RUSH STOCK CARS "PUTTING THE STOCK BACK INTO STOCK CAR RACING"; QUICKLY BECOMING
A REALITY AS THE DIVISION BEGINS TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD THROUGHOUT THE REGION;
CONTINUED GROWTH EXPECTED IN 2026
By Jeremy Perry
September 23, 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Pulaski, PA)...With the 2025 racing season now concluded for the RUSH Stock Cars, the future looks brighter than ever! The fifth division created under the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Racing Series banner recently completed its fifth season of existence with a record 24 different cars in competition with 11 of those drivers capturing at least one victory! Participating drivers spanned in age range from an astounding 13 to 67 with 17-year-old Kaden Michael capturing his second consecutive $2,000 Weekly Series Championship, while 16-year-old Raiddan Wilson earned the Russ King Racing Futures Cup title.
Five different speedways (Tri-City Raceway Park, Stateline Speedway, Eriez Speedway, Freedom Motorsports Park & Bradford Speedway) throughout northwest Pennsylvania and western New York hosted events and Series directors have already begun to reach out to other venues throughout the region in hopes of securing additional host speedways for the 2026 season.
“If I've learned anything over the past 19 years of growing and developing Chevrolet Performance crate engine racing, it's patience,” stated RUSH Series Director Vicki Emig. “Things don’t always happen as fast as you like, especially when you're starting from scratch as we have with all of our RUSH divisions. But, if you believe in the concept and have the right speedway partners who stay the course with you, it will happen, and that is exactly where we're at today with the RUSH Stock Car division."
"With that said, it's certainly been worth the wait as the RUSH Stock car counts have more than doubled this season from last year thanks to the commitment of our three weekly speedways (Tri-City, Stateline & Eriez) have given our racers a three-night circuit within a 60-mile radius," added Emig. "I think we got it rolling now, and it’s just going to snowball from here. In retrospect we began our Late Model division with just four sanctioned speedways and less than 20 drivers. This season the RUSH program had 28 different speedways throughout the Northeast Mid-Atlantic, and Mid-Ohio Valley utilize the program in some respect with hundreds of racers participating under the RUSH banner.”
The RUSH Stock Cars were founded with a simple mission; bring back full-fender, door-to-door, affordable stock car racing while showcasing cars that look like stock cars.
“I’d been watching other stock car-type divisions in the region for awhile and really believed our region was going to need a more affordable option sooner than later to what was already out there,” Emig said. “I knew we could easily provide that with the same key cost containment elements that have proved successful throughout all of our other RUSH divisions, a strong technical rules package, in this case with the Chevrolet Performance ‘602’ crate engine as the centerpiece, coupled with the Bilstein sealed/spec shocks and spec Hoosier Tires. Most importantly, I also wanted to make sure the cars looked like a stock cars, not late models, thus mandating the Monte Carlo body style, and our racers have done a fantastic job overall in rolling out beautiful cars!”
Eriez promoter Dave Alexander helped lay the foundation for the RUSH Stock Cars in 2021 and has stayed the course even when car counts were just a handful. This season he has been rewarded with double-digit fields on most nights that at times rivaled traditional Pro Stock counts. Eriez had 15 cars on "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance on August 10 and ended the season with record car counts of 16 on both nights of the "September Sweeps"!
Fans are embracing the division too. “We've had a great deal of positive feedback this year,” Emig added. “I love it when they say, ‘Now that’s what a stock car is supposed to look like,’ or man, that was the best race of the night!! Nine times out of ten the entire field is going to be racing within the same straightaway just like we used to see years ago in Stock Car divisions! "
"I really think we are going to start to see racers from various other Stock Car classes consider the RUSH Stock Cars as a great option to simply keep racing," Emig predicted. "As we know it's become the norm throughout all RUSH divisions to see hall of fame racers mixing it up with some of the best up and coming young racers in the region, all sharing in equal success! Honestly, the majority of the racers participating in other regional Stock Car classes started their careers in cars very similar to the RUSH Stock Cars. Even though there are some eligibility parameters in this program, the majority of Stock Car racers in the region could participate and now that we have been able to showcase the excitement and competitiveness of the division, and more importantly the affordability, we may begin to see some of them join our ranks."
With a lot of people inquiring about 2026, the snowball effect Emig envisioned is starting to take place. Drivers are equally enthusiastic. For competitors like Darr Diegelman, the affordability and simplicity of RUSH Stock Cars made the decision easy.
“It was a lot cheaper than the class I was racing before,” Diegelman explained. “I had raced Penn/Ohio Pro Stocks for four and a half years, but I felt like we were out-moneyed. I had a fraction of what other people had in their cars. We weren’t that competitive. I saw this RUSH class, and it has been an absolute perfect fit for me. The simplicity is what we like; it’s all stock suspension, not crazy like Late Models and E-Mods. It’s actual stock car racing.”
