By Kraig McCay
Just five years ago, Austin Nason would have been able to take advantage of the free admission offered to ages eleven and under during Bobcat of Rockford Wrecking and Racing night at Rockford Speedway. On Saturday, the sixteen year old recorded his first ever NASCAR Stanley Steemer Late Model triumph holding off two time Champion Jerry Gille in the process. Former Miller Lite American Short Tracker Champion Kyle Lapier recorded win number one of the 2012 season and young Jake Aldrich was another first time winner in Crap Scrapper Hornet action. Jim Burns in his Mechanical Mischief Monster Truck wowed the crowd which braved the record heat wave and were treated to cooler temperatures and a two hundred foot wheelie by Burns down the front stretch. The night concluded with a true piece of Americana, Doug Rose and his Green Mamba Jet Car destroyed a Chrysler 300 and in the process lit the night sky with a shower of sparks which eventually caught nearly fifty percent of the infield
grass ablaze, rescue crews from Loves Park Fire Department and Rockford Speedway quickly extinguished the flames.

The original lineup called for last week’s feature victor Matt Berger and Alex Papini to bring the field to green, however contact between the two caused Papini’s car to slam the wall on the opening lap. When racing resumed, it was Austin Nason out dueling Berger, using his inside line to slip into the lead with Berger, Jon Reynolds, Jr and Jerry Gille charging behind him. Early issues hindered fast qualifier Mitch Garfield’s charge to the front as he took his machine into the pits a lap before Ricky Bilderback and Wayne Freimund were involved in a turn 4 spin. On the restart, it was Reynolds, Jr to the inside of Berger but Driver X would drop to fourth quickly, allowing Gille to pressure Berger for the runner up spot. A midrace caution for a Jake Gille spin allowed Matthew Clossey to restart inside row two after running fifth for most of the event, he and Berger would not get through turn one as Berger spun after contact. Jerry Gille took one last stab at the win with
three laps to go and pulled to the door of Nason but could not cleanly close the deal over the final laps, allowing Nason to score career win number one and become the eighth different Late Model winner this season. Reynolds wound up third followed by a hard charging John Beinlich who started fourteenth and John Baumeister, Jr. Jake Gille who took the Gerber Collision and Glass Challenge seeking a $1,200 bonus ended up eighth.

Eric Connell got the early jump on Kyle Lapier in Miller Lite American Short Tracker action as Alan Bekielewski and Jason Bragg battled for the third spot. With ten to go Connell lost the handle on his ride out of turn two and finally lost the fight with Lapier who jumped into position one and bringing Bekielewski with him into second. Point leader Joey LaMarca shuffled his way into fourth with five laps remaining and into third a lap later, each time bringing George Sparkman with him. A caution with four laps left to contest allowed LaMarca and Sparkman to restart on the inside and gave them a scent of victory. Lapier got a great restart as he caught the field sleeping a bit but was caught by LaMarca as the duo took the white flag, LaMarca peddled hard on the inside but fell less than three feet short of victory. Sparkman settled for third with Zach Rodriguez and Rachel Sparkman posting top five finishes as they avoided Bekielewski who lost a wheel coming to the checkered flag.

Jacob Aldrich wasted little time in the Crap Scrapper Hornet feature as he put his racer at the front of the field and never looked back. He was followed at the stripe by Mary McBride, Jeremia Rychecky, Craig Schmuggerow and Ryan Volkert.

Rockford Speedway hosts Yellowbook Car Load Night this Wednesday as an entire car load will be admitted to the Wild Wednesday program for just $20 when they arrive by 7pm. Then on Saturday night July 14 the Super Late Models return to Rockford Speedway for the Miller Lite All-Star 100, an event rich in tradition. For more information on these events visit www.rockfordspeedway.com or call the Speedway Box Office at 815-633-1500.

