JOE MARTIN REDEEMS HIMSELF AT MCKEAN WITH 1ST CAREER SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR WIN; 43 DRIVERS TAKE HOME OVER $30,000 IN PRIZES FOR MFG NIGHT
August 30, 2014
(By Mike Leone)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(East Smethport, PA)…The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series returned to McKean County Raceway on Saturday night for the second visit of the 2014 season as part of the “$50,000 of Summer Blowout” presented by Sunoco Race Fuels.
A season high 43 cars from all over Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, and Ontario, Canada were on hand for the third annual “Manufacturers Night”, but first ever at McKean. Each driver took home a minimum of two prizes and many received three or four as over $30,000 in prizes were distributed! Bruno Mowery won the grand prize of a EF40000DE/D Yamaha Electric Start Generator and wheel kit, the “all-star utility infielder” of the Yamaha generator team from Alternative Power Sources valued at approximately $2,200! A complete list of winners will be released in the near future.
Last year, Joe Martin appeared headed to victory in a Sweeney Tour event at McKean after a dominating performance before getting into the wall in the closing laps. On Saturday, Martin rebounded from the next-to-last pill drawn for an 11th place heat race starting spot as he then earned a fifth place feature starting spot. Martin then made some good moves on two restarts and tracked down race-long leader Jason Knowles for the $1,500 victory- his first of his career in the Sweeney RUSH Tour!
“I really appreciate all of the gifts tonight,” expressed the 29-year-old Mayport, Pa. racer, who also won a custom drivers suit valued at $1,000 from Velocita-USA! “I have to thank Mike (Leone) and Vicki (Emig) for what they do for RUSH. Tonight is a big deal. I don’t know anyone in the country that does something like this. We’ve been good all year, but we made some changes and it made a difference and we’re making strides. I also have to thank everyone that helps me- the good Lord above, and my family, who drove all the way up here to support me. I really wanted to win here after last year.”
Fresh off a Sweeney Weekly Series win on Friday night at Freedom Speedway, Adam Sixt drew the pole position, but it was Knowles taking the early lead. The two raced side-by-side on laps three and four, but Knowles was able to maintain to the top spot. By lap five, the top five of Knowles, Sixt, Chad McClellan, Justin Smith, and Martin began to distance themselves from the field.
A three-car accident in turn two slowed the pace that included Series regular Cody Dawson, who was awarded the TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night” distinction, with seven laps scored. When racing resumed, McClellan took over second from Sixt, while Martin moved to fourth past Smith.
The top four then began to pull to pull away from the pack. McClellan put the pressure on Knowles and looked under the leader in turn four on lap 11, but Knowles led the lap. They raced side-by-side on lap 12, but again Knowles was able to maintain the lead, while Martin darted past Sixt on the bottom of the backstretch for third.
The event’s second caution slowed action with 12 laps recorded for Rob Marhefka and Bill Mesler. Back under green, Martin made quite a move to get under McClellan in turn one to nab second before a four-car accident slowed action for the final time of the event with 13 laps scored. That was an important pass and earned Martin the Driven Oil “Slick Move of the Night”.
The last 12 laps went green-to-checkered. Martin put the heat on Knowles on l5, while directly behind 10th starting John Waters moved into contention as he battled with McClellan for third. As the laps ticked off, it was great racing up front as Knowles and Martin ran side-by-side for the lead, while McClellan and Martin were two-by-two for third!
Finally on lap 19, Martin got underneath Knowles in turn three and made the pass stick. The top four again pulled away as the laps ticked off. Martin though was too strong as he became the Series’ fifth straight different winner of the season and seventh overall in 11 races! Martin’s victory came in his Neese Trucking/Spartan Thru Tubing/Martin Farms/RMI Incorporated/Ingram Engines-sponsored, Wylie Race Cars #55.
After failing to qualify for the feature at the last event, Knowles’ runner-up was his best career effort in a Sweeney Tour event. On the final lap, Waters made contact with McClellan in turn four to make the pass for third. McClellan then lost the handle down the frontstretch and would back across the line in sixth as the yellow was displayed for the spinning Justin Smith.
Sixth dropped to fourth at the finish for his third top 10 in as many Sweeney Tour starts this year, but his best of the season. For the second straight race at McKean, Series point leader Ryan Montgomery was the Precise Racing Products Hard Charger. Montgomery had to take a provisional and start 25th after a heat race accident, but worked his way to an impressive fifth to maintain a 55-point lead despite Waters now gaining in four of the last five races.
After McClellan in sixth, McKean standout Chad Ruhlman was seventh over Brady Wonderling, Eric Wilson, and Jason Rider. Eleventh place finisher Dusty Waters received the Performance Plus Accelerator-1 carb spacer kit from Crate Innovations. Smith picked up the Ignite Award, which was the Moroso Custom Fit Plug Wire Set from Crate Innovations.
For the third straight time dating back to last season, Zack Carley picked up the non-qualifier victory. Carley of Freedom, New York led all 10 laps as only one caution slowed the 23-year-old’s efforts to the $150 victory. Pole-sitter Bruno Mowery was second. Kyle Lukon passed Steve Watson on lap seven to finish third. Watson was fourth over Brian Knowles.
