1/21/2023
RUSH Late Model Series
SUCCESSFUL 2022 HOVIS RUSH RACING SERIES SEASON COMPLETED AS CHAMPIONS & TOP RACERS FROM 5 TO 67 HONORED AT AWARDS BANQUET; RECORD $175,000+ IN POINT
SUCCESSFUL 2022 HOVIS RUSH RACING SERIES SEASON COMPLETED AS CHAMPIONS & TOP RACERS FROM 5 TO 67 HONORED AT AWARDS BANQUET; RECORD $175,000+ IN POINT FUND MONIES DISTRIBUTED
By Mike Leone
January 21, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Edinburg, PA)…While the 2023 racing season is only a few months away, Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants Directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone put a final wrap on the 2022 racing season with the annual awards banquet and dinner on Saturday night at the Gatherings Banquet & Event Center. Attendees from six states and Ontario, Canada filled the beautiful banquet hall as a record $175,000+ in cash was distributed to RUSH Late Model, Sprint Car, Sportsman Modified, Pro Mod, Stock Car, and Kart Series racers. Drivers from the ages of 5 to 67 years of age were recognized. All told well over $325,000 in point fund monies and useful product contingencies were distributed to RUSH racers throughout the 2022 season.
The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Models had events at 20 different speedways in 2022 with over 300 different racers participating in either a weekly-sanctioned and/or tour events. The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Cars completed year number five with growing car counts and more participation. Year nine for the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Sportsman Modified season continued to feature the highest weekly car counts of any Modified division in the region. The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Pro Mods wrapped up year number seven already and had their highest car count averages at both Stateline and Bradford Speedways. The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Stock Cars completed their second season with weekly events at Dog Hollow, Stateline, and Eriez Speedways.
Congrats to the following 2022 RUSH Champions: Logan Roberson (Late Model Tour), Jeremy Wonderling (Late Model Weekly), Philip Bubeck (Late Model "Futures Cup"), Jim Rasey (Late Model "Wheelman"), Chad Ruhlman (Sprint Car Weekly), Trent Marshall (Sprint Car "Futures Cup"), Ben Easler (Sportsman Mod Weekly & "Route 7 Rumble"), Ayden Cipriano (Sportsman Mod Tour), Cole Edwards (Sportsman Mod "Futures Cup"), Dennis Lunger, Jr. (Pro Mod Weekly), Zain Harvey (Pro Mod "Futures Cup"), Tim Laughard (Stock Car Weekly), Cody Rickard (Stock Car "Futures Cup), Mike Boardman (Adult Kart), Trenton Curry (Jr-2 Kart), Jackson Himes (Jr-1 Kart), and Bexley Smith (Amateur Kart).
All of the champions received their point fund monies, laser etched championship marble awards, large championship checks thanks to Ontime Body & Graphic, and embroidered RUSH championship jackets. Also, all 14 Late Model "Track Pack" Champions received $1,000 as each RUSH weekly-sanctioned track's top six member racers split $2,500.
In his first year of following the Flynn's Tire Touring Series, Logan Roberson earned the record high paying $15,000 championship for the Hovis RUSH Late Models. Roberson became the second straight Virginian to win the title after his nemesis Kyle Hardy won the title in 2021. Roberson and Hardy ironically tied for fourth in the Weekly Series standings. After winning two of the first three events to open the season and garner the $1,000 3C Graphix "Battle of the Bay" title, Roberson added four more victories throughout the season including $7,600+ at Pittsburgh's "Jook George Steel City Classic" and the $3,500 finale at Lernerville to clinch the Tour title.
Jeremy Wonderling won the National Weekly Series Championship for the second time in his career. The Wellsville, NY three-time Flynn's Tire Tour Champion won 17 times at five different speedways. He was able to finish in the top 5 an impressive 31 times in 43 races! At Bradford, he won the final three races to earn the Track Pack Championship. Despite not racing weekly at Genesee, he really excelled there winning 10 times in 15 races including the last seven he ran in, and the sweep of the $6,000 "Topless Nationals" propelled him past Jason Genco on the next-to-last weekend of points! In total, Wonderling earned $11,400 in point fund monies.
Second year RUSH racer, Philip Bubeck, became the second straight Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway racer to earn the "Futures Cup" Championship in the Late Model division. The 19-year-old Collier, WV driver also won the "Track Pack" Championship at Pittsburgh and finished 23rd in the National Weekly Series points for a total of $1,785 in point fund monies.
Veteran Big-Block Modified standout, Jim Rasey, became the 14th different D&V Jewelers "Wheelman" Bonus Event Challenge Series Champion in 15 years! Rasey won the $300 title and a set of Schoenfeld Headers valued at $500 for Jim Wrightsman, who earned his second title as a car owner. The Ohio duo ran the Flynn's Tire Touring Series for the first time and finished eighth in points.
