July 26, 2015
Hammett, PA
By: Jay Pees


Hammett, PA, (July 26, 2015): Forty seven of the top Crate Late Models in the area signed into Eriez Speedway on a gorgeous Sunday evening for the RUSH Series Manufacturers Night, which saw over $40,000 in parts and other merchandise distributed to drivers with every participant getting at least $250 of awards.

The action on the track was hot and heavy with Max Blair winning both the Jay’s Auto Wrecking Super Late Model and Bonnell Collision Center RUSH Crate Late Model features, the Super Late Model win was his third of the season and the crate late model win was his fourth, including a previous tour win at the track.

Max Blair led the field to the green in the RUSH Crate Late Model feature with Damian Bidwell lined up next to him after the four-wide salute to the fans. Blair led Bidwell with Bryce Davis, Randy Hall, and Eric Wilson filling out the top five. Wayne Robertson came to fifth at lap three when Wilson slid wide. Eight laps into the event Blair caught the back markers.

In heavy traffic Bidwell and Davis caught Blair but Blair was up to the challenge, maintaining his lead while working through the lapped traffic. With ten laps to go Eric Wilson, who had had handling problems throughout the race, spun in turn one, slowing the event for the first time under yellow. At green Blair immediately reassumed command with Bidwell slipping up the track after one lap allowing Davis to get by on the bottom. Dave Alton came to fourth with five remaining.

Blair went on to his sixth tour win of the season, and fourth win at Eriez, including a RUSH Tour series win. Bryce Davis wound up second with Dave Lyon coming all the way from thirteenth on the starting grid to third. Bidwell wound up fourth with John Waters fifth.

Five time champion Rich Gardner and Matt Urban started the Jay’s Auto Wrecking Super Late Models feature from the front row with Gardner taking the immediate lead. Yellow was shown when Jake Finnerty and Bob Dorman got together in turn one in lap two.

After restarting Max Blair, fresh off his RUSH Tour win, came to second but Finnerty again spun, this time in turn four. At three compete the top three cars, Gardner, Blair, and Greg Oakes, entered turn one three abreast with Blair getting the lead in turn two, Oakes second, and Gardner back to third.

Blair caught lapped traffic at eleven complete while lengthening his lead. Bob Dorman spun again at lap thirteen, slowing the field once again, erasing Blair’s lead. Blair, with Oakes and Gardner right behind, again brought the field to green with twelve to go. Darrell Bossard, the points leader got by Gardner on the first lap under green, then eleventh starting Mike Knight came to fifth. With two laps to go Knight displaced Gardner for fourth.

Jay’s Auto Wrecking Super Late Models:
Heat 1: Jake Finnerty, Doug Eck, Andy Boozel, Bobby Rohrer, John Lacki, Bump Hedman, Brian Fardink

Heat 2: Rob Blair, Greg Oakes, Matt Urban, Mike Knight, Chad Wright, Chris Hackett, Bob Dorman

Heat 3: Darrell Bossard, Max Blair, Rich Gardner, Ryan Scott, Michael Oakes, Steve Kania, Paul Briggs

King of the Hill: Max Blair, Chad Wright

Feature: Max Blair, Greg Oakes, Darrell Bossard, Mike Knight, Rich Gardner, Rob Blair, Matt Urban, Doug Eck, Chad Wright, John Lacki, Chris Hackett, Andy Boozel, Bump Hedman, Michael Oakes, Ryan Scott, Steve Kania, Paul Briggs, Bob Dorman, Brian Fardink, Bobby Rohrer, Jake Finnerty

Bonnell Collision RUSH Crate Late Models:
Heat 1: Wayne Robertson, Mike Knight, Chad Wright, Jeremy Wonderling, Eric Andrus, Kyle Scott, Jamie Brown, Allan Dellinger, Bob Pifer III, Andrew Wylie

Heat 2: Eric Wilson, Bruce Hordusky jr, Ryan Scott, Wyatt Scott, Joe Long, Mike Lozowski, Kyle Zimmerman,  Dusty Waters, Chris Ottaway, Lon Emerick

Heat 3: Damian Bidwell, Bryce Davis, Dave Lyon,  Jason Genco, Khole Wanzer, Clay Ruffo, Nathan Earle, Tony White, TJ Downes (DNS)

Heat 4: Max Blair, Daryl Charlier, Jason Knowles, Mike Wonderling, Ward Schell, Steve Lebarron, W.L. Stile, Doug Ricotta, Joe Martin

Heat 5: John Waters, Randy Hall, Matt Latta, Scott Gurdak, Brad Mesler, Jim Johnson, Brian Knowles, Chad Schauers, Reuben Schwartz

Dash: Chad Wright, Ryan Scott, Dave Lyon, Matt Latta, Jason Knowles

B-Main 1: Eric Andrus, Brian Knowles, Jamie Brown, Khole Wanzer, Bob Pifer III, Dusty Waters, Steve Lebarron, Brad Mesler, Nathan Earle, Rueben Schwartz, Mike Lozowski, Doug Ricotta (DNS), Lon Emerick (DNS), TJ Downes (DNS)

B-Main 2: Kyle Zimmerman, Chris Ottaway, Jim Johnson, Chad Schauers, Kyle Scott, Joe Long, Tony White, Ward Schell, Clay Ruffo, W.L. Stile (DNS), Joe Martin (DNS)

Feature: Max Blair, Bryce Davis, Dave Lyon, Damian Bidwell, John Waters, Randy Hall, Wayne Robertson, Chad Wright, Jason Knowles, Mike Knight, Matt Latta, Jason Genco, Daryl Charlier, Ryan Scott, Kyle Zimmerman, Brian Knowles, Jeremy Wonderling, Wyatt Scott, Eric Andrus, Mike Wonderling, Chris Ottaway, Eric Wilson, Scott Gurdak, Kyle Scott, Bruce Hordusky, Ward Schell

Non-Qualifiers: Jim Johnson, Bob Pifer, Dusty Waters, Jamie Brown, Khole Wanzer, Tony White, Nathan Earle, Rueben Schwartz, Steve Labarron, Chad Schauers, Brad Mesler, Joe Long