By Jordan Kuehne

LOVES PARK, Ill. (Saturday, September 4th, 2010) – Surging to the front in the early stages of the Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models main event at the Rockford Speedway tonight, points leader Tim Sargent knew he needed to work some magic and score a victory if he wanted to atone for a critical heat race mishap earlier in the evening. Sargent was up to the task, chasing down a fast Wayne Freimund and working his way to the lead with just under ten laps remaining before closing the race out strong to earn his fifth victory of the season. The points battle in the division remained tight as Sargent’s margin over Jon Reynolds Jr. sits at 14 markers heading into the final race of the 2010 campaign.

The Budweiser American Short Trackers’ title will come down to the final weekend as well as a hungry Joe LaMarca filled the hole George Sparkman’s broken car left to claim his first career feature victory. A duel between the top two in points in the Bargain Hunter Sportsman went Doug Bennett’s way as Matt Berger settled for second and held onto his points lead while the Mtn Dew RoadRunners headliner had a 3-wide dash to the checkers with Howie Ware collecting the victory.

‘Insane’ Wayne Freimund snagged the top spot in the early stages of the 30-lap showcase for the Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models. Mikie Breiner settled into second behind the leaders as points leader Tim Sargent charged through the field into third by lap five.

Two laps later, Sargent padded his points lead with a move into second as he began slicing into Freimund’s margin out front. In the middle of the pack, Sargent’s top competition for the title, Jon Reynolds Jr, began to mash the gas as he took fourth around the same time that the points leader closed up on Freimund’s back bumper.

Kyle Shear worked his way into the mix as well, earning third by the halfway mark as the leaders went at it out front. Sargent continuously peeked on the inside of ‘Insane’ Wayne but couldn’t make it stick each time. As Sargent wheeled his hot rod into the lead using the inside track with seven laps remaining, Reynolds Jr. pushed his way to the bottom of Shear for third, doing everything in his power to stay within striking distance in the points standings heading into the final week.

Sargent quickly put distance between himself and Freimund out front, hitting his marks on the way to his fifth victory of the 2010 campaign. Sargent’s buffer over Reynolds Jr. remained in the double digits as 14 markers separate the two drivers heading into the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series finale.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about the points,” Sargent admitted in the winner’s circle. “We’re just trying to hit our marks and let the racing take care of itself out there. Hopefully we have what it takes for one more week. We came out even tonight. That's good enough at this point.”

Freimund collected a stellar second as Kyle Shear nipped Reynolds Jr. to the line by a couple feet for third. Eddie May rounded out the top five in fifth.

The 25-lap headliner for the Budweiser American Short Trackers got off to a quick start as defending champion George Sparkman jumped out to a nice cushion on the opening lap.

Sparkman put it on cruise control out front as a pair of rookies, Chris Jones and Joe LaMarca, duked it out for second in his rearview mirror. LaMarca continued to pressure Jones for second as the top two in points, BJ Sparkman and Kyle Lapier, battled in the middle of the 17 car field.

With 18 circuits in the books, LaMarca got alongside Jones for second but couldn’t quite keep the handling in check as they both closed on Sparkman. LaMarca threw his car into turn two three times over the final five laps but each time, he slid up the track and couldn’t keep control. In a crazy turn of events, Sparkman’s car died with five turns remaining as Jones and LaMarca worked their way around him.

On the final lap, LaMarca blew by Jones on the backstretch and held on to collect his first career victory.

“I was underneath him (Sparkman) when it happened,” an ecstatic LaMarca admitted in victory lane. “And I just worked my way around him and then I kept my momentum and got by Chris on the backstretch and took that win. It feels good to finally get here and I have so many people to thank for this.”

Jones inherited the lead but ended up second after the last lap dash to the finish while Zach Rodriguez notched a third place finish. BJ Sparkman gained ground in the points standings with a fourth place effort as Brett McCoy completed the top five with a fifth place showing.

Heading into the final week of the season, Sparkman trails Kyle Lapier by 13 points.