For the fourth time in five years, Chad Ruhlman earned the $5,000 RUSH Sprint Car Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series Championship. After winning the first two championships in his own #87R, Chad took 2020 off to focus on his son Kevin's RUSH Sprint Car exploits. The Erie, Pa. driver returned to RUSH Sprint Car racing in 2021; however, this time driving the #68 for longtime car owner Tim Engles- a former "410" Sprint Car racer in 1980s. The duo garnered their second straight title this past season. Ruhlman won eight times upping his all-time leading career win total to 42. Ruhlman was also the 2014 RUSH Late Model National Weekly Series Champion.
RUSH newcomer Trent Marshall was the "Futures Cup" Champion for the Sprint Car division. After a late start to the season, the 15-year-old Go-Kart graduate from Smicksburg, Pa. gained some valuable seat time and fought some mechanical gremlins, but was able to record a career best 12th at Knox Raceway on August 21.
One year ago, Ben Easler turned a lot of heads in his rookie season of RUSH Sportsman Modified racing winning a feature event, finishing fourth in the Weekly Series and capturing the "Futures Cup Championship". Fast forward to 2022 and you'd never know this racer was just 16. Easler led the way with six feature wins along with 16 top 5s and 20 top 10s in 23 starts. He dominated the Wedge Motorsports "Route 7 Rumble" Series with just one finish outside the top 6 in 15 starts. The Linesville, Pa. took home $4,800 for winning the Hovis Weekly Series and "Route 7 Rumble" Series Championships in addition to third place in the Flynn's Tire Touring Series.
Looking back at his final stats, it's hard to believe that prior to July, Ayden Cipriano had never won a RUSH Sportsman Modified feature. That all changed on July 8 at Raceway 7 when the 2020 "Futures Cup" Champion garnered his first career win. That was a springboard to more success when he won at Sharon on August 12, backed it up the following night winning the special at Tri-City, repeating with another victory the following event at Sharon, and added his first Lernerville win in September. In the end, Cipriano had 16 top 5s and 22 top 10s in 24 starts for second place in the Weekly Series. And even though he didn't break into victory lane on the Flynn's Tire Tour, he was recorded all top six finishes to seal the 16-year-old's first title.
Cole Edwards had a big improvement in the 14-year-old's second season of RUSH Sportsman Modified racing to garner the "Futures Cup" title. The Emlenton, Pa. driver had a career best finish of third, added two top 5s at Raceway 7 and one each at Sharon and Pittsburgh, which were all career best finishes at those tracks. Edwards doubled his 2021 top 10s of five to 10 this past year.
Dennis Lunger, Jr., who has raced RUSH Late Models off and on over the years, captured an unprecedented sixth straight RUSH Pro Mod title doing it in the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Weekly Series! The 54-year-old Albion, Pa. driver won nine times at Stateline and added a win at both Bradford and Genesee. He had 13 top 5s in just 14 starts for the $3,500 championship. Lunger said he'll be back in 2023 to try and win his seventh title in a row!
Seventeen-year-old rookie Zain Harvey was the RUSH Pro Mod "Futures Cup" Champion. The Eldred, Pa. go-kart graduate had 10 top 5s and 14 top 10s. He ended the season with three straight runner-up finishes at Bradford and added another at Stateline to easily win the crown.
The 2022 Hovis RUSH Stock Car Champion, Tim Laughard, joined up with the Series late in 2021 and won two of his five starts. This year, the brother of veteran RUSH Late Model racer Mike Laughard set out to win the $2,000 championship and he did just that. He led the way with seven wins at Dog Hollow and also picked up a victory in his first ever appearance at Eriez on August 28.
The 2021 Jr-2 RUSH Kart Series Champion, Cody Rickard of Jamestown, NY, made the move up to the RUSH Stock cars and had 10 victories between Eriez and Stateline to capture the "Futures Cup" Championship as a 14-year-old, and finished in a tie for second in the Weekly Series points.
The highlight of the banquet was the special awards ceremony. The prestigious Legacy Award was won by the Hendren Family. The 2022 season marked the 10th year the "Bill Hendren Memorial" has taken place in the Northeast for the RUSH Late Models despite the Hendren Family being from North Carolina. Bill's son Steve Hendren has worked hard every year to make the event bigger and better. This past year saw a $4,000 to-win preliminary show followed by $10,000 to-win at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway, which was won by Jeremy Wonderling.
