GREG MARTIN COMES FROM THE TAIL TO WIN "SAM & BONNIE COLWELL MEMORIAL" FOR SWEENEY/BICKNELL RUSH SPORTSMAN MODS AT SPORTSMAN'S; 16 DRIVERS SHARE IN OVER $11,000 OF PRODUCT PRIZES FOR MFG NIGHT PRESENTED BY MSD

By Mike Leone

August 9, 2015               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Sportsman Modified Series held its second annual "Manufacturers Night" on Sunday for the first time at Sportsman's Speedway in Knox, Pa.  Over $11,000 in product prizes were distributed to Series racers for this event presented by MSD Performance in addition to the increased purse Bicknell Racing Products Weekly Series event for the "Sam and Bonnie Colwell Memorial"

After two early cautions in the 25-lap feature, thing settled down and the record 16-car field put on a tremendous race.  Fourteenth starting Greg Martin, who pitted after being caught up in one of the early race accidents, charged through the field to make a late race pass of Jerry Schaffer and held off Rocky Kugel for the $500 win.  For Martin, it was his second win of the season in two starts at Sportsman's and his ninth overall RUSH-sanctioned win, which propelled him into the point lead for the $3,000 to-win Bicknell Weekly Series Championship!

Fourth starting Schaffer led the first 17 laps before Martin made the winning pass on the 18th circuit.  Ninth starting Kugel got by Schaffer on a restart with two laps to go and was right on Martin's tail at the finish in his first ever race at Sportsman's.  Schaffer dropped to third over 15th starting Larry Kugel and Saturday's Sharon Speedway winner, Nick Ritchey, who ended Martin's three-race win streak at the Hartford, Ohio track.  

Last year in the inaugural season of the Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modifieds, "Manufacturers Night" was held at Lernerville Speedway where over $5,000 of product prizes were distributed.  This year's event more than doubled in value with well over $11,000 in prizes distributed!

The night's biggest winner was rookie Cody Cooper.  The New Wilmington, Pa. resident made his debut this weekend and couldn't have picked a better time.  Cooper pulled the number one pill for the two F1 Tornado Calipers and two F3 Tornado Calipers provided by TBM Brakes valued at $1,375 then won the Lincoln Electric Power Mig 140C Welder and utility cart valued at $700 in the second drawing!  Cooper, along with the other 15 drivers also received a box of 200 tearoffs, a window net, and a 10% off gift certificate all from Ultra-Shield Race Products along with a bottle of Fix-It Fuel Mechanic in a Bottle from VP Race Fuels and a $25 gift certificate from Diversified Racing/Bulldog Rears!  In addition to his cash payout, Cooper left Sportsman’s with nearly $2,200 in product prizes!

Oddly enough the night's second biggest winner also made her RUSH debut this weekend competing at both Sharon and Sportsman's Speedway.  Tiffany Williams, a veteran of Dwarf Car racing at Ohio's Deerfield Speedway and has made some limited starts in the Big-Block Modifieds at Sharon, got the ride in John Smith's #3G, which was recently purchased from Gary Risch, Jr.  Williams won the day of setup, maintenance, and overall recommendation consultation from Russell King Racing valued at $1,000 then won two Sherwood Wheels ($450) along with an MSD 8727CT Circle Track HEI Rev Limiter and an 8.5mm Super Conductor Wire Set PN 35599 ($244).

In addition to Martin's $500 cash win, the Wilson, New York driver also won a drum of VP D98 Crate Fuel ($450), a rebuild of a Modified transmission ($250), the tearoffs and window net from Ultra-Shield, the $25 Diversified Racing/Bulldog certificate, and Fix-It Fuel from VP bringing his night's take to approximately $1,300 in cash and prizes!

“The support we have in our continued efforts to develop the RUSH Sportsman Modified division is amazing,” stated RUSH Co-Director Vicki Emig.   “The 21 nationally recognized manufacturers, many of which have been great marketing partners throughout the years in our Late Model division, along with branding and title sponsors Sweeney and Bicknell Racing Products, fully support our efforts and understand the importance of having a class such as this within our region. We cannot thank them enough for their generosity in posting such valuable and useful items that are beneficial to our teams in their racing efforts.”   

The following 21 companies participated in this year's "Manufacturers Night" presented MSD: Bilstein Shocks, CrateInsider.com, Diversified Racing/Bulldog Rears, FK Rod Ends, High Velocita Heads & Intake Manifolds (HVH), Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, Jones Racing Products, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, Longacre, Maxima Racing Oil, MSD Ignition, Precise Racing Products, Rocket Racing, Russell King Racing (RKR), Schoenfeld Headers, Sherwood Wheels, TBM Brakes, Ultra-Shield Race Products, Velocita-USA, and VP Race Fuels.   

The event paid tribute to former owners Sam and Bonnie Colwell.  Sam was the brother to current owner, Jim Colwell, and built the Speedway in 1973.  He was also a former Modified Coupe racer thus why the Memorial events have always been for the Modified division over the years at Sportsman's. 

