12/04/2002

RUSTY TURBUSH FINALLY WINS THE END-OF-THE-YEAR GOLD
By J.A. Ackley

After two decades of racing and many wins, Rusty Turbush finally won one of the few things he was missing on his trophy shelf – a championship.

Racing surrounded Rusty Turbush as he was growing up as his father Charlie and his older brothers Buddy and Danny were making a name for themselves in the Long Island ranks.  Rusty got his start in racing while working on his brother Danny’s car.  After hopping into his older brother’s car, Rusty immediately got bitten by the racing bug, and would enter the Street Stock ranks at the legendary Islip Speedway in the early 80’s.  In 1982, Rusty would earn two wins at the tough Islip Speedway and lead the points for the majority of his second season until he wrecked on the last night and lost the championship.

After Islip closed, Rusty Turbush would race at Riverhead full-time with success, earning wins along the way, but still eluding the evasive championship.  During the early-mid 90’s Rusty Turbush would call Flemington Speedway his home.  In 1996, Rusty would earn his first win of many at the tough track, a feat that qualifies as one of his most memorable moments.  The next year Rusty Turbush would experience great success at the square 5/8-mile track, which nearly included a championship, but once again came short and would have to settle for second.

In 1999, Rusty Turbush would be teamed with Chuck Steuer, racing trucks for Grant Williams in the now defunct PRO Tour.  The tag team of Steuer and Turbush would be a formidable force in the series that raced tracks throughout the Northeast, including the road course at Lime Rock Park.  Rusty Turbush would finish third in points in 1999, but unfortunately the series would dissolve, leaving the bright future for Turbush in the PRO Tour in the dust.

At the end-of-the-year banquet, Rusty Turbush would meet up with former Riverhead Charger racer, John Ellwood, and the two would team up for the 2000 season with Ellwood now assuming the ownership role and Grant Williams through Northeastern Office Equipment providing the financial support.  Turbush would start off the 2000 season with many mechanical failures ending his nights early.  Ellwood’s aging #17x needed new parts to refurbish it, but unfortunately the funding wasn’t there.

“The setup, the car was good, but things kept breaking.  We didn’t have the money to replace parts with new parts, so we kept had things breaking,” Rusty Turbush recalls about his 2000 season.  Despite the mechanical woes, Turbush would win a race and finish fifth in the final points standings. 

The next season, mechanical woes would lessen but still plague the team.  Midseason, the Ellwood Motorsports team would pickup Frank Messina’s Truly Blue Pools, the sponsor they desperately needed.  At the end of the year Rusty Turbush would earn three wins, and finish third in the final points standings.

During the off season, Turbush and the Ellwood Motorsports crew finally would have the funding to upgrade the car, thanks to Frank Messina’s Truly Blue Pools.  Broken parts were replaced with brand new ones, and no corner was left unturned…  And the 2002 season showed it.  Rusty would finish in the top ten every race except one, and would be in the top 5 almost every race as well.  At the end of the year, Rusty’s consistency would pay off as he would earn his first championship and become the 2002 Riverhead Charger champion.

Rusty Turbush would like to thank the following for his 2002 success:  John Ellwood, Frank Messina & Truly Blue Pools, Grant Williams’ Northeastern Office Equipment, Race Engines by McBetts, McGuire’s Hearing Aid Service, Ellwood’s Equipment, Mike Van Houten Trucking, Oval Speed Unlimited, Mickey’s Auto Parts, Sunoco Race Fuels, and his crew Butch, Steve, AJ, and Dan.

For 2003, Rusty Turbush is planning on defending his Charger championship and taking his #17x Truly Blue Pools Pontiac to victory lane quite a few times.  However, Turbush and his car owner, John Ellwood are contemplating on purchasing a Modified for a limited 2003 Modified schedule, but are looking for the right car and right deal.

However, despite plans to move up part-time to the Modifieds, nearly all the pieces that drove Turbush to the championship in 2002 are intact for 2003, so expect another championship run for the veteran Rusty Turbush and the #17x Truly Blue Pools Pontiac.

Commentary on Rusty Turbush:

“Rusty is one of the greatest guys and a true champion.”
-- John Denniston, #22x Trailer Transport, Inc. Chevrolet

“Rusty has been racing for many years and he is one of the best and that certainly showed this year [as] he was flawless!”
-- Chris Busick, #61 SPONSORS WANTED Dodge

“It was sad to hear of his injury. I hope he is back strong next year. He raced like a gentleman even with us rookies [and] I’m sure the rest will agree.”
-- Charlie Rittenhouse, #25 SPONSORS WANTED Oldsmobile

For more information about the Rusty Turbush, click here for his profile.

Source: J.A. Ackley/LongIslandJam.com
Posted: December 4, 2002