A.J. SPAGNUOLO BECOMES 4TH DIFFERENT LATE MODEL WINNER IN 1ST 5 RACES AT TYLER COUNTY UNDER THE HOVIS RUSH BANNER; JASON KNOWLES, BILL HOLMES & CHRIS FLEMING ARE ALL NEW WINNERS IN NY RUSH LATE MODELS

By Marcie Barlow

(Pulaski, PA)…After several wet and dreary weekends in the region, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series divisions presented by Born2Run Lubricants were welcomed by warmer temperatures and lots of exciting action this past weekend.

In weekly RUSH Late Model action, Michael Duritsky, Jr. continued his winning ways in 2022 as he scored the opening night victory Dog Hollow Speedway on Friday night in the track’s season opener. Kyle Hardy challenged Duritsky for the first six circuits before retiring with mechanical woes. Duritsky was then challenged by Joe Martin, before he also slowed causing a six-car pileup on the front stretch. Duritsky went on to lead the remainder of the main event to score the win and extend his divisional win streak, which began in 2021, at the track to four. It was also Duritsky’s fourth win of 2022 in Hovis RUSH Late Model Weekly Series competition. Clate Copeman, Delaware’s Ben Scott, Tim Snare and Joe Moyer followed in second through fifth.

The Hill Speedway also kicked off their 2022 season last Friday night. Brian Knowles led the first three circuits of RUSH Late Model main event before Chad Homan took over the top spot. Homan went on to score the victory, his leading fifth on the 2022 RUSH Late Model circuit, which have come at three different speedways.  Knowles, Jared Keeney, Rich McNeal and Mike Epler rounded out the top five.

Raceway 7 was another facility that opened their 2022 season on Friday, May 13th. Devin Henry and Dennis Lunger led the field to the green. Lunger immediately grabbed the top spot with former divisional champion Josh Ferry following close behind. Lunger would weather several cautions before picking up the win- his first since returning to the division after a three-year hiatus for the five-time RUSH Pro Mod Weekly Series Champion. Ferry finished in the runner up spot with Chad Sines, Joe Long and Billy Henry competing the top five.  

The Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Sportsman Modified Series was also in action at Raceway 7. The 22-car field matched the all-time high car count at the Conneaut, Ohio oval set in 2019. Kyle Martell and Ben Easler led the field to the green, but the caution would wave before the first lap was completed due to a six-car tangle in turn two. Easler would then lead the first 10 laps before veteran Rob Kristyak took control and went on to score the win by 0.858 seconds over Easler, the 2021 “Futures Cup” Champion. Martell claimed third with Kole Holden and Jacob Jordan rounding out the top five.

Veteran Kyle Lukon was the victor in RUSH Late Model action at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway Saturday evening. The Burgettstown, Pa. driver went on to score a dominating 3.554 second victory over Michael Reft, Cole Petrelle, Philip Bubeck and Kassidy Kamicker to pick up his first win in 2022.

Bill Holmes III outdueled Jon Rivers to lead the first circuit of the RUSH Late Model main event Saturday evening at Genesee Speedway. Holmes maintained a comfortable lead through the early portion of the event; however, lapped traffic in the closing stages allowed Rivers to catch up, but he was not able to overtake Holmes. Holmes collected the victory to become the third different winner in as many 2022 races. Rivers settled for second for the second week in a row. Doug Ricotta, who was victorious in the April 30th season opener, was third with JJ Mazur and Billy DuBois rounding out the top five. Genesee is under the direction of first year promoter and RUSH Late Model racer Kurt Stebbins.

Jason Knowles became the fourth different winner in as many 2022 races at New York’s Woodhull Raceway. Knowles led the event from wire-to-wire. Second year RUSH Late Model competitor Austin Allen came home in the runner-up spot with Brian Knowles in third. Steve LeBarron was fourth over Joe Layfield.

The Skyline Raceway Motorsports Park is in its first year of weekly RUSH Late Model racing and the central New York track was also able to complete their fourth night of racing action on Saturday. Chris Fleming defeated three-time winner Chad Homan to score his first win of 2022. Alan Chapman, Rich McNeal and Todd Chapman rounded out the top five. Skyline is under the direction of first year promoter and RUSH Late Model racer Brad Smith.      

