8/26/2022
RUSH Late Model Series
CAREER 1ST RUSH LATE MODEL WIN FOR BILLY DUBOIS COMES AT SKYLINE WHILE MATT HILL WINS 1ST OF 2022 AT DIS; ANDY PRIEST BECOMES SEASON'S 7TH DIFFERENT W
CAREER 1ST RUSH LATE MODEL WIN FOR BILLY DUBOIS COMES AT SKYLINE WHILE MATT HILL WINS 1ST OF 2022 AT DIS; ANDY PRIEST BECOMES SEASON'S 7TH DIFFERENT WINNER WITH 1ST CAREER RUSH SPRINT WIN; STEVE DIXON WINS STATELINE'S RUSH PRO MOD SPECIAL OVER THE 26-CAR FIELD
By Mike Leone
August 26, 2022 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Pulaski, PA)...Rain threatened to spoil racing action on Saturday and Sunday, but most of the scheduled Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants events were completed amongst the RUSH Late Models, Sprint Cars, Sportsman Modifieds, Pro Mods, Stock Cars, and Karting Series. Billy DuBois made the trip to Skyline Raceway worthwhile as he captured his first career RUSH Late Model victory. Standout Matt Hill was finally able to win his first RUSH Late Model race of 2022. Andy Priest put 2020 RUSH Sprint Car Championship car owner Ted Hull's #41 in victory lane for the first time in his career. Steve Dixon ended Dennis Lunger's perfect streak this season at Stateline Speedway in the RUSH Pro Mods by winning the $1,200 special over a season high 26-car field.
A beautiful Friday across the region kicked off action for the third weekend of August. A season high 17 RUSH Late Models turned out at Raceway 7 for the next to final event of the 2022 season. Jason Genco made it two-for-two this season at the Conneaut, Ohio oval emerging victorious after a tremendous side-by-side battle with Flynn's Tire Touring Series regular Breyton Santee. Santee had a string of bad luck in the first four events of the season with no top 10 finishes. Santee returned Friday after more than a month off from Raceway 7 with a sold runner-up finish. Billy Henry, Jr. was third for the third straight week and fourth time of the season. Josh Ferry was fourth to continue to lead the "Track Pack" standings. Chad Sines completed the top five.
Matt Hill had won 24 RUSH Late Model Weekly Series events in the past four years; however, the Georgetown, Delaware racer had failed to win a feature in 2022. That changed on Friday night as Hill scored the $1,000 victory at Delaware International Speedway. Nick Davis was a season best second. After winning the last two events, Derek Magee was third. Two-time winner, Joe Warren, was fourth to maintain the $1,000 to-win "Track Pack" points. Matt Glanden made his second straight DIS start and recorded his second consecutive top five in fifth.
The Hill Speedway had a new winner as Brian Knowles made just his second start of the season and was victorious for the first time of 2022 at the Monroeton, Pa. quarter-mile oval. Anthony Kelley also made just his second start and was a season best second. Fresh off his first career RUSH Late Model win at the last event, Mike Epler crossed the finish in third.
Knowles then headed to Woodhull Raceway on Saturday night where he continued his winning ways with his sixth victory at the Southern Tier New York track. It was Knowles' seventh overall Hovis Weekly Series win of 2022 to keep him in the running for the National Weekly Series Championship. Steve LeBarron was second for third time this season. Jason Knowles, Brett Marlatt, and Austin Allen were third through fifth as Woodhull had their highest car count since opening night on April 23.
Winchester Speedway once again had a great car count with 24 cars on hand from four different states on Saturday night. Defending National Weekly Series Champion, Kyle Hardy, copped the $1,000 victory for his third win at the Virginia oval, and eighth overall of 2022. Flynn's Tire Touring Series points leader, Logan Roberson, was second. Daniel Brown, Jr. was third for his best finish since a runner-up on June 4. Keith Walls, who won his first career RUSH Late Model feature at the last event, was fourth. "Track Pack" points leader, Travis Campbell, was fifth.
After finishing third in his first appearance at Skyline Raceway Motorsports Park the week prior, Billy DuBois made the two and half hour trip east from his home in Pavilion, NY payoff as he captured his first career RUSH Late Model victory! DuBois became the seventh different winner of the season at the central New York track that's in its first year under RUSH. Two-time winner, Chris Fleming, was second. Rich McNeal returned for the first time in two and a half months and matched his season best effort in third. Todd Chapman and Patrick Parker completed the top five.