Longtime official Jimmy Dutko was presented the Majestic Award. Dutko of Cooperstown, Pa. has been part of the officiating crew since Chevrolet Performance crate engine racing began in the Northeast in 2007. Dutko's history with RUSH Director's Vicki Emig and Mike Leone goes back even further when he was an official at Mercer Raceway Park during Emig's tenure. Over the years Dutko has done everything from being a race director, pit steward, lining up cars, scoring events, helping set up and tear down at events, and everything in between.
The Miles Traveled Award went to Logan Roberson, Craig Graham, and Brandt Graham. Roberson traveled more than 7700 miles from his home in Waynesboro, Virginia to follow the RUSH Late Model Flynn's Tire Touring Series, while the Grahams did the same from their home in Orono, Ontario, Canada. Being from Canada, the Graham's award was renamed the Kilometers Traveled. The Graham's closest track was New York's Genesee Speedway and was still more than three hours away!
The Grahams were also awarded one of three Outstanding Achievement Awards for being the first father-son duo to compete on the entire Touring Series, and of course doing it from Canada! The two other awards went to Blaze Myers and Lucas Canon. Myers, 18 of Franklin, Pa., is the only driver to compete in all 51 RUSH Sprint Car events over the past two years, and finished third in Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series points both years. Canon, 16 of Sharpsville, Pa., was the only driver to not only compete in all 29 RUSH Sportsman Modified Weekly Series events in 2022, but also the only one to earn point fund monies in all four championship programs.
RUSH Series announcer, Brian Spaid, emceed the affair and also previewed the upcoming 2023 season with details to be released soon, while Toni Carbone and her sister Kim photographed the event.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Flynn's Tire Touring Series Top 11 Driver Points: 1. LOGAN ROBERSON 1531 2. Joe Martin 1496 3. Jeremy Wonderling 1491 4. Brady Wonderling 1402 5. Matt Latta 1398 6. Breyton Santee 1313 7. Andy Michael 1229 8. Jim Rasey 1184 9. Ashton Briggs 1138 10. Craig Graham 1079 11. Brandt Graham 1072.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Weekly Series Top 40 Points: 1. JEREMY WONDERLING 1344 2. Jason Genco 1340 3. Michael Duritsky, Jr. 1327 4. Kyle Hardy & Logan Roberson 1326 6. Joe Martin 1325 7. Chad Homan 1315 8. Brian Knowles 1311 9. Jason Knowles 1308 10. Josh Ferry 1303 11. Michael Reft 1296 12. Donnie Dotson 1295 13. David Parker 1290 14. Steve LeBarron 1288 15. Cole Petrelle 1287 16. Brady Wonderling 1281 17. Doug Ricotta 1280 18. Austin Allen 1278 19. Brett Marlatt 1272 20. Jimmy Johnson 1267 21. Bill Holmes III & J.J. Mazur 1262 23. Philip Bubeck 1258 24. Chris Fleming 1256 25. Travis Campbell 1255 26. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 1254 27. Matt Sipes 1250 28. Ben Scott 1247 29. Scott Gurdak 1241 30. Alan Chapman & Breyton Santee 1239 32. Jared Keeney, Kyle Lukon, Aaron Miller, A.J. Spagnuolo & Kurt Stebbins 1237 37. Randy Hall 1234 38. Daniel Brown, Jr. 1227 39. Mike Wonderling 1226 40. Ward Schell 1223.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model “Futures Cup” Points: 1. PHILIP BUBECK 1258 2. Ryan Hare 1201 3. George Casto III 1193 4. Ashton Briggs 1139 5. Scooter Tippett 952.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model D&V Jewelers “Wheelman” Bonus Event Challenge Series Champion: 1. JIM RASEY 732.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model $1,000 "Track Pack" Champions: Jeremy Wonderling (Bradford), Joe Warren (Delaware), Michael Duritsky, Jr. (Dog Hollow), Jason Genco (Eriez & Stateline), Doug Ricotta (Genesee), Jared Keeney (The Hill), Philip Bubeck (Pittsburgh), Kyle Hardy (Potomac), Josh Ferry (Raceway 7), Alan Chapman (Skyline), Donnie Dotson (Tyler County), Travis Campbell (Winchester) & Brian Knowles (Woodhull).
