RYAN MONTGOMERY WINS SWEENEY RUSH L.M. TOUR THRILLER AT SHARON; GLENN ELLIOTT TOPS 37 COMPETITORS TO CAPTURE BILL EMIG MEMORIAL “WILD CARD WEEKEND” CROWN
May 26, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Hartford, OH)…The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series wrapped up the two-night Bill Emig Memorial “Wild Card Weekend” on Sunday night at Sharon Speedway for race #3 of 27. A total of 37 different race teams participated over the weekend from Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Ontario, Canada.
After trashing a car in an accident that looked more like a superspeedway crash at Talladega on Saturday night, Ryan Montgomery turned it around with an impressive win in at thrilling 25-lap feature on Sunday night to cap off the Bill Emig Memorial “Wild Card Weekend”. Montgomery came from fifth to pass Glenn Elliott then held off Joe Martin and Elliott for his first Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Tour win. The victory was worth $1,500 and also a $100 bonus for ending up fifth in the “Wild Card Weekend” points.
“This is a great comeback from yesterday,” acknowledged the 16-year-old Fairmont, WV racer. “We were running up front yesterday then that whole deal happened. We’ve had that car out twice and it pretty much looked like that both times so we’re going to park that car. We’ve had this car out six times and this is my third win! It’s great to a turnaround. It’s insane to know you can wreck yesterday and come back with whatever confidence you have and then win.”
By virtue of winning the John Buzzard Memorial K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash, Elliott raced into the lead over “Futures Cup” racer Clay Ruffo with Bobby Pifer III followed by Montgomery and eighth starting Rick Singleton. On lap two, Pifer got high in turn three allowing Montgomery, Singleton, and seventh starting Martin to advance to positions three through five respectively.
Montgomery and Singleton then went after Ruffo. Montgomery and Ruffo raced side-by-side on lap five with Montgomery nosing ahead. Montgomery faced a straightaway deficit as Elliott had checked out. The battle was now on for third as Ruffo tried to fend off Singleton and Martin. Hard side-by-side racing was taking place on lap nine and ten before the event’s first and only caution was displayed for MichaelLake, who went up in smoke with nine laps scored.
On the ensuing restart, Montgomery kept pace with Elliott. The duo ran side-by-side with Montgomery having the momentum off the top of turn four to lead lap 10. Elliott though wasn’t going away as he raced back by Montgomery on the bottom of turn four to reclaim the lead on lap 11. The race for the lead continued side-by-side with Montgomery battling back to lead lap 12.
Meanwhile, Singleton and Martin had passed Ruffo for third and fourth respectively on the restart. Martin continued his march to the front getting by Singleton on lap 12 for third. The race for the lead never died as they continued to race side-by-side on laps 15 and 16 with Montgomerystill maintaining his advantage with the momentum on the topside of the speedway. Their battle allowed Martin to close in on lap 17 making it a three-car race for the lead.
Traffic loomed ahead with five laps to go. Montgomery caught the back-markers on lap 21 as Martin seized the opportunity taking second from Elliott. The closing laps through lapped traffic were intense. Martin tried everything, but Montgomery made the right moves through lapped traffic to secure his second career Sharon Speedway win in the Jeff Montgomery-owned, T.J. Contracting/High Gear Speed Shop/Mountain State Plumbing/Central Supply/Frankland Rearends/Genesis Racing Shocks-sponsored #12.
“I saw he was running the bottom and I saw there was some brown up top,” explained the winner. “I knew I was gaining on him when he caught those lapped cars and didn’t know if he was slowing down or it was the lapped cars. That restart played out perfect. I thought I jumped him and the flagman was calling it back, but it ended up working out. I messed up one time off turn two and he got back under me and I thought it was over, but I came back again.”
Martin’s runner-up was his best run of the season moving him into fourth in the standings and also was second in the weekend’s “Wild Card” points to earn an extra $400. “For the way we have been running, I’m really happy,” explained the 28-year-old Mayport, Pa. racer. “I have to thank Andrew Wylie. We’ve been working on this and I think once we get it figured out we’re going to do really well. We’re still struggling, but we were passing people tonight and Sharon is one of my favorite tracks. I want to thank Vicki (Emig) and Mike (Leone) for getting this RUSH deal together. I’m glad Rick Singleton and Glenn Elliott are joining up with us- they’re a lot of fun to race with. I think it’s going to be a good summer!”
Though he may have been a little disappointed in his third place effort; what a weekend it was for Elliott. Coupled with his third place effort on Saturday and card draws both nights, Elliott garnered 207 points good enough to win the $500 Bill Emig Memorial “Wild Card Weekend” crown and take over the Tour point lead!
“I enjoy being here on the podium, but I just wish we would have been in the lead,” stated the 41-year-old Finksburg, MD driver. “That caution threw us off and we pretty much shredded the right rear tire and went backwards a little bit. We had fun here. For the second time being on the track, I cannot complain whatsoever. I have to congratulate Ryan. He had bad luck last night and sure deserved it tonight.”
