10/8/2024
RUSH Late Model Series
HOVIS RUSH SERIES TO CLOSE OUT 2024 SEASON AT LERNERVILLE THIS WEEKEND; $20,000 FLYNN'S TIRE/GUNTER'S HONEY LATE MODEL TOUR TITLE TO BE DETERMINED; RU
HOVIS RUSH SERIES TO CLOSE OUT 2024 SEASON AT LERNERVILLE THIS WEEKEND; $20,000 FLYNN'S TIRE/GUNTER'S HONEY LATE MODEL TOUR TITLE TO BE DETERMINED; RUSH SPORTSMAN MOD MFG NIGHT & RUSH SPRINTS TO ALSO TAKE PLACE
By Mike Leone
October 8, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Sarver, PA)...The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants will have a tripleheader of action this weekend (October 10-12) at Lernerville Speedway for the "Steel City Stampede". The RUSH Late Model Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Touring Series finale that will determine the $20,000 to-win championship. The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds in their "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance and the RUSH Sprint Cars Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series will also be in action. The rain date is Sunday. The event will be streamed live on Dirt.TV.
Practice will be held Thursday night (October 10) with heat races for all divisions on Friday night followed by the conclusion of the event on Saturday. Action gets underway on Friday at 7 p.m. with group qualifying for the RUSH Late Models followed by heat race action. On Saturday, racing will begin early at 4 p.m.
One lucky eligible Touring Series driver will take home a $5,000 check thanks to the new Landrum Performance Springs "Loyalty Bonus"! That drawing will take place on Saturday for Touring Series member drivers that have competed in at least 75% of the Tour events, which is currently 12 drivers.
"This is always a great way to end our season," stated RUSH Director Vicki Emig. "The RUSH championships annually comes down to this event. Our Late Model racers are always excited to get the chance to compete at Lernerville. The car counts have always been strong and the racing at Lernerville is always some of the best of the season. The Sportsman Modifieds have been given the opportunity to race numerous times over the past 11 seasons at Lernerville. Lernerville was a very important part of getting our RUSH Sprint division off the ground in 2018. All three classes always put on tremendous races at Lernerville."
This year’s “Steel City Stampede” will be the 16th edition of the huge event that includes many of the region’s racing divisions all showcased in this end of the season blowout. There have been 13 different winners in 15 years with only one repeat RUSH Late Model winner and it took until 2019 to happen. Past winners include Josh Holtgraver (2009), Bryan Force (2010), Butch Lambert (2011), Max Blair (2012, 2019 & 2020), Dennis Lunger, Jr. (2013), Chad Ruhlman (2014), Jacob Hawkins (2015), John Mollick (2016), John Waters (2017), Colton Flinner (2018), Kyle Hardy (2021), Logan Roberson (2022), and Michael Norris (2023). With nearly all of those racers not expected to be in competition, there's a high likelihood of another new winner.
FK Rod Ends "Shock the Clock Qualifying, heat races, and the Sunoco Dash will be run on Friday night for the Late Models. The fastest qualifier will receive $100 and all heat race winners will earn $25. The last chance B main(s) will kickoff Saturday's program. The 30-lap feature will pay a $3,500 to-win. There will also be a $200 to-win, $150 to-start D&V Jewelers non-qualifier.
Four-time champion Jeremy Wonderling leads the Flynn's Tire/Gunter's Honey Tour in search of an unprecedented fifth title; however, this one would be the richest of his career with $20,000 on the line! On the strength of five podium finishes in the last six events including two victories and a $5,000 runner-up last Saturday at Pittsburgh, Wonderling has taken over the points lead for the first time of the season. Wonderling though has just a one-point lead on 14-year-old Brock Pinkerous, who is looking for his first career Lernerville win. In addition to his two Tour victories, Pinkerous has an additional four City Chevrolet Weekly Series wins to earn the 3C Graphix Futures Cup title.
Joe Martin's string of four consecutive years in the runner-up spot in points has ended as Martin is currently third. Daryl Charlier is fourth in points and leads the $3,000 to-win 3C Graphix Rookie-of-the-Year title over Damian Bidwell, who is second in the RoY points. Sixth through 12th in points are Jim Rasey, Mike Wonderling, Austin Allen, Ashton Briggs, Brad Mesler, Ben Easler, and Kyle Zimmerman.
