August 12
Pittsburgh Pa. Motor Speedway,
Imperial, PA
Sanction: Pace Performance RUSH Racing Series (Jook George Steel City Classic) - $4,010
Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated August 14, 4:17 pm)
Pegher collects $4,010 in Jook George Classic
Jook George Steel City Classic
- Mike Pegher Jr.
- Bryce Davis
- Justin Lamb
- John Waters
- Jeremy Wonderling
- Ben Policz
- John Mollick
- Dan Angelicchio
- Mike Reft
- Daryl Charlier
- Jake Gunn
- Clinton Hersh
- Christian Schneider
- Steve Beatty
- Brian Knowles
- Bill Kessler
- Russ Matejka
- Matt Latta
- Colton Flinner
- Brian Swank
- Eric Wilson
- Jason Knowles
- Jacob Hawkins
- Russ King
- Jamie Wrightsman
- Andrew Wylie
Mike Pegher Jr. collected his fourth Jook George Classic victory.
What won the race: Taking the lead from Bryce Davis on lap 29, second-starting Mike Pegher, Jr. of Cranberry Township, Pa., raced to a RUSH Dirt Late Model Series victory at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. Pegher Jr. outran fourth-starting Davis of Hornell, N.Y., for the $4,010 payday in the Jook George Steel City Classic.
Quotable: "To come down here and win this Jook George race again means a lot to a guy like me. Not only is the money good, but it'll always be in the record books that I have four of them," Pegher said. "Unfortunately Jacob (Hawkins) had absolutely nowhere to go. I think he might have been a little better than us, but we were catching him in lapped traffic. It would have been nice to see how things would have played out. We struggled all night long on restarts. It just didn't want to go. It didn't matter if I went fast or slow. Bryce (Davis) did a good job on that one restart and I thought I gave the race away, but he got tight down there I think and I was able to drive below him."
Key notes: Pegher became the first four-time winner of the Jook George Steel City Classic, while ending a nearly 15-month series winless streak. ... Polesitter Russ King was docked a row for jumping the initial start. … Jacob Hawkins had a half-straightway lead on lap 17 when Jamie Wrightsman hit the wall in turn two and came down across the track. Hawkins had nowhere to go and plowed into Wrightsman. … The wreck also collected Russ King, ending his night. ... Seventeen of the 26 starters finished the feature. ... The feature was slowed by eight cautions. ... ... The race is in honor of William Thomas "Jook" George, the former PPMS track champion car owner and Pittsburgh Circle Track hall-of-famer who was also named Sportsman of the Year at PPMS. … The series returns Oct. 6-7 for the $2,500-to-win Bill Hendren Memorial.
On the move: Justin Lamb of Findlay Township, Pa., started 13th and finished third.
Winner's sponsors: Pegher drove the Jerry Haseleu-owned Rocket Chassis sponsored by Jack's Recycling, Michael's Classic Car Wash and Royal Flush.
Points chase: After PPMS, Bryce Davis has 674 points to lead John Waters (664) and Jeremy Wonderling (651).
Car count: 43
Fast qualifier: Mike Pegher Jr.
Time: 19.797 seconds
Polesitter: Russ King
Dash winner: Russ King
Heat race winners: Mike Pegher Jr., Russ King, Jacob Hawkins, John Mollick
Consolation race winners: Eric Wilson, Matt Latta
Next series race: August 17, McKean County Raceway (East Smethport, PA) $1,500
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.