By Jordan Kuehne

LOVES PARK, IL. (Saturday, July 18, 2009) – Kyle Shear has been fast all year long at the Rockford Speedway, running up front and collecting top fives in the Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models almost every time he's raced, but he had yet to breakthrough and take home the top prize. That all changed tonight though as Shear started up front and ended there, going wire-to-wire to top the 17 car field and grab his first career feature victory. Doug Bennett padded his points lead and picked up another trophy in the Bargain Hunter Sportsman while Nick Cina Jr. and Charlie Frisch also collected feature wins on the evening.

Kyle Shear darted to the top spot when the green flag flew in the 30-lap Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Model headliner and dodged a late caution to collect his first career feature win at the Rockford Speedway, going wire-to-wire for a satisfying victory.

Shear was out front by a comfortable margin when the caution flew for an unassisted spin by Jake Gille with 14 laps remaining. The caution allowed defending champion Jerry Gille and seven-time track champion Ricky Bilderback to close back up to Shear’s rear bumper.

Shear jumped out front again on the restart while the battle for second between Gille and Bilderback intensified with ten laps to go. Gille managed to hold off some veteran maneuvers by the hungry Bilderback to claim second.

“It feels so good to finally pick up the first one,” an ecstatic Shear said in victory lane. “We’ve been fast all year and we just haven’t had the luck turn our way until now. It was nice starting out front too, that helped a bit, and the car was just hooked up. Bilderback and Gille were there but we managed to bring it home.”

Mikie Breiner and Kyle Lapier rounded out the top five.

Doug Bennett took the lead away from Justin Sellers in the beginning stages of the 25-lap Bargain Hunter Sportsman feature. Bennett wasn’t alone out front though as he felt the heat on his rear bumper from Chris Gantz five laps in.

Three-time defending champion Fred Nason, still looking for his first feature win of the season, cut his way through the field and into third as he inserted himself into the fray and created a three-car battle for the lead.

Gantz and Nason continued to battle for second over the middle portion of the race while Bennett kept them both in his rearview mirror. With time winding down and just three laps remaining, Gantz made a last gasp effort for the lead but couldn’t complete the pass and had to settle for the runner-up spot.

Bennett collected his third feature win of the season and cushioned his points lead in the division over Nason.

Gantz, Nason, Justin Sellers and Ron Morris completed the top five.

Nick Cina Jr. showed up to the track late tonight but was the first to take the checkered flag, picking up his first win of the season.

Before a single lap was completed in the 25-lap Budweiser American Short Tracker main event the race was stopped by a red flag for a multi-car incident in turn one that collected seven cars and ended several drivers’ nights early. The mayhem began when Bobby Carter spun around in turn one leaving nowhere to go for several cars and creating a chain reaction pileup.

On the restart, rookie Scott Hoeft grabbed the lead and held on for five laps until Nick Cina Jr. made the inside line the way to go taking away the top spot from Hoeft and bringing points leader George Sparkman with him into second. Sparkman immediately turned his attention toward Cina Jr. and began taking peeks to the inside of the leader with 19 circuits remaining.

Sparkman managed to get alongside Cina Jr. three times over the final stages of the race but couldn’t complete the pass, losing grip exiting the turns each time allowing Cina Jr. to drive away again. That was all Cina Jr. needed to hold on for his first feature win of the season as George Sparkman came home second.

B.J. Sparkman, Hoeft and Victor Young finished the top five.

The action was fast and furious in the 20-lap Mtn Dew RoadRunners main event. “Chargin” Charlie Frisch deftly picked off cars and worked his way to the front when the caution flew with five laps remaining. Despite the fact the field closed back onto Frisch’s bumper, “Chargin” Charlie managed to hold off Robert Roush for the victory.

Jeff Allendorf, Dana Czach Jr. and Gene Marocco were the rest of the top five.

Racing action returns to the Rockford Speedway this Wednesday night for Tebala Shrine Wild Wednesday Shriner’s Night. The Mtn Dew RoadRunner Super Summer Series is on tap as well as a full program that includes the Crap Scrappers Hornets, Stateline Staffing Services Winged Women on Wheels, National Figure 8 League, Spectacular Drags, INEX Legends, INEX Bandoleros and Allison Legacy Cars plus the Yellowbook Hornet Challenge featuring the Driver/Fan Water Balloon Toss. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for kids ages 6-11 while all children 5 and under are free. Gates open at 5pm with racing action getting underway at 7:07pm.

