News Director 
Story By: MIKE LEONE / RUSH RACING SERIES – BUSTI, NY – After a month off following a successful 3C Graphix “Battle of the Bay” Speedweek, the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Model Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants headed north to Stateline Speedway for Flynn’s Tire Touring Series race #5 of the 2023 season.
The event paid tribute to the late Law, who had the first Crate Late Model in the Northeast more than 16 years ago.
Law was a huge supporter of racing in the region and helped kick-start the racing career of his grandson, Kyle Murray, who currently competes in a RUSH Late Model.
The 42 cars on hand missed the all-time record high car count at Stateline by just one, which occurred in the 2021 event.
Jeremy Wonderling has taken quite the liking to the “Bill Law Memorial”. Wonderling started third, passed Joe Martin on lap 11 in lapped traffic, and pulled away late to capture the event win for the fourth time in six tries! Wonderling’s first Flynn’s Tire Tour win of the season propelled the three-time champion into the points lead for the first time since his last championship in 2020. The 30-lap event went caution-free in 9:23.661.
“Like I’ve said before the Laws have always been real close friends to my family,” explained the 42-year-old Wellsville, New York winner. “I’ve known Bill since I was a little kid along with Jon (Bill’s son), and to race with Kyle (Murray, Bill’s grandson) makes it special. It was more mentally tiring with lapped cars than anything else; they weren’t doing anything wrong it’s just we’re so even and it’s really hard to get by someone. I could stay with Joe and I was on a different tire than he was. The longer we ran green, the better I got. As long as I could stay with Joe, I knew I’d have something for him later on when we got in lapped traffic. We’ve been struggling a bit. The car was really good last year, but we’ve had some gremlins this year so hopefully we’re back on track.”
Martin took off in the lead as he was pursuing a sweep of the night after setting fast time, winning his heat, and the dash, while Wonderling passed track standout Jason Genco with Brock Pinkerous and Craig Graham in tow. Veteran racer Ward Schell moved into the top five on lap three past Graham.
Wonderling began to close in on Martin on lap four as the top two began to distance themselves from the field. By lap seven, Wonderling was right on the leader. Lapped traffic was looming on lap 10. Wonderling was able to get under Martin on lap 11 and the two raced side-by-side with Wonderling nosing ahead to lead the lap. As Wonderling and Martin battled for the lead in lapped traffic, Genco closed in making it a three-car race for the lead.
Wonderling continued to maintain his lead driving a great race through lapped traffic as the laps ticked off caution-free; meanwhile, Pinkerous caught Genco on lap 24 and the two raced side-by-side for third on lap 27. Pinkerous was unable to complete the pass as the duo caught Martin and it was a three-car race for second.
Wonderling really pulled away in the closing laps as his Terry Prince Contracting/Close Racing Supply/Cummings Trucking/Shuttleworth Sales/Penske Shocks by JDS/Swift Springs-sponsored #3J took the checkered flag by 4.298 seconds for his 15th career Tour win.
Martin turned in his best Tour finish since September 23, 2022 at Genesee Speedway and earned $1,500. “It’s no shame losing to Jeremy but I never considered running different tires,” explained the 38-year-old Punxsutawney, Pa. resident. “I don’t know if it was just different tires, but he had different tires on than us so we lost another one like that I guess. During the race I thought we just got too free and he was better than us, but that explains a lot and makes me feel better than just losing the car. Jeremy has won a lot of races and knows we he’s doing. It’s not the first time he’s snookered us on tires. You have to be smart about this and we just got beat, but anytime you’re on the frontstretch it’s a good night.”
Genco was third in his first Tour start since September 24, 2022 at Genesee as it was his fourth straight third place effort! One week after winning his first career RUSH feature in the City Chevrolet Weekly Series event to become the youngest winner in the history of Stateline at 13 years of age, Pinkerous recorded his first career top five on the Flynn’s Tire Tour! Schell was a strong fifth matching his best Tour finish from October 19, 2015 at McKean County Raceway!
Breyton Santee, who followed the Flynn’s Tire Tour in 2022, had a strong run in his first Tour start of the season going 16th to sixth to earn the $50 Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger gift card. Graham dropped to seventh for the Canadian’s first career top 10 in his second season on the Tour. Ashton Briggs was eighth over Josh Ferry and David Parker.
Chad Sines led from green-to-checkered in the caution-free 10-lap D&V Jewelers Non-Qualifier aboard his Turn 4 Bar & Grill/JD’s Pit Stop/Black Rock Adventure Park/Russ King Racing/Hilltop Powder Coating/Brown Sprinkler Service/Cotterman & Sons Trucking/Buckeye Quality Meats-sponsored #15. The 35-year-old Orwell, Ohio driver earned $200 and also received the $100 Performance Bodies “Nosed Out” gift card for being the first non-qualifier from the B mains. It was Sines’ third career victory moving him into a tie for second place on the all-time win list. Khole Wanzer was second. Logan Jaquay went fifth to third over seventh starting Draven Kuzminski and Jacob Peterson from ninth.
