Loves Park, IL- After a successful inaugural season of the Gilley’s Cool 5 Series at Rockford Speedway, Ron Gilley of Gilley’s Heating and Air Conditioning has once again placed $12,500 up for grabs this summer. All four weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions will be eligible for the giant point fund at season’s end.

Each month, one Saturday Night will be designated as part of the Gilley’s Series, with a separate point total tallied during these five events, including the Gilley’s Championship Round which will take place on Friday night September 28, 2012 during the 47th annual National Short Track Championships. Last season Ryan Carlson, Austin Nason, George Sparkman and Kris Nilson bested the competition to bring home the big prize money.

Loves Park, IL- When the first green flag of the 2012 season waves at Rockford Speedway on April 7, two additional sections of the speedway’s grandstand will be non-smoking. In addition to the Pizza Ranch Family Section which does not permit the use of alcohol or tobacco products, Section H and Section J, which are located toward turn 1 of the 65 year old facility will now be non-smoking starting this season.

“Over the past seasons we have had more and more requests for a larger non-smoking area, our fans spoke and we listened.” Commented Rockford Speedway Director of Operations David Deery. “Essentially from the start/finish line to turn 4 will be our smoking area and towards the turn 1 playground will be non-smoking.”

Click for Spring Classic Schedule of Events

Loves Park, IL- The 35th running of Rockford Speedway’s Spring Classic presented by Yellowbook will take place at the quarter mile high banked oval on Sunday afternoon April 15. New this year will be the addition of the Illinois Vintage Racing Series which will join the Big 8 Late Model Series and Mid-American Stock Car Series on the card.

The highlight of the day will be the 108 lap Big 8 Series feature event, which was captured by Dale Nottestad during the 2011 event. A complete schedule of events can be found online at www.rockfordspeedway.com. The 2012 season will begin at Rockford Speedway with the running of the WXRX Stone and Double T 200 Enduro on Saturday April 7 at 3pm. For additional information contact the Speedway Box Office at 815-633-1500.

Loves Park, IL- Race Teams will now have the opportunity to purchase tires for the upcoming 2012 season 2 weeks earlier than originally scheduled. An additional date of Thursday March 22 was added to the already scheduled April 5 Tire Sale. Both Tire Sales will make tires available for purchase at Forest City Tire Sales located in the Rockford Speedway Pit Area from 5pm until 7pm. All tires allowed for competition in the Late Models, Sportsman, American Short Trackers and RoadRunners will be available. As a reminder to teams, no tires will be mounted during these sales. For more information call 815-633-1500. Cars will hit the high banks for the first time on Saturday April 7 from 11am-2:30pm prior to the ‘WXRX Stone and Double T 200’ Enduro at 3pm. For a complete 2012 Rockford Speedway schedule visit www.rockfordspeedway.com.

Click to View Schedule

Loves Park, IL- The 2012 Rockford Speedway schedule is now available online at www.rockfordspeedway.com. Over forty motorsports events will create a season of fun during the track’s 65th consecutive year of operation at the corner of Forest Hills Rd and IL 173 in Loves Park, IL. The Stone and Double T 200 will kick off the season on Saturday April 7 with the 35th Spring Classic being held the following Sunday, April 15 which will feature the Big 8 Late Model Series, Mid-American Stock Car Series and Illinois Vintage Series. Weekly NASCAR Whelen All-American Series action begins on Saturday night April 21.

Loves Park, IL- Rockford Speedway announced which tires have been selected for use by each NASCAR Whelen All-American Series division which will see their season begin on Saturday night April 21 during the Bryden Motors Ram Truck Month Season Opener. The only change will come in the NASCAR Stanley Steemer Late Model division which will make the switch back to the Goodyear Short Track Special 2862 and 2863 tires they competed on from 2006 through the 2009 season, the exact tire being used by the Big 8 Late Model Series.

Loves Park, IL- The Big 8 Late Model Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet will visit two new venues during the 2012 tour. Annual stops at Rockford Speedway, Columbus 151 Speedway and La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway will be joined by visits to The Milwaukee Mile and State Park Speedway in Wausau, WI.

Series director Gregg McKarns also announced the return of the series to the 2862 and 2863 Goodyear compounds utilized by the series during the 2004-2009 seasons. “With the favorable testing results we have seen with the Goodyear tire, we look forward to some fantastic side by side racing this coming season.” Commented McKarns.

Enduro Entry & Information

Loves Park, IL- Rockford Speedway officials released the Official Entry Form for their first event of the new year, the Stone and Double T 200 Enduro for four cylinder cars taking place Saturday April 7. The fifth running of this popular springtime race event will pit man and machine against the sixty fiveyear old high banked paved oval as well as the ‘Monza Course’ in which the infield is utilized for added excitement.

Enduro racing is a simple way for first time drivers to enter auto racing while providing veteran enthusiasts an economic means to enjoy the sport. Entry forms can be downloaded at www.rockfordspeedway.com for the $500 to win event named after the popular morning radio show hosts on 104.9 WXRX in Rockford. For additional information or to have an entry form mailed to you, contact 815-633-1500.

Thank you– On behalf of Jody Deery and the entire staff at Rockford Speedway, we would like to thank you for a great season, as well as congratulate all of our 2011 Rockford Speedway Champions. We are looking forward to a tremendous 2012.

Banquet Invite Included- The 2011 Champions’ Banquet has been set for Saturday night January 28, 2012 at Forest Hills Lodge. An invitation has been included with this Newsletter. Please call the office at 815-633-1500 if you have any questions.

1099’s– If you earned $600 or more racing at the speedway in 2011, you or your car owner will be receiving a 1099 tax form before January 31. If there are any corrections to be made, please notify the speedway office as soon as possible.

2012 Car Numbers- If you had both a R.A.C.E. license and earned points during the 2011 season, your car number will be held until March 3. Membership forms will be mailed in early February.

Rockford Speedway Rules | Big 8 Series Rules

Loves Park, IL- The 2012-2014 Rulebook for Rockford Speedway and the Big 8 Late Model Series are now available online at each group’s website, www.rockfordspeedway.com and www.big8series.com. Changes and updates are highlighted in blue. Details pertaining to which tire will be utilized in each class will be released in late January, although no major changes are expected.

“It has been our goal for quite some time to release a long term rulebook both for Rockford and the Big 8 Late Models, this is what our staff has been working towards.” Stated Rockford Speedway General Manager Gregg McKarns. “The rules have been pretty consistent the past few years and we feel we have reached a point that allows us to do this for our competitors.”