2/17/2023
RUSH Late Model Series
HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN'S TIRE TOURING SERIES RELEASES 2023 SCHEDULE; EVENTS SHOWCASED AT 16 SPEEDWAYS THROUGHOUT 6 STATES PAYING $3,000 TO $20,00
HOVIS RUSH LATE MODEL FLYNN'S TIRE TOURING SERIES RELEASES 2023 SCHEDULE; EVENTS SHOWCASED AT 16 SPEEDWAYS THROUGHOUT 6 STATES PAYING $3,000 TO $20,000 TO-WIN; PART OF THE $51,400 POINT FUND WITH $15,000 TO THE CHAMPION
By Mike Leone
February 17, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Pulaski, PA)...The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants is proud to release its 2023 Flynn's Tire Touring Series schedule of events. The richest season in Series history will include 23 events at 16 different speedways in six states all paying between $3,000 to $20,000 to-win and boasting a $51,400 point fund! Virginia drivers Kyle Hardy and Logan Roberson have captured the last two titles after Jeremy Wonderling won an unprecedented three straight titles (2018-2020).
For the second straight year, Series Directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone have posted a $51,400 potential point fund for the top 20 point earners! The 2023 Flynn's Tire Tour Champion will again receive $15,000- the highest of any Chevrolet Performance Crate Engine Series in the country. See complete point fund and minimum purse breakdown below.
Highlighting the schedule is the $20,000 to-win "Bill Emig Memorial" presented by Sunoco Race Fuels with associate sponsorship from TBM Brakes, which returns to Lernerville in conjunction with the renowned "Firecracker 100" weekend for the fifth straight year. Also featured in the schedule is the "Battle of the Bay" Speedweek presented by 3C Graphix along with the "Jook George Steel City Classic" and "Bill Hendren Memorial" events at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway, which have continued to grow in stature. New stops on the schedule include the three western Pa. facilities of Marion Center Raceway, Knox Raceway, and Thunder Mountain Speedway, while Woodhull Raceway returns to the schedule for the first time since 2014.
"The quality and competition of our RUSH Late Model Flynn's Tire Touring Series is incredible," acknowledged Emig. "The competition has definitely went to the next level and our car counts continue to be very strong averaging more than 35 each of the past four years. Without the strong support of our corporate marketing partners, speedways, and racers none of this would be possible."
The 2023 schedule will get underway with the fifth annual "Battle of the Bay" Speedweek presented by 3C Graphix April 12-15. The always highly anticipated Speedweek will kick-off once again at Delaware International Speedway in Delmar on Wednesday night followed up by events at Georgetown, Potomac, and Winchester Speedways that will each pay $3,000 to-win. There will once again be a separate $3,000 point fund for the four races for the top 10 RUSH member racers paying $1,000 to-win.
Outside of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the opening Mid-Atlantic swing, 13 of the 16 scheduled events have now been completed. The average car count for those 13 events is 44! Logan Roberson, who won last year's "Battle of the Bay" title, leads the way with five victories. 2021 champion, Kyle Hardy, and 2019 champion, Max Blair, each have three victories, while single wins have gone to Ross Robinson and Joey Warren.
After a month off, the Touring Series heads north to Stateline Speedway for the sixth year for the "Bill Law Memorial" on May 13. The 2017 event was the first ever Tour event at the Busti, NY oval in the 10-year history of Crate Late Models in the Northeast as a big crowd watched a thriller as Jeremy Wonderling held off standout and track dominator Max Blair for the victory. The 2018 event was just as good as Damian Bidwell made a late race pass of Scott Gurdak for his first Tour win in more than three years. And in 2019, Wonderling again held off Blair and withstood a mid-race rain delay. COVID-19 cancelled the 2020 event, but in 2021 Wonderling won for the third time in four events, which featured an all-time record high Stateline Crate Late Model car count of 43! Last year, Joe Martin won his first race at the track.
The Stateline event is annually held in memory of the late Bill Law, who pioneered the Crate Late Model concept in the Northeast as a car owner for several racers including his son Jon. Law's grandson, Kyle Murray, carries on the family tradition as he currently competes in the RUSH Late Models. Kyle finished 10th in the 2019 points in his first year on the Tour.
