7/22/2023
RUSH Late Model Series
JEREMY WONDERLING SWEEPS HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN'S TIRE TOUR WEEKEND FOR $6,000+; HIS 7TH WIN IN THE LAST 10 RACES COMES AT TYLER COUNTY
JEREMY WONDERLING SWEEPS HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN'S TIRE TOUR WEEKEND FOR $6,000+; HIS 7TH WIN IN THE LAST 10 RACES COMES AT TYLER COUNTY
By Mike Leone
July 22, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Middlebourne, WV)...After a successful fourth annual "RUSH Summer Showcase" at Lernerville Speedway on Friday night, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Models Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants headed south to West Virginia for the first of two appearances by the Flynn's Tire Touring Series in 2023 at Tyler County Speedway. Drivers from five different states plus Ontario, Canada were on hand at "America's Baddest Bullring" for race #14 of the 2023 season as a total of 44 different drivers competed in the two-night swing.
Jeremy Wonderling ended the 2022 season winning four of the last five Flynn's Tire Series events including a victory in the first ever race at Tyler County Speedway to make a late season push at his fourth championship. After getting shutout during the four-race 3C Graphix "Battle of the Bay" Speedweek top open the 2023 season, Wonderling has been red hot since the Series resumed in mid-May. One night after making a late race pass to win at Lernerville, Wonderling led all 30 laps on Saturday night with an impressive drive through lapped traffic for a $6,000+ weekend sweep as he's now two-for-two at Tyler County. Wonderling has now won 7 of the last 10 Tour events to take a commanding lead in the $15,000 championship chase!
"I had some problems before I pulled onto the race track," revealed the 43-year-old Wellsville, NY racer. "The right rear shock bolt broke off and all we could do was peen it over with a hammer. I had pretty good control of the race, but all I could keep thinking was it was going to fall off and I was going to wreck. I cannot believe it lasted as long as it did. Lapped traffic was getting heinous, but he (Mike Wonderling) had to get through it as good as I did. It's the nature of the beast and it's always a lot of fun. It's always easier when you're running second and you know where they're at. A couple guys at the back were my buddies so I knew if I showed myself they wouldn't do many any wrong. The car was really, really good."
Jeremy Wonderling took off in the lead, while his brother Mike Wonderling passed fellow New York racer Austin Hauser for second. Sixth starting David Pangrazio, another Empire State racer, was halfway to the front from his sixth starting spot on lap two when he dropped Hauser back to fourth. Pangrazio challenged Mike Wonderling for second on lap six and the duo raced side-by-side for the next several laps, while Jeremy Wonderling caught lapped traffic on lap nine.
Mike Wonderling continued to fend off Pangrazio for second and then closed back in on his brother in the battle for the lead on lap 12. Track standout, Kyle Thomas, started seventh and had just worked his way into fourth when he made contact with another car sending him spinning, while Brock Pinkerous had nowhere to go and made heavy contact. Thomas was able to resume from the tail, while Pinkerous was done for the event and was chosen as the TBM Brakes "Tough Brake of the Night" recipient.
When racing resumed at the halfway point, Jeremy Wonderling continued to lead Mike Wonderling and Pangrazio. Lapped traffic came back into play on lap 23; meanwhile, ninth starting Joe Martin passed Brandon Weigle on lap 24 for fourth. Five laps later, Weigle, who has five City Chevrolet Weekly Series wins at Tyler County this season, spun running fifth. That would setup a one-lap mad dash to the finish on the 1/4-mile track.
Jeremy Wonderling got a good restart, while Pangrazio snuck past Mike Wonderling for second. It was too late though for Pangrazio to make a bid at Jeremy Wonderling, who crossed the finish line first by 0.652 seconds. Wonderling's 21st career Flynn’s Tire Tour win came in his Terry Prince Contracting/Close Racing Supply/Cummings Trucking/Shuttleworth Sales/Penske Shocks by JDS/Swift Springs-sponsored #3J. Wonderling has now won 11 of the last 19 Tour races run dating back to last season!
After a career best Tour finish of second at Eriez Speedway on May 14, Pangrazio recorded another runner-up worth $1,500. Pangrazio has finished in the top five in three of his five Tour starts this season. "Once we got going we were all right there and in lapped traffic," explained the 25-year-old Elba, NY driver. "Once that restart happened it took me a few laps to get back going. I think we were pretty good. We got second on that last restart and we'll take it. I have to thank my parents, sister, and my girlfriend, all my sponsors, and everyone that helps out to make this possible."
Mike Wonderling continues to knock on the door for his first career Tour victory as his third place was his fifth podium effort of the season to maintain runner-up in points. Third place point man, Martin, was fourth ending a tough stretch of races for the three-time runner-up in points with just his second top five in the last seven races. Making his second career Flynn's Tire Tour start, soon-to-be 58-year-old Donnie Dotson, raced from 15th to 5th to earn the $50 Precise Racing Products "Pedal Down" Hard Charger gift card for the 2022 Tyler County Speedway Champion.
Hauser was sixth for the second straight race and fourth time this season as the first year Tour regular recorded his sixth top 10 finish in just 10 races after missing the "Battle of the Bay" Speedweek. Thomas raced back to seventh after going to the tail with 14 laps scored. Ashton Briggs went 15th to 8th for his fourth top 10 of the season. Cody Dawson was ninth. Logan Reed finished 10th after starting 16th in just his second career Tour start. One night after a career best Tour finish of third at Lernerville, Genesee Speedway and McKean County Raceway promoter Kurt Stebbins struggled finishing 15th; however, did receive a spoiler kit from Ontime Body & Graphic.
Thomas set fast time overall with a lap of 13.986 to earn the $100 FK Rod Ends "Shock the Clock" Qualifying award. Pangrazio, Pinkerous, and Dawson won the FK Rod Ends heat races for $25. Jeremy Wonderling won the Sunoco Dash and received a $100 Sunoco fuel card. Dawson and Mike Wonderling were the lucky recipients of the $100 Sunoco fuel cards in the random drawings, while the $50 fuel cards went to Thomas, Reed, and Dotson.
The Flynn's Tire Tour will be off for two weeks before returning with the annual "Jook George Steel City Classic" presented by All Interior Painting at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway in Imperial, Pa. on Saturday, August 5. Tour race #15 will pay a minimum of $6,010 to-win. That will be followed up the following night (August 6) at Eriez Speedway for "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance before a quick turnaround to Woodhull Raceway on Tuesday, August 8 for $4,000 in the "Darwin Davis Memorial" presented by Davis Electric & Empire Crushing.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Flynn’s Tire Touring Series Race #14 (30 laps, $3,000 to-win): 1. JEREMY WONDERLING (3J) 2. David Pangrazio (136) 3. Mike Wonderling (18) 4. Joe Martin (Snyder 10s) 5. Donnie Dotson (15) 6. Austin Hauser (51) 7. Kyle Thomas (57) 8. Ashton Briggs (11A) 9. Cody Dawson (36) 10. Logan Reed (37) 11. Ryan Hare (29) 12. George Casto III (19c) 13. Zack Carley (2) 14. Craig Graham (98) 15. Kurt Stebbins (26) 16. Hayden Jacobs (27) 17. Brandon Weigle (11) 18. Brandt Graham (14) 19. Jim Rasey (Wrightsman 21J) 20. T.J. Downs (03) 21. Brock Pinkerous (555). DNS: Eddie Starkey (58).
Car Count: 22
Feature Margin of Victory: 0.652 seconds
Feature Lap Leaders: Jeremy Wonderling (1-30)
Ontime Body & Graphic “Spoiler Alert” Spoiler Kit: Kurt Stebbins
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Donnie Dotson
Sunoco Fuel Card Winners: Mike Wonderling ($100), Cody Dawson ($100), Zack Carley ($50), Logan Reed ($50), Kyle Thomas ($50), Donnie Dotson ($50)
TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night”: Brock Pinkerous
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying ($100 for fast time): 1. 57-Kyle Thomas, 00:13.986[2]; 2. 555-Brock Pinkerous, 00:14.077[19]; 3. 36-Cody Dawson, 00:14.210[14]; 4. 136-David Pangrazio, 00:14.289[1]; 5. 21J-Jim Rasey, 00:14.314[10]; 6. 98-Craig Graham, 00:14.315[13]; 7. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling, 00:14.331[17]; 8. 14-Brandt Graham, 00:14.357[20]; 9. 51-Austin Hauser, 00:14.413[7]; 10. 27J-Hayden Jacobs, 00:14.468[15]; 11. 18-Mike Wonderling, 00:14.514[6]; 12. 10S-Joe Martin, 00:14.546[12]; 13. 11A-Ashton Briggs, 00:14.564[9]; 14. 11X-Brandon Weigle, 00:14.624[16]; 15. 15D-Donnie Dotson, 00:14.649[4]; 16. 2C-Zack Carley, 00:14.681[18]; 17. 19C-George Casto III, 00:14.709[21]; 18. 03D-TJ Downs, 00:14.740[5]; 19. 37-Logan Reed, 00:14.754[8]; 20. 29-Ryan Hare, 00:14.840[11]; 21. 26-Kurt Stebbins, 00:14.851[3]; 22. 58S-Eddie Starkey, DQ.
FK Rod Ends Heat 1 (8 laps, $25 to-win): 1. 136-David Pangrazio[2]; 2. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[3]; 3. 57-Kyle Thomas[1]; 4. 2C-Zack Carley[6]; 5. 11A-Ashton Briggs[5]; 6. 37-Logan Reed[7]; 7. 27J-Hayden Jacobs[4]; 8. (DQ) 58S-Eddie Starkey[8].
FK Rod Ends Heat 2 (8 laps, $25 to-win): 1. 555-Brock Pinkerous[1]; 2. 18-Mike Wonderling[4]; 3. 11X-Brandon Weigle[5]; 4. 21J-Jim Rasey[2]; 5. 19C-George Casto III[6]; 6. 29-Ryan Hare[7]; 7. 14-Brandt Graham[3].
FK Rod Ends Heat 3 (8 laps, $25 to-win): 1. 36-Cody Dawson[1]; 2. 51-Austin Hauser[3]; 3. 10S-Joe Martin[4]; 4. 98-Craig Graham[2]; 5. 15D-Donnie Dotson[5]; 6. 26-Kurt Stebbins[7]; 7. 03D-TJ Downs[6].
Sunoco Dash (6 laps, $100 Sunoco fuel card to-win): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[2]; 2. 51-Austin Hauser[1]; 3. 18-Mike Wonderling[3]; 4. 555-Brock Pinkerous[5]; 5. 36-Cody Dawson[4]; 6. 136-David Pangrazio[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, 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
