6/2/2023
RUSH Late Model Series
ANDY MICHAEL & JACOB TUBBS PULLS OFF UPSET HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL WINS AT STATELINE & WOODHULL; STEVE DIXON GOES 3-FOR-3 IN PRO MODS; AYDEN CIPRIANO RE
ANDY MICHAEL & JACOB TUBBS PULLS OFF UPSET HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL WINS AT STATELINE & WOODHULL; STEVE DIXON GOES 3-FOR-3 IN PRO MODS; AYDEN CIPRIANO REMAINS HOT IN RUSH MODS AS DOES LANE REINWALD IN STOCKS
By Marcie Barlow
June 2, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Pulaski, PA)...Mother Nature provided great weather for the 2023 Memorial Day weekend and the Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants race teams provided exciting racing action in all five of the divisions throughout the weekend. Paul Grigsby, Josh Ferry, Patrick Parker, Joe Martin, Andy Michael, Jacob Tubbs, Bryce Davis, Cole Petrelle, and Kyle Thomas all scored their first wins of 2023 in RUSH Late Model action! Ayden Cipriano doubled up in RUSH Sportsman Modified action. Steve Dixon had a perfect weekend in RUSH Pro Mod action, and Lane Reinwald continues to be impressive in the RUSH Stock Cars.
Freedom Motorsports Park was finally able to get their 2023 season opener in on Friday. Paul Grigsby pulled out to an early lead in the RUSH Late Model feature while Andy Michael and David Pangrazio battled for the second spot. The event was slowed on lap 19 when Billy DuBois spun. When the racing action resumed Grigsby and Pangrazio pulled away from the field while Chuck LaFleur battled Michael for the third position. At the checkered flag it was Grigsby who scored the $2,000 City Chevrolet Weekly Series special win win over Pangrazio, LaFleur, Dave DuBois and Michael.
RUSH Late Model action at Raceway 7 on Friday saw Josh Ferry score a convincing first win of 2023 over Billy Henry, Jr.. Chad Sines, Breyton Santee and Keith Zimmerman completed the top five.
Veteran Kyle Thomas battled Brandon Weigle for the top spot in the 20 lap RUSH Late Model main event at Tyler County Speedway Saturday evening before Thomas was able to pull away and score his first win of the season. Weigle settled for second with A.J. Spagnoula, Donnie Dotson and Ryan Hare completing the top five.
Patrick Parker won his first RUSH Late Model race of 2023 on Friday night at Skyline Raceway.
The Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Flynn’s Tire Touring Series returned to action returned to action this holiday weekend as they visited Outlaw, Genesee, and Bradford Speedways. Joe Martin and Jeremy and Mike Wonderling battled during the early stages of the 30-lap main event at the Outlaw Speedway on Friday evening. Martin continued to set the pace in front while the Wonderling Brothers were joined by Bryce Davis in the battle for the second position. By lap 16 Mike Wonderling pulled alongside Martin attempting to take the top spot but Martin made contact with Carl Eldridge, who was making his 2023 Tour debut. Eldridge spun and unfortunately collected Davis, who had no place to go. The final 14 circuits when caution free with Martin extending his lead to 0.789 seconds at the finish for his first "Gary Montgomery Memorial" victory worth $3,000. It was Martin’s fifth career Flynn’s Tire Touring Series victory as he defeated Mike Wonderling, Cody Dawson, Jeremy Wonderling and Chad Homan.
Bryce Davis overcame the disappointment of Friday night by leading all 30 laps of the Flynn's Tire Touring Series main event at Genesee Speedway Saturday evening. The win ended nearly a six-year drought as Davis’ last Tour victory came at the Bradford Speedway in July, 2017. Last year's winner, Chad Homan, came home second with Jason Knowles finishing third. Jeremy Wonderling and Mike Wonderling completed the top five.
The Flynn's Tire Touring Series closed out the Memorial Day weekend at Bradford Speedway in northern Pennsylvania for the third appearance in Series history. Jeremy Wonderling took the lead at the start of the 30-lap main event and was followed by Kurt Stebbins. Stebbins run came to an early end when he spun on lap six. This placed Joe Martin in second and, seventh place starter, 13-year-old Brock Pinkerous in third. As the laps wound down Pinkerous was able to get by Martin and set his sights on Wonderling. The battle between Wondering and Pinkerous had the crowd on its feetbut at the finish it was Wonderling who would score the victory by 0.704 seconds over Pinkerous. Brad Mesler claimed his best Tour finish since June, 2017 as he came home in third with Scott Gurdak and Mike Wonderling rounding out the top five.
Cole Petrelle led the first six circuits of the RUSH Late Model main event at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway before his teammate Kyle Lukon took command and went on score his first win of 2023. John Mollick finished second followed by Petrelle, Brandon Burgoon and Mike Reft.
