/955 Automotive/Penske Shocks by JDS/Swift Springs-sponsored #3J. Wonderling now trails Pinkerous by just eight points as he chases after his fifth Series title.

Pinkerous, who also leads the 3C Graphix Futures Cup Championship, earned $1,500 for his runner-up finish as he's now finished on the podium in 7 of the 10 Tour races this season and has yet to finish worse than seventh! "I looked to my left and saw him throw a slider," explained the Ellenville, NY teen on the winning move by Wonderling. "I tried to cross him over, but he took the air off my nose. It was a really a great race. Lapped traffic came and I just hunkered down on the bottom. I got by him a couple times, but he was just really just rolling on the top and maneuvered through lapped traffic really good. Overall it was a good night. We set fast time in group B, finished second in our heat, won the dash, and finished second. Our team is really good and our car is on a roll."

Carley, who set out to run the entire 2024 Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series and compete for the 3C Graphics Rookie-of-the-Year, made his first Tour start since the opener at Pittsburgh PA Motor Speedway on April 20 as he's sat out for most of the season due to a work-related hand injury. Carley was an impressive career best third in Touring Series action in his first Marion Center start. All three of the podium finishing teams received a three-pack of Heritage Wine Cellars premium product.

Drellos continues to improve in Tour competition. Last year, the Big-Block Modified champion racer had a season best Tour finish of eighth. This year, the eastern New York racer has competed in three of the last four events with a seventh at Stateline, a sixth at Pittsburgh, and now a career best fourth coming at Marion Center! Rasey matched his career best Tour finish of fifth from May 26 at Eriez for the third year Touring Series driver of Jim Wrightsman's #21J.

Mike Wonderling was sixth. After getting as high as fifth, Dawson came home seventh matching his season best effort from the opener at Pittsburgh. New York veteran RUSH Late Model driver, Jason Genco, made his first Marion Center start and was eighth. Ashton Briggs was ninth for his third top 10 of the season. Daryl Charlier completed the top 10 to take over the points lead in the $3,000 to-win 3C Graphix Rookie-of-the-Year chase. Charlier also received a spoiler kit from Ontime Body & Graphic. Tour rookie Ben Easler earned the $50 Precise Racing Products "Pedal Down" Hard Charger gift card for going 23rd to 17th.

Making his debut in Bill Holzer's #28H, Troy Shields picked up the victory in the eight-lap non-qualifier. Shields and Jacob Tubbs battled for the duration with Shields making the winning pass on lap six and crossed the finish line first by 0.626 seconds. The recently-turned 64-year-old Acme, Pa. driver earned $200 as he became the amazing 79th different winner in 97 races run all-time! Shields also received a $50 Holley Performance Group certificate for being the first feature non-qualifier. Tubbs bested his prior two third place runs with a runner-up in his first ever Marion Center appearance to take over the D&V Jewelers "Wheelman" Bonus Event Challenge Series points lead. Pittsburgh area racers Jacob Gunn, Cale Schwartzmiller, and Brodie Oravetz were third through fifth respectively.

Jeremy Wonderling set fast time overall in FK Rod Ends "Shock the Clock" Qualifying with a lap of 16.186 to earn $100. Winning the $25 FK Rod Ends heat races were Jeremy Wonderling, Clate Copeman, Mike Wonderling, and Drellos, while Zach Gunn and Shane Crotty won the last chance B mains. Pinkerous won his third Sunoco Dash of the season to earn the feature pole and received a $100 Sunoco fuel card.

Tour drivers Easler and Brad Mesler also won $100 Sunoco fuel cards in the random drawings, while the $50 Sunoco fuel cards went to Laughard, Joe Zulisky, Brandt Graham, and Genco. Winning the Landrum Performance Springs BOGO certificates were Zach Gunn, Carley, Brodie Oravetz, Crotty, and Jacob Tubbs

The Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series will be right back in action on Sunday (August 11) at Eriez Speedway in Erie, Pa. for the 13th annual "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance. The $3,000 event will also include over $30,000 of valuable product giveaways with each driver guaranteed a product package of a minimum of $400!

Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Flynn’s Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series Race #10 (30 laps, $3,000 to-win): 1. JEREMY WONDERLING (3J) 2. Brock Pinkerous (555) 3. Zack Carley (2) 4. Demetrios Drellos (111) 5. Jim Rasey (Wrightsman 21J) 6. Mike Wonderling (18) 7. Cody Dawson (36) 8. Jason Genco (Craig/Badgley 29J) 9. Ashton Briggs (11A) 10. Daryl Charlier (Dobnak 42) 11. Damian Bidwell (1/2-Pt) 12. Clate Copeman (15C) 13. Austin Hauser (51) 14. Brandt Graham (14) 15. Joe Martin (Snyder 10s) 16. Brad Mesler (Sturdevant 87s) 17. Ben Easler (02) 18. Mike Laughard (38L) 19. Lane Brock (20B) 20. Kyle Zimmerman (Stockdale 31) 21. Scott Stein (09) 22. Christian Schneider (Deller 75) 23. Zach Gunn (17G) 24. Shane Crotty (4).

D&V Jewelers Non-Qualifier (8 laps, $200 to-win): 1. Troy Shields (Holzer 28H) 2. Jacob Tubbs (89JR) 3. Jacob Gunn (14G) 4. Cale Schwartzmiller (28s) 5. Brodie Oravetz (91B) 6. Craig Graham (98). DNS: Joe Zulisky (58) & Dan Angelicchio (14).