Tyler County Speedway was able to get in their RUSH Late Model feature before the rains came and washed out several of the features on Saturday night. Lucas McDonald won his first career RUSH race as he became the seventh different winner of the season at the Middlebourne, West Virginia bullring. It was also the third straight week with a first time winner along with the highest car count since Memorial Day weekend. Donnie Dotson, who leads the $2,000 to-win "Track Pack" points, was second over Hayden Jacobs, A.J. Spagnuola, and George Casto III.
Stateline Speedway was also able to beat Mother Nature as the rain stayed just west of them. Another solid field of 21 RUSH Late Models were on hand. Stateline has had 19 or more cars for all nine events this season with an average car count of 24 per night! National Weekly Series points leader, Jason Genco, followed up his win on Friday night at Raceway 7 with another victory on Saturday night. Genco has now won three of the last five races at Stateline as he upped his 2022 win total to nine. Genco not only leads the National Weekly Series points, but also the $1,000 "Track Pack" points at both Stateline and Eriez. Steve Dixon was second in just his second appearance of the season. David Parker, Scott Gurdak, and Randy Hall were third through fifth.
A season high 26 RUSH Pro Mods turned out for their Hovis Weekly Series special on autograph night. Making just his second appearance of the year and first since opening night at Stateline, Steve Dixon was able to put a stop to Dennis Lunger's nine-race win streak that dated back to last season. Dixon earned $1,200 for his eighth overall win on the RUSH circuit. Lunger experienced mechanical woes while running second, which allowed Al Brewer to finish in the runner-up spot for the fourth straight week as he's yet to finish outside the podium in his seven starts. Chad Carlson was a season best third over Adam Ashcroft and Futures Cup points leader Zain Harvey.
Stateline Speedway also experienced a season high in the Hovis RUSH Stock Cars as four cars turned out. John Eckenrod made the long tow from Ebensburg, Pa. worthwhile as he picked up his fourth overall win of 2022 beating out fellow Dog Hollow regular Tim Laughard. Cody Rickard was third over Mikael Beaver.
The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds returned to Raceway 7 on Friday night for the first time in more than a month for their only race of the weekend. Ben Easler inched closer to the Wedge Motorsports "Route 7 Rumble" Series Championship by winning for the third time in six tries at Raceway 7 to go along with a pair of wins at Sharon. Easler, who also leads the $3,500 to-win Hovis Weekly Series Championship, led the entire distance. Rob Kristyak's runner-up was his best performance since his opening night win. Ayden Cipriano continued his strong performance since mid-summer with a third place effort. Kyle Holden has yet to finish worse than fourth this season as he recorded his second fourth place finish. Kyle Martell's fifth place was his best Raceway 7 run since opening night.
The Hovis RUSH Sprint Cars made their fourth appearance of the season to Knox Raceway on Sunday evening. Despite more than an 80% chance of rain, Mother Nature spared Knox as sunshine greeted fans and teams for expedited show. Andy Priest shot from the fourth starting into the lead on lap two past Joe Buccola and led the rest of the way for his first career RUSH Sprint victory. Priest earned $800 aboard the Hull Racing #41 as he became the seventh different winner of the season. Priest's 119th all-time victory came over Gale Ruth, Jr., who took back the points lead in the $5,000 to-win Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series Championship. Sixth starting Arnie Kent was a close third as Buccola dropped to fourth over Brian Hartzell.
Dog Hollow, Potomac, Genesee, Pittsburgh, and Bradford all were off, while Eriez rained out on Sunday.
Picking up RUSH Karting Series victories on Saturday afternoon at Stateline were Alex Daniels, Jr. (Amateur), Jackson Himes (JR-1), Trenton Curry (JR-2), and Morgan Curry (Adult).
Coming up this weekend, Dog Hollow, The Hill, Potomac, and Raceway 7 will all be in action on Friday night for the RUSH Late Models. Saturday night will see Genesee, Pittsburgh, Skyline, and Woodhull, while Eriez will race on Sunday. Bradford, Delaware, Tyler County, and Winchester are either closed or no RUSH Late Models this weekend.
The RUSH Sprint Cars lone event will be at Sharon Speedway on Saturday night for the final Terry Bowser Excavating-sponsored event of the season, while the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will also be in action at the Hartford, Ohio for their only event of the weekend.
The RUSH Pro Mods and RUSH Stock Cars will compete for the final time of the season on Saturday night at Stateline Speedway. The RUSH Stock Cars will then head to Eriez on Sunday night.
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, Marthinsen & Salvitti Insurance Group 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 Racing Series website is www.rushracingseries.com. Like our Facebook page and Twitter pages by searching for each individual RUSH Series.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
