KYLE HARDY TRACKS DOWN LOGAN ROBERSON & MAKES A LAST LAP PASS TO WIN $3000 OVER A RECORD 44-CAR FIELD AT POTOMAC FOR 2ND STRAIGHT PACE RUSH LATE MODEL “BATTLE OF THE BAY” SPEEDWEEK FLYNN’S TIRE/BORN2RUN LUBRICANTS TOUR VICTORY
By Mike Leone
April 16, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Mechanicsville, MD)...The Pace Performance RUSH Dirt Late Model Series together with Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC headed to Potomac Speedway on Friday night as the third annual “Battle of the Bay” Speedweek were at the southern Maryland high-banked track in a Flynn’s Tire/Born2Run Lubricants Touring Series event for the first time in three years. Forty-four cars from six different states turned out, which was an all-time record high car count for a Crate Late Model event at Potomac despite the Canadian border remaining closed that didn’t allow at least six racers that were planning on competing to attend.
One night after out-dueling the nation’s best Crate Late Model racer over the past 15 years in Max Blair for the victory at Georgetown, fourth starting Kyle Hardy tracked down Mid-Atlantic standout Logan Roberson in lapped traffic and made a last lap, turn four pass to steal the $3,000 victory for the second straight night! The win kept Hardy atop the $1,000 to-win “Battle of the Bay” Speedweek as well as the $5,000 to-win National Weekly Series Championship standings.
“We were coming really hard,” explained the 27-year-old Linden, Virginia victor. “I was getting closer to Logan, got to his quarter panel, and had to go in there. I felt we were side-by-side; that’s just part of it and hard racing. I like Logan and his family to death and I wouldn’t want him to do anything less to me. We’re racing for three grand; I know he’s probably upset with me, but I’m out here trying to win this race so that’s all I can say. This is a hard deal to win. I felt like I had a really good race car and the best car at the end of this race. You have to do something with it- you can’t just ride so we’ll get out of here and go to Winchester.”
Following his victory in the Sunoco Dash, Roberson took off in the lead over Blair, three-time Tour champion Jeremy Wonderling, Hardy, and Walker Arthur. Hardy actually dropped back to fifth on lap three before regaining the spot on a restart on the fourth circuit. Five cautions plagued the race in the first nine circuits; however, the last 21 laps went caution-free and provided excellent racing for the fans.
After working on Wonderling for seven laps, Hardy finally made the pass of the Empire State racer on lap 11 for third. Wonderling then had his hands full as Matt Quade, Levi Crowl, and Austin Hubbard put on a tremendous battle swapping positions four through seven back and forth on laps 12-14 and beyond. As the laps ticked off, Roberson began to pull away by lap 18 in search of his second straight RUSH Tour win at Potomac, while Hardy caught Blair for second.
With 10 laps to go, Hardy was all over Blair; meanwhile, Roberson’s lead shrunk to a half-straightaway in lapped traffic on lap 21. Blair and Hardy were waging a war in the battle for second, while at the same time continued to close in on Roberson. Hardy finally made the pass of Blair on lap 25 and began to set his sights on Roberson. Each lap Hardy’s deficit shrunk and with the white flag waving the fans were on their feet as Hardy closed in on Roberson through traffic. Hardy dove under Roberson in turn four for the lead making the pass stick and took the checkered flag first by 0.597 seconds in his American Paint Co./AGX/Anthony's Pizza/Ingram Engines/Cline Construction/Sommey Lacey Paint-sponsored #99.
After leading 29 ¾ laps, Roberson was a disappointing second, but earned $1,500 and received a $150 spoiler kit from Ontime Body & Graphic. “He knew what he was doing,” revealed the 23-year-old Waynesboro, Virginia racer. “I can’t say I would do it any different. You race people how they race you. That’s it; you just go on about your day, remember it, and that’s all you can do. I had a fast car. My dad was telling me I had a pretty good lead, but those lapped cars just killed me. I couldn’t maneuver quite as well as I wanted to.”
