RUSH SANCTIONED EVENTS RETURN TO TRI-CITY FOR THE 1ST TIME IN 2+ YEARS; RUSH
SPRINTS PART OF "BRANDON HAWKINS MEMORIAL" AUGUST 23 PRESENTED BY BRUCE SMITH
CONSTRUCTION; RUSH SPORTSMAN MODS ON AUGUST 30 PRESENTED BY TURN 4 TOILETS
By Mike Leone
August 20, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
(Franklin, PA)…For the first time
in more than two years, the Pace Performance RUSH Racing Series together with
Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC will have a presence at Tri-City Raceway Park.
Up first will be the RUSH Sprint Cars this Sunday (August 23) in an
Equipment Rental Options Weekly Series special presented by Bruce Smith
Construction as part of the "Brandon Hawkins Memorial" Night followed one week
later (August 30) by the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds in a Hovis Auto & Truck Supply
Weekly Series special presented by Turn 4 Toilets.
Both races will pay a minimum of $800 to-win.
After sitting dormant in 2019, Tri-City was purchased
by Merle Black of Volant, Pa. Black
was a former racer himself and most notably has owned race cars for his step-son
Lonny Riggs for the past 25+ years.
Black has breathed life back into the Sunday night staple Tri-City running
weekly this season.
This Sunday will be a tribute to the late Brandon
Hawkins, who tragically lost his life in a work accident last month, and will
also feature the "410" and "305" Sprint Cars.
Hawkins, a former Micro Sprint standout, moved to the RUSH Sprint Cars
when the class debuted in 2018 along with his brother Scott and father Dave.
The trio also competed together in 2019 as well before Brandon made the
move to the "305" Sprints where he won his first feature on July 17 at Bedford
Speedway just days before his passing.
Dave and Scott made their first RUSH Sprint starts on July 24 at
Lernerville in a 27-lap tribute event to Brandon.
Pace Performance has posted a $100 gift card to the
hard charger in the feature on Sunday.
Also, "410" Sprint Car racer Ivan Johnson has posted a $50 bonus to the
driver that finishes next to last in the feature.
Thanks to Bruce Smith Construction for making the event possible.
Bruce was a former Stock Car racer at Tri-City and his son Shawn, a third
generation racer, has competed all three years in the RUSH Sprint division.
Shawn has been close to victory on
numerous occasions.
Arnie Kent and Chad Ruhlman won the RUSH Sprint Car
events at Tri-City in 2018. Heading
into this weekend, Jeremy Weaver leads the Equipment Rental Options Weekly
Series points by 31 over Zach Morrow.
Third through fifth in points are Brian Hartzell, Steve Pedley, and A.J.
MacQuarrie. Weaver has won four of
the six completed events in 2020, while Morrow and Pedley have also been
victorious. The RUSH Sprint Cars
will also be racing at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway on Saturday night.
Pace Performance and Jones Racing Products have posted heat race monies
with $50 to the winners, $30 for runner-ups, and $20 for third place finishers.
Thanks to the efforts by 2018 and 2019 RUSH
Championship Car Owner Jerry Schaffer, the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will have a
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Weekly Series special event on August 30 at Tri-City.
The race will be presented by his son's company Turn 4 Toilets and will
pay a minimum of $800 to-win. The
race will be part of the "Rick Hall Memorial" for the BRP Modified Tour.
Hall's Big Daddy's Speed Center was not only a supplier for the RUSH
Hoosier Tires and Bilstein Shocks, but also was an annual contributor to the
numerous Sportsman Modified "Manufacturers Nights".
The RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will be off this
weekend, but in addition to the Tri-City race next Sunday, they will also race
on Friday night (August 28) at Raceway 7 for the final time of 2020 in a "Route
7 Rumble" Series event presented by Wedge Motorsports.
Chas Wolbert leads the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Weekly Series points in
search of his first title. By virtue
of seven wins, Wolbert has a 61-point lead over Tony Tatgenhorst.
Third through fifth in points are July 3 Raceway 7 winner Kole Holden,
"Futures Cup" points leader Ayden Cipriano, and August 14 Raceway 7 winner Kyle
Martell. Other 2020 winners include
defending and two-time Weekly Series Champion Garrett Krummert along with Rob
Kristyak.
Past Tri-City winners from 2015-2018 include Garrett Krummert (2), Josh Seippel,
Kyle Martell, Chas Wolbert, Adam Hilton & Rocky Kugel.
Tri-City
Raceway Park is a ½-mile dirt track located at 3430 Route 417, Franklin, PA
16323. For more information, check out their website at www.tricityracewaypark.com or
call 724-967-4601. Like their Facebook by searching Tri-City Raceway Park.
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 [email protected] 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 Sprint Car Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/rushsprintcars and follow us on Twitter @RUSHSprints.
Like our Sportsman Mod Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/rushsportsmanmods and follow us on Twitter
@RUSHSportMods.
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