JOHN WATERS REDEEMS HIMSELF WINNING $2000 SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL TOUR FINALE AT LERNERVILLE OVER CHAMP BRYCE DAVIS

(Sarver, PA – October 13 – 14, 2017)... The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series powered by Pace Performance were part of the ninth annual "Steel City Stampede" this past weekend at Lernerville Speedway featuring the Sweeney RUSH Late Model Touring Series and the Bicknell Racing Products RUSH Sportsman Modified Touring Series in their season finale events.  Series regulars John Waters (Late Models) and Steve Slater (Modifieds) cashed in with feature victories on Saturday night.  It was Sweeney Late Model Tour race #15 of the season, which attracted 39 drivers from all over Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and West Virginia.

Congratulations to the 2017 Touring Series champions Bryce Davis (Late Models) and Kyle Martell (Modifieds).  Also, Rocky Kugel earned the Bicknell Weekly Series Championship with the Modifieds pending an engine teardown by a protest from a fellow competitor and the confiscation of his MSD box.  In addition, Andy Michael was the lucky recipient of the $7,995 gift certificate toward the purchase of a 2018 Rocket Stage 2 Rocket XR1 Late Model Chassis from eligible Pace Performance "Summer Chase" drivers.

Last season, Bryce Davis and John Waters battled down to the wire for the Sweeney Late Model Touring Series Championship with Waters overtaking Davis on the final night at Lernerville.  This year, Davis had the championship wrapped up as the best Waters could do was come up one point shy.  While last Saturday night at Pittsburgh was a disappointing end for Waters crashing out in the lead, Waters redeemed himself on Saturday night overtaking a smoking Russ King with five laps to go then ironically had to hold off Davis to win his third Sweeney Tour feature of 2017.  The victory was worth $2,000 for Waters, who was also named as the Maxima Racing Oils "Maximum Performance" award winner.

"I could take off better than him (King) on the restarts, but he has a little more experience here than me," acknowledged the 36-year-old Whitesville, NY winner.  "I didn't want to roll in there and hit him.  I was happy where we were and running good.  I probably got that win for us too because I fixed his radiator earlier today and I don't think I did a good enough job!  I seen him drop water halfway through the race and figured 'oh man I'm never going to hear the end of this'."

"These guys (crew) worked hard and pulled out this car," continued Waters.  "We had to get the new one clipped after hitting the wall last week.  This car is just as good.  I have to thank my car owner Dale LeBarron.  He puts me in this stuff.  Not too many guys can wreck a car one week and pull out another car.  We're unfortunate enough.  I also have to thank my sponsors and crew, who won this tonight.  These last three straight two-day weekends have been putting them down.  Thanks to all the fans for coming out.  If it wasn't for you guys we wouldn't be able to do what we love to do- we appreciate all of you."

King earned the feature pole following his third K&N Dash win in four tries and raced to the early lead over Waters, Davis, Chad Wright, and Mike Pegher, Jr.  Eighth starting Jason Knowles made a great move on lap four to pass both Pegher and Wright for the fourth spot.  The top three then began to distance themselves from the field.   Tenth starting Garret Paugh cracked the top five on lap five dropping Pegher and Wright back another spot.

King caught traffic on lap seven and two laps later, Waters began to close in.  Just as thing were about to possibly get interesting, Brian Swank spun to bring out the caution with 10 laps scored.  Back under green, Paugh continued to move forward taking fourth from the four of Knowles.  Jeremy Wonderling started in seventh and worked his way into the top five on lap 14 getting by Knowles.

Back up front, King began to pull away from Waters on lap 15, while Davis and Paugh closed in on Waters in the battle for second.  Lapped traffic came into play on lap 17 as King had a half-straightaway lead built up; however, smoke began to billow from the leader's ride.  A caution for Bill Kessler slowed action for the final time with 20 laps completed.

When green replaced yellow, Waters got a great restart  to overtake King, who temporarily fell back to fourth, but made a great move to regain second and was right back on Waters to complete lap 21.  King's motor though wouldn't make it to the finish as he dropped out on lap 23.  It was the second straight race King failed to finish while running in the runner-up spot, and was named the TBM Brakes "Tough Brake of the Night" recipient.