With that said, the simplicity doesn’t mean it’s easy. “The competition is really good, and it's definitely not easy,” added the 29-year-old who won three events in 2025. “Some of the racers are just 16 or 17 years old and if you mess up they’re right there to take your position- it's extremely competitive.” Diegelman also has a personal connection to the division, “My dad raced a Monte Carlo body when he raced so I did a throwback paint scheme to his car; we just love the look of the Monte Carlos.”
Dave Hess, Jr., who has more than 400 wins in his career and numerous track and series championships in divisions such as Super Late Models, Modifieds, and RUSH Late Models, sees the RUSH Stocks as a great class as well as a perfect training ground.
“This is what a stock car class should be in my eyes- it's grassroots, it's affordable, and you just can't buy your way to the front," explained Hess, whose niece and nephew Korryn and Kaden Kinder, debuted in the class in August. Kaden, just 14 years old , captured his first career feature win in the season ending event at Eriez. "The speed allows racers to learn the track as well as fundamentals. You can get a setup under the car and go out and learn- it’s a perfect class for that.”
That accessibility and opportunity that the RUSH Stock Cars has provided has already paid off for drivers like William Baker Jr., who picked up six wins this season. “I just agree with how affordable this class is,” Baker said. “With everybody sticking to the rule package, we don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a chassis like other classes. And the competition is great, the RUSH Stock Cars is one of the most competitive divisions out there.” Baker also pointed out the supportive culture amongst his fellow racers. “Everybody in the class is more than willing to help you. From gearing to springs, everyone is willing to share advice, all making it a great time to get involved.”
For RUSH Stock Car Competition Director Tommy Fox the mission is clear; protect the identity and accessibility of the class. “This is the last chance to have a full-size stock car-type division,” Fox explained. “All the other full-size stock car divisions are beyond the reach of a lot of people, between the motors and car construction that drive costs through the roof. These cars have that stock look from the '90s, and that’s important, while the Chevrolet Performance 602 crate engine package approach keeps it affordable, and more importantly levels the playing field. You can’t buy wins here!”
"The numbers back up the RUSH Stock Cars momentum," stated Fox- a former standout Stock Car racer. In 2025 alone, 24 cars turned laps in RUSH Stock Car events, with at least five more already in the works for 2026. I think we’ll keep seeing a minimum of 5-10 new cars a year. This class is very unique, whether it’s a kid starting out, a veteran who just wants affordable racing, or a track looking for a really competitive support division, the RUSH Stock Cars is the right fit!”
Tri-City, Stateline, and Eriez Speedways have already committed to weekly racing for the RUSH Stock Cars in 2026. Drivers compete for a $7,500 points fund with $2,000 to the champion in addition to the Russ King Racing Futures Cup for eligible teenage racers. The RUSH Stock Car "Manufacturers Night" presented by MSD Performance awarded approximately $9,000 in useful product to its racers allowing these racers to capture an additional $17,500 of value over and above their race event winnings. Regional promoters stepped up on several occasions to present several shows paying between $500 and $1,000 to-win during the season!
In closing the RUSH Stock Car division offers a very realistic platform for those that want to participate in dirt track racing, but more importantly it reminds both fans and drivers what grassroots dirt track racing is all about and as Emig says, "It was defiantly worth the wait and is only going to get better in the future!"
Those interested in the RUSH Stock Car division can call Emig at 724-674-6100, e mail [email protected] or contact us through our RUSH Stock Car Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rushstockcars. The 2025 RUSH Stock Car Rules can be viewed at the following link: https://rushstockcars.com/2025%20Stock%20Car%20Rules.pdf. The 2025 RUSH Stock Car informational package is available at the following link: https://rushstockcars.com/Informational%20Sheet%202025%20Stocks.pdf
The RUSH Racing Series is brought to you by Hovis Auto & Truck Supply together with Born2Run Lubricants along with the support of Hoosier Tire, Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bazell Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Flynn's Tire, Gunter's Honey, MSD Performance, Holley Performance Products, FK Rod Ends, Billy's Garage, Joseph J. Oliva Attorney at Law, Schoenfeld Headers, Jones Racing Products, Landrum Performance Springs, Russ King Racing, 3C Graphix, Dave Poske's Performance Parts, Velocita-USA, Wieland Metal Services, Frankland Racing Supply, Seal-Tite Paving & Excavating, Dusted Steak Seasoning, Ontime Body & Graphic, D&V Jewelers, AERO Race Wheels, Heritage Wine Cellars, Precise Racing Products, Racing Electronics, Design Creations, and Competition Crate Parts.
E-mail can be sent to the RUSH Racing Series at [email protected] and mail to 4368 Route 422, Pulaski, PA 16143. Office phone is 724-964-9300. For more information, check out www.rushstockcars.com. Follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rushstockcars and X (formerly known as Twitter) at @RUSHStockCars
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