The following night (Sunday, May 14), Eriez Speedway will host a "Marquee" event giving racers back-to-back $3,000 to-win shows within just a 40-mile distance. Located just outside of Erie, Pa., this will be year number five of ownership for Dave Alexander, who will again host weekly Sunday night RUSH Late Model racing. There have been 11 RUSH Tour events completed all-time at Eriez. After the Blairs had won the first seven with Max winning six and his father Rob one in a substitution role for Max, Hardy swept both events in 2021. Last year, saw Roberson win the May event, while Josh Ferry captured his first career Tour victory in July.
For the seventh straight year, Outlaw and Genesee Speedways in New York have teamed up to host back-to-back "Marquee" Events on Friday and Saturday, May 26-27 with Bradford Speedway right across the border in Pennsylvania joining in for a Platinum Event on Sunday night.
Outlaw's show will again be dubbed as the "Gary Montgomery Memorial". The last three Outlaw races have been tremendous as former BRP Can-Am racers Bryce Davis (2017) and Wonderling (2018-2019) winning in memory of BRP Series founder Montgomery. Unfortunately, COVID-19 and rain cancelled the Outlaw show each of the past three seasons. Tyler Siri has done a tremendous job at transforming Outlaw, while new Genesee promoter Kurt Stebbins hosts a very successful Saturday night weekly program featuring the RUSH Late Models at the Genesee County Fairgrounds in Batavia. Last year, Bradford hosted their first Tour race since 2017 with John Waters winning a thriller. Bradford is in year number four under Dennis Cummings hosting weekly Sunday night RUSH Late Model racing.
Last year, Marion Center Raceway hosted their first ever RUSH-sanctioned event as Josh Ferry picked up the $2,000 to-win Weekly Series special. This year, Marion Center will run approximately 10 RUSH Late Model-sanctioned events including their first ever Flynn's Tire Touring Series show on Saturday, June 10. The following night, Knox Raceway, which is located 50 miles north, will also host their first ever Tour event for the Series. The one and only RUSH Late Model-sanctioned event at Knox took place back in 2013 when Max Blair was victorious in the Weekly Series special.
The RUSH Late Model Tour will join up with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series three times in 2023 with the first being at the Big River Steel "Firecracker 100" weekend June 22-24 at Lernerville Speedway! This crown-jewel event for Super Late Models will again pay $50,000 to-win and also showcase RUSH in the running of the "Bill Emig Memorial" for the fifth straight year. The Saturday night program will again be highlighted by a 50-lap $20,000 to-win main event presented by Sunoco Race Fuels with associate sponsorship from TBM Brakes. Max Blair won the event the first two years totaling $20,000, while Florida's Mark Whitener won $10,000 in 2021 and $20,000 in 2022 for western Pa. car owner Dirk Neal.
Also, a Weekly Series event will again take place at Lernerville on May 19. The highest finishing driver at this show that fails to qualify for the "Bill Emig Memorial" will receive the Lernerville provisional.
Another western Pa. weekend will take place July 14-15. After sitting dormant in 2022, Thunder Mountain Speedway located just south of Brookville will reopen this year under new promoter Zack Kephart. The RUSH Late Models will make three appearances in 2023 including the first ever event at the track for the division on Friday, July 14, which will be a Flynn's Tire Touring Series event. The Tour will then make its first of four appearances at "Dirt's Monster Half-Mile" at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway for the annual "Herb Scott Memorial".
The "RUSH Summer Showcase" at Lernerville on Friday, July 21 will feature the RUSH Late Models for the fourth straight year as they will be joined by the RUSH Sprint Cars and RUSH Sportsman Modifieds. Like last year, the event will be a Flynn's Tire Tour show for the Late Models paying $3,000 to-win.
The following night (July 22), the cars and stars of the RUSH Late Model Tour will head to the Mountaineer State to Tyler County Speedway. It'll be the first of two appearances at the Middlebourne, West Virginia 1/4-mile bullring, which will also host RUSH Late Model weekly-sanctioned racing for the second straight year. Last year's event was rained out.
Once again another western Pa. doubleheader weekend will be held August 5-6. For the seventh time, the "Jook George Steel City Classic" at PPMS will be a Tour event. The "Jook George" will take place on Saturday, paying a minimum $6,010 to-win; however, that figure is expected to grow with contributions and bonuses as the event draws near. The 2018 event attracted a record 51 cars and saw Jacob Hawkins take home $5,010. The 2019 event saw Kyle Lukon leave PPMS with a RUSH event record $11,610 payday thanks to the extraordinary efforts of Branden Lockwich. And even with the pandemic setting back fundraising efforts, Lockwich was still able to award Michael Norris with $7,000+ paydays in 2020 and 2021, while Logan Roberson took home more than $7,000 this past season. All Interior Painting LLC is the event's presenting sponsor.
