By Jordan Kuehne

LOVES PARK, IL (Saturday, May 2, 2009) – The 2009 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season got off to a rousing start tonight as a packed house witnessed Rockton native Ricky “the Rocket” Bilderback take home the Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Model feature on opening night at the Rockford Speedway. BJ Sparkman won the Budweiser American Short Tracker feature while Larry Dickinson II brought home the win in the Mtn Dew RoadRunner main event.

Janesville, Wisconsin’s Tim Noble led the field to green in his return to the Rockford Speedway with 2008’s NASCAR Late Model champion Jerry Gille right on his back bumper. Gille quickly shuffled Noble to the outside as Jon Reynolds Jr. followed him into second.

Bilderback would work his way up from his seventh-place starting spot into the top three by lap 7 and Reynolds Jr. would get side-by-side with Gille coming off of turn four, and he would complete the pass six laps later bringing Bilderback with him as Gille fell back to third.

The first caution would fly on lap 18 as 2008 NASCAR Late Model Rookie of the Year Alex Papini’s sway bar broke in turn four causing a two-car pileup. Rockford Speedway veteran Mike Beyer lost control trying to avoid him and made heavy contact with Papini’s passenger-side door forcing both drivers to head to the pits and retire for the evening.

Bilderback, showing the speed that earned him fast qualifier honors earlier in the evening, would jump all over Reynolds Jr. on the restart blowing by him with ten laps remaining, building up a 20 car length lead and cruising home to claim the first Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Model feature win of 2009.

“Wow, what a great way to start off the run for our eighth championship,” a happy Bilderback exclaimed in victory lane. “This new car is really fast and the chassis is awesome. If we can get the old tires working past lap five or six we’ll be a rocket ship out there. I can’t think of a much better way to start off the year.”

Reynolds Jr. would hold off a late charge from Gille to finish in the runner-up spot, as Noble and rookie Mikie Breiner rounded out the top five.

The Budweiser American Short Trackers 2009 season started off much like the 2008 season ended as defending champion BJ Sparkman took home the opening night win.

Billy McCoy brought the 19 car field to the green flag in the 25 lap feature. His son, Brett, would take over the top spot on lap eight and build up a six car length lead over BJ Sparkman when the caution flag flew on lap 15 after Jeffery Turnure spun in turn three.

George Sparkman would take over third place under the caution as the cone returned to the Rockford Speedway after a one-year hiatus. Sparkman would nose ahead of McCoy with eight laps remaining.

Turnure would help bring out another caution with five laps remaining after his car clipped Bobby Carter putting both machines into the front stretch wall bunching the field back up.

It didn’t matter to BJ Sparkman though as he held on to win the sibling rivalry while his brother, George, came home in second place. Matt LaPier, Brett McCoy and rookie Matt Booker completed the top five.

“I wish I could have qualified a little better but I’ll take it,” a tired BJ Sparkman stated after his feature win. “I just overdrove it in qualifying but the driver got better by the time the feature started. I’m happy we got the win.”

Robert Roush would lead the Mtn Dew RoadRunners to the start but he was shuffled to the back after getting tangled up with a lapped car. Cedarville native Larry Dickinson II was the benefactor taking home the 20 lap main event.

Dickinson II held off a late charge by Charlie Frisch with three laps to go, starting off his season on a good note. Bobby Frisch finished third as Rockford Speedway's elder statesman Gene Marocco and Howie Ware finished the top five.

In the Darkhorse Demo Derbies, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin’s Matt Elser won the Fair Class feature in his 1976 Chevy Caprice. Bill Springhorn from Sharon, Wisconsin won the Super Mod feature in his 1971 Chevy Impala after the judges had to huddle together to determine a winner. Mike Breitzman took home second place.

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing action returns to the Rockford Speedway next Saturday night with the Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models, Bargain Hunter Sportsman and Mtn Dew RoadRunners all duking it out on the high-banked quarter mile. The Mini Indy Racing Club will also be in action as well as the Sam’s Drive-In RoadRunner Challenge making their Morning Make-Up Dash.

There will be a Kids Grand Prix and all ladies will get in free with paid admission for another adult. The first 500 moms will receive free flowers. The racing action gets underway at 7:07 p.m. with qualifying at 5:45 p.m. and spectator gates opening at 5 p.m.

For more information, including a full 2009 racing schedule, please visit the track’s website at www.rockfordspeedway.com or call the Speedway Box Office at (815) 633-1500.

NASCAR American Short Trackers
A-Main 01 -- 1. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 2. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 3. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere;
4. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 5. Matt Booker (r), Wonder Lake; 6. Steve Erickson, Jr, Rockton; 7. Billy McCoy, Belvidere; 8.
Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 9. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 10. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 11. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 12.
Victor Young, Genoa; 13. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park; 14. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 15. Bobby Carter,
Machesney Park; 16. Jeffery Turnure II (r), Rockford; 17. Laura Siarkiewicz (r), Algonquin; 18. David Russell (r),
Rockford; 19. Scott Hoeft (r), Watertown, Wis.

Heat 01 -- 1. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 2. David Russell (r), Rockford; 3. Jeffery Turnure II (r), Rockford; 4. Jack Atchison,
Stillman Valley; 5. Bobby Carter, Machesney Park; 6. Laura Siarkiewicz (r), Algonquin.

Heat 02 -- 1. Billy McCoy, Belvidere; 2. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 3. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 4. Matt Booker (r),
Wonder Lake; 5. Victor Young, Genoa; 6. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 7. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park.

