8/5/2020
RUSH Late Model Series
"JOOK GEORGE STEEL CITY CLASSIC" PRESENTED BY ZARIN TO PAY A MINIMUM $6,010 TO-WIN FOR PACE RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR SATURDAY AT PITTSBURGH; $1000 BONUS I
"JOOK GEORGE STEEL CITY CLASSIC" PRESENTED BY ZARIN TO PAY A MINIMUM $6,010 TO-WIN FOR PACE RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR SATURDAY AT PITTSBURGH; $1000 BONUS IF WINNER CONTRIBUTED TO THE EVENT
By Mike Leone
August 5, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Imperial, PA)…This Saturday night (August 8), Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway will host the second richest Pace Performance RUSH Racing Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC event of the season. The "Jook George Steel City Classic" presented by Zarin Truck & Automotive and coordinated by Branden Lockwich will pay a minimum $6,010 to-win, $400 to-start for the RUSH Dirt Late Model Touring Series! In addition, if the winner financially contributed to the event, he or she will receive a $1,000 bonus compliments of Miley Motor Sports and Lockwich! Warm-ups being at 6 p.m. on Saturday night followed by qualifying and racing. The event carries a rain date of August 9 with one hour earlier starting times although clear conditions are forecasted for Saturday.
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 continued to grow in stature. In 2017, the event was a Tour race for the first time and drew 43 cars with Mike Pegher, Jr. capturing the $4,010 win. In 2018, a record 51 cars were on hand with Jacob Hawkins scoring the $5,010 win. Last year's event was the richest in RUSH history as Kyle Lukon scored the $10,010 win and the extra $1,000 contributor bonus!
Also last year, Miley Motor Sports and Lockwich came up with the idea to award the feature winner an additional $1,000 bonus if he or she financially contributed a minimum of $50 to the event. As of this release, 34 teams are eligible for the bonus on Saturday night! Any driver that still would like to contribute to expand the purse and be eligible for the bonus can contact Branden at 412-639-3723 or see him at the track on Saturday. Contributions from any individuals or businesses are also still welcome.
The fastest overall in "Shock the Clock" qualifying will receive $200 with $100 from FK Rod Ends and another $100 Our Cars Auto Detailing & Truck Service. FK Rod Ends heat races will pay $25 to-win. The "John Beatty Memorial" Dash will be run to determine the beginning of the feature line-up that will pay a $404 to-win thanks to Matt Shuffstall. Several other bonuses have been posted and are listed below.
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.
"Miley Motor Sports is ecstatic about the 31st edition of the RUSH Dirt Late Model Series 'Jook George Classic' to honor our great friend of racing, Jook George," expressed PPMS promoter Matt Miley. "We can’t thank Brandon, 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, 32 consecutive seasons! Age and what comes with it takes 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 what was a record breaking major Touring Series show last year. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that set back Branden's efforts, it's unbelievable how this event is still going to turn out. We can't thank the George Family, Miley Motor Sports, Branden and so many others for their amazing contributions, while allowing us to present this as RUSH Late Model Touring Series event."
Defending two-time Tour Champion Jeremy Wonderling leads the RUSH Touring Series to Pittsburgh after back-to-back fourth place efforts. Wonderling has a five-point lead on Joe Martin and Pittsburgh regular John Mollick. A much-improved Chad Sines is fourth in points with John Waters just one-point back in fifth. Completing the top 10 in points are Michael Duritsky, Jr., Josh Ferry, Bill Kessler, Ryan Frazee, and Logan Zarin. Jamie Wrightsman, who won the 2017 "Wheelman" championship, currently leads those points for the non-qualifiers.
So far during the COVID-19 shortened season, Pittsburgh has run four times with four different winners including Christian Schneider, Keith Barbara, Garret Paugh, and Ben Policz Paugh's $2,110 victory came in the July 18 "Herb Scott Memorial", which was his first career Tour win and came over a stout field of 41 competitors.
Lukon's three Tour wins last year at Pittsburgh propelled him to the top of the all-time Tour win list at the track with four. Other Tour winners at Pittsburgh include Ryan Montgomery with three, Daryl Charlier two, and single victories to Colton Flinner, Mollick, Mike Pegher, Jr., Jacob Hawkins, and Paugh.
The Tour will return to PPMS for the final time of 2020 on October 2-3 for the "Bill Hendren Memorial" paying a minimum of $5,000 to-win plus the "One to Remember" non-winners race.
