PHOTOS

By: Eric Huenefeld
LOVES PARK, IL (Friday, July 4, 2008) - It was night of celebrations at Rockford Speedway Friday night. Of course, the 232nd birthday of our country was celebrated. But also there was a 10 year anniversary that was celebrated in style as well.

It was that of Rich Warren Racing, and the 10 year anniversary since their Dodge Shadow had last made it to victory lane in the Budweiser American Short Trackers. And on this night, rookie Larry Dickinson would wheel the #14 to victory and dominate the divisions 20 lap feature in front of a packed house at the Rockford Speedway.

Dickinson started from the outside pole and slipped into the lead on the opening circuit of the 25 lap event. Dickinson would lead and break away from the field until a late race caution flew on lap 19. This would give everyone in the field one last shot at the underdog. On the restart however, now one could touch Dickinson, as the Cedarville chauffer got away from the pack one more time and took the checkers.

Jeff Turnure had his best showing of the year as well, holding off point’s leader BJ Sparkman for second. Sparkman worked to find an opening, but could not advance past third. Sparkman maintained his point lead. Nick Cina Jr. was fourth and Tim Melvin came home in fifth.

A 4th of July tradition was renewed as well on Friday night, with the running of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. This 20 lap Coca Cola Roadrunner feature is run in total darkness, with each driver mounting only one light on their car to guide them around the speedway.

David Lignell danced through the darkness and took the lead on lap five of the 20 lap event. What mad this even more impressive is that Lignell started 11th, and made a huge gain in the dark to get to the front.

The caution flew on lap 6 for a six-car wreck in turn 4, to help bunch up the field on last time. But even as Josh Lundy closed in the final laps, he could not take down Lignell, who cruised to his third career Midnight Ride victory. Lundy would take home second, followed by Chris Jones and point’s leader Terrance Robinson.

The Brown’s Chicken Central States Super Cups also were at the speedway on Friday night. The Super Cup Junior race was won by 10 year old Elliot Pritchett, who held off Morgan Schissel and Camden Murphy for the win. Schissel and Murphy battled side-by-side throughout the final five laps of the 20 lap go. The battle of the 11 years olds for the runner up spot went to Schissel over Murphy.

In the Super Cup Senior division, 16 year old Tony Velez got ahead of the field and kept them at bay to the bitter end to take the feature win. Fast timer Jim Termanas charged from his 8th starting spot to the rear bumper of Velez, but could not advance from there. Termanas would take second, followed by Steve Naples.

The Formula Indy’s and Rascal Outlaws ran a combined 20 lap feature as well on the busy July 4th card. “Rambo” Rick Corso from McHenry took the lead from 16 year old Kyle Lynn on lap 6 of the event with a dirt-track style slide job and ran off to the win. Lynn would finish second and Jason Mahoney would go home third. The above three drivers were all Rascal Outlaws. The top finishing FIRA machine was Dale Aikman, who travels to Rockford fro Rocky Ride, OH to take part in the night of racing.

Also Friday, a season high 16 cars participated in 1-on-1 Spectacular Drags. In the end it was Chevy over Dodge, as Randy Worley and his 1985 Corvette bested Sam Morici who worked a 200 Dodge Dakota all the way to finals, netting a runner up finish.

NASCAR American Short Trackers

A-Main 01 -- 1. Larry Dickinson II, Cedarville; 2. Jeffery Turnure, Rockford; 3. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 4. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 5. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 6. Steve Erickson, Jr (r), Machesney Park; 7. Nick Letsinger, Rockford; 8. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 9. Steven Allman, Oconomowoc, Wis; 10. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 11. Victor Young (r), Genoa; 12. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 13. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 14. Dave Lee, Rockford; 15. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 16. Rachel Sparkman (r), Loves Park; 17. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 18. Tanner Atchison, Byron; 19. Jason Evans, Loves Park.

