Sweeney RUSH Series Honors Champions & Top Racers in LM, MOD & Stock Divisions

SWEENEY RUSH SERIES HONORS CHAMPIONS & TOP RACERS IN LM, MOD & STOCK DIVISIONS AS $100,000 IN CASH & $10,000 IN CONTINGENCIES IS DOLED OUT AT 2015 AWARDS BANQUET

 (January 23, 2016 - Edinburg, PA)...While the 2016 racing season is only a few months away, Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series Directors Vicki Emig and Mike Leone put a final wrap on the 2015 racing season with the awards banquet and dinner on Saturday night at the Gatherings Banquet & Event Center in Edinburg, Pa.  Despite a blizzard off to the east, a record number of attendees filled the beautiful banquet hall as over $100,000 in cash and approximately $10,000 in contingencies were distributed to Sweeney RUSH Late Model, Sportsman Modified, and Pro Stock racers. 

Sweeney RUSH Late Models scheduled events at a record 23 different speedways in 2015 with some 350 different racers participating in either a weekly-sanctioned and/or touring series event!  Year two for the Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modified season saw six different speedways hold events with 29 different drivers competing.

Crowned 2015 Late Model champions were Max Blair-Bazell/Sunoco Southern Touring Series, Insinger/Sunoco Northern Touring Series, Combined Touring Series, and Sweeney Weekly Series, Bryce Davis-Pace Performance "Summer Chase", Charlie Sandercock-"Bilstein Bandits", Clinton Hersh-"Futures Cup", and Tony White-Wheelman Bonus Event Challenge Series.  In the Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds it was Greg Martin-Bicknell Racing Products Weekly Series, Larry Kugel-Bicknell Touring Series, and Kole Holden-Bicknell "Futures Cup".  Justin Ramsay was the inaugural Sweeney RUSH Pro Stock Weekly Series champion.  All of the champions received their point fund monies, granite laser etched championship award plaques, and RUSH championship jackets!

Max Blair left Saturday's banquet as the Series' top point fund earner garnering a record $16,500!  The Centerville, Pa. 26-year-old swept all three Touring Series point funds for the $10,000 prize, added $5,000 for his second Sweeney Weekly Series Championship in three years, and $1,500 for a runner-up in the Pace Performance "Summer Chase".  Blair won nine of the 17 Touring Series events including an unprecedented four straight.  Blair also won earned the most points in the K&N "Cold Air Induction" Dash Championship standings and earned K&N product. 

The second top earner was Charlie Sandercock at $8,250.  The 28-year-old Belleville, Ontario racer was a newcomer to RUSH with Brighton and Can-Am Speedways coming on board.  Sandercock won $5,000 for the inaugural "Bilstein Bandits" Late Model crown winning 15 feature events between the two tracks that also propelled him to a tie for third in the Sweeney Weekly Series and a third in the Pace "Summer Chase". 

Bryce Davis became a first time RUSH champion by capturing the Pace Performance "Summer Chase" crown.  The 24-year-old Hornell, New York racer led all eligible racers with 109.14 average point score from July through Labor Day, which equates to a near second place finish.  Davis earned $3,000 for the title and left the banquet with a check for $5,325.

Clinton Hersh shined in his second year of Crate Late Model racing.  The 16-year-old Somerset, Pa. driver won the $1,000 "Futures Cup" crown in addition to his third place point finish in the "Bilstein Bandits" and a tie for 28th in the Weekly Series brought his point fund total earnings $2,757.50.  It's also noted that the Hersh Family made it to the banquet despite being buried in three feet of snow and having to avoid the closed down PA Turnpike.

 For the second straight year, Tony White of Aliquippa, Pa. was recognized for winning the "Wheelman" Bonus Event Challenge Series points for non-qualifier Late Model Touring Series events. White received a championship plaque and jacket, $150 cash, and $100 K&N and Precise Racing Products certificates.  

Greg Martin had another stellar season traveling south to race with the Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds to garner the $3,000 Bicknell Racing Products Weekly Series title for the second straight year. The 34-year-old Wilson, New York driver won nine of his 15 starts and has yet to finish worse than third in any RUSH-sanctioned event in the two-year history. He also became the inaugural Sharon Speedway champion and won the first ever Tour event in the first ever Sportsman Modified race at Expo Speedway. He'd finish 10th in those points.

Veteran racer Larry Kugel will go down in the history books as the first ever Bicknell Racing Products Touring Series Champion for the Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds. The 64-year-old Crescent, Pa. driver was consistent to win the $600 title and added another $600 for his fifth place in the Bicknell Weekly Series points.

While rookie racer Kole Holden finished runner-up to Kugel in the Touring Series, he did one better in the Bicknell "Futures Cup" to earn that inaugural crown. It was a tremendous season for the recently turned 17-year-old where he won three features at Sportsman's Speedway, which propelled him to a fourth place in the Bicknell Weekly Series.

The Pro Stocks were added to RUSH's program to allow drivers that raced with GM 602 and 604 crate engines against the open cars the opportunity to compete for their own point fund.  A $5,250 point fund was posted for member racers' best 12 finishes at RUSH affiliated speedways.  Lernerville stepped up and offered a crate only race during the "Steel City Stampede" and going forward has committed to the crates 100%.  Collecting the inaugural championship was 28-year-old driver Justin Ramsay of Belleville, Ontario, Canada.  Ramsay won 10 features and the track championship at Brighton in addition to another win at Humberstone Speedway.   

The highlight of the program was the special awards ceremony.  The Series' major sponsor, Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC/Pace Performance, was recognized with a special appreciation plaque for their continued support of the RUSH Late Model and Sportsman Modified programs in addition to the new RUSH Pro Stock division as the branding sponsor.

Eric Wilson and family were presented the prestigious Gary Knollinger Memorial "Golden Award".  The Cortland, Ohio family's qualities reminded Series Officials much like the Knollinger Family.  Both have strong family values and had were very dedicated to following the touring series.  The Wilsons just finished their second full season touring.

Longtime Sharon Speedway announcer Jim Pollock emceed the affair and also previewed the upcoming 2016 season. The Sweeney RUSH Late Models have added Path Valley Speedway Park in central Pa. and Genesee Speedway in Batavia, NY as weekly-sanctioned speedways. The Touring Series schedules for both the Late Models and Sportsman Modifieds were released. John and Christine Stivason photographed the event and the photo link will be posted as soon as it's available.

2015 Insinger Performance/Sunoco Race Fuels RUSH Late Model Northern Touring Series Top 12 Driver Points: 1. Max Blair 688 2. Bryce Davis 639 3. John Waters 620 4. Randy Hall 615 5. Jason Knowles 596 6. Brian Knowles 591 7. Eric Wilson 580 8. Ward Schell 484 9. T.J. Downs 373 10. Kyle Zimmerman 253 11. Joe Martin 252 12. Jamie Brown 223.

2015 Bazell/Sunoco Race Fuels RUSH Late Model Southern Touring Series Top 12 Driver Points: 1. Max Blair 1022 2. Eric Wilson 926 3. Jason Knowles 925 4. Brian Knowles 833 5. Steve Lowery 788 6. John Waters 672 7. Kyle Lukon 580 8. Rob Marhefka 539 9. Michael Duritsky, Jr. 436 10. Michael Lake 410 11. W.L. Stile 387 12. Clay Ruffo 385.

2015 Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Late Model Weekly Series Top 40 Points: 1. Max Blair 1344 2. Randy Hall 1336 3. Damian Bidwell & Charlie Sandercock 1334 5. Dennis Lunger, Jr. 1327 6. John Waters 1322 7. Troy Shields 1314 8. Chris Fleming 1312 9. Josh Holtgraver 1309 10. Russell Baird, Jr. 1308 11. Phil Potts 1306 12. Matt Latta 1304 13. Charlie Duncan & Jason Genco 1302 15. Ward Schell 1296 16. Corey Earl 1294 17. Darin Henderson 1293 18. Daryl Charlie 1291 19. Bryce Davis 1287 20. Kyle Zimmerman & Kyle Sopaz 1286 22. Adam Sixt 1285 23. Tommy Schirnhofer, Jr. 1282 24. Steve Baldwin 1273 25. Ben Policz 1268 26. Kyle Lukon 1266 27. Ryan Markham 1263 28. Clinton Hersh & Eric Wilson 1254 30. Brandon Mowat 1251 31. Michael Reft 1248 32. Wyatt Scott 1243 33. Michael Duritsky, Jr. 1238 34. Tyler Rand 1235 35. Michael Lake & Justin Lamb 132 37. Scott Gurdak 1226 38. Ben Bowie 1223 39. Jamie Wrightsman 1222 40. Kris Eaton 1221.

RUSH Late Model marketing partners include Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, MSD Performance, Maxima Racing Oil, Jones Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, TBM Brakes, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, Beyea Headers, FK Rod Ends, Bobby Lake Motorsports, Velocita-USA, High Gear Speed Shop, CrateInsider.com, B.R.A.K.E.S., RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.

RUSH Sportsman Modified marketing partners: Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Bicknell Racing Products, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, MSD Ignition, Maxima Racing Oil, Jones Racing Products, FK Rod Ends, Sherwood Racing Wheels, Velocita-USA, Precise Racing Products, Alternative Power Sources, K&N Filters, TBM Brakes, Lincoln Electric, CrateInsider.com, Rocket Racing, and B.R.A.K.E.S.