Blair followed up his runner-up finish on Thursday night with a third place to remain in striking distance of Hardy for the “Battle of the Bay” title with one night to go. Matt Quade made his first RUSH Tour start in two years and was a career best fourth after starting seventh. After a tough night at Georgetown, Wonderling rebounded with a fifth place as he sets his sights on $12,000 for a fourth straight Tour championship
On Thursday night, Hubbard went 17th to seventh and for the second straight night had a strong run forward this time going 14th to sixth in Karl Klink’s #49. Kyle Lukon earned the $100 Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” hard charger gift card for going 25th to seventh! Lukon was running second in his heat when he lost the handle then got caught up in an accident on the restart and was forced to take a provisional after making repairs to his car. Crowl started 19th and at one point was up to fourth before dropping back to eighth at the finish. Defending Potomac track champion Jeremy Pilkerton went 16th to ninth. Arthur faded to 10th.
The first two nights haven’t been what Bud Watson had hoped for, but the 27-year-old Conneaut, Ohio ended the night in victory lane as a consolation prize leading all eight laps of the caution-free Non-Qualifier for $200. Watson cruised to the win in his Evergreen Lake Park/Campbell’s Mini Storage/ML Performance/Dirtwrap-sponsored #225 by 1.626 seconds to become the amazing 45th different winner in 54 Non-Qualifier races run all-time! Pole-sitter Ed Pope, Jr. was second. After a runner-up on Thursday night, Chuck Bowie was third and took over the “Wheelman” point lead. Derek Magee and Timmy Booth were fourth and fifth.
Arthur established a new track record in FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying to earn $100 with a lap of 16.123 to eclipse Blair’s former mark of 16.168 set on April 20, 2018. Picking up $25 FK Rod Ends heat races were Blair, Roberson, Scott, Arthur, Hardy, and Wonderling. The last chance B mains went to Crowl, Joe Martin, and Darrell Bossard. Roberson’s victory in the Sunoco Dash earned him a $100 Sunoco gift card, while Ben Scott was the recipient of the $100 one for the random draw presented by Sunoco and Zarin Truck & Auto. After going fifth to second in the third last chance B main, J.J. Mazur lost the final transfer spot on the last lap restart and was selected as the TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night”.
The RUSH Touring Series will be right back in action Saturday night (April 17) as the “Battle of the Bay” Speedweek continues on to Winchester (VA) Speedway with $3,000 on the line. The Flynn’s Tire/Born2Run Lubricants Tour then heads to McKean County Raceway in East Smethport, Pa. on Sunday, April 25 for a $2,000 to-win event.
Pace Performance RUSH Late Model Flynn’s Tire/Born2Run Lubricants Touring Series “Battle of the Bay” Race #2 (30 laps, $3,000 to-win): 1. KYLE HARDY (99) 2. Logan Roberson (17) 3. Max Blair (111) 4. Matt Quade (47) 5. Jeremy Wonderling (3J) 6. Austin Hubbard (Klink 49) 7. Kyle Lukon (184) 8. Levi Crowl (5) 9. Jeremy Pilkerton (8) 10. Walker Arthur (87) 11. Joe Martin (Snyder 10s) 12. Nick Davis (92) 13. Logan Zarin (1z) 14. Amanda Robinson (4) 15. Justin Kann (66) 16. John Waters (LeBarron 11) 17. Josh Ferry (33) 18. Sparky White (16) 19. Ben Scott (80) 20. Darrell Bossard (Winans 213) 21. Jason Genco (Craig/Badgley 29J) 22. Matt Glanden (01) 23. Cody Dawson (36) 24. Donald Lingo, Jr. (55L) 25. Joey Love (08). (Note: Kyle Lukon took a Tour provisional).