Car Count: 32
Feature Margin of Victory: 0.985 seconds
Feature Lap Leaders: Brock Pinkerous (1-4), Jeremy Wonderling (5-30)
Ontime Body & Graphic “Spoiler Alert” Spoiler Kit: Daryl Charlier
Heritage Wine Cellars 3-Pack of Premium Products: Jeremy Wonderling, Brock Pinkerous & Zack Carley
Holley Performance Group “Nosed Out”: Troy Shields
Landrum Performance Springs BOGO Certificates: Zach Gunn, Zack Carley, Brodie Oravetz, Shane Crotty & Jacob Tubbs
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Ben Easler (+6)
Precise Racing Products 5-Gallon Race Jug: Jeremy Wonderling
Sunoco Fuel Card Winners: Ben Easler ($100), Brad Mesler ($100), Mike Laughard ($50), Joe Zulisky ($50), Brandt Graham ($50) & Jason Genco ($50)

FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Flight A Qualifying ($100 for fast time) (Track record 15.635 by Joe Martin on 6/10/23): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling, 00:16.186[10]; 2. 15C-Clate Copeman, 00:16.204[8]; 3. 21J-Jim Rasey, 00:16.264[1]; 4. 10S-Joe Martin, 00:16.300[9]; 5. 87S-Brad Mesler, 00:16.308[2]; 6. 75-Christian Schneider, 00:16.363[13]; 7. 14-Brandt Graham, 00:16.384[15]; 8. 2C-Zack Carley, 00:16.414[14]; 9. 17G-Zach Gunn, 00:16.439[12]; 10. 42-Daryl Charlier, 00:16.454[5]; 11. 38L-Mike Laughard, 00:16.505[7]; 12. 28S-Cale Schwartzmiller, 00:16.540[16]; 13. 98-Craig Graham, 00:16.566[3]; 14. 28H-Troy Shields, 00:16.700[6]; 15. 20B-Lane Brock, 00:16.768[4]; 16. 58-Joe Zulisky, 00:16.807[11].

FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Flight B Qualifying (Track record 15.635 by Joe Martin on 6/10/23): 1. 555-Brock Pinkerous, 00:16.278[7]; 2. 29J-Jason Genco, 00:16.285[3]; 3. 18-Mike Wonderling, 00:16.294[4]; 4. 111D-Demetrios Drellos, 00:16.359[16]; 5. 1/2PT-Damian Bidwell, 00:16.403[12]; 6. 31-Kyle Zimmerman, 00:16.417[11]; 7. 11A-Ashton Briggs, 00:16.465[1]; 8. 36-Cody Dawson, 00:16.486[6]; 9. 51-Austin Hauser, 00:16.546[5]; 10. 09-Scott Stein, 00:16.583[14]; 11. 14G-Jake Gunn, 00:16.611[15]; 12. 4C-Shane Crotty, 00:16.765[9]; 13. 02-Benjamin Easler, 00:16.771[13]; 14. 89JR-Jacob Tubbs, 00:16.806[10]; 15. 91B-Brodie Oravetz, 00:17.064[2]; 16. 14A-Dan Angelicchio, NT.

FK Rod Ends Heat 1 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[1]; 2. 21J-Jim Rasey[2]; 3. 87S-Brad Mesler[3]; 4. 14-Brandt Graham[4]; 5. 38L-Mike Laughard[6]; 6. 17G-Zach Gunn[5]; 7. 20B-Lane Brock[8]; 8. 98-Craig Graham[7].

FK Rod Ends Heat 2 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 15C-Clate Copeman[1]; 2. 2C-Zack Carley[4]; 3. 42-Daryl Charlier[5]; 4. 10S-Joe Martin[2]; 5. 75-Christian Schneider[3]; 6. 28S-Cale Schwartzmiller[6]; 7. 58-Joe Zulisky[8]; 8. 28H-Troy Shields[7].

FK Rod Ends Heat 3 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 18-Mike Wonderling[2]; 2. 555-Brock Pinkerous[1]; 3. 1/2PT-Damian Bidwell[3]; 4. 11A-Ashton Briggs[4]; 5. 51-Austin Hauser[5]; 6. 02-Benjamin Easler[7]; 7. 14G-Jake Gunn[6]; 8. 91B-Brodie Oravetz[8].

FK Rod Ends Heat 4 (8 laps, Top 5 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 111D-Demetrios Drellos[2]; 2. 29J-Jason Genco[1]; 3. 36-Cody Dawson[4]; 4. 31-Kyle Zimmerman[3]; 5. 09-Scott Stein[5]; 6. 4C-Shane Crotty[6]; 7. 89JR-Jacob Tubbs[7]. DNS: 14A-Dan Angelicchio.

Last Chance B Main 1 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 17G-Zach Gunn[1]; 2. 20B-Lane Brock[3]; 3. 28H-Troy Shields[6]; 4. 28S-Cale Schwartzmiller[2]; 5. 98-Craig Graham[5]; 6. 58-Joe Zulisky[4].

Last Chance B Main 2 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 4C-Shane Crotty[2]; 2. 02-Benjamin Easler[1]; 3. 89JR-Jacob Tubbs[4]; 4. 14G-Jake Gunn[3]; 5. 91B-Brodie Oravetz[5]. DNS: 14A-Dan Angelicchio.

Sunoco Dash (6 laps, $100 Sunoco fuel card to win): 1. 555-Brock Pinkerous[4]; 2. 21J-Jim Rasey[1]; 3. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[3]; 4. 111D-Demetrios Drellos[5]; 5. 2C-Zack Carley[7]; 6. 15C-Clate Copeman[2]; 7. 18-Mike Wonderling[8]; 8. 29J-Jason Genco[6].

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, Joseph J. Oliva Attorney at Law, 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.

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