Singleton’s fourth place finish gave him fourth place in the “Wild Card” points to earn an extra $200 and he’s just two points behind Elliott in the Tour points. Delaware racer Matt Glanden was an impressive fifth for his best career RUSH-sanctioned finish. Josh Holtgraver came from 10th to finish sixth over Lauren Longbrake, Shaun Hooks, 19th starting Mike Pegher, Jr., who ended up third in the “Wild Card” points for a $300 bonus, and 16th starting Josh Double.
Andrew Wylie made his first ever RUSH start. After drawing the worst pill and finishing last in his heat, Wylie passed five cars in the B main to earn the 23rd starting spot in the feature. Wylie went to work and passed 12 cars to earn the Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger and the $100 gift card.
Mike Anderson was another driver that made his first ever RUSH start on Sunday and he ended the night winning the six-lap non-qualifier. The 54-year-old Harmony, Pa. driver led all six laps to earn the $150 in his Marshall’s Hair Salon/Bilo’s Gas & Go-sponsored #72. Paul Jablonski and W.L Stile battled hard for runner-up swapping the spot back and forth with Jablonski getting the nod.
Montgomery, Elliott and Glanden captured the heat races over the 28-car field, while Pegher won the B main. Elliott also earned $100 for winning the K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash for the John Buzzard Memorial. Ruffo received the $100 K&N certificate, while Pifer received the $50 K&N certificate and Glanden $25 cash.
One night after nearly winning the feature, Chad Ruhlman had a handful with his Rayburn car and uncharacteristically struggling throughout the night running at the back of his heat, barely transferring to the feature then getting lapped in the feature and credited with 22nd. Ruhlman was awarded The Brake Man’s “Tough Brake of the Night”.
Michael Lake won the drawing for the TurboStart 16-volt racing battery. The next battery drawing will be part of the “Triple Crown Weekend” June 21-23.
Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series Race #3 (25 laps, $1,500 to-win): 1. RYAN MONTGOMERY (12) 2. Joe Martin (55) 3. Glenn Elliott (5E) 4. Rick Singleton (Enyeart 99*) 5. Matt Glanden (01) 6. Josh Holtgraver (00) 7. Lauren Longbrake (27) 8. Shaun Hooks (65) 9. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Geisler 1c) 10. Josh Double (38) 11. Andrew Wylie (84) 12. Clay Ruffo (14R) 13. John Over (K2) 14. Jorden Peters (11P) 15. Dennis Lunger, Jr. (Schwartz 71L) 16. Matt Latta (21) 17. Nico Dabecco (Karalagas 1FR) 18. Shane Weaver (Ruffner 325x) 19. Rocky Kugel (21KRT) 20. Butch Lambert (27) 21. Bobby Pifer III (6P) 22. Chad Ruhlman (Suppa 4s) 23. Jamie Wrightsman (21J) 24. Russell Baird, Jr. (17) 25. MichaelLake (27). (Note: Rocky Kugel took a Track provisional)
Non-Qualifier (6 laps, $150 to-win): 1. Mike Anderson (72) 2. Paul Jablonski (3J) 3. W.L. Stile (1W).
Lap Leaders: Elliott (1-9), Montgomery (10), Elliott (11), Montgomery (12-25)
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down Hard Charger”: Andrew Wylie (+12)
The Brake Man “Tough Brake of the Night: Chad Ruhlman
TurboStart 16-V Racing Battery Giveaway: MichaelLake
Heat 1 (10 laps/Top 6 transfer): 1. Montgomery 2. Ruffo 3. Martin 4. Holtgraver 5. Lake 6. Double 7. Pegher 8. Lambert 9. Kugel 10. Wylie.
Heat 2 (10 laps/Top 6 transfer): 1. Elliott 2. Pifer 3. Singleton 4. Hooks 5. Dabecco 6. Weaver 7. Latta 8. Stile 9. Jablonski.
Heat 3 (10 laps/Top 6 Transfer): 1. Glanden 2. Longbrake 3. Over 4. Peters 5. Baird 6. Lunger 7. Anderson 8. Wrightsman 9. Ruhlman.
John Buzzard Memorial K&N “Cold Air Induction” Dash (4 laps/$100 to-win): 1. Glenn Elliott 2. Clay Ruffo 3. Bobby Pifer III 4. Matt Glanden.
Last Chance B Main(10 laps/Top 6 Transfer): 1. Pegher 2. Lambert 3. Latta 4. Wrightsman 5. Wylie 6. Ruhlman 7. Kugel 8. Jablonski 9. Stile 10. Anderson.
The next event for the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC Touring Series will be the make-up event from Thursday’s rained out McKean County Raceway event on Friday, June 14 paying $1,500 to-win.
2013 RUSH marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, RainEater Wiper Blades, Hoosier Tire, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, The Brake Man, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, TurboStart, Beyea Headers, K1 RaceGear, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Wrisco Industries, High Gear Speed Shop, Utsinger’s Towing, 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, PA16143. 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.