Sweeney RUSH Sportsman Modified Bicknell Racing Products Weekly Series “Sam & Bonnie Colwell Memorial” Event ($500 to-win): 1. GREG MARTIN (4)  2. Rocky Kugel (6R)  3. Jerry Schaffer (14)  4. Larry Kugel (0)  5. Nick Ritchey (77N)  6. Brandon Ritchey (17)  7. Kyle Martell (8)  8. Jeremy Weaver (35W)  9. Tiffany Williams (Smith 3G)  10. Jim Bryce (30X)  11. Josh Deems (9D)  12. Will Schaffer (4)  13. Cody Cooper (24)  14. Justin Shea (14s)  15. Kole Holden (2)  16. Jordan Eck (1M).

2015 "Manufacturers Night" Presented by MSD Prize Winner List

 

1. TBM Brakes - (2) F1 Tornado Calipers and (2) F3 Tornado Calipers ($1,375) (Cody Cooper)

2. Velocita-USA - Full Custom Drivers Suit ($1,000) (Larry Kugel) 

3. Lincoln Electric - Power Mig 140C Welder & Utility Cart ($700) (Cody Cooper)

4. FK Rod Ends - 1 Complete Set of 4130 Black FK Rod Ends ($500) (Jerry Schaffer)

5. FK Rod Ends - 1 Complete Set of 4130 Black FK Rod Ends ($500) (Kyle Martell)

6. Sherwood Wheels - 2 Sherwood Steel Wheels ($450) (Kole Holden)

7. Sherwood Wheels - 2 Sherwood Steel Wheels ($450) (Tiffany Williams)

8. Sherwood Wheels - 2 Sherwood Steel Wheels ($450) (Will Schaffer)

9. VP Race Fuels - 1 Drum of VP D98 Crate Fuel ($425) (Greg Martin)

10. Sherwood Wheels/Precise/K&N - 1 Sherwood Steel Wheel/$100 Precise Gift Card/$50 K&N Certificate ($375) (Jordan Eck)

11. Hoosier Tire - 2 Hoosier Spec Tires ($300) (Brandon Ritchey)

12. Maxima Racing Oil/K&N - Case of Synthetic Racing Oil & Products/$100 K&N Certificate ($275) (Jim Bryce)

13. Bilstein Shocks - 2 Bilstein "Sealed" RUSH Spec Shocks ($270) (Rocky Kugel)

14. Bilstein Shocks - 2 Bilstein "Sealed" RUSH Spec Shocks ($270) (Josh Deems)

15. Jones Racing Products - Ultra-Lightweight Hustler Fan, 2 Qt. JRP Synthetic Power Steering Fluid, Billet Aluminum Wrench Set, Jones Hat ($262) (Rocky Kugel)

16. HVH/K&N/CrateInsider.com - GM 602 HVH Carb Spacer/$100 K&N/$25 CrateInsider.com ($255) (Will Schaffer)

17. HVH/K&N/CrateInsider.com - GM 602 Carb Spacer, $100 K&N, $25 CrateInsider.com ($255) (Nick Ritchey)

18. Schoenfeld Headers - 1 Set of Schoenfeld 1122BCM Sportsman Mod Headers ($250) (Jordan Eck)

19. Schoenfeld Headers - 1 Set of Schoenfeld 1122BCM Sportsman Mod Headers ($250) (Justin Shea)

20. MSD Ignition - MSD 8727CT Rev Limiter & 1 Set 8.5 mm Super Conductor Plug Wire ($244) (Jerry Schaffer)

21.MSD Ignition - MSD 8727CT Rev Limiter & 1 Set 8.5 mm Super Conductor Plug Wire ($244) (Tiffany Williams)

22. Jones Racing Products - Ultra-Lightweight Hustler Fan, 2 Qt. JRP Synthetic Power Steering Fluid, 2" Fan Spacer w/ Mounting Kit, Jones Hat ($206) (Kole Holden)

23. Longacre - Polished Aluminum Air Tank ($200) (Jeremy Weaver)

Special Drawing: Russell King Racing (RKR) - One day Sportsman Modified set-up, maintenance & overall recommendation consultation at RKR shop. (Tiffany Williams)

Additional Drawings: 

 1. Les Myers Rocket Racing - 1 Rebuild of a Modified Transmission ($250) (Greg Martin)

2. Ultra-Shield Race Products - Box of 200 custom tearoffs & window net for each competing driver

3. Ultra-Shield Race Products - Gift certificate for 10% off one purchase for each competing driver

4. VP Fuels - 1 Bottle of Fix-it Fuel with Mechanic in a Bottle for each competing driver

5. Russell King Racing (RKR) - 10 RKR T-Shirts & 3 RKR Hats

RUSH Sportsman Modified marketing partners: Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC, Bicknell Racing Products, Pace Performance, Hoosier Tire, Bilstein Shocks, MSD Ignition, Maxima Racing Oil, Jones Racing Products, VP Racing Fuels, 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.

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 Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.
 

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