SRI Performance will award a $100 gift card to the fastest driver in warmups. The Late Model podium finishers will each receive a three-pack of Heritage Wine Cellars premier products. Precise Racing Products will award a $50 gift card for the "Pedal Down" Hard Charger that passes the most cars in the feature. Ontime Body & Graphic's "Spoiler Alert" will award a spoiler kit to the 14th place finisher. The first feature non-qualifier will receive a $50 certificate from Holley Performance brands. There will also be five BOGO Landrum Performance Springs certificates given away through drawings. Forty lucky fans each night will receive a bottle of Dusted Steak Seasoning.
Meanwhile, the Hovis RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will join the "Steel City Stampede" for the 11th consecutive year in an $800 to-win event. In addition, eligible racers will take part in the "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance drawings where approximately $17,000 will be distributed on Saturday afternoon. Each eligible driver will received a product package valued at a minimum of $345 up to $1,100. If there are less than 28 eligible drivers, then some drivers will take home an additional package. (Note: all legal race cars are eligible to compete in the race event program whether the driver is eligible for the Mfg. drawings or not.)
Greg Martin won the inaugural race in 2014, while Nick Ritchey won his first ever at Lernerville in 2015. Rocky Kugel topped what was at the time in 2016 was a record field of 29 cars. Steve Slater won the 2017 show, while teen Blaze Myers scored a popular first Tour win in 2018 after coming out of the B main to also win the "Futures Cup" title. In 2019, Eric Gabany was victorious. Chas Wolbert capped off his 2020 championship season by winning his first. Garrett Krummert finally broke into victory lane in the 2021. Ben Easler clinched the 2022 championship to become the ninth different winner. Krummert won the Stampede make-up in April of this year to become the first repeat winner. Will there be a 10th different winner this year!?
2020 and 2021 champion, Chas Wolbert, returned to the RUSH Sportsman Modified ranks in 2024 and has already clinched his third championship worth $3,500. JC Boyer was the Wedge Motorsports "Route 7 Rumble" Series Champion. Logen Lockhart has just a one-point lead on Karston King in the 3C Graphix Futures Cup standings.
The Hovis RUSH Sprints will wrap up their seventh season and will be racing for $800 to-win. Past "Steel City Stampede" RUSH Sprint winners include Chad Ruhlman with two victories, while Gale Ruth, Jr., Zach Morrow, Blaze Myers, and John Mollick each have one victory. Most recently, Myers won the August 24 show over a 23-car field in their only appearance of the season at Lernerville. Mollick has already clinched his first Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series Championship worth $5,000! Luke Mulichak leads Ricky Tucker III by seven points in the 3C Graphix Futures Cup standings.
RUSH Late Model Feature Payoff: 1. $3,500 2. $1,750 3. $900 4. $750 5. $650 6. $550 7. $500 8. $475 9. $450 10. $425 11. $400 12. $350 13. $325 14. $300 15. $290 16. $285 17. $280 18-24. $275.
RUSH Late Model Non-Qualifier Payoff: 1. $200 2. $190 3. $185 4. $180 5. $175 6. $170 7. $165 8. $160 9. $155 10-24. $150. Tow $125.
RUSH Sportsman Modified Feature Payoff: 1. $800 2. $500 3. $350 4. $300 5. $250 6. $220 7. $180 8. $175 9. $170 10. $165 11. $160 12. $155 13. $150 14. $145 15. $140 16. $135 17. $130 18-24. $125. Tow $75.
RUSH Sprint Car Feature Payoff: 1. $800 2. $400 3. $300 4. $250 5. $225 6. $220 7. $210 8. $200 9. $190 10. $185 11. $180 12. $175 13. $170 14-18. $165 19-24. $160. Tow $75.