Heat 01 -- 1. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 2. Rachel Sparkman (r), Loves Park; 3. Steven Allman, Oconomowoc, Wis; 4. Tanner Atchison, Byron; 5. Jack Atchison,Stillman Valley; 6. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 7. Dave Lee, Rockford.

Heat 02 -- 1. Jason Evans, Loves Park; 2. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 3. Victor Young (r), Genoa; 4. Jeffery Turnure, Rockford; 5. Larry Dickinson II, Cedarville; 6. Nick Letsinger, Rockford.

Heat 03 -- 1. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 2. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 3. Steve Erickson, Jr (r), Machesney Park; 4. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 5. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 6. Brett McCoy, Belvidere.

Time Trial -- 1. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 2. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 3. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 4. Steve Erickson, Jr (r), Machesney Park; 5. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 6. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 7. Jeffery Turnure, Rockford; 8. Victor Young (r), Genoa; 9. Larry Dickinson II, Cedarville; 10. Jason Evans, Loves Park; 11. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 12. Nick Letsinger, Rockford; 13. Steven Allman, Oconomowoc, Wis; 14. Rachel Sparkman (r), Loves Park; 15. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 16. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 17. Tanner Atchison, Byron; 18. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 19. Dave Lee, Rockford.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 2. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 3. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 4. Steve Erickson, Jr (r), Machesney Park; 5. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 6. Brett McCoy, Belvidere.

NASCAR Road Runners

A-Main 01 -- 1. David Lignell, Rockford; 2. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 3. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 4. Terrance Robinson, Beloit, Wis; 5. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere; 6. Richard Edge, Marengo; 7. Kyle Watts, Loves Park; 8. Robert Stoltz, Rockford; 9. Robert Roush, Marengo; 10. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park; 11. Dave Lumsden, Jr., Rockford; 12. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 13. Vachenzia Jester, Beloit, Wis; 14. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 15. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 16. Dan Sanders, Rockton; 17. Ronald Stoltz, Rockford.

Heat 01 -- 1. Dave Lumsden, Jr., Rockford; 2. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 3. Ronald Stoltz, Rockford; 4. Richard Edge, Marengo; 5. Vachenzia Jester, Beloit, Wis; 6. Kyle Watts, Loves Park; 7. Robert Stoltz, Rockford; 8. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 9. Dan Sanders, Rockton.

Heat 02 -- 1. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 2. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park; 3. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 4. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 5. Robert Roush, Marengo; 6. Terrance Robinson, Beloit, Wis; 7. David Lignell, Rockford; 8. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere.

Challenge 01 -- 1. Robert Roush, Marengo; 2. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park; 3. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 4. Richard Edge, Marengo; 5. David Lignell, Rockford; 6. Ronald Stoltz, Rockford; 7. Robert Stoltz, Rockford; 8. Kyle Watts, Loves Park.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 2. David Lignell, Rockford; 3. Dan Sanders, Rockton; 4. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 5. Terrance Robinson, Beloit, Wis; 6. Robert Roush, Marengo.

Super-Cup

A-Main 01 -- 1. Elliott Pritchett, Sycamore; 2. Morgan Schissel, Marshal, Wis; 3. Camden Murphy, Itasca; 4. Cody Lipstreuer, Genoa City, Wis; 5. Kyle Brinkman, Elkhorn, Wis; 6. Jacob VanWazer, Lombard; 7. Lily McElwee, Mishawaka, Ind.; 8. Dakota Morris, Streamwood; 9. Garett Goodwin, Three Oaks, Mich.; 10. Beau Brown;; 11. Tyler Brown, Carol Stream; 12. Krystinia Lipstreuer, Genoa City, Wis; 13. Jacob Zellmer, Waterford, Wis.

A-Main 02 -- 1. Tony Vellez;; 2. Jim Termanas, Lake in the Hills; 3. Steve Naples, Bartlett; 4. Jeff Myers, Elgin; 5. Erle Hoth, Medinah; 6. Sam Morici, McHenry; 7. Mick Ellis, Schaumburg; 8. Andrew Forster, Lake Zurich; 9. Davey Pennel, Sparta, Wis.

