PHOTOS

By: Eric Huenefeld

The numbers are against Ricky Bilderback.

With only a week left in the regular season at Rockford Speedway, the seven-time and defending track champion in the Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models is 73 points out of the points lead and all but locked out in his drive for his 8th straight championship. But that doesn't mean Bilderback still can't show the rest of the field how it's done from time to time. The Rockton driver blasted from his fifth starting spot to the lead in only 2 laps to take his division-leading fourth feature win on Saturday night at Rockford Speedway.

Jake Gille and Nick Shutkas would attempt to bring the 20-car starting field to green for the 40 lap main event, but after two aborted starts and a small melee on restart number two, Gille would move to the back and Jon Reynolds Jr would swing up to the front row with Shutkas on attempt number three. The third time was a charm, and Reynolds Jr., still looking for that first feature win of the season, pounced to the lead on the back straightaway.

Reynolds Jr's lead would be short lived however, as the black and yellow rocket piloted by Bilderback would jump towards the front. The two drivers jousted for a circuit, trading paint for that top spot, before Bilderback put his #02 up front and out of reach for good on lap 3. Bilderback would stretch his lead to as much as a quarter track by the time the race ended, 40 continuous circuits later.

Points leader Jerry Gille would also bust through the field. Gille went from 7th to 2nd in three laps, but could not close on Bilderback in the late stages. Gille would ride home to second and all but secure his first-ever track championship. The heated battle for 3rd spot lasted 35 laps, with side-by-side racing and even a little paint-trading. Reynolds Jr. would end up taking the third spot, holding of the furious challenges of fourth place Ryan Carlson and fifth place Matt Berger.

The Budweiser American Short Tracker race was a a heated affair, with a tight, three-wide battle for the lead deciding the race near halfway. Brett McCoy would sweep around Nick Cina Jr. as the two toiled in lap traffic near lap 12 of the event. While McCoy would end up in the lead in spectacular fashion, another former track champion, Tim Melvin made his charge through the field. Melvin, racing to keep his slim title chances alive, would vanquish Cina for second, but come up short in his pursuit of the top spot. McCoy would hit the line first, followed by Melvin. McCoy's car would later fail post race inspection, handing Melvin his third win of the year. Jeff Turnure would end up with his second runner-up finish of the year and leading rookie Steve Erickson Jr. would notch a third place finish. Points leader BJ Sparkman, who hit the line fourth, would also fail inspection, tightening his point lead over Melvin to under 30 points.

When the smoke cleared in the Coca-Cola Roadrunner feature, Ricky Nielson would stand tall above the rest of the field with his third win of the year in the division. Nielson had to work extra hard in the caution-free, 20 lap feature, holding off the advances of Robert Roush, who would get next to, but never around Nielson's #27. The side-by-side battle for the top spot went non stop through lap traffic for the final half of the race. The battle for third was a seven car battle, and it was contested three wide, in and out of lap traffic! David Lignell would get the best of that battle, followed by Chris Jones and Arlyn Roush. Robert Roush's second place car, however, was later denied it's runner up finish, after Roush refused post race tech.

Ten-year old Cory Cootware won another Bandolero race on the high banks Saturday night at Rockford Speedway. Cootware beat Kyle Vergata to the line for the win in the 12 lap race. Next weekend, the young speedster will take to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, trying to set a land speed record on a go kart.

Michael Cooter led the 20 lap Legend feature wire-to-wire to take the win. Matt Booker would end the race in second, winning a 15 lap battle with Dave Townsend, who settled for third. Dave's son Cody took the fourth spot.

Dwight Dunlap was also a winner Saturday night, winning the Allison Legacy feature in dominant fashion, leading all 15 laps.