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Car Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series Top 20 Points: 1. CHAD RUHLMAN 1192 2. Gale Ruth, Jr. 1188 3. Blaze Myers 1172 4. John Mollick 1158 5. Andy Priest 1142 6. Arnie Kent 1139 7. Brian Hartzell 1118 8. Nolan Groves 1105 9. Ryan Fraley 1086 10. Tyler Newhart 1085 11. Zack Wilson 1071 12. Joe Buccola 1050 13. Jeff Metsger 1041 14. Ricky Tucker, Jr. 1034 15. Brandon Shughart 1018 16. Brian Cressley 1016 17. Charlie Utsinger 1013 18. Amelia Clay 972 19. Kevin Kaserman 961 20. A.J. MacQuarrie 847.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Car "Futures Cup" Champion: 1. TRENT MARSHALL 380.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sportsman Modified Weekly Series Top 20 Points: 1. BEN EASLER 1328 2. Ayden Cipriano 1320 3. Kole Holden 1308 4. Rob Kristyak 1290 5. Justin Shea 1277 6. Tony Tatgenhorst 1266 7. JC Boyer 1260 8. Cole Edwards 1213 9. Kyle Martell 1211 10. Jacob Rutana 1207 11. Jacob Jordan 1207 12. Doug Rutana 1205 13. Brandon Ritchey 1182 14. Dalton Gabriel 1180 15. Lucas Canon 1171 16. Jordan Ehrenberg 1166 17. Josh Deems 1165 18. Dave Price 1144 19. Chelsie Kriegisch 1090 20. Jacob Wolfe 1065.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sportsman Modified Flynn's Tire Touring Series Top 10 Driver Points: 1. AYDEN CIPRIANO 476 2. Rob Kristyak 459 3. Ben Easler 457 4. Kole Holden 447 5. Jordan Ehrenberg 430 6. Jacob Jordan 418 7. Lucas Canon 373 8. Doug Rutana 344 9. Kyle Martell 332 10. Dave Price & Jacob Rutana 318.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sportsman Modified Wedge Motorsports "Route 7 Rumble Series" Top 8 Points: 1. BEN EASLER 1443 2. Rob Kristyak 1387 3. Kole Holden 1374 4. Ayden Cipriano 1369 5. Cole Edwards 1280 6. Kyle Martell 1277 7. Dave Price 1205 8. Lucas Canon 1192.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sportsman Modified Hovis Auto & Truck Supply "Futures Cup" Points: 1. COLE EDWARDS 1213 2. Dalton Gabriel 1180 3. Lucas Canon 1171.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply GMC RUSH Pro Mod Weekly Series Points: 1. DENNIS LUNGER, JR. 1337 2. Steve Dixon 1328 3. Al Brewer 1310 4. Zain Harvey 1277 5. Tyler Oakes 1264 6. Chad Carlson 1230 7. Brendan Warner 1195 8. Nick Arnold 1190 9. Chad Ramsey, Jr. 1188 10. Ian DeGolier 1181 11. John Cline 1150 12. Victor Earle, Jr. 1101 13. Kirk Mohawk 1059 14. Vaughn Nystrom 1044 15. Derek Peterson 1035 16. Adam Ashcroft 1031 17. Brian Mohawk 1010 18. Tyler Sutton 980 19. Stu Rickard 960 20. Critter Hemphill 925.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Pro Mod "Futures Cup" Points: 1. ZAIN HARVEY 1277 2. Brendan Warner 1195 3. Chad Ramsey, Jr. 1188 4. Kirk Mohawk 1059 5. Derek Peterson 1035 6. Tyler Sutton 980 7. Garrett Miller 860 8. Cameron Sherwood 766.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Stock Car Weekly Series Points: 1. TIM LAUGHARD 1220 2. Mikael Beaver, John Eckenrod & Cody Rickard 1215.
2022 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Stock Car "Futures Cup" Points: 1. CODY RICKARD 1215.
2022 RUSH Karting Series Adult Points: 1. MIKE BOARDMAN 1263 2. Morgan Curry 1257 3. Jill Rickard 1217 4. Scott Seekins 1194 5. Dylan Greene 1188 6. Kaitlin Raught.
2022 RUSH Karting Series Jr-2 Points: 1. TRENTON CURRY 1212.
2022 RUSH Karting Series Jr-1 Points: 1. JACKSON HIMES 1236 2. Emily Heisler 1226 3. Izzy Strickland 1192 4. Ethan Arnone 930.
2022 RUSH Karting Series Amateur/Rookie Points: 1. BEXLEY SMITH 1239 2. Alexander Daniels, Jr. 1221 3. Adalynn Ryan 1212 4. Emmie Bush 1211.
2022 Special Award Winners:
Legacy: Hendren Family
Majestic: Jimmy Dutko
Outstanding Achievement: Blaze Myers, Lucas Canon, Craig Graham & Brandt Graham
Miles Traveled: Logan Roberson, Craig Graham & Brandt Graham
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, Wieland Metal Services, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Sherwood Wheels, Precise Racing Products, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Novus Home 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 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 various Facebook and Twitter pages by searching for the appropriate RUSH Series.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