Bobby Yonkee sprinted to the lead as the green flag waved on the 25-lap Bargain Hunter Sportsman main event. Butch Swinbank and Ron Morris immediately went at it for second as Yonkee tried to build some cushion out front.

Swinbank got loose exiting turn four allowing defending champion Doug Bennett to burst into second as new track record holder and points leader Matt Berger followed his trail into third. Yonkee quickly relinquished the lead to Bennett with six laps in the books as Berger tracked the new leader and set his sights on a victorious end to his evening.

Austin Nason, who also broke the previous track record during qualifying, maneuvered his modified into third as the leaders continued to duel up front. As Nason slowly inched closer, Berger finally gained the bottom line of the track pulling even for the lead as the caution flew for a solo spin by Ron Morris in turn two.

On the restart, Nason and Berger went door-to-door for second before another caution flew with Nason a nose ahead of the points leader for the runner-up spot. On the ensuring restart, Berger wasted no time pushing his way past the young gun on the outside to claim second as he once again targeted Bennett and the lead.

Desperately looking for any opening, Berger stuck his nose to the inside on the white flag lap and pulled even but couldn’t make it stick as Doug Bennett held on to collect his fourth feature win of the season. Bennett shaved Berger’s lead in the standings down to 30 points, leaving a glimmer of hope that he can pull off the near impossible in the final week.

“We’re good friends and we had one heck of a race,” a tired Bennett stated in victory lane. “That was some good racing and I loved it. It’s a lot of work when you get things torn up and we had a good car, feels good to get this victory for sure.”

Nason collected a solid third as Yonkee held on for fourth. Last weekend’s feature winner Rob Goodman finished off the top five in fifth.

Lloyd Hawkins landed the top spot at the beginning of the 20-lap Mtn Dew RoadRunners feature. A 26 car field went three and even four-wide as the action took off over the course of the opening five laps.

As Hawkins ran away from the field, a chain reaction pileup began after Josh Lundy lost a wheel on the backstretch with seven laps in the books sending him spinning in front of Charlie Frisch and Ricky Nielsen and collecting five cars in the mayhem.

On the restart, Hawkins jumped back to the lead as Howie Ware attempted to chase him down and take the top spot. Ware tried high and low to get by Hawkins before finally making the low side of the high banked oval work as he gained the bottom groove and mashed the gas.

Coming to the white flag, Ware and Hawkins were virtually even as Kris Nilson rapidly closed in third. On the exit of turn four, Nilson dove low to make it three-wide at the line but it was Hawkins who edged Ware and the veteran to the line by mere inches to finish first. Hawkins would be disqualified during post-race inspection though, handing the win over to Ware.

Nilson’s late race charge netted him a runner-up finish as Gene Marocco took home third. Dennis Smith Jr. and John Logan Jr. rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth respectively.

Robert Roush carries a 48 point margin into the season finale as Ricky Nielsen looks to chase him down and steal the title.

The penultimate Sam’s Drive-In RoadRunner Challenge of the 2010 season featured the always popular Forwards/Backwards Race as drivers toured the quarter-mile the normal way for four laps before throwing it in reverse at the halfway point and doing two laps backwards to the checkers.

Ricky Nielsen jumped out front and led the field for the first four laps before Jason Van Hise grabbed control and turned things around during the final two laps. Van Hise, the defending season champion for the RoadRunner Challenge, took the victory with his trunk popped open and no assistance from his rearview mirror. Raymond Hardesty edged out Adam Cartwright for second.

Racing action returns to the high banks of the Rockford Speedway next Saturday night for Whelen Engineering Championship Night. Champions will be crowned in all four NASCAR Whelen All-American Weekly Series divisions as public safety officials receive free admission to watch the finale. On tap includes a special 50-lap Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models feature as their two driver duel for the crown comes to a culmination as well as the tight Budweiser American Short Trackers battle for the title, the Bargain Hunter Sportsman, and the Mtn Dew RoadRunners plus the final Sam's Drive-In RoadRunner Challenge of the 2010 campaign featuring the Outhouse Race. Gates open at 5pm with the green flag waving at 7:07pm sharp.