Heat 01 -- 1. Morgan Schissel, Marshal, Wis; 2. Elliott Pritchett, Sycamore; 3. Jacob VanWazer, Lombard; 4. Camden Murphy, Itasca; 5. Lily McElwee, Mishawaka, Ind.; 6. Krystinia Lipstreuer, Genoa City, Wis; 7. Dakota Morris, Streamwood.

Heat 02 -- 1. Garett Goodwin, Three Oaks, Mich.; 2. Jacob Zellmer, Waterford, Wis; 3. Kyle Brinkman, Elkhorn, Wis; 4. Cody Lipstreuer, Genoa City, Wis; 5. Beau Brown;; 6. Tyler Brown, Carol Stream.

Heat 03 -- 1. Davey Pennel, Sparta, Wis; 2. Jim Termanas, Lake in the Hills; 3. Andrew Forster, Lake Zurich; 4. Tony Vellez;; 5. Erle Hoth, Medinah.

Heat 04 -- 1. Jeff Myers, Elgin; 2. Mick Ellis, Schaumburg; 3. Sam Morici, McHenry; 4. Steve Naples, Bartlett.

Time Trial -- 1. Jim Termanas, Lake in the Hills; 2. Mick Ellis, Schaumburg; 3. Erle Hoth, Medinah; 4. Sam Morici, McHenry; 5. Davey Pennel, Sparta, Wis; 6. Jeff Myers, Elgin; 7. Jacob Zellmer, Waterford, Wis; 8. Tony Vellez;; 9. Elliott Pritchett, Sycamore; 10. Steve Naples, Bartlett; 11. Andrew Forster, Lake Zurich; 12. Cody Lipstreuer, Genoa City, Wis; 13. Camden Murphy, Itasca; 14. Garett Goodwin, Three Oaks, Mich.; 15. Morgan Schissel, Marshal, Wis; 16. Kyle Brinkman, Elkhorn, Wis; 17. Lily McElwee, Mishawaka, Ind.; 18. Beau Brown;; 19. Dakota Morris, Streamwood; 20. Tyler Brown, Carol Stream; 21. Jacob VanWazer, Lombard; 22. Krystinia Lipstreuer, Genoa City, Wis.

FIRA Mini-Indy's

A-Main 01 -- 1. Dale Aikman;; 2. John Zeilinga, West Chicago; 3. Lyle Phillips, Edgerton, Wis; 4. Tim Roach, Janesville, Wis; 5. Michael Del Favero, Hawthorn Woods.

Heat 01 -- 1. John Zeilinga, West Chicago; 2. Dale Aikman;; 3. Lyle Phillips, Edgerton, Wis; 4. Michael Del Favero, Hawthorn Woods; 5. Tim Roach, Janesville, Wis.

Time Trial -- 1. John Zeilinga, West Chicago; 2. Dale Aikman;; 3. Tim Roach, Janesville, Wis; 4. Michael Del Favero, Hawthorn Woods; 5. Lyle Phillips, Edgerton, Wis.

Rascal Outlaws

A-Main 01 -- 1. Rick Corso, McHenry; 2. Kyle Lynn, Lake Geneva, Wis; 3. Jason Mahony, Chicago; 4. Jim Thiel, Johnsburg; 5. Mark Finley;; 6. John Bettenkirk;.

Heat 01 -- 1. Jason Mahony, Chicago; 2. Jim Thiel, Johnsburg; 3. Mark Finley;; 4. Rick Corso, McHenry; 5. John Bettenkirk;; 6. Kyle Lynn, Lake Geneva, Wis.

Time Trial -- 1. Rick Corso, McHenry; 2. Jason Mahony, Chicago; 3. Mark Finley;; 4. John Bettenkirk;; 5. Jim Thiel, Johnsburg; 6. Kyle Lynn, Lake Geneva, Wis.