The following night (Sunday, August 6) will see the Tour return to Eriez for the second and final appearance of the 2023 season as the northwest Pa. track will host the annual "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance for the third straight year. Eriez also hosted "Manufacturers Night" in 2015. The average car count for the event over the 11-year history since the MFG Night debuted in 2012 is nearly 47. Over $30,000 of valuable and useful products is typically distributed to competing racers on this night.
Two days later on Tuesday, August 8, New York's Woodhull Raceway will host their first Flynn's Tire Touring Series event in nearly nine years! The inaugural "Darwin Davis Memorial" will pay a minimum of $4,000 to-win and will be presented by Davis Electric and Empire Crushing. The event will carry a rain date of Wednesday, August 9. Track owners Niki and Terry Brewer host Saturday night RUSH Late Model weekly-sanctioned racing at their 1/3-mile oval. The three-night swing over just four nights is expected to see more than $70,000 in purse monies for RUSH drivers!
After a one-month break, the Tour returns to Tyler County on the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend (September 3) for the $4,000 to-win "Cider Jug 40" part of the prestigious 55th annual "Hillbilly 100" that pays $30,000 to-win for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. This will be the second of three shows with LOLMDS in 2023.
For the eighth straight year, the Tour will be part of the "Pittsburgher" on September 29-30. The "Bill Hendren Memorial" has been increasing in stature every year as 2020 was the first time to offer complete shows each night paying $3,000 to-win. For the second straight year, Friday night's preliminary will pay $4,000 to-win, while Saturday's show with Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will boost a $10,000 to-win payoff. Sponsors such as City Chevrolet, Pro Fabrication, FK Rod Ends, CrateInsider.com, the Hendren Family, and others have stepped up to really make this into a major event. In 2005, Bill Hendren, the patriarch of the Hendren family and founder of Hendren Racing Engines, had the foresight to begin building his affiliation with crate racing.
And as what been an annual tradition since RUSH's inception, the "Steel City Stampede" will bring down the curtain on the Touring Series season on October 13-14 at Lernerville paying $3,500 to-win. This year’s “Steel City Stampede” will be the 15th edition of this huge event that includes most of the region’s racing divisions. Max Blair is the only driver to win multiple events (2012, 2019-2020). Other past winners include Josh Holtgraver (2009), Bryan Force (2010), Butch Lambert (2011), Dennis Lunger, Jr. (2013), Chad Ruhlman (2014), Jacob Hawkins (2015), John Mollick (2016), John Waters (2017), Colton Flinner (2018), Kyle Hardy (2021), and Logan Roberson (2022).
All Tour events in 2023 will again pay a minimum of $3,000 to-win, $250 to-start with a $200 to-win non-qualifier (30 cars or more), and guaranteed $125 tow money. All events will utilize the group qualifying format featuring $100 FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock Qualifying” and $25 to-win FK Rod End heat races. Other nightly contingencies will be announced.
The championship points will be based off the cumulative Marquee Events; however, member drivers/owners will be able to use the Platinum Events to replace their worst Marquee Event point scores. Drivers can also use Platinum Events to replace missed Marquee Events.
Touring membership is available for $125 or drivers can join both Weekly and Touring for $225. The membership is available at the following link: https://rushlatemodels.com/memberships.html
2023 Minimum Feature Purse: 1. $3,000 2. $1,500 3. $800 4. $650 5. $600 6. $500 7. $475 8. $450 9. $425 10. $400 11. $325 12. $300 13. $275 14. $270 15. $265 16. $260 17. $255 18-24. $250.
2023 Flynn's Tire Touring Series Point Fund ($51,400): 1. $15,000 2. $7,500 3. $5,000 4. $4,000 5. $3,000 6. $2,500 7. $2,000 8. $1,800 9. $1,600 10. $1,500. Will pay $1,000 to Tour members in positions 11-15 in points that compete in 75% of the total Tour events, and $500 to Tour members in positions 16-20 in points that compete in 75% of the total Tour events.