Heat race winners were Dennis Lunger, Jr., McClellan, John Waters, and Sixt, while Jeremy Wonderling and Bobby Whitling won the two B mains. Brady Wonderling won his first K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash and received a $100 K&N certificate. Runner-up Bryce Davis earned a $50 K&N certificate, while the third and fourth place finishers of Garrett Mott and Doug Ricotta earned an extra $25.
Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series Race #11 (25 laps, $1,500 to-win): 1. JOE MARTIN (55) 2. Jason Knowles (4) 3. John Waters (LeBarron 11) 4. Adam Sixt (6T) 5. Ryan Montgomery (12) 6. Chad McClellan (119) 7. Chad Ruhlman (Suppa 4s) 8. Brady Wonderling (10) 9. Eric Wilson (27W) 10. Jason Rider (Wade (76) 11. Dusty Waters (14) 12. Garrett Mott (43x) 13. Dennis Lunger, Jr. (Schwartz 71L) 14. Jeremy Wonderling (3J) 15. Bill Mesler (15) 16. Luke Carleton (97c) 17. Justin Smith (22) 18. Rob Marhefka (99FM) 19. Bryce Davis (94) 20. Doug Ricotta (01) 21. Ward Schell (Baker 74) 22. Bobby Whitling (7W) 23. Cody Dawson (36) 24. Scott Waters (53) 25. Matt Latta (21). (Note: Ryan Montgomery took a Series provisional.)
Non-Qualifier (10 laps, $150 to-win): 1. Zack Carley (8) 2. Bruno Mowery (48) 3. Kyle Lukon (1) 4. Steve Watson (83) 5. Brian Knowles (7) 6. Mark Moats, Jr. (15) 7. Tony White (27) 8. Jeremy Adamik (7J) 9. Brad Mesler (24B) 10. Cody Mason (Wright 42)-DNS 11. Damian Bidwell (17)-DNS 12. Josh Holtgraver (00)-DNS 13. Andrew Wylie (84)-DNS 14. Bobby Rohrer (11)-DNS 15. W.L. Stile (1W)-DNS 16. John Haggerty (49)-DNS 17. Jon Lichy (35)-DNS 18. Junior Peters (00)-DNS.
Car Count: 43
Feature Lap Leaders: Jason Knowles (1-18), Joe Martin (19-25)
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down Hard Charger”: Ryan Montgomery (+20)
The Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night: Cody Dawson
Driven Oil “Slick Move of the Night”: Joe Martin
Crate Innovations “Performance Plus” Accelerator-1 Carb Spacer: Dusty Waters
Crate Innovations “Ignite” Moroso Custom Fit Plug Wire Set: Justin Smith
Heat 1 (10 laps, Top 5 transfer):1. Lunger 2. Smith 3. Martin 4. B. Wonderling 5. S. Waters 6. J. Wonderling 7. Mowery 8. Haggerty 9. Montgomery (12) 10. Holtgraver (00) 11. Lukon.
Heat 2 (10 laps, Top 5 transfer):1. McClellan 2. Dawson 3. Wilson 4. Mott 5. Bi. Mesler 6. Schell 7. Mason 8. Moats 9. Stile 10. Peters.
Heat 3 (10 laps, Top 5 transfer):1. J. Waters 2. Ruhlman 3. Marhefka 4. Davis 5. Latta 6. Carleton 7. Carley 8. Bidwell 9. Rohrer 10. B. Knowles 11. Br. Mesler.
Heat 4 (10 laps, Top 5 transfer): 1. Sixt 2. J. Knowles 3. Rider 4. Ricotta 5. D. Waters 6. Whitling 7. Watson 8. Lichy 9. Wylie 10. Adamik 11. White.
Last Chance B Main 1 (10 laps, Top 2 transfer): 1. J. Wonderling 2. Schell 3. Mowery 4. Mason 5. Holtgraver 6. Lukon 7. Moats 8. Stile 9. Haggerty-DNS 10. Montgomery-DNS 11. Peters-DNS.
Last Chance B Main 2 (10 laps, Top 2 transfer): 1. Whitling 2. Carleton 3. Carley 4. Bidwell 5. Wylie 6. Watson 7. Rohrer 8. Br. Mesler 9. Adamik 10. B. Knowles 11. White 12. Lichy-DNS.
K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash (4 laps): 1. Brady Wonderling 2. Bryce Davis 3. Garrett Mott 4. Doug Ricotta.
The Sweeney Tour will be in action next on Sunday (August 31) to conclude the “$50,000 End of Summer Blowout” presented by Sunoco Race Fuels at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio for $1,500 to-win. It’ll be the first ever Crate Late Model race in the history of Wayne County.
RUSH Late Model marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, The Brake Man, K&N Filters, Bilstein Shocks, Lincoln Electric, TurboStart, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Driven Racing Oil, Crate Innovations Inc., Moroso Performance Products, Velocita-USA, High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, Utsinger’s Towing, B.R.A.K.E.S., RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.
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 and fax is 724-964-0604. The RUSH Racing Series website is www.rushracingseries.com. Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.