7/25/2019
"JOOK GEORGE STEEL CITY CLASSIC" PRESENTED BY ZARIN TRUCK & AUTO ON AUGUST 10 AT PITTSBURGH TO NOW PAY A RECORD $10,010 TO-WIN FOR SWEENEY RUSH LATE M
(Imperial, PA)...On Saturday night at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway following the "Manufacturers Night" drawings, "Jook George Steel City Classic" event coordinator, Branden Lockwich, made a major announcement that the 30th annual event presented by Zarin Truck & Automotive on August 10 at PPMS will now pay a record $10,010 to-win, $450 to-start for the Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series! In addition, if the event winner contributed to the event, he or she will earn a $1,000 bonus compliments of Miley Motor Sports and Lockwich that would equate to an $11,010 payday! The event carries a rain date of Sunday, August 11.
Starting in 2015, Lockwich took up the effort to make the "Jook George Steel City Classic" the biggest race in the tri-state area for the RUSH Late Models. The event has grown in stature every year. In 2017, the event was under the Sweeney Tour banner for the first time and drew 43 cars with Mike Pegher, Jr. capturing the $4,010 win. Last year, Jacob Hawkins scored the event's richest payday, worth $5,010, that attracted an event record 51 cars.
Back on May 29, Lockwich made the announcement that with Zarin Truck & Auto coming on board as the presenting sponsor and other contribution increases that the event would pay a record $6,010 to-win with the goal of $7,510. Since that announcement, both the George Family and Miley Motor Sports have increased their contributions toward the event purse even more to guarantee that the 30th annual winner of the 50-lap feature will pocket $10,010 to-win and $450 just to start this one-day event! The non-qualifier race will pay a minimum of $300 to-win, $155 to-start.
"On behalf of the Jook George family, we wanted to do something extra special this year since it's the 30th anniversary for what used to be called the 'Fall Classic' at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway," expressed Dana George. "Jook and his #10 race team looked forward to this race every year so we have contributed additional funds so that the first place prize money will be a grand total of $10,010! Good luck to all of the competitors in making this a race to remember!"
Originally, a $1,000 bonus was going to be posted if the event winner competed in both the "Herb Scott Memorial" and "Red Miley Rumble", but with the postponement of the "Herb Scott Memorial" to last Saturday night and the "Red Miley Rumble" getting postponed until September 7, that $1,000 bonus will now be up for grabs if the "Jook George Steel City Classic" winner contributed to the event.
In addition, anyone who sponsors a lap to help build the purse will receive an entry into the drawing for 10 pit and 10 grandstand passes compliments of Miley Motorsports. Deadline to contribute to the event is August 3. All contribution can be sent to Branden Lockwich at 200 Pine Valley Drive, Imperial, PA 15126 or he can be reached at 412-639-3723.
In addition to the normal $100 FK Rod Ends "Shock the Clock" Qualifying and $25 to-win heat races, the "John Beatty Memorial" Dash will be run to determine the beginning of the feature line-up that will pay a record $404 to-win thanks to Matt Shufstall! The possibility exists for one driver to leave Pittsburgh on August 10 with $11,529 in earnings!
"Miley Motor Sports is ecstatic about the 30th edition of the RUSH Dirt Late Model Series 'Jook George Classic', which is set up to be the biggest and best ever to honor our great friend of racing, Jook George," expressed PPMS promoter Matt Miley. "We can't thank Branden, the RUSH Team, and all who have contributed enough. It's a win, win, win, win- racers, fans, sponsors, and the Speedway."
"This is the type of thing that energizes Miley Motor Sports to keep Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway alive," continued Miley. "It's been a long ride, 31 consecutive seasons! Age and what comes with it take a toll on us. We simply can't do everything ourselves. Younger folks who love the sport stepping up and making some of our best events is unbelievably refreshing. It energizes an old ownership team. A very sincere Thank You from all of us at Miley Motor Sports!"
"It's really amazing how this event has grown and how so many people have gotten behind it to make this all possible," expressed RUSH Director Vicki Emig. "Branden has led the efforts of transforming this from a special weekly event to a record breaking major Touring Series show. We can't thank the George Family, Miley Motor Sports, Branden and so many others for their amazing contributions, and allow us to present this as RUSH Late Model Touring Series event with it now being the second $10,000+ to win show of our season. To think that one driver has the ability to win well over $11,000 is pretty incredible."
William Thomas "Jook" George had a brief driving career himself, but as he turned to car owner he chose and had for most of his racing career the #10 and that was in honor of his racing hero, Lou Blaney, who drove his car on a couple occasions. Other highlights of his career was being nominated as the Sportsman of the Year at PPMS, being nominated into the Pittsburgh Circle Track Hall of Fame, winning the track championship at PPMS in 1990 with John Beatty behind the wheel, and winning the Fall Classic in 1993 with Bill Yakin, also at PPMS. His most dominant stretch as a car owner came in the late '70s when Earl Teeters was his driver.
Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway is a ½-mile dirt track with a GPS address of 170 Kelso Rd, Imperial PA 15126, which is located just off the Noblestown exit on Routes 22/30. For more information, check out their website at www.ppms.com or call 412-279-7223. The track number on race day is 724-695-3363 or 724-695-0393. As for their social media outlets, you can like their page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PittsburghsPennsylvaniaMotorSpeedway or follow them on Twitter @PAMotorSpeedway.
RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC & Pace Performance along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, Hovis Auto & Truck Supply, FK Rod Ends, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Dirt Defender, Wrisco Industries, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Trailer-Alarms.com, Bonnell's Rod Shop, Zarin Truck & Automotive, Sherwood Wheels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, CrateInsider.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.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
