DOG HOLLOW SPEEDWAY JOINS SWEENEY RUSH LATE MODEL WEEKLY SERIES WITH WEEKLY FRIDAY NIGHT RACING IN 2018
By Mike Leone
January 18, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Pulaski, PA)...The Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC RUSH Racing Series powered by Pace Performance is pleased to announced that Dog Hollow Speedway in Northern Cambria, Pa. will be the newest Sweeney RUSH Late Model Weekly Series beginning this season with weekly Friday night racing. The first ever RUSH-sanctioned event at Dog Hollow will actually occur on Saturday, April 21 with their "Spring Time Spectacular" before weekly Friday night racing gets underway on Friday, April 27.
The 2018 season will mark the 20th anniversary year of racing at Dog Hollow and fifth now under the promotion of DMS Motorsports/Dan Savino. Track owner and former promoter, Jim Michny, built the speedway that opened in 1998. Dog Hollow was one of the first four speedways to run Crate Late Models in the Northeast weekly beginning in 2007. The 2018 season will now be the 12th straight year with Crate Late Models in competition and now first under the RUSH banner.
"We're thrilled to be able to bring Dog Hollow on board with RUSH," stated RUSH Director Vicki Emig. "We've had talks with Dan Savino every year since he's been promoting Dog Hollow and we can't express how much we appreciate it that he has made the decision to have the track be part of our program. This will also give racers at Saturday night tracks, Pittsburgh and Roaring Knob, the ability to run a second night to accumulate points towards our valuable Championship programs."
“Our decision moving to the RUSH Series was not an easy one after running the CARS series at the track for the last three years," explained Dog Hollow promoter Dan Savino. "However after watching the progress of the RUSH Series and what it represents in Crate Late Model racing and receiving input from a majority of Crate Late racers at Dog Hollow it was time for a change. We are looking forward to this opportunity and are very excited to watch this division continue to grow and evolve.”
RUSH member racers will be able to participate at Dog Hollow on a weekly basis and be eligible for all of the programs including the Sweeney Weekly Series Championship, the Pace Performance “Summer Chase”, and the “Futures Cup” for those eligible racers. Member racers will battle for the "Track Pack Bonus" with $300 going to the driver that accumulates the most RUSH points at Dog Hollow, $200 for second, $150 for third, $100 for fourth, and $50 for fifth. Contingency prizes will then be posted for those racers in sixth through eighth in the RUSH member points at Dog Hollow. While membership is not mandatory to compete in any RUSH-sanctioned event, membership also includes a $100,000 excess participant accident policy, which is over and above drivers’ health insurance and speedways’ participant accident policy.
A transitional process will allow Dog Hollow's previously legal tires for four completed events on the rears and six completed events on the fronts; otherwise RUSH's Hoosier USA25 and/or 55 stamped Crate Racin' USA Tires will be mandated. The RUSH 91 or Sunoco 110 fuel will be mandated from the start as these were the required fuels in 2017. Drivers need to be aware of RUSH's rules for legal seals.
In 1996, Jim Michny began construction of a 4/10-mile clay dirt track. Two years later, Jim with the help of his brother John opened the track under the name Dog Hollow Speedway in the spring 1998. Over the years the track ran Friday night racing events hosting just about every class of cars as well as special racing events including the World of Outlaws Late Model Series in 2011. In June of 2013, Dog Hollow Speedway closed its doors and canceled the remainder of their race season due to economic constraints. A few months after closing, Dan Savino, an avid racing enthusiast, would seize the opportunity to bring the track back to its Friday night glory. Dog Hollow Speedway reopened in early May of 2014 and is now currently in its 5th year of racing under the new management of Mr. Savino.
Jim Michny‘s right hand man Terry 'Mole' Bassaro played a big role at Dog Hollow from track maintenance, concession stand work, public relations and marketing. Terry was very much involved with all types of race cars, but he especially loved the Crate Late Model class helping fellow racer Mike Laughard in the #38L for many years. Sadly, Terry passed away in early 2017. In honor of his memory, Dog Hollow Speedway will be holding a memorial race for Terry 'Mole' Bassaro and his Family on Friday, August 3.
Dog Hollow Speedway is located 3.5 miles north of Route 422 in Strongstown, Pa. just off Route 403 North at 76 Hamill Road, Northern Cambria, PA 15714. For more information, check out their website at www.doghollowspeedway.net or call 814-502-8898. You can like their Facebook page by searching Dog Hollow Speedway and follow them on Twitter @doghollowspeed.
2018 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, Holley Performance Products, Earl's Performance Plumbing, Quick Fuel Technology, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Racing Electronics, Dynamic Drivelines, Wrisco, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, ARbodies, TBM Brakes, K&N Filters, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Classic Ink USA, Landrum Performance Spring, CrateInsider.com, RockAuto.com, and Valley Fashions.
E-mail can be sent to the RUSH Racing Series at info@rushracingseries.com 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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