Next Saturday night, the stars and cars of the ASA Late Model North Series make their way back to the high-banked quarter mile for part of the second annual Border Wars weekend featuring the return of the ‘All Star 100’ with scheduled entries including former champion Eddie Hoffman and points leader Chris Eggleston as well as local favorites Ryan Carlson and Michael Bilderback among drivers from as many as eight states and Canada. Also on tap are the Bargain Hunter Sportsman, Mtn Dew RoadRunners, Central States Super Cups and the Illini Midgets plus the Sam’s Drive-In RoadRunner Challenge featuring the Backwards/Forwards Race. Tickets are just $15 for adults while kids ages 6-11 are $5 and children 5 and under are free. Gates open at 5pm with qualifying getting underway at 5pm and the green flag flies at 7:07pm.

For more information, including a full 2009 racing schedule and more, please visit the track website at www.rockfordspeedway.com or call the Speedway Box Office at (815) 633-1500.

NASCAR All American Sportsmen

A-Main 01 -- 1. Doug Bennett, Brodhead, Wis; 2. Chris Gantz, Rockford; 3. Fred Nason, Roscoe; 4. Justin Sellers, Carol Stream; 5. Ron Morris, Belvidere; 6. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 7. Don Exline, Oak Lawn; 8. Rob Goodman (r), McHenry; 9. Scott Lawver, Roscoe; 10. Steve Vaughn, Loves Park; 11. Rob Solo Rio (r), Hampshire; 12. Jerry Edge, Marengo; 13. William Glombicki, Jr (r), Machesney Park.

Heat 01 -- 1. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 2. Ron Morris, Belvidere; 3. Rob Solo Rio (r), Hampshire; 4. Steve Vaughn, Loves Park; 5. Rob Goodman (r), McHenry; 6. Jerry Edge, Marengo; 7. William Glombicki, Jr (r), Machesney Park.

Heat 02 -- 1. Chris Gantz, Rockford; 2. Don Exline, Oak Lawn; 3. Doug Bennett, Brodhead, Wis; 4. Fred Nason,
Roscoe; 5. Justin Sellers, Carol Stream; 6. Scott Lawver, Roscoe.

Time Trial -- 1. Fred Nason, Roscoe; 2. Chris Gantz, Rockford; 3. Don Exline, Oak Lawn; 4. Doug Bennett, Brodhead, Wis; 5. Justin Sellers, Carol Stream; 6. Scott Lawver, Roscoe; 7. Rob Goodman (r), McHenry; 8. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 9. Ron Morris, Belvidere; 10. Rob Solo Rio (r), Hampshire; 11. Steve Vaughn, Loves Park; 12. William Glombicki, Jr (r), Machesney Park; 13. Jerry Edge, Marengo.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Doug Bennett, Brodhead, Wis; 2. Fred Nason, Roscoe; 3. Don Exline, Oak Lawn; 4. Chris Gantz, Rockford; 5. Justin Sellers, Carol Stream; 6. Scott Lawver, Roscoe.

NASCAR American Short Trackers

A-Main 01 -- 1. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 2. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 3. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 4. Scott Hoeft (r), Watertown, Wis; 5. Victor Young, Genoa; 6. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 7. Matt Booker (r), Wonder Lake; 8. Jason Bragg, Rockford; 9. Bobby Carter, Machesney Park; 10. Tanner Atchison, Byron; 11. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 12. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park; 13. Jeffery Turnure II (r), Rockford; 14. Steve Erickson, Jr, Rockton; 15. David Russell (r), Rockford; 16. Laura Siarkiewicz (r), Algonquin; 17. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere; 18. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 19. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 20. Artt Higbee, Rockford.

Heat 01 -- 1. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 2. Jeffery Turnure II (r), Rockford; 3. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 4. David Russell (r), Rockford; 5. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 6. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park; 7. Laura Siarkiewicz (r), Algonquin.

Heat 02 -- 1. Scott Hoeft (r), Watertown, Wis; 2. Matt Booker (r), Wonder Lake; 3. Bobby Carter, Machesney Park; 4. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 5. Victor Young, Genoa; 6. Tanner Atchison, Byron; 7. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park.

Heat 03 -- 1. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 2. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 3. Jason Bragg, Rockford; 4. Steve Erickson, Jr, Rockton; 5. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 6. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere.

Time Trial -- 1. Jason Bragg, Rockford; 2. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 3. George Sparkman, Loves Park;
4. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere; 5. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 6. Steve Erickson, Jr, Rockton; 7. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 8. Matt Booker (r), Wonder Lake; 9. Victor Young, Genoa; 10. Tanner Atchison, Byron; 11. Scott Hoeft (r), Watertown, Wis; 12. Bobby Carter, Machesney Park; 13. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 14. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park; 15. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 16. David Russell (r), Rockford; 17. Jeffery Turnure II (r), Rockford; 18. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 19. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 20. Laura Siarkiewicz (r), Algonquin.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 2. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 3. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney
Park; 4. Steve Erickson, Jr, Rockton; 5. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere; 6. Jason Bragg, Rockford.