Heat 03 -- 1. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 2. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 3. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere; 4.
Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 5. Steve Erickson, Jr, Rockton; 6. Scott Hoeft (r), Watertown, Wis.

Time Trial -- 1. Steve Erickson, Jr, Rockton; 2. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 3. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere; 4. Boyce
(BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 5. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton; 6. Scott Hoeft (r), Watertown, Wis; 7. Brett McCoy,
Belvidere; 8. Matt Booker (r), Wonder Lake; 9. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 10. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park; 11.
Billy McCoy, Belvidere; 12. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 13. Victor Young, Genoa; 14. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 15. Nick
Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 16. Jeffery Turnure II (r), Rockford; 17. David Russell (r), Rockford; 18. Laura Siarkiewicz (r), Algonquin.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Scott Hoeft (r), Watertown, Wis; 2. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 3. Steve Erickson, Jr,
Rockton; 4. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 5. Kyle Lapier (r), Belvidere; 6. Zach Rodriguez, Rockton.

NASCAR Late Models
A-Main 01 -- 1. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 2. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Roscoe; 3. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 4. Tim Noble,
Janesville, Wis; 5. Mike Breiner (r), Johnburg; 6. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 7. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 8. Brandon Eash
(r), Rockford; 9. Timothy Slater, Hampshire; 10. Alex Papini, Machesney Park; 11. Mike Beyer, Machesney Park; 12.
Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva, Wis.

Heat 01 -- 1. Mike Breiner (r), Johnburg; 2. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 3. Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva, Wis; 4. Timothy
Slater, Hampshire; 5. Brandon Eash (r), Rockford; 6. Jacob Gille, Winnebago.

Heat 02 -- 1. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Roscoe; 2. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 3. Tim Noble, Janesville, Wis; 4. Alex Papini,
Machesney Park; 5. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 6. John Beinlich (r), Prairie View.

Time Trial -- 1. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 2. Alex Papini, Machesney Park; 3. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Roscoe; 4. Jerry Gille,
Roscoe; 5. John Beinlich (r), Prairie View; 6. Tim Noble, Janesville, Wis; 7. Mark Hartline, Gilberts; 8. Jacob Gille,
Winnebago; 9. Mike Breiner (r), Johnburg; 10. Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva, Wis; 11. Brandon Eash (r), Rockford; 12.
Timothy Slater, Hampshire; 13. Mike Beyer, Machesney Park.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 2. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 3. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Roscoe; 4. Alex Papini,
Machesney Park; 5. Tim Noble, Janesville, Wis; 6. John Beinlich (r), Prairie View.

NASCAR Road Runners
A-Main 01 -- 1. Larry Dickinson II, Cedarville; 2. Charlie Frisch, Rockford; 3. Bobby Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 4. Gene
Marocco, Machesney Park; 5. Howie Ware, South Beloit; 6. Dana Czach, Wauconda; 7. Kris Nilson, Rockford; 8. Mike
Vines, German Valley; 9. Derek Nichol, Roscoe; 10. Robert Roush, Marengo; 11. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park; 12.
Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 13. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere; 14. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 15. Beau Lawson,
Machesney Park; 16. Kenneth Brazee III, Machesney Park; 17. Gilbert Brewer, Genoa; 18. Linnea Lundy, Loves Park;
19. Jim Ehle, Belvidere; 20. Mike Swanson, Rockford; 21. Mike Leopold, Algonquin; 22. Andrew Wells, Machesney
Park; 23. David Lignell, Rockford; 24. Marvin Butler, Rockford; 25. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 26. Jason Brockway,
Machesney Park; 27. Kyle Watts, Machesney Park; 28. Vachenzia Jester, Beloit, Wis; 29. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 30.
Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 31. Sabrina Gantz, Rockford; 32. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park.

Heat 01 -- 1. Larry Dickinson II, Cedarville; 2. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 3. Charlie Frisch, Rockford; 4. Mike Swanson,
Rockford; 5. Kenneth Brazee III, Machesney Park; 6. Kyle Watts, Machesney Park; 7. Beau Lawson, Machesney Park; 8.
Anthony (Andy) Bristol, Rockford; 9. Jason Brockway, Machesney Park.

Heat 02 -- 1. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 2. Kris Nilson, Rockford; 3. Howie Ware, South Beloit; 4. Lloyd Hawkins,
Machesney Park; 5. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 6. Vachenzia Jester, Beloit, Wis; 7. Jim Ehle, Belvidere; 8. Andrew Wells,
Machesney Park.

Heat 03 -- 1. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 2. Mike Vines, German Valley; 3. Robert Roush, Marengo; 4. Jeff
Allendorf, Belvidere; 5. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 6. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 7. Marvin Butler, Rockford.

Heat 04 -- 1. Sabrina Gantz, Rockford; 2. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 3. Bobby Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 4. Derek Nichol,
Roscoe; 5. Dana Czach, Wauconda; 6. Gilbert Brewer, Genoa; 7. Linnea Lundy, Loves Park; 8. Mike Leopold,
Challenge 01 -- 1. Robert Roush, Marengo; 2. Gilbert Brewer, Genoa; 3. Lloyd Hawkins, Machesney Park; 4. Raymond
Hardesty, McHenry; 5. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 6. Kenneth Brazee III, Machesney Park; 7. David Lignell, Rockford;
8. Kyle Watts, Machesney Park; 9. Marvin Butler, Rockford; 10. Sabrina Gantz, Rockford.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 2. Robert Roush, Marengo; 3. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 4.
Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 5. Christopher Jones, Rockford.