By Jordan Kuehne

LOVES PARK, IL (Wednesday, June 17, 2009) – After a brief hiatus from the Rockford Speedway, Alex Papini returned to victory lane tonight on the opening Wednesday night at the Rockford Speedway. Papini held off a hard-charging Gene Marocco to collect the first feature win for the 2009 Mtn Dew RoadRunner Super Summer Series. Nick Lasher also made his return to victory lane tonight at Rockford in the Crap Scrappers Hornet swarm. Rachael Pinkerman, Dwight Dunlap, Felisha Morgan, Cory Cootware and Tom Schneider also brought home feature victories.

Andrew Wells led the 16 car field to the green flag in the 25-lap main event for the Mtn Dew RoadRunners on their opening night of 2009 Super Summer Series action. Wells quickly came under fire from Joe LaMarca and Lennard Groleau until a caution three laps into the race ended Groleau’s night early. LaMarca used the restart to dive under Wells in turn one and take the top spot bringing Alex Papini with him.

Papini made his move with ten laps to go, using the inside line to get by LaMarca as fast qualifier Gene Marocco followed him into second. Marocco and Papini would go bumper to bumper over the final ten laps as the two battled for the win. Papini managed to hold off Marocco for the top spot, marking his return to the RoadRunners with a feature win.

“I was just trying to bring it home in one piece and hang on there at the end,” a happy Papini stated in victory lane. “It’s always nice to bring home some hardware.”

Kris Nilson, LaMarca and Beau Lawson completed the top five.

Justin Pearson grabbed the early lead in the Crap Scrappers Hornets 15-lap swarm. Nick Lasher made an early move to second, setting his sights on the leader four laps in. Despite Pearson’s best efforts, Lasher managed to take the top spot and grab the lead.

Lasher put his mirror down with three laps remaining as a fast closing Allen Bekielewski tried to chase him down for the win. Lasher held him off though, crossing the checkered flag in front of Bekielewski by a car-length.

Pearson, Mark Vicencio and Steve McBride rounded out the top five.

An exciting 15-lap INEX Legends feature witnessed Aaron Moyer take the checkered flag first but Barrington Hills native Rachael Pinkerman collect the trophy. After dueling the first 13 laps, Moyer and Pinkerman touched in turn one sending Moyer around.

Moyer restarted third and jumped the start, passing Johnny Magnuson Jr. before he crossed