Non-Qualifier (8 laps, $200 to-win): 1. Bud Watson (225) 2. Ed Pope, Jr. (11) 3. Chuck Bowie (14c) 4. Derek Magee (96) 5. Timmy Booth (95) 6. Robert Smith (01s). DNS: J.J. Mazur (13), Brandon Sturgis (10B), Mike Raleigh (12), Trevor Collins (72), Cody Stamp (7A), Michael Duritsky, Jr. (90J), Billy Henry, Jr. (21*), Devin Brannon (Newcome 37), Megan Mann (55M), Cory Sines (25s), Ryan Frazee (11F), Andy Michael (17x), Kyle Murray (21).
Car Count: 44
Feature Margin of Victory: 0.597 seconds
Feature Lap Leaders: Logan Roberson (1-29), Kyle Hardy (30)
Ontime Body & Graphic “Spoiler Alert” Spoiler Kit: Logan Roberson
TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night”: J.J. Mazur
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Kyle Lukon (+18)
Precise Racing Products 5-Gallon Race Jug: Kyle Hardy
Sunoco and Zarin Truck & Auto $100 Sunoco Fuel Cards: Ben Scott & Logan Roberson
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying Flight A ($100 for fast time) 1. 111-Max Blair, 00:16.204[10]; 2. 17R-Logan Roberson, 00:16.231[14]; 3. 66-Justin Kann, 00:16.237[18]; 4. 47Q-Matt Quade, 00:16.276[12]; 5. 33-Josh Ferry, 00:16.280[4]; 6. 80-Ben Scott, 00:16.318[15]; 7. 14C-Chuck Bowie, 00:16.346[11]; 8. 01-Matt Glanden, 00:16.350[20]; 9. 08-Joey Love, 00:16.391[9]; 10. 96-Derek Magee, 00:16.437[5]; 11. 5C-Levi Crowl, 00:16.439[2]; 12. 37-Devin Brannon, 00:16.476[16]; 13. 29J-Jason Genco, 00:16.500[17]; 14. 21*-Billy Henry, 00:16.526[21]; 15. 25S-Cory Sines, 00:16.659[13]; 16. 11P-Ed Pope Jr, 00:16.692[1]; 17. 17X-Andy Michael, 00:16.730[3]; 18. 21-Kyle Murray, 00:16.811[8]; 19. 1Z-Logan Zarin, 00:16.812[7]; 20. 225-Bud Watson, 00:16.879[6]; 21. 13-JJ Mazur, 00:16.888[19]; 22. 01S-Robert Smith, 00:17.807[22]
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Qualifying Flight B (Track record 16.168 by Max Blair 4/20/18) 1. 87-Walker Arthur, 00:16.123 (NTR) [3]; 2. 99-Kyle Hardy, 00:16.179[16]; 3. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling, 00:16.221[18]; 4. 184-Kyle Lukon, 00:16.277[15]; 5. 8-Jeremy Pilkerton, 00:16.290[9]; 6. 72-Trevor Collins, 00:16.313[14]; 7. 92-Nick Davis, 00:16.315[19]; 8. 11L-John Waters, 00:16.368[2]; 9. 213-Darrell Bossard, 00:16.384[22]; 10. 10S-Joe Martin, 00:16.385[13]; 11. 55L-Donald Lingo Jr, 00:16.407[7]; 12. 4R-Amanda Robinson, 00:16.433[4]; 13. 49K-Austin Hubbard, 00:16.476[5]; 14. 11F-Ryan Frazee, 00:16.477[17]; 15. 36-Cody Dawson, 00:16.481[8]; 16. 12R-Mike Raleigh, 00:16.505[1]; 17. 10B-Brandon Sturgis, 00:16.561[20]; 18. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr, 00:16.579[10]; 19. 16-Sparky White, 00:16.871[12]; 20. 55M-Megan Mann, 00:16.923[6]; 21. 95-Timmy Booth, 00:17.097[11]; 22. 7A-Cody Stamp, 00:17.539[21]
FK Rod Ends Heat 1 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win) 1. 111-Max Blair[1]; 2. 47Q-Matt Quade[2]; 3. 1Z-Logan Zarin[7]; 4. 11P-Ed Pope Jr[6]; 5. 29J-Jason Genco[5]; 6. 14C-Chuck Bowie[3]; 7. 96-Derek Magee[4]; 8. 01S-Robert Smith[8]
