The Championship scenarios for both the Gilley’s Cool 5 Series as well as the Big 8 Late Model Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet will be impacted greatly during the 47th annual National Short Track Championships at Rockford Speedway September 28-30. The Stanley Steemer 47 for the Weekly Warrior Late Models will determine the Gilley’s Cool 5 Champion of Friday night while the 108 lap contest for the Big 8 Series on Saturday Night will be a key component in figuring the series Champion.

After the first four rounds of the Gilley’s Cool 5 Series, Driver X Jon Reynolds, Jr holds a slim five point lead over 2012 Rockford Speedway Champion Jerry Gille. The two have fought one another all summer long and have managed to build a twenty three point lead over third place Matt Berger who may very well walk away with the GC5 Championship and his share of the $12,500 point fund. Berger has been a force and was right in the mix before bad luck bit him in August, something that has yet to happen to either of the two front runners. Gille opened the season by winning the first two weekly events, however has been kept out of victory lane since. Reynolds captured the Big 8 Series Spring Classic at Rockford and then backed that up with a June win after electing to accept the Gerber Collision Challenge which placed him at the tail of the field which netted him a $1,800 pay day. Friday night should be an interesting affair with lots of drivers attempting to reach a season long
goal and large payday.

When the Big 8 Late Model Series takes to the Rockford high banks for their 108 lap contest Saturday night, there will be many favorites in the field, many of which find themselves in the hunt for the Big 8 Championship. The track he got his start at has not been kind to three time Big 8 Champion Jeremy Miller. Trouble has seemed to follow him and it found him while leading Spring Classic in April, causing the former Madison Champion to record a DNF. Miller currently has a comfortable 53 point lead over Casey Johnson based on the strength of his wins at the Milwaukee Mile and Wausau’s State Park Speedway, but a bad run at NSTC could be devastating for Miller.

Johnson has put together one of the most dominant seasons, becoming a two time Jefferson Speedway Champion in the process while racing to the checkered flag at Jefferson, Slinger, Madison and in the Big 8 Series visit to LaCrosse in July. Johnson was the 2010 Spring Classic winner at Rockford and finished third in the NSTC 108 last season, which coupled with his recent LaCrosse success has many looking for this young driver to make a charge for the title. 2011 Rockford Champion Ryan Carlson has always run well during NSTC (2 wins) and was victorious on Memorial Day Weekend when the series stopped at Columbus 151 Speedway. Carlson also scored two wins in August here at Rockford and is believed to have a hot hand heading into the cool fall specials. 2005 Big 8 Series Champion and two time Slinger Champ Jon Reynolds, Jr still has a mathematical chance at his second title but is more likely to play the role of spoiler as he looks for his third NSTC crown.

Kyle Shear leads the strong list of contenders, Shear the current fifth place points man barnstormed through the field in 2010 and will look to do so again in 2012. Big 8 Rookie of the Year Jesse Bernhagen broke onto the scene during last year’s NSTC, recording an impressive sixth place effort. Throw in recent Wisconsin State Champion and Madison Champion Dale Nottestad, seven time Rockford Champion Bobby Wilberg, Matt Berger, Jerry Gille, Jake Gille, Madison Big 8 winner Zach Riddle, former Spring Classic winner Mike Ehde and a host of other weekly feature winners, Saturday night September 29 will be full of stars on the track.

The annual three-day racing event will get underway on Friday, September 28 with Nason’s Landscaping Faster Than a Speeding Bullet Qualifying at 5:00pm. Racing will get underway at 7:07pm with features in the Weekly Warrior Late Models, All-American Sportsman, American Short Trackers, RoadRunners, Hornet Bandit Challenge, and Figure 8 Championship events.

Saturday’s schedule has Nason’s Landscaping Faster Than a Speeding Bullet Qualifying at 2:15pm. Racing will start at 5:05pm with the Big 8 Series 108-lap feature along with the Area Sportsman, Illini Midgets, IL Vintage Racing and Hobby Stox in feature events along with Super Late Model qualifying events.
The final day on Sunday afternoon will have Nason’s Landscaping Faster Than a Speeding Bullet Qualifying at 11:15am for the Mid-American Series. Racing gets underway at 12:30pm with the NSTC Super Late Model 200, Mid-American Series, and the Gerber Collision Challenge on the schedule.

A full detailed schedule is available at www.rockfordspeedway.com. Just click on the “Home of the National Short Track Championships” on the right side of the page or call 815-633-1500.

Big 8 Series/Weekly Warrior Late Models Expected Entries
2 Eddie May
5 Casey Johnson
5 Dave Edwards
5 Jeremy Miller
7 Bob Kahler
8 Rich Hinerichsen
9 Dan Church
14 Zach Riddle
16 Matthew Clossey
16 Tyler Peterson
17 Eric Connell
18 Mike Ehde
21 Nick Shutkas
23 Austin Nason
28 Bobby Wilberg
28 Jacob Finney
28 Jesse Bernhagen
30 Mark Hartline
36 Brandon Eash
36 Kyle Shear
39 Alex Papini
41 Mike Taylor
44 Mitch Garfield
49 Tory Adams
50 Jacob Gille
51 Dale Nottestad
52 Steve Dobbratz
52 Steve Erickson, Jr
55 Ryan Carlson
84 Jacob Vanoskey
84 Vern Fagerberg
86 Steve McBride
89 Tim Slater
93 John Beinlich
95.3 Wayne Freimund
98.5 Matt Berger
99 Jerry Gille
O Mike Beyer
O2 Ricky Bilderback
X Jon Reynolds, Jr
x1 Tim Sargent