Story By: MARCIE BARLOW / RUSH RACING SERIES – PULASKI, PA – Mother Nature’s attempts to dampen racing over the Memorial Day weekend failed as several of the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants family of speedways were able to get in their shows. In RUSH Late Model City Chevrolet Weekly Series action, Marino Angelicchio and Braeson Fulton scored their career first wins, while Steve Watson did the same in the RUSH Pro Mods. The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds and RUSH Stock Cars were also in action, while rain kept the RUSH Sprint Cars on the sidelines again.
Marino Angelicchio quickly grabbed the top spot in RUSH Late Model action at Dog Hollow Speedway Friday evening. Angelicchio went on to lead the entire distance of the main event to score his first career RUSH Late Model victory. Mike Laughard, Colby Beighey, Scott Stein, and Andrew Koenig followed.
Raceway 7 was able to complete their second show of the season for the RUSH Late Models on Friday night. Defending City Chevrolet “Track Pack” Champion, Breyton Santee, used his front row starting position to grab the top spot and led the event from flag-to-flag. Khole Wanzer had a strong run to finish second. Cory Sines, opening night winner Billy Henry, and Gary Youngs rounded out the top five.
After four rainouts in the first five events, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Model Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Touring Series finally returned to action on Friday night at Outlaw Speedway for the running of the fifth annual “Gary Montgomery Memorial”. An Outlaw record 33 cars were on hand. Four-time Touring Series Champion Jeremy Wonderling and Jared Miley raced side by side for the first three laps of the main event before Miley opened up a slight lead. The event’s only caution flew on lap six when Bill Taylor and Jason Knowles tangled in turn four. Wonderling was able to wrestle the top spot away from Miley when the action resumed and went on to score a 3.878 victory over Miley for his third event victory in five tries. Brock Pinkerous took over the Series points lead with his third-place finish. Chad Homan and Damian Bidwell rounded out the top five.
Randy Hall wasted little time in getting to the front of the RUSH Late Model main event Saturday at Stateline Speedway. Hall also led the entire distance of the main event to score ever RUSH Late Model win at Stateline and first in the class since May 28, 2016 at Freedom! Jason Genco came home in the runner-up position. With the rainout of the Tour race at Genesee, several racers made the trip to Stateline including Jeremy Wonderling, Austin Houser and Brock Pinkerous, who finished third through fifth respectively. A strong field of 26 cars were on hand for the first completed show of the season at Stateline after four straight rainouts.
It took three times to get one lap in for the RUSH Late Models Saturday evening at Winchester Speedway but when the green flag flew youngster Braeson Fulton charged from the third starting spot to take the lead. Fulton would weather a lap six caution before going on to score his career first RUSH win. Tyler Hoy, Davin Kaiser, Greg Carrico, and Isaiah Gochenour completed the top five.
Competitors at Woodhull Raceway managed to withstand afternoon and early evening rain on Saturday, which has become the norm this season for the Southern Tier New York track. Brian Knowles and Joe Layfield led the 20-lap RUSH Late Model A-main to the green, but third place starter John Waters quickly took command and went on to pick up his second consecutive win at the New York oval. Knowles settled for second with Brett Marlatt coming home in third. Joe Layfield and Marshall O’Brian rounded out the top five.
After the fifth rainout in the first seven scheduled Flynn’s Tire/Gunter’s Honey Touring Series events on Saturday at Genesee, the Tour returned to Tri-City Raceway Park after a nearly six-year absence on Sunday. Fourteen-year-old Brock Pinkerous led all 25 laps of the main event to score a very popular win and become the third different winner in the three events held thus far in 2024. Mike Wonderling had a season best second place finish with Joe Martin claiming third. Daryl Charlier and Kurt Stebbins completed the top five. The RUSH portion of the show was completed just before rain came in and washed out the remainder of the program.
The lone Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sportsman Modified event took place Friday at Raceway 7 for Wedge Motorsports “Route 7 Rumble” Series competition. Chas Wolbert led the entire distance of the 20-lap main event to score his first RUSH win since 2021, and upped his all-time division leading total to 47! Opening night winner Rob Kristyak was second with JC Boyer coming home in third. Kole Holden and Bill Cunningham completed the top five. There have now been four different winners in the first four RUSH Sportsman Modified events of 2024 as Wolbert joined Garrett Krummert, Holden, and Kristyak.
Hovis RUSH Pro Mod competitors kicked off the Memorial Day weekend at the Freedom Motorsports Park on Friday night for the Delevan, New York track’s opener. Josh Wilcox led the opening circuits before a red on lap three slowed the field. Wilcox continued to lead once the action resumed and cruised to the $1,074 win over Bill Holmes, Al Brewer, Josh Canfield, and J.D. Chamberlin.
The Pro Mods completed their weekend Sunday at Bradford Speedway for their season opener. Former RUSH Late Model racer Steve Watson picked up his first career RUSH win. Bill Holmes had a solid run, but had to settle for the runner-up spot for the second time in three days. Freedom winner, Josh Wilcox, made the podium again in third as John Woodward and Brewer completed the top five.
The growing Hovis RUSH Stock Car division saw action at Freedom Motorsports Park on Friday with Cole Strickland and Kaden Michael battling for the lead while Camron Kramer and Cody Rickard dueled for the third position. Michael made numerous attempts to overtake Strickland but was unable to do. At the checkered flag it was Strickland taking his first career Freedom win over Michael, Kramer, Rickard and Raiddan Wilson.
Defending Weekly Series Champion, Cody Rickard, claimed his first RUSH Stock Car win of 2024 on Sunday at Eriez Speedway. Rickard beat out opening night winner, Kaden Michael, to become the third different winner in three races to start off the season. Kramer was third for the second straight race of the weekend Second year racer Alex Bush was fourth as Strickland completed the top five.
In addition to Genesee, Mother Nature claimed events at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway and Tyler County Speedway. The RUSH Late Models were off at Bradford, Eriez, McKean, and Muskingum.
Coming up this weekend Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model weekly action is scheduled at McKean County Raceway Dog Hollow Speedway, Raceway 7, Genesee Speedway, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Stateline Speedway, Tyler County Speedway, Woodhull Raceway and Eriez Speedway. In addition, Muskingum County Speedway has a $1,000 to win City Chevrolet Weekly Series event scheduled Saturday evening and Winchester Speedway also has a $4,00 to-win special event scheduled that evening.
RUSH Sportsman Modified competitors will be in action at Raceway 7 (Friday) and Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway (Saturday) while RUSH Pro-Mod competitors will see action at McKean County Raceway (Friday), Stateline Speedway (Saturday) and Bradford Speedway (Sunday).
RUSH Stock Car competitors will also have three days of racing action as they visit McKean County Raceway for the first time ever on Friday and will do the same at Hummingbird Speedway on Saturday, and will wrap up their weekend at their Sunday night home- Eriez Speedway.
Tri-City Raceway Park has added the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Sprint Cars to their weekly schedule, which begins this Sunday with Sunbelt Rentals Weekly Series action.
There is plenty of RUSH racing action available in the region this weekend so get out and enjoy it.