RUSH Sportsman Modified "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance Product Giveaways:
- Velocita-USA: Full Custom Drivers Suit ($1,100)
- Holley Performance Products: Holley 80541-2 650 Carburetor ($871)
- Holley Performance Products: Holley 80541-2 650 Carburetor ($871)
- Holley Performance Products: Holley 80541-2 650 Carburetor ($871)
- Eric Gabany Racing Bodies: Complete CNC Cut Bicknell Style Outer Body ($800)
- 3C Graphix: Complete Custom Modified Wrap ($800)
- FK Rod Ends/Landrum Performance Springs: Complete Set of 4130 Black FK Rod Ends/Package of 4 VB Standard Coil Springs ($800)
- FK Rod Ends/Landrum Performance Springs: Complete Set of 4130 Black FK Rod Ends/Package of 4 VB Standard Coil Springs ($800)
- Jones Racing Products: SBC 602 Crate Serpentine Water Pump Belt Drive Kit & 1 15" Jones Hustler 3-Blade Fan ($610)
- Jones Racing Products: SBC 602 Crate Serpentine Water Pump Belt Drive Kit & 1 15" Jones Hustler 3-Blade Fan ($610)
- Frankland Racing Supply/MSD Performance/Wieland Metal Services: $300 Gift Certificate for Product or Repairs/8727CT Rev Limiter/1 Sheet of White Aluminum ($610)
- Frankland Racing Supply/MSD Performance/Wieland Metal Services: $300 Gift Certificate for Product or Repairs/8727CT Rev Limiter/1 Sheet of White Aluminum ($610)
- Sherwood Wheels: 2 Sherwood Beadlock Steel Wheels ($560)
- Sherwood Wheels: 2 Sherwood Beadlock Steel Wheels ($560)
- Sherwood Wheels: 2 Sherwood Beadlock Steel Wheels ($560)
- Bicknell Racing Products/MSD Performance: $300 Certificate/8727CT Rev Limiter ($510)
- Wieland Metal Services/Big Daddy's Speed Center: Package of 4 Sheets of White Aluminum/$100 Gift Certificate ($500)
- Wieland Metal Services/Big Daddy's Speed Center: Package of 4 Sheets of White Aluminum/$100 Gift Certificate ($500)
- Hoosier Tire: 2 Hoosier Spec Tires ($460)
- Hoosier Tire: 2 Hoosier Spec Tires ($460)
- Schoenfeld Headers & Exhaust/Racing Electronics: Complete RUSH Legal Header & Exhaust System/Receiver Pro & Case ($455)
- Schoenfeld Headers & Exhaust/Racing Electronics: Complete RUSH Legal Header & Exhaust System/Receiver Pro & Case ($455)
- Bazell Race Fuels/Precise Racing Products: $350 Gift Certificate/2 Sunoco Fuel Jugs ($418)
- Bazell Race Fuels/Precise Racing Products: $350 Gift Certificate/2 Sunoco Fuel Jugs ($418)
- Landrum Performance Springs/Precise Racing Products/TBM Brakes: Package of 4 VB Standard Coil Springs/$50 Gift Card/TBM Brake Fluid ($400)
- Landrum Performance Springs/Precise Racing Products/TBM Brakes: Package of 4 VB Standard Coil Springs/$50 Gift Card/TBM Brake Fluid ($400)
- Bilstein Shocks (Precise/Wedge)/Racing Electronics: 2 Bilstein RUSH Shocks/Receiver Pro & Case ($370)
- RaceQuip/TBM Brakes: RaceQuip Championship Helmet/TBM Brake Fluid ($345)
The AMB/MyLaps transponders are required for all divisions; rentals will be available for $25 for the weekend. Driver radios are always mandatory; channel 454.000. The entry fee is $100 for Late Models. There will be an open practice from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday night. Registration will open at 3 p.m. on Thursday and 2 p.m. on Friday. There will be a drivers meeting on Friday at 6:20 p.m. Group qualifying will get underway at 7:00 followed by heat races. Racing begins early on Saturday at 4 p.m. Additional information can be found here: https://www.lernerville.com/downloads/get.aspx?i=988232
Lernerville is a 4/10-mile high-banked clay oval located 11 miles southeast of Butler, Pa. on Route 356 at 313 North Pike Road, Sarver, PA 16055. Lernerville is just 30 miles northeast of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. For more information, check out their website at www.lernerville.com or call 724-353-1511.
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.
Article Credit: Mike Leone