FK Rod Ends Heat 2 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win) 1. 17R-Logan Roberson[1]; 2. 01-Matt Glanden[3]; 3. 33-Josh Ferry[2]; 4. 5C-Levi Crowl[4]; 5. 21*-Billy Henry[5]; 6. 225-Bud Watson[7]; 7. 17X-Andy Michael[6]
FK Rod Ends Heat 3 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 80-Ben Scott[2]; 2. 66-Justin Kann[1]; 3. 08-Joey Love[3]; 4. 37-Devin Brannon[4]; 5. 25S-Cory Sines[5]; 6. 13-JJ Mazur[7]; 7. 21-Kyle Murray[6]
FK Rod Ends Heat 4 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 87-Walker Arthur[1]; 2. 92-Nick Davis[3]; 3. 49K-Austin Hubbard[5]; 4. 10S-Joe Martin[4]; 5. 16-Sparky White[7]; 6. 12R-Mike Raleigh[6]; 7. 7A-Cody Stamp[8]; 8. 184-Kyle Lukon[2]
FK Rod Ends Heat 5 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 99-Kyle Hardy[1]; 2. 11L-John Waters[3]; 3. 8-Jeremy Pilkerton[2]; 4. 10B-Brandon Sturgis[6]; 5. 55L-Donald Lingo Jr[4]; 6. 55M-Megan Mann[7]; 7. 11F-Ryan Frazee[5]
FK Rod Ends Heat 6 (8 laps, Top 3 transfer to A, $25 to-win): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[1]; 2. 36-Cody Dawson[5]; 3. 4R-Amanda Robinson[4]; 4. 213-Darrell Bossard[3]; 5. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr[6]; 6. 72-Trevor Collins[2]; 7. 95-Timmy Booth[7]
Last Chance B Main 1 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 5C-Levi Crowl[2]; 2. 29J-Jason Genco[3]; 3. 11P-Ed Pope Jr[1]; 4. 225-Bud Watson[6]; 5. 14C-Chuck Bowie[5]; 6. 21*-Billy Henry[4]; 7. 96-Derek Magee[7]; 8. 17X-Andy Michael[8]; 9. (DNS) 01S-Robert Smith
Last Chance B Main 2 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 10S-Joe Martin[2]; 2. 16-Sparky White[4]; 3. 13-JJ Mazur[5]; 4. 12R-Mike Raleigh[6]; 5. 7A-Cody Stamp[8]; 6. 37-Devin Brannon[1]; 7. 25S-Cory Sines[3]; 8. 21-Kyle Murray[7]; 9. (DNS) 184-Kyle Lukon
Last Chance B Main 3 (8 laps, Top 2 transfer to A): 1. 213-Darrell Bossard[2]; 2. 55L-Donald Lingo Jr[3]; 3. 10B-Brandon Sturgis[1]; 4. 72-Trevor Collins[6]; 5. 90J-Michael Duritsky Jr[4]; 6. 55M-Megan Mann[5]; 7. 11F-Ryan Frazee[7]; 8. 95-Timmy Booth[8]
Sunoco Dash (6 laps, $100 Sunoco fuel card to-win): 1. 17R-Logan Roberson[1]; 2. 111-Max Blair[3]; 3. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[2]; 4. 99-Kyle Hardy[4]; 5. 87-Walker Arthur[6]; 6. 80-Ben Scott[5]
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, Born2Run Lubricants, Flynn's Tire & Auto Service, FK Rod Ends, 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, Zarin Truck & Automotive, Sherwood Wheels, Alternative Power Sources, Precise Racing Products, Stop-Fyre, Lincoln Electric, Velocita-USA, Waterstone Mortgage Hermitage, CrateInsider.com, and Wedge Motorsports.
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. The RUSH Late Model website is www.rushlatemodels.com. Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rushlatemodels and follow us on Twitter @RUSHLM.
###