NASCAR American Short Trackers
A-Main 01 -- 1. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 2. Jeffery Turnure, Rockford; 3. Steve Erickson, Jr (r), Machesney Park; 4.
Kelly Evink, Machesney Park; 5. Aaron Rude, Cambridge, Wis; 6. Nick Letsinger, Rockford; 7. Zach Rodriguez,
Rockton; 8. Steven Allman, Oconomowoc, Wis; 9. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 10. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 11.
Artt Higbee, Rockford; 12. Victor Young (r), Genoa; 13. David Russell, Rockford; 14. Dave Lee, Rockford; 15. Matt
Woelber, Belvidere; 16. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 17. Tanner Atchison, Byron; 18. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 19. Boyce (BJ)
Sparkman, Machesney Park.
Heat 01 -- 1. David Russell, Rockford; 2. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 3. Victor Young (r), Genoa; 4. Steven Allman,
Oconomowoc, Wis; 5. Dave Lee, Rockford; 6. Matt Woelber, Belvidere; 7. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley.
Heat 02 -- 1. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 2. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 3. Nick Letsinger, Rockford; 4. Keith Pierce, Machesney
Park; 5. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 6. Tanner Atchison, Byron.
Heat 03 -- 1. Aaron Rude, Cambridge, Wis; 2. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 3. Jeffery Turnure, Rockford; 4. Boyce (BJ)
Sparkman, Machesney Park; 5. Steve Erickson, Jr (r), Machesney Park; 6. Kelly Evink, Machesney Park.
Time Trial -- 1. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 2. Kelly Evink, Machesney Park; 3. Steve Erickson, Jr (r),
Machesney Park; 4. Jeffery Turnure, Rockford; 5. Aaron Rude, Cambridge, Wis; 6. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 7.
Tanner Atchison, Byron; 8. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 9. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 10. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 11. Nick
Letsinger, Rockford; 12. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 13. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 14. Steven Allman,
Oconomowoc, Wis; 15. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 16. Matt Woelber, Belvidere; 17. David Russell, Rockford; 18. Dave Lee,
Rockford; 19. Victor Young (r), Genoa.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Aaron Rude, Cambridge, Wis; 2. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 3. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman,
Machesney Park; 4. Kelly Evink, Machesney Park; 5. Jeffery Turnure, Rockford; 6. Steve Erickson, Jr (r), Machesney
Park.
NASCAR Late Models
A-Main 01 -- 1. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 2. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 3. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Roscoe; 4. Ryan Carlson, Loves
Park; 5. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 6. Nick Shutkas, Loves Park; 7. Bill Hobson, Roscoe; 8. Mike Beyer, Machesney Park;
9. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 10. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 11. Bobby Davis, Winnebago; 12. Tyler Peterson (r), Lake Geneva,
Wis; 13. Mike Breiner, Johnburg; 14. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 15. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 16. Joe Rusciano, Crystal Lake;
17. Alex Papini (r), Machesney Park; 18. Robert Nelson (r), Solon Mills; 19. Jason Deppe, Waterloo, Wis; 20. Noel
Ramge, Helenville, Wis.
Heat 01 -- 1. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 2. Jason Deppe, Waterloo, Wis; 3. Joe Rusciano, Crystal Lake; 4. Mark Hartline,
Gilberts; 5. Bobby Davis, Winnebago; 6. Robert Nelson (r), Solon Mills; 7. Mike Breiner, Johnburg.
Heat 02 -- 1. Mike Beyer, Machesney Park; 2. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 3. Alex Papini (r), Machesney Park; 4. Bill
Hobson, Roscoe; 5. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 6. Tyler Peterson (r), Lake Geneva, Wis; 7. Noel Ramge, Helenville, Wis.
Heat 03 -- 1. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 2. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 3. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 4. Jon Reynolds, Jr.,
Roscoe; 5. Nick Shutkas, Loves Park; 6. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton.
Time Trial -- 1. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 2. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 3. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 4. Matt Berger, Loves
Park; 5. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Roscoe; 6. Nick Shutkas, Loves Park; 7. Mike Beyer, Machesney Park; 8. Jacob Gille,
Winnebago; 9. Noel Ramge, Helenville, Wis; 10. Alex Papini (r), Machesney Park; 11. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 12. Tyler
Peterson (r), Lake Geneva, Wis; 13. Bill Hobson, Roscoe; 14. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 15. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 16.
Jason Deppe, Waterloo, Wis; 17. Mike Breiner, Johnburg; 18. Joe Rusciano, Crystal Lake; 19. Bobby Davis,
Winnebago; 20. Robert Nelson (r), Solon Mills.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 2. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Roscoe; 3. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 4. Ryan
Carlson, Loves Park; 5. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 6. Nick Shutkas, Loves Park.
NASCAR Road Runners
Printed 8/30/2008 11:32:25 PM with ScoreKeeper™ 3.235.003 Page 1 of 2
8/30/2008 - Rockford Speedway Results... Page 2 of 2
A-Main 01 -- 1. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 2. David Lignell, Rockford; 3. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 4. Arlyn Roush,
Woodstock; 5. Terrance Robinson, Beloit, Wis; 6. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 7. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 8. Lloyd
Hawkins, Machesney Park; 9. Billy Robinson, Orfordville, Wis; 10. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 11. Dana Czach,
Wauconda; 12. Jerome Edge, Marengo; 13. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 14. Kenneth Brazee III, Rockford; 15.
Vachenzia Jester, Beloit, Wis; 16. Brian Smith, Rockford; 17. Kyle Watts, Loves Park; 18. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere; 19.
Robert Roush, Marengo.
Heat 01 -- 1. Arlyn Roush, Woodstock; 2. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 3. Doug Jackson, Jr, Machesney Park; 4. Billy
Robinson, Orfordville, Wis; 5. Kyle Watts, Loves Park; 6. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 7. Kenneth Brazee III, Rockford;
8. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park; 9. Brian Smith, Rockford; 10. Jerome Edge, Marengo.
Heat 02 -- 1. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 2. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 3. David Lignell, Rockford; 4. Terrance
Robinson, Beloit, Wis; 5. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 6. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere; 7. Vachenzia Jester, Beloit, Wis;
8. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 9. Dana Czach, Wauconda; 10. Robert Roush, Marengo.
Challenge 01 -- 1. Kyle Watts, Loves Park; 2. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park; 3. Arlyn Roush, Woodstock; 4. David
Lignell, Rockford; 5. Robert Roush, Marengo; 6. Kenneth Brazee III, Rockford; 7. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park; 2. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 3. Dana Czach, Wauconda;
4. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 5. Terrance Robinson, Beloit, Wis; 6. Robert Roush, Marengo.