For more information, including the points standings in each division and a complete NSTC's schedule, visit the track website at www.rockfordspeedway.com or call the Speedway Box Office at (815)633-1500.

Rockford Speedway Results Week 16

NASCAR All American Sportsmen

A-Main 01 -- 1. Doug Bennett, Brodhead, Wis; 2. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 3. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe; 4. Rob
Goodman, McHenry; 5. Ron Morris, Belvidere; 6. Justin Sellers, Carol Stream; 7. Warren (Butch) Swinbank, Rockford; 8. Josh Thiering, South Beloit; 9. Matt Doris (r), Arlington Hghts; 10. Tim Jendrycki, Round Lake; 11. Chad Misslich, Rockford; 12. Joshua Grenlund, Delavan, Wis; 13. Bobby Yonke, Willowbrook.

Heat 01 -- 1. Warren (Butch) Swinbank, Rockford; 2. Josh Thiering, South Beloit; 3. Matt Doris (r), Arlington Hghts; 4. Tim Jendrycki, Round Lake; 5. Chad Misslich, Rockford; 6. Joshua Grenlund, Delavan, Wis; 7. Bobby Yonke, Willowbrook.

Heat 02 -- 1. Ron Morris, Belvidere; 2. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 3. Doug Bennett, Brodhead, Wis; 4. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe; 5. Rob Goodman, McHenry; 6. Justin Sellers, Carol Stream.

Time Trial -- 1. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 2. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe; 3. Doug Bennett, Brodhead, Wis; 4. Justin Sellers, Carol Stream; 5. Ron Morris, Belvidere; 6. Rob Goodman, McHenry; 7. Warren (Butch) Swinbank, Rockford; 8. Matt Doris (r), Arlington Hghts; 9. Josh Thiering, South Beloit; 10. Tim Jendrycki, Round Lake; 11. Chad Misslich, Rockford; 12. Joshua Grenlund, Delavan, Wis; 13. Bobby Yonke, Willowbrook.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 2. Doug Bennett, Brodhead, Wis; 3. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe; 4. Ron Morris, Belvidere; 5. Rob Goodman, McHenry; 6. Justin Sellers, Carol Stream.

NASCAR American Short Trackers

A-Main 01 -- 1. Joe LaMarca (r), Rockford; 2. Christopher Jones (r), Rockford; 3. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 4. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 5. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 6. Kyle Lapier, Belvidere; 7. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park; 8. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 9. Nick Cina, Jr, Belvidere; 10. Jason Bragg, Rockford; 11. Steve Drays, Milton, Wis; 12. Dave Lee, Rockford; 13. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 14. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 15. Laura Siarkiewicz, Algonquin; 16. Scott Hoeft, Watertown, Wis.

Heat 01 -- 1. Steve Drays, Milton, Wis; 2. Scott Hoeft, Watertown, Wis; 3. Jason Bragg, Rockford; 4. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 5. Nick Cina, Jr, Belvidere; 6. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 7. Dave Lee, Rockford; 8. Laura Siarkiewicz,

Heat 02 -- 1. Joe LaMarca (r), Rockford; 2. Kyle Lapier, Belvidere; 3. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 4. Boyce (BJ)
Sparkman, Machesney Park; 5. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park; 6. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 7. Keith Pierce, Machesney
Park; 8. Christopher Jones (r), Rockford.

Time Trial -- 1. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 2. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 3. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 4. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 5. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park; 6. Joe LaMarca (r), Rockford; 7. Kyle Lapier, Belvidere; 8. Christopher Jones (r), Rockford; 9. Scott Hoeft, Watertown, Wis; 10. Rodney Gilley, Winnebago; 11. Jason Bragg, Rockford; 12. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 13. Nick Cina, Jr, Belvidere; 14. Steve Drays, Milton, Wis; 15. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 16. Dave Lee, Rockford; 17. Laura Siarkiewicz, Algonquin.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 2. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 3. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney
Park; 4. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park; 5. Joe LaMarca (r), Rockford; 6. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton.