The Flynn’s Tire RUSH Late Model Touring Series returned to action with events at Stateline and Eriez Speedways. Saturday’s fifth annual Bill Law Memorial saw 34 RUSH competitors compete on the track and survived a 90-minute rain delay. Punxsutawney, Pa. veteran Joe Martin led the event from the start and did an excellent job of driving through lapped traffic in the caution-free 30-lap feature to hold off Jason Genco and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Chub Frank to score his first Flynn’s Tire Tour victory of 2022, worth $3,000. Fast qualifier John Waters and Randy Hall rounded out the top five. 

The Hovis RUSH Pro Mods were also in competition at Stateline with a solid field of 21 cars on hand for their 2022 opener. Lunger picked up where he left off in years past passing fellow veteran Al Brewer on lap 12.  Brewer secured the runner-up position. Steve Dixon would come home third. After to going to the tail on lap three, Adam Ashcroft would end his night with an impressive fourth place finish, as Victor Earle Jr. rounded out the top five.

On Sunday evening the Flynn’s Tire Ttour ventured to Eriez Speedway just across the New York/PA border. Logan Roberson and Daryl Charlier led the 24-car field to the green. Roberson pulled away and had a straightaway lead when the first caution flew on lap seven. The event’s final caution flew on lap 13 when Khole Wanzer broke an axle. When the action resumed, Roberson and fellow Virginian Kyle Hardy battled for the top spot with Roberson maintaining the advantage and stretching out his lead until he encountered heavy lapped traffic on lap 23. Hardy closed the gap on Roberson but was unable to overtake Roberson as he went on to score the $3,000 victory, which was his third in five Tour races this year. Hardy settled for second followed by Joe Martin, Jason Genco and pole-sitter Daryl Charlier, who became the fifth different Sunoco Dash winner in as many races.

Tyler County Speedway hosted a special Sunday event racing card that saw competitors compete in a features only format. Michael Duritsky, Jr. appeared to be headed to his third victory at the Middlebourne, WV track until A.J. Spagnuolo made a daring pass on the final circuit when lapped traffic slowed Duritsky. Spagnolo became the fourth different winner in five RUSH races this season. Donnie Dotson, Reed Logan and Lucas McDonald completed the top five. Tyler County is also in their first season under the RUSH banner.

John Eckenrod was the victor in the RUSH Stock Car season opener at Dog Hollow Speedway in his first RUSH Stock start for the former RUSH Late Model racer. 2021 RUSH JR-2 Karting Series Champion, Cody Rickard, swept the weekend in RUSH Stock Car action at Stateline and Eriez Speedways.

The Hovis Auto and Truck Supply RUSH Sportsman Modified and Sprint Car divisions were scheduled to see action on Saturday at Sharon Speedway, but the speedway fell victim to the rain prior to racing action. 

RUSH Late Models competitors at Delaware International Speedway and Potomac Speedway had the weekend off, while racing action at Winchester Speedway was rained out. 

Picking up RUSH Karting Series victories on Saturday at Stateline were Morgan Curry (Adult), Trenton Curry (JR-2), Jackson Himes (JR-1), and Bexley Smith (Amateur). A record four Amateur Karts have been in action both weeks. 

RUSH Late Model competitors will have the weekend off at Raceway 7, Potomac Speedway, Dog Hollow Speedway, Delaware International Speedway and Winchester Speedway this weekend. Dog Hollow Speedway will host the RUSH Sprint Cars in their first of two appearances on Saturday night. Ontime Body & Graphic, the “Official Graphics Supplier” of RUSH has posted a $100 bonus to the feature hard charger. The Hovis RUSH Sportsman Modified Division will also be in action at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Saturday.

With no RUSH Late Models on Friday at Raceway 7 and no racing at Dog Hollow, Lernerville Speedway will hold a Hovis Weekly Series event for the RUSH Late Models. The highest finishing driver that fails to qualify for the $20,000 to-win “Bill Emig Memorial” presented by Sunoco Race Fuels Flynn’s Tire Touring Series on June 25 will receive the Lernerville track provisional, which is worth $600 to start.     

Bradford Speedway will kick off their season on Sunday with both the Hovis RUSH Late Models and RUSH Pro Mods slated for action.

The weather is starting to warm up so get out and enjoy some exciting RUSH Racing Series action at a track near you.