Weekly RUSH Late Model action at the Stateline Speedway saw Jimmy Johnson and Matt Sipes bring the field to the green. Sipes led the first four circuits before Jason Genco took the top spot. The leaders entered heavy lapped traffic by lap ten and this allowed Andy Michael to get by Sipes. On the white flag lap Genco and Michael were racing side by side. As the pair entered turn three Michael pulled a bonsai move that gave him the momentum needed to score the victory. A dejected Genco came home second followed by Sipes, Jeff Hoffman and Johnson. A strong field of 27 cars were on hand.
Second year competitor Brett Marlatt led the first nine circuits of the RUSH Late Model main event at the Woodhull Raceway until he was collected by a slower car. Marlatt’s misfortune gave the lead to Aaron Miller, who withstood the challenges of Jacob Tubbs until the 18th circuit. Tubbs capitalized on Miller’s miscue in lapped traffic to take the lead and score his career first victory in RUSH Late Model action. A disappointed Miller came home in the runner-up spot with Brian Knowles, Austin Allen and Steve LeBarron rounding out the top five.
RUSH Late Model competitors at Potomac Speedway, Delaware International Raceway, Winchester Speedway and Eriez Speedway had the weekend off.
The lone Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Series event occurred on Thursday evening at Sharon Speedway as an undercard to the World of Outlaws Late Models streamed live on DIRTVision. Fourth place starter Chad Ruhlman got by Ryan Fraley on lap four and went on to score the victory in the non-stop main event that was completed in just over seven minutes. Ruhlman is now two-for-two in the Terry Bowser Excavating RUSH Sprint Cars at Sharon and was his third straight Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series victory. Fraley, who was making his 2023 debut, came home in second. Brandon Blackshear, Brian Hartzell and Zack Wilson completed the top five.
Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Sportsman Modified Series saw action twice last week. They started off the Memorial Day weekend at the Sharon Speedway as part of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series “Battle At The Border” event. Tony Tatgenhorst led the first 11 circuits. Brenten Kay slowed suddenly and was tagged by Tatgenhorst as he had no place to go. Tatgenhorst spun and Ayden Cipriano inherited the top spot. Cipriano went on to lead the final ten laps to score the victory and an $800 payday. Sixth place starter Ben Easler came home in second with Jacob Wolfe, 10th starting JC Boyer and Kole Holden following.
Cipriano’s also visited victory lane at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway for the first time in his career on Saturday evening. The Hermitage, Pa. teenager started on the pole and led the 15-lap main event from start to finish to claim the win over JC Boyer by 7.249 seconds. Chelsie Kriegisch, Kole Holden and Jordan Ehrenberg rounded out the top five.
The RUSH Pro Mod competitors had a busy weekend with events at Freedom, Stateline and Bradford Speedways. Friday evening Steve Dixon quickly took command with Bill Holmes and Tyler Oakes following. Dixon once again pulled away from the field following a lap six caution while Adam Ashcroft battled Holmes for the second position. By lap 20 Ashcroft was able to pull along side Dixon and challenge for the lead, but Dixon was able to maintain the lead and score the victory by just one car length. Ashcroft settled for second with Zain Harvey, Holmes and Tyler Oakes completing the top five.
On Saturday evening at the Stateline Speedway, Dixon once again prevailed. He grabbed the lead at the start of the 20-lap main event and held off the challenges of Dennis Lunger to pick up his first victory of the season at the Busti, NY oval. Tyler Oakes scored the third spot with Zain Harvey and Chad Ramsey following.
Dixon went “three-for-three” on the weekend as he claimed the RUSH Pro Mod victory for the second time this season at Bradford Speedway on Sunday. Veteran Al Brewer came home in the runner-up position with Brendan Warner claiming third. Kane Stebbins and Tim Schram completed the top five.
Fifteen-year-old Kaden Michael, whose father Andy won the following night at Stateline in the Late Models, will go down in the history books as the first ever RUSH Stock Car winner at Freedom as he beat out Lane Reinwald on Friday night. Reinwald though went on to win his second straight at Eriez on Sunday. Opening night winner, Cody Rickard, was second as William Baker, Jr., Brian Dwyer, and Alex Bush completed the top five.
This weekend’s racing action features the Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Late Models competing in City Chevrolet Weekly Series events at Freedom, Georgetown Speedway and Skyline Raceway on Friday. Saturday evening RUSH Late Model action will take place at Genesee Speedway, Pittsburgh, Stateline Speedway and Woodhull Raceway and both Eriez and Bradford Speedways will host Sunday evening racing action.
Competitors in the RUSH Sportsman Modified division will be in action at Raceway 7 on Friday and Saturday at Sharon Speedway. RUSH ProMod teams are scheduled at Freedom, Stateline, and Bradford.
Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Car drivers have this weekend off before heading to Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 10th.
The RUSH Stock Cars will race at Freedom on Friday and Eriez on Sunday.
Another warm and sunny weekend is forecast so be sure to get out and enjoy the RUSH racing action at a speedway in our area.
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