Allison Legacy's
A-Main 01 -- 1. Dwight Dunlap, Machesney Park; 2. Mark Hayes, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; 3. Bill Fox;; 4. Dave Cooter, Jr;; 5.
John Beinlich, Prairie View; 6. Smoke Johnson;; 7. Austin Mennen, Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Heat 01 -- 1. Dave Cooter, Jr;; 2. John Beinlich, Prairie View; 3. Bill Fox;; 4. Mark Hayes, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; 5. Austin
Mennen, Cedar Falls, Iowa; 6. Dwight Dunlap, Machesney Park; 7. Smoke Johnson;.
INEX Bandoleros
A-Main 01 -- 1. Cory Cootware;; 2. Kyle Vergata;; 3. Johnny Kirngas;; 4. Dwight Dunlap, Machesney Park.
Heat 01 -- 1. Dwight Dunlap, Machesney Park; 2. Cory Cootware;; 3. Kyle Vergata;; 4. Johnny Kirngas;.
INEX Legends
A-Main 01 -- 1. Michael Cooter, Machesney Park; 2. Matt Booker, Wonder Lake; 3. David Townsend, Sugar Grove; 4.
Cody Townsend, Sugar Grove; 5. Brandon Heisler, Aurora; 6. Adam Rawski, Winfield; 7. John Magnuson;; 8. Mark
Rawski, Winfield.
Heat 01 -- 1. Michael Cooter, Machesney Park; 2. Adam Rawski, Winfield; 3. John Magnuson;; 4. Mark Rawski,
Heat 02 -- 1. Matt Booker, Wonder Lake; 2. David Townsend, Sugar Grove; 3. Cody Townsend, Sugar Grove; 4.
Brandon Heisler, Aurora.
Time Trial -- 1. David Townsend, Sugar Grove; 2. Cody Townsend, Sugar Grove; 3. Matt Booker, Wonder Lake; 4.
Brandon Heisler, Aurora; 5. John Magnuson;; 6. Michael Cooter, Machesney Park; 7. Maxx McNamara, Ingleside.