Davis inherited second, but was unable to mount a challenge on Waters, who took the checkered flag first by 1.892 seconds.  The win was Waters' eighth career Sweeney Tour victory in the Dale LeBarron-owned, Troups Creek Heating/Bernie's Place/Accu-Force/Close Racing Supply/Insinger Performance/Sunoco Race Fuel/Fox Shocks/Otis Division/Fastline Performance/Troups Creek Heating/Regenerage, Forestry Management/Atkins Appraisal/TCAP/Stan's Transmissions-sponsored #11.

Davis earned $1,000 for his third runner-up finish of the year and 11th top five in 15 Series races.  One week after Paugh had an impressive performance racing from the 18th starting spot to finish sixth at Pittsburgh in his first Tour start since April 18, 2015 at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex, he was able to improve on that going from 10th to a career best third!  Wonderling was fourth as he completed his first season on the Tour finishing third in points.  Knowles, who was fourth in points, was fifth at the finish for his fourth top five of the season.

Bruce Hordusky, Jr. had a solid run in sixth as he completed his second year on the Tour.  Last week's Pittsburgh first career Tour winner, Daryl Charlier, came from 17th to seventh to earn the $100 Precise Racing Products "Pedal Down" Hard Charger gift card.  Fifth place point man, Brian Knowles, was eighth for his eighth top 10 of the season.  Pegher faded to a disappointing ninth as Eric Wilson completed the top 10.

Wendell Pinckney made his first Tour start since the 2015 "Steel City Stampede" and finished 15th as the last car on the lead lap to receive a $25 CrateInsider.com gift certificate.  On Friday night, Pinckney took the American flag out during the national anthem in his patriotic-themed car, while all drivers saluted the flag in turn four.

For the second straight year, Clinton Hersh ended the night at Lernerville winning the non-qualifier.  The 18-year-old Somerset, Pa. driver led all 10 laps holding off Zach Kane for the 10-lap, $175 victory in his father Tony's Clearwater Construction/Fred Spangler Water Conditioning & Plumbing/Jet Racing Engines/Laurel Machinery-sponsored #16.  Kyle Zimmerman, Chad Sines, and Bob Schwartzmiller completed the top five.  Jamie Wrightsman, who won two non-qualifier events this season, finished 10th, which earned him the 2017 "Wheelman" Bonus Event Challenge Series Championship by two points.

On Friday, Pegher set fast time in $100 KF Rod Ends "Shock the Clock" Qualifying with a lap of 17.670.  Picking up $25 FK Rod Ends heat races on Friday were Davis, King, Waters, and Brian Knowles.  Khole Wanzer and Swank won Saturday's twin last chance B mains.  King received $100 K&N certificate for winning the dash over Waters, who received a $50 K&N certificate.  Wright and Davis added $25 cash for finishing third and fourth in the dash.

This concludes the 2017 season for the Sweeney Late Model Tour and Bicknell Sportsman Modified Tour.  The 2017 RUSH Racing Series Awards Banquet & Dinner will be held on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at Gatherings Banquet & Event Center located just west of New Castle, Pa. on Route 422 in Edinburg, Pa.

Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Late Model Touring Series Race #15  (25 laps, $2,000 to-win): 1. JOHN WATERS (LeBarron 11)  2. Bryce Davis (94)  3. Garret Paugh (03)  4. Jeremy Wonderling (3J)  5. Jason Knowles (4)  6. Bruce Hordusky, Jr. (3)  7. Daryl Charlier (12)  8. Brian Knowles (7)  9. Mike Pegher, Jr. (Swank RJ1)  10. Eric Wilson (27W)  11. Chad Homan (91)  12. Wyatt Scott (x3)  13. Nico Dabecco (F1)  14. Joey Zambotti III (948)  15. Wendell Pinckney (11)  16. Greg Beach (33x)  17. Bill Kessler (09)  18. Tony White (27T)  19. Khole Wanzer (01W)  20. Russ King (56)  21. Brian Swank (12s)  22. Corey McPherson (c33)  23. Christian Schneider (Maniecki 1ST)  24. Chad Wright (6)  25. Pete Wearing (Kessler 09W). (Note: Tony White took a Series provisional)

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 http://www.rushracingseries.com. Like our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.

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Edited from press release by Mike Leone