NASCAR Stanley Steemer Late Models
A-Main 01 -- 1. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe; 2. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 3. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 4. John Beinlich, Prairie View; 5. John Baumeister, Jr., Lake Geneva, Wis; 6. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 7. Matthew Clossey, Beloit, Wis; 8. Jacob Gille, Machesney Park; 9. Steve McBride, South Beloit; 10. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 11. Mitchell Garfield, Gilberts; 12. Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis; 13. Wayne Freimund, Elkhorn, Wis; 14. Ricky Bilderback, Roscoe; 15. Alex Papini, Machesney Park.
Heat 01 -- 1. Ricky Bilderback, Roscoe; 2. Wayne Freimund, Elkhorn, Wis; 3. Matthew Clossey, Beloit, Wis; 4. John Baumeister, Jr., Lake Geneva, Wis; 5. Steve McBride, South Beloit; 6. John Beinlich, Prairie View; 7. Dave Edwards,
Salem, Wis; 8. Mark Hartline, Gilberts.
Heat 02 -- 1. Jacob Gille, Machesney Park; 2. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 3. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 4. Mitchell Garfield, Gilberts; 5. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe; 6. Alex Papini, Machesney Park; 7. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford.
Time Trial -- 1. Mitchell Garfield, Gilberts; 2. Jacob Gille, Machesney Park; 3. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 4. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 5. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe; 6. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 7. Alex Papini, Machesney Park; 8. Matthew Clossey, Beloit, Wis; 9. Ricky Bilderback, Roscoe; 10. Wayne Freimund, Elkhorn, Wis; 11. John Baumeister, Jr., Lake Geneva, Wis; 12. Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis; 13. Steve McBride, South Beloit; 14. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 15. John Beinlich, Prairie View.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Jacob Gille, Machesney Park; 2. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 3. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 4. Mitchell Garfield, Gilberts; 5. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 6. Austin Nason (r), Roscoe.

Miller Lite American Short Trackers
A-Main 01 -- 1. Kyle Lapier, Belvidere; 2. Joe LaMarca, Rockford; 3. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 4. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 5. Rachel Sparkman, Belvidere; 6. Nick Cina, Jr, Belvidere; 7. Eric Connell, Fort Atkinson, Wis; 8. Jason Bragg, Machesney Park; 9. Scott Hoeft, Watertown, Wis; 10. Nick Letsinger, Rockford; 11. Alan Bekielewski, Roscoe; 12. Tim Dix, Beloit, Wis; 13. David Russell, Jr, Rockford; 14. Christopher Jones, Capron; 15. Keith Pierce, Machesney
Heat 01 -- 1. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 2. Christopher Jones, Capron; 3. Kyle Lapier, Belvidere; 4. David Russell, Jr, Rockford; 5. Jason Bragg, Machesney Park; 6. Eric Connell, Fort Atkinson, Wis; 7. Alan Bekielewski, Roscoe; 8. Nick Letsinger, Rockford.
Heat 02 -- 1. Rachel Sparkman, Belvidere; 2. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 3. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 4. Joe LaMarca, Rockford; 5. Scott Hoeft, Watertown, Wis; 6. Nick Cina, Jr, Belvidere; 7. Tim Dix, Beloit, Wis.
Time Trial -- 1. Joe LaMarca, Rockford; 2. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 3. Scott Hoeft, Watertown, Wis; 4. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 5. Nick Cina, Jr, Belvidere; 6. Rachel Sparkman, Belvidere; 7. Tim Dix, Beloit, Wis; 8. Jason Bragg, Machesney Park; 9. Kyle Lapier, Belvidere; 10. Alan Bekielewski, Roscoe; 11. Eric Connell, Fort Atkinson, Wis; 12. Nick Letsinger, Rockford; 13. Christopher Jones, Capron; 14. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 15. David Russell, Jr, Rockford; 16. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Nick Cina, Jr, Belvidere; 2. Rachel Sparkman, Belvidere; 3. Scott Hoeft, Watertown, Wis; 4. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 5. Joe LaMarca, Rockford; 6. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton.

Crap Scrapper Hornets
A-Main 01 -- 1. Jacob Aldrich, Rockford; 2. Mary McBride, South Beloit; 3. Jeremia Rychecky, South Beloit; 4. Craig Schmuggerow, Garden Prairie; 5. Ryan Volkert, South Beloit; 6. Blake Andrus, Rockford; 7. Nichole Crane;; 8. Steven
Clark, Machesney Park; 9. Jason Schlesner, Roscoe.
Heat 01 -- 1. Jacob Aldrich, Rockford; 2. Craig Schmuggerow, Garden Prairie; 3. Steven Clark, Machesney Park; 4. Ryan Volkert, South Beloit; 5. Blake Andrus, Rockford; 6. Nichole Crane;.
Heat 02 -- 1. Mary McBride, South Beloit; 2. Klint Egelhoff, Loves Park; 3. Jason Schlesner, Roscoe; 4. Jeremia Rychecky, South Beloit; 5. Thomas Andrus, Rockford.
Challenge 01 -- 1. Klint Egelhoff, Loves Park; 2. Steven Clark, Machesney Park; 3. Blake Andrus, Rockford.