NASCAR Late Models

A-Main 01 -- 1. Tim Sargent, South Beloit; 2. Wayne Freimund, Elkhorn, Wis; 3. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 4. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 5. Eddie May, Crystal Lake; 6. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 7. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 8. Mikie Breiner, Johnburg; 9. Timothy Slater, Hampshire; 10. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 11. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 12. Vern Fagerberg (r), Bloomingdale; 13. Steve McBride, South Beloit; 14. Joe Darnell, Machesney Park; 15. Jerry Gille, Roscoe.

Heat 01 -- 1. Wayne Freimund, Elkhorn, Wis; 2. Mikie Breiner, Johnburg; 3. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 4. Vern Fagerberg (r), Bloomingdale; 5. Timothy Slater, Hampshire; 6. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 7. Joe Darnell, Machesney Park; 8. Steve McBride, South Beloit.

Heat 02 -- 1. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 2. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 3. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 4. Tim Sargent, South Beloit; 5. Eddie May, Crystal Lake; 6. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 7. Jerry Gille, Roscoe.

Time Trial -- 1. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 2. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 3. Eddie May, Crystal Lake; 4. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 5. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 6. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 7. Tim Sargent, South Beloit; 8. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 9. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 10. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 11. Vern Fagerberg (r), Bloomingdale; 12. Wayne Freimund, Elkhorn, Wis; 13. Timothy Slater, Hampshire; 14. Mikie Breiner, Johnburg; 15. Joe Darnell, Machesney Park; 16. Steve McBride, South Beloit.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 2. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 3. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 4. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 5. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 6. Eddie May, Crystal Lake.

NASCAR Road Runners

A-Main 01 -- 1. Howie Ware, South Beloit; 2. Kris Nilson, Rockford; 3. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 4. Dennis Smith, Jr, South Beloit; 5. John Logan, Jr., Loves Park; 6. Anthony Lloyd, Loves Park; 7. Eric Schoffen, Crystal Lake; 8. Jason Brockway, Machesney Park; 9. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere; 10. Adam Cartwright, Woodstock; 11. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 12. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 13. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 14. David Lignell, Rockford; 15. Josh Carter, Rockford; 16. James Gregory, Winnebago; 17. Josh DiGiovanni, Loves Park; 18. Robert Roush, Marengo; 19. Anthony Vito, Crystal Lake; 20. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 21. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 22. Terry Ciano, Jr., Janesville, Wis; 23. Charlie Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 24. Curt Nighswonger, Rockford; 25. Kenneth Brazee III, Rockford; 26. Michael (Mike) Wallis, Machesney Park; 27. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park.

Heat 01 -- 1. Curt Nighswonger, Rockford; 2. Terry Ciano, Jr., Janesville, Wis; 3. Adam Cartwright, Woodstock; 4. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 5. Kenneth Brazee III, Rockford; 6. Josh DiGiovanni, Loves Park; 7. Michael (Mike) Wallis, Machesney Park; 8. James Gregory, Winnebago; 9. Josh Carter, Rockford.

Heat 02 -- 1. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 2. John Logan, Jr., Loves Park; 3. Dennis Smith, Jr, South Beloit; 4. David Lignell, Rockford; 5. Jason Brockway, Machesney Park; 6. Anthony Lloyd, Loves Park; 7. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 8. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere; 9. Mike Leopold, Algonquin; 10. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park.

Heat 03 -- 1. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 2. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 3. Howie Ware, South Beloit; 4. Charlie Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 5. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 6. Eric Schoffen, Crystal Lake; 7. Robert Roush, Marengo; 8. Kris Nilson, Rockford; 9. Anthony Vito, Crystal Lake.

Challenge 01 -- 1. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 2. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 3. Adam Cartwright, Woodstock; 4. Kenneth Wines, Machesney Park; 5. Robert Roush, Marengo; 6. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 7. Kyle Watts, Machesney Park; 8. Michael (Mike) Wallis, Machesney Park; 9. Matt Belknap, Lake in the Hills; 10. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 2. Howie Ware, South Beloit; 3. Kris Nilson, Rockford; 4. Charlie Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 5. Robert Roush, Marengo; 6. Eric Schoffen, Crystal Lake.