Martin earned $100 from FK Rod Ends for setting fast time overall against the 42-car field in “Shock the Clock” Qualifying with a lap of 17.286, $25 from FK Rod Ends for winning his heat race, and a $100 Sunoco fuel card for winning his first Sunoco Dash of the season. Also winning $25 FK Rod Ends heat races were Genco, Pinkerous, Wonderling, Schell, and Graham, while Waters and Jim Rasey copped the last chance B mains.
National Late Model Hall of Famer, Chub Frank, exited from the feature on the opening lap and was chosen as the TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night” recipient. Winning $100 Sunoco fuel cards in the random draws were Tour racers Pinkerous and Martin, while the $50 Sunoco fuel cards went to Frank, Scott Gurdak, Hunter Proctor, and Rick Karesh, who made his first career Tour start.
The Flynn’s Tire Touring Series will right back in action on Sunday night (May 14) at Eriez Speedway near Erie, Pa. for race #6 of the 2023 season before moving on to a three-event weekend over Memorial Day Weekend at Outlaw, Genesee, and Bradford Speedways May 26-28.
Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Late Model Flynn’s Tire Touring Series “Bill Law Memorial” Race #5 (30 laps, $3,000 to-win) (Platinum Event): 1. JEREMY WONDERLING (3J) 2. Joe Martin (Snyder 10s) 3. Jason Genco (Craig/Badgley 29J) 4. Brock Pinkerous (555) 5. Ward Schell (61s) 6. Breyton Santee (9) 7. Craig Graham (98) 8. Ashton Briggs (11A) 9. Josh Ferry (33) 10. David Parker (2) 11. Austin Hauser (51) 12. Randy Hall (Krug 87) 13. Scott Gurdak (Hollabaugh 5G) 14. John Waters (LeBarron 11) 15. Mike Wonderling (18) 16. Billy Henry, Jr. (21*) 17. Brandt Graham (14) 18. Andy Michael (17x) 19. Jim Rasey (Wrightsman 21J) 20. Colby Beighey (36) 21. Andy Boozel (Briggs 12B) 22. Zack Carley (2) 23. Matt Sipes (25) 24. Cody Dawson (36) 25. Chub Frank (1*). (Note: Cody Dawson took a Tour provisional.)
D&V Jewelers Non-Qualifier (10 laps, $200 to-win): 1. Chad Sines (15) 2. Khole Wanzer (01W) 3. Logan Jaquay (Briggs 99*) 4. Draven Kuzminski (22D) 5. Jacob Peterson (112) 6. Marc Berzowski (25M) 7. Steve Houser (33z) 8. Gary Youngs (y26) 9. Chad Clement (45) 10. Kassandra Norman (6) 11. Charles Houser (15). DNS: Shane Crotty (Briggs 4), Mason Jaquay (Briggs 17), Raymond Houser (360), Hunter Proctor (432), D.J. Krug (83), Rick Karash (6K).
Car Count: 42
Feature Margin of Victory: 4.298 seconds
Feature Time: 9:23.661
Feature Lap Leaders: Joe Martin (1-10), Jeremy Wonderling (11-30)
Ontime Body & Graphic “Spoiler Alert” Spoiler Kit: Ward Schell
Performance Bodies “Nosed Out”: Chad Sines
Precise Racing Products “Pedal Down” Hard Charger: Breyton Santee (+10)
Sunoco Fuel Card Winners: Brock Pinkerous ($100), Joe Martin ($100), Scott Gurdak ($50), Rick Karash ($50), Hunter Proctor ($50), Chub Frank ($50)
TBM Brakes “Tough Brake of the Night”: Chub Frank
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Flight A Qualifying (Track record 16.717 by John Waters on 5/14/22) ($100 for fast time): 1. 10S-Joe Martin, 00:17.286[17]; 2. 29J-Jason Genco, 00:17.419[2]; 3. 21*-Billy Henry, 00:17.651[5]; 4. 87K-Randy Hall, 00:17.698[11]; 5. 2-David Parker, 00:17.748[13]; 6. 555-Brock Pinkerous, 00:17.756[9]; 7. 1*-Chub Frank, 00:17.787[12]; 8. 2C-Zack Carley, 00:17.994[1]; 9. 83-DJ Krug, 00:18.011[18]; 10. 11L-John Waters, 00:18.048[21]; 11. 5G-Scott Gurdak, 00:18.053[4]; 12. 17X-Andy Michael, 00:18.119[7]; 13. 25-Matt Sipes, 00:18.256[15]; 14. 36-Cody Dawson, 00:18.452[10]; 15. 33Z-Steve Houser, 00:18.554[16]; 16. 45C-Chad Clement, 00:18.634[8]; 17. 360-Raymond Houser, 00:18.772[6]; 18. 432-Hunter Proctor, 00:18.908[14]; 19. 17J-Mason Jaquay, 00:18.974[19]; 20. 15C-Charles Houser, 00:19.600[3]; 21. (DQ) 6K-Rick Karash (did not scale).