3C Graphix "Battle of the Bay" Speedweek Point Fund ($3,000*): 1. $1,000 2. $500 3. $350 4. $225 5. $200 6. $180 7. $150 8. $140 9. $130 10. $125. (*A minimum of three events must be completed for full point fund. If only two events are completed, point fund will be reduced by 50%. No point fund if only one event is completed. Drivers must be a member of RUSH to be eligible for point fund monies.)
2023 Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Flynn's Tire Touring Series Schedule*
• Wed, April 12 Delaware International Speedway (Delmar, DE) - $3,000 to-win "Battle of the Bay" Speedweek presented by 3C Graphix
• Thr, April 13 Georgetown Speedway (Georgetown, DE) - $3,000 to-win "Battle of the Bay" Speedweek presented by 3C Graphix
• Fri, April 14 Potomac Speedway (Mechanicsville, MD) - $3,000 to-win "Battle of the Bay" Speedweek presented by 3C Graphix
• Sat, April 15 Winchester Speedway (Winchester, VA) - $3,000 to-win "Battle of the Bay" Speedweek presented by 3C Graphix
• Sat, May 13 Stateline Speedway (Busti, NY) - $3,000 to-win "Bill Law Memorial"
• Sun, May 14 Eriez Speedway (Erie, PA) - $3,000 to-win
• Fri, May 26 Outlaw Speedway (Dundee, NY) - $3,000 to-win
• Sat, May 27 Genesee Speedway (Batavia, NY) - $3,000 to-win
• Sun, May 28 Bradford Speedway (Bradford, PA) - $3,000 to-win (Platinum)
• Sat, June 10 Marion Center Raceway (Marion Center, PA) - $3,000 to-win
• Sun, June 11 Knox Raceway (Knox, PA) - $3,000 to-win
• Thr-Sat, June 22-24 Lernerville Speedway (Sarver, PA) - $20,000 to-win "Bill Emig Memorial" presented by Sunoco Race Fuels & TBM Brakes (Part of the "Firecracker 100" - (Rain date 6/25)
• Fri. July 14 Thunder Mountain Speedway (Brookville, PA) - $3,000 to-win
• Sat, July 15 Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway (Imperial, PA) - $3,000 to-win "Herb Scott Memorial"
• Fri, July 21 Lernerville Speedway (Sarver, PA) - $3,000 to-win "RUSH Summer Showcase"
• Sat, July 22 Tyler County Speedway (Middlebourne, WV) - $3,000 to-win
• Sat, Aug 5 Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway (Imperial, PA) - Minimum $6,010 to-win "Jook George Steel City Classic" - (Rain date 8/12)
• Sun, Aug 6 Eriez Speedway (Erie, PA) - $3,000 to-win "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance
• Tue, Aug 8 Woodhull Raceway (Woodhull, NY) - $4,000 to-win "Darwin Davis Memorial" presented by Davis Electric & Empire Crushing (Platinum) - (Rain date 8/9)
• Sun, Sept 3 Tyler County Speedway (Middlebourne, WV) - $4,000 to-win "Cider Jug 40" (Part of the "Hillbilly 100")
• Fri, Sept 29 Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway (Imperial, PA) - $4,000 to-win "Bill Hendren Memorial" Night 1
• Sat, Sept 30 Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway (Imperial, PA) - $10,000 to-win "Bill Hendren Memorial" Night 2 (Part of the "Pittsburgher")
• Fri-Sat, Oct 13-14 Lernerville Speedway (Sarver, PA) - $3,500 "Steel City Stampede" - (Rain date 10/15)
*Schedule is subject to change. Additional date(s) may be added.
The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, TBM Brakes, Performance Bodies & Parts, Racing Electronics, Wieland Metal Services, Frankland Racing Supply, Landrum Performance Spring, Ontime Body & Graphic, Sherwood Wheels, Precise Racing Products, Velocita-USA, Novus Home Mortgage Hermitage, Wedge Motorsports, 3C Graphix, D&V Jewelers, DrumPreserve, CrateInsider.com, Marthinsen & Salvitti Insurance Group and Terry Bowser Excavating.
E-mail can be sent to the RUSH Racing Series at info@rushracingseries.com and mail to 4368 Route 422, Pulaski, PA 16143. Office phone is 724-964-9300. The RUSH Racing Series website is www.rushracingseries.com. Like our various Facebook and Twitter pages by searching for the appropriate RUSH Series.
Article Credit: Mike Leone