"Jook George Steel City Classic" Contributor List: Steve Baker and Rocket Chassis, Beatty Welding, Louis Benish, Max Blair Racing, Chuck Bowie Racing, Veronica Brant, BY Automotive, Derek Charlier & family, Sherry Charlier, Doug Clark Super Snuffer, Cleetus Motorsports, Close Racing Supply, Logan Crewl, D&T Autobody, Nico Dabecco F1 Racing, Steve Dixon/RTG Racing, Dobs Auto, Vince Dubois and Cathy Bish, Drew's Auto Service, Rich and Debbie Dunhoff, Darren Ferguson of National Property Inspections, Falconi Family of Dealerships Race Team 93x, Josh Ferry Racing, Frankland Racing Supply, Frazee Racing, Scott Gunn Racing, Eric Hamilton Racing, Bryant Hank, Kyle Hardy Racing, Gary Heeman, Hendren Racing Engines, Bryan Hoffman 15H Racing, Dan Hunkele, Imperial Heights Garage, Imperial Tire and Auto, K&L Specialty Products, Kane's Ideal Truck Service, Kessler 09 Motorsports, Russ Kolesar - in memory of Pap Jack, Matthew Knupp, Nate, Josh and Mike of Langer Racing, Eileen Lockwich-Stegall, Joe Lockwich, Pete and Kim Lockwich, Lukon Racing, Mad Dog Motorsports 90J, Manecki's 1st Stop Auto, Monat by Jenna Frazee, Miley Motor Sports, Motor Mafia Photography, Tony Musolino, Nextgen Services Josh Harvey, Octane Graphix, Our Cars Auto Detailing and Tire Service, Cole Petrelle Racing, Garret Paugh Racing, Ben Policz, Mike Reft, Madison Riggs, Ron's Barbershop, RUSH Racing Series, Russ Rech Racing Engines, Russ King Racing, Schirnhofer Racing, Debra McLaughlin, Schwartzmiller Ground Maintenance, Shaffer, Slingin Dirt Productions, Doug Smith Schaeffer's Oil Rep, Kirstyn Schmaus, Tom Snyder, Stan's Transmission Racing, Super 6 Late Models, Gerry and Sharon Thomas, Three Rivers Karting, Tri State Motorsports - Dale Charlier, John Waters Racing, Susan Westlake, Tony White 27w Racing, Jeremy Wonderling 3J, Zach Yost Photography, Zarin Truck and Auto.
50-Lap Feature Payoff (as of 8/5/20): 1. $6,010* 2. $3,000 3. $1,500 4. $1,350 5. $1,250 6. $1,150 7. $1,000** 8. $900 9. $850 10. $725*** 11. $600**** 12. $575 13. $550 14. $525 15. $500 16. $480 17. $450 18. $430 19. $425 20. $410 21. $405 22-26. $400. (*If the feature winner contributed financially to the event, he or she will receive a $1,000 bonus compliments of Miley Motor Sports & Branden Lockwich) (**An additional $107 has been posted for 7th place "In memory of Dave & Mary Lynn Nicholas" from Gunn Racing) (***An additional $100 has been posted for 10th place in memory of Jook George) (****An additional $200 has been posted for 11th place from Langer Racing) ($100 bonus for the hard charger from Ken Maniecki)
Non-Qualifier Payoff (as of 8/5/20): 1. $350 2. $225 3. $200 4. $190 5. $185 6. $180 7. $175 8. $170 9. $165 10. $160 11-24. $155. Tow $125.
"John Beatty Memorial" Dash presented by Matt Shuffstall Payoff (as of 8/2/20): 1. $404 2. $50 3-6. $25.
The pits will be open all afternoon on Saturday. Registration and pre-race tech will begin by 3 p.m. with the drivers meeting scheduled for 5:35 p.m., warm-ups at 6 followed by qualifying and then racing at 7. You do not have to be a member of RUSH to compete only to receive Weekly and/or Tour points. The entry fee for the event is $100. AMB/MyLaps transponders will be used. Driver radio will be channel 454.000.
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 Pace Performance together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC 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, Equipment Rental Options, 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, Zarin Truck & Automotive, Sherwood Wheels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Accu-Force Dynos & Testers, Classic Ink USA, CrateInsider.com, and Wedge Motorsports.
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