FK Rod Ends “Shock the Clock” Flight B Qualifying (Track record 16.717 by John Waters on 5/14/22): 1. 33-Josh Ferry, 00:17.782[14]; 2. 9S-Breyton Santee, 00:17.801[11]; 3. 98-Craig Graham, 00:17.864[16]; 4. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling, 00:17.875[15]; 5. 61S-Ward Schell, 00:17.896[19]; 6. 15-Chad Sines, 00:17.908[8]; 7. 21J-Jim Rasey, 00:17.945[13]; 8. 11A-Ashton Briggs, 00:17.969[10]; 9. 51-Austin Hauser, 00:17.981[1]; 10. 14-Brandt Graham, 00:18.011[2]; 11. 99*-Logan Jaquay, 00:18.022[12]; 12. 12B-Andy Boozel, 00:18.047[18]; 13. 18-Mike Wonderling, 00:18.149[7]; 14. 36B-Colby Beighey, 00:18.193[17]; 15. 01W-Khole Wanzer, 00:18.311[5]; 16. 22D-Draven Kuzminski, 00:18.359[9]; 17. 4C-Shane Crotty, 00:18.403[6]; 18. 6N-Kassandra Norman, 00:18.660[4]; 19. 112-Jacob Peterson, 00:19.029[20]; 20. Y26-Gary Youngs, 00:19.060[3]; 21. (DQ) 25M-Marc Berzowski (light).
FK Rod Ends Heat 1 (8 laps, $25 to-win, top 3 transfer to A): 1. 10S-Joe Martin[1]; 2. 1*-Chub Frank[3]; 3. 87K-Randy Hall[2]; 4. 11L-John Waters[4]; 5. 25-Matt Sipes[5]; 6. 45C-Chad Clement[6]; 7. 17J-Mason Jaquay[7].
FK Rod Ends Heat 2 (8 laps, $25 to-win, top 3 transfer to A): 1. 29J-Jason Genco[1]; 2. 2-David Parker[2]; 3. 5G-Scott Gurdak[4]; 4. 2C-Zack Carley[3]; 5. 36-Cody Dawson[5]; 6. 360-Raymond Houser[6]; 7. 15C-Charles Houser[7].
FK Rod Ends Heat 3 (8 laps, $25 to-win, top 3 transfer to A): 1. 555-Brock Pinkerous[2]; 2. 21*-Billy Henry[1]; 3. 17X-Andy Michael[4]; 4. 83-DJ Krug[3]; 5. 33Z-Steve Houser[5]; 6. 432-Hunter Proctor[6]; 7. 6K-Rick Karash[7].
FK Rod Ends Heat 4 (8 laps, $25 to-win, top 3 transfer to A): 1. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[2]; 2. 33-Josh Ferry[1]; 3. 14-Brandt Graham[4]; 4. 21J-Jim Rasey[3]; 5. 18-Mike Wonderling[5]; 6. 22D-Draven Kuzminski[6]; 7. 112-Jacob Peterson[7].
FK Rod Ends Heat 5 (8 laps, $25 to-win, top 3 transfer to A): 1. 61S-Ward Schell[2]; 2. 11A-Ashton Briggs[3]; 3. 9S-Breyton Santee[1]; 4. 36B-Colby Beighey[5]; 5. 4C-Shane Crotty[6]; 6. 99*-Logan Jaquay[4]; 7. Y26-Gary Youngs[7].
FK Rod Ends Heat 6 (8 laps, $25 to-win, top 3 transfer to A): 1. 98-Craig Graham[1]; 2. 51-Austin Hauser[3]; 3. 12B-Andy Boozel[4]; 4. 01W-Khole Wanzer[5]; 5. 15-Chad Sines[2]; 6. 6N-Kassandra Norman[6]; 7. 25M-Marc Berzowski[7].
Last Chance B Main 1 (10 laps, top 3 transfer to the A): 1. 11L-John Waters[1]; 2. 2C-Zack Carley[2]; 3. 25-Matt Sipes[4]; 4. 36-Cody Dawson[5]; 5. 33Z-Steve Houser[6]; 6. 45C-Chad Clement[7]; 7. 17J-Mason Jaquay[10]; 8. 15C-Charles Houser[11]; 9. 360-Raymond Houser[8]; 10. 432-Hunter Proctor[9]; 11. 83-DJ Krug[3]; 12. 6K-Rick Karash[12]
Last Chance B Main 2 (10 laps, top 3 transfer to the A): 1. 21J-Jim Rasey[1]; 2. 18-Mike Wonderling[4]; 3. 36B-Colby Beighey[2]; 4. 15-Chad Sines[6]; 5. 01W-Khole Wanzer[3]; 6. 4C-Shane Crotty[5]; 7. 99*-Logan Jaquay[8]; 8. 22D-Draven Kuzminski[7]; 9. Y26-Gary Youngs[11]; 10. 112-Jacob Peterson[10]; 11. 25M-Marc Berzowski[12]; 12. 6N-Kassandra Norman[9]
Sunoco Dash (6 laps, $100 Sunoco fuel card to-win): 1. 10S-Joe Martin[1]; 2. 29J-Jason Genco[2]; 3. 3J-Jeremy Wonderling[5]; 4. 555-Brock Pinkerous[6]; 5. 98-Craig Graham[3]; 6. 61S-Ward Schell[4]