NASCAR Late Models

A-Main 01 -- 1. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 2. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 3. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 4. Mikie Breiner (r), Johnburg; 5. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere; 6. Nick Shutkas, Loves Park; 7. Joe Rusciano, Crystal Lake; 8. Tim Noble, Janesville, Wis; 9. John Beinlich (r), Prairie View; 10. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 11. Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva, Wis; 12. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 13. Timothy Slater, Hampshire; 14. Joe Darnell, Machesney Park; 15. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Machesney Park; 16.
Robert Nelson, Solon Mills; 17. Mike Lloyd, Davis.

Heat 01 -- 1. Joe Rusciano, Crystal Lake; 2. Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva, Wis; 3. Timothy Slater, Hampshire; 4. John Beinlich (r), Prairie View; 5. Tim Noble, Janesville, Wis; 6. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 7. Joe Darnell, Machesney Park; 8. Robert Nelson, Solon Mills; 9. Mark Hartline, Gilberts.

Heat 02 -- 1. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere; 2. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 3. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 4. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Machesney Park; 5. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 6. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 7. Mikie Breiner (r), Johnburg; 8. Nick Shutkas, Loves Park.

Time Trial -- 1. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Machesney Park; 2. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 3. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 4. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere; 5. Mikie Breiner (r), Johnburg; 6. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 7. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 8. Nick Shutkas, Loves Park; 9. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 10. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 11. Tim Noble, Janesville, Wis; 12. Timothy Slater, Hampshire;
13. Joe Rusciano, Crystal Lake; 14. Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva, Wis; 15. Robert Nelson, Solon Mills; 16. John
Beinlich (r), Prairie View; 17. Brandon Eash (r), Rockford; 18. Joe Darnell, Machesney Park.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Machesney Park; 2. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 3. Mikie Breiner (r), Johnburg; 4. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 5. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere; 6. Jacob Gille, Winnebago.

NASCAR Road Runners

A-Main 01 -- 1. Charlie Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 2. Robert Roush, Marengo; 3. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere; 4. Dana Czach, Wauconda; 5. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 6. David Lignell, Rockford; 7. Eric Schoffen, Crystal Lake; 8. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 9. Richard Edge, Marengo; 10. Anthony (Andy) Bristol, Rockford; 11. Linnea Lundy, Loves Park; 12. Jerome Edge, Moresville, N.C.; 13. Jason Brockway, Machesney Park; 14. Howie Ware, South Beloit; 15. Justin Hawkins, Machesney Park; 16. Arlyn Roush, Woodstock; 17. Ryan Kulpa, Loves Park; 18. Kenneth Brazee III, Machesney Park; 19. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 20. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 21. Josh DiGiovanni, Loves Park; 22. Bobby Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 23. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 24. John Logan, Jr., Loves Park.

Heat 01 -- 1. Linnea Lundy, Loves Park; 2. Richard Edge, Marengo; 3. Justin Hawkins, Machesney Park; 4. Ryan
Kulpa, Loves Park; 5. Anthony (Andy) Bristol, Rockford; 6. Josh DiGiovanni, Loves Park; 7. Michael Neblock, Loves
Park; 8. Jerome Edge, Moresville, N.C.; 9. Arlyn Roush, Woodstock; 10. Steven Clark, Rockford.

Heat 02 -- 1. Jason Brockway, Machesney Park; 2. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 3. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 4. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere; 5. Charlie Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 6. Eric Schoffen, Crystal Lake; 7. David Lignell, Rockford; 8. Kenneth Brazee III, Machesney Park; 9. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park.

Heat 03 -- 1. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 2. Robert Roush, Marengo; 3. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 4. Bobby Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 5. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 6. Dana Czach, Wauconda; 7. John Logan, Jr., Loves Park; 8. Howie Ware, South Beloit.

Challenge 01 -- 1. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 2. Robert Roush, Marengo; 3. Eric Schoffen, Crystal Lake; 4. Kenneth Brazee III, Machesney Park; 5. Jerome Edge, Moresville, N.C.; 6. Richard Edge, Marengo; 7. Michael Neblock, Loves Park; 8. Alicia Magee, Machesney Park; 9. David Lignell, Rockford.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 2. John Logan, Jr., Loves Park; 3. Bobby Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 4. Dana Czach, Wauconda; 5. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere.