CHRIS FLEMING WINS AT BOTH THE HILL & SKYLINE FOR 3 STRAIGHT HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL WINS; WINNING 2022 RUSH LM DEBUT FOR WILL THOMAS AT LERNERVILLE; GALE RUTH JR NOW 3-FOR-3 ALL-TIME IN RUSH SPRINTS AT DOG HOLLOW
By Marcie Barlow
May 25, 2022 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Pulaski, PA)...In spite of Mother Nature’s unsavory forecast throughout the weekend several speedways under the Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants managed to dodge the raindrops and complete their programs. The RUSH Late Models, RUSH Sprint Cars, RUSH Stock Cars, and RUSH Karting Series were able to get events in, while the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds and RUSH Pro Mods weren’t so fortunate.
The Hovis RUSH Late Models made their first of four appearances of the 2022 season at Lernerville Speedway on Friday night for a Weekly Series event and a guaranteed starting spot for the June 25 $20,000 to-win, $600 to-start “Bill Emig Memorial” presented by Sunoco Race Fuels for the Flynn’s Tire Tour on the line. Clate Copeman led the first two laps of the feature before RUSH National Weekly Series point leader, Michael Duritsky, Jr., took over. Duritsky held the top spot until the 17th circuit when Will Thomas III made the winning pass. The Sharpsville, Pa. multi-division standout led the final laps for the $800 victory in his first RUSH start of the season. Thomas also locked himself into the “Bill Emig Memorial” feature with the Lernerville provisional. Duritsky was second over Joe Martin, Josh Ferry, and Matt Latta.
The Hill Speedway was also able to beat Mother Nature on Friday night. Chris Fleming took the lead at the start of the 20-lap main event and went on to score a convincing win over Alan Chapman and Mike Epler. It was just the second ever appearance at The Hill for Fleming, who finished third at the Monroeton, Pa. track on July 23, 2021.
Fleming then completed his winning weekend as he also picked up the win at Skyline Raceway on Saturday evening. It was Fleming’s second straight Skyline win and third straight RUSH competition for the central NY racer. Dane Keller, Jr., Pat Parker, Todd Chapman and Alan Chapman rounded out the top five.
Joe Layfield led the first five circuits of the RUSH Late Model main event at Woodhull Raceway Saturday night before Jason Knowles took over. Knowles went on to lead the remainder of the event and scored his second consecutive victory at the southern tier New York oval. Jason’s brother, Brian, came home in second as Layfield dropped to third over Jason McGregor and rookie competitor Brett Marlatt.
Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway managed to get in the RUSH Late Model feature event before weather related issues cancelled the remainder of the program Saturday evening. Dave Goble and Mike Reft led the field to the green with Reft claiming the top spot until a lap nine caution slowed the field. On the restart, Ben Policz challenged Reft for the top spot. The duo battled for the top spot until a lap 11 caution for Bryan Hoffman slowed the field. With threatening winds and rain moving into the area, the competitors were sent off of the speedway for safety. Power outages in the area then forced speedway management to declare the event official with more than half of the laps completed. Reft was declared the winner with Policz in second. Cole Petrelle, Philip Bubeck and Tim Shaffer completed the top five.
The Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Sportsman Modifieds were also in action at the Imperial, Pa. speedway on Saturday. The Sportsman Modified feature will be rescheduled for a yet to be determined date. It was the only scheduled Sportsman Mod event of the weekend.
RUSH Late Model competitors at Genesee Speedway also managed to complete their Saturday evening program before rain drops began to fall at the end of the night. Bill Holmes led the first six laps of the main event until the caution flew for Jimmy Johnson and Jon Rivers. The ensuing restart gave veteran Chad Homan the opportunity he needed and he used the bottom groove to pass Holmes and drive away from the field to become the fourth different winner this year in four races at Genesee. While the victory was Homan’s first at the Genesee this year, it was his sixth of the 2022 season in RUSH competition coming at four different speedways. Brady Wonderling was able to get by Holmes to claim the second position in his season’s first appearance at the track. Holmes, Doug Ricotta and Johnson were third through fifth.
The Hovis RUSH Sprint Car Series travelled to Dog Hollow Speedway for a special Saturday evening racing card in the first of two appearances of the season at the Northern Cambria, Pa. track. Gale Ruth, Jr., who captured both of the divisional victories in 2021 at Dog Hollow, continued his win streak at the Speedway as he led all 20 laps of the main event. Ruth is now three-for-three all-time at Dog Hollow. Three-time Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series Champion, Chad Ruhlman, was second. John Mollick, Tyler Newhart and Blaze Myers rounded out the top five.
The RUSH Stock Cars competed in their second show of the season at Dog Hollow and it was Tim Laughard winning his first. Laughard debuted late last season and won two of the five races he competed in. Opening night winner, John Eckenrod, was second.
Winners in RUSH Karting Series action at Stateline Speedway on Saturday afternoon were Bexley Smith (Rookie), Ethan Arnone (JR-1), Julian Hultin (JR-2), and Morgan Curry (Adult). Smith, the defending champion, is now three-for-three this year. Arnone, who wasn’t in competition on May 14, has won in both of his starts. Hultin ended Trenton Curry’s two-race win streak. Morgan Curry meanwhile has won two straight.
RUSH Late Model competitors had the weekend off at Raceway 7, Potomac Speedway, Delaware International Speedway and Winchester Speedway. Rain forced the cancellation of Saturday night racing action at Stateline and Tyler County Speedways. In addition, the racing action at both Sunday evening venues, Eriez Speedway and the Bradford Speedway, was cancelled due to the weather.
The Flynn’s Tire RUSH Late Model Tour has an exciting three-day holiday tour scheduled this weekend. On Friday night (May 27), the Series will be in action at the Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, NY for the “Gary Montgomery Memorial”. On Saturday night, the Tour will travel to Genesee Speedway in Batavia, NY. The Tour will then conclude the weekend with the first appearance at Bradford Speedway in five years on Sunday. Each of the feature events will pay $3,000 to-win.
Hovis RUSH Late Model Weekly Series racing is scheduled this Friday at Raceway 7, Dog Hollow Speedway and The Hill Speedway. RUSH Late Model competitors will see action at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Stateline Speedway, Winchester Speedway, Tyler County Speedway, Woodhull Raceway, and Skyline Raceway this Saturday. The RUSH Late Models will have the night off at Eriez Speedway. Georgetown Speedway will have the RUSH Late Models on Friday, June 3 for a $1,000 to-win Weekly Series special.
The RUSH Sprint Cars will join the World of Outlaws Late Models in action at Sharon Speedway this Friday for an $800 to-win Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series special. The Hovis RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will see action on Friday at Raceway 7 and then travel the short distance to Sharon Speedway on Saturday night for a $700 to-win Weekly Series special with the World of Outlaws Late Models. Both of those events will also be part of the Wedge Motorsports “Route 7 Rumble” Series.
The Hovis RUSH Pro Mods will be in action on Saturday at Stateline and have been added to the card for Sunday at Bradford for their season opener.
As we prepare to celebrate the Memorial Day holiday it is also a great time to enjoy some excellent RUSH racing action.
The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Wrisco Industries, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Sherwood Wheels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Waterstone Mortgage Hermitage, Wedge Motorsports, 3C Graphix, D&V Jewelers, DrumPreserve, CrateInsider.com, Terry Bowser Excavating, and Stop-Fyre.
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 Racing Series website is www.rushracingseries.com. Like our Facebook page and Twitter pages by searching for each individual RUSH Series.
- administrator on May 25, 2022
- Article Date: 5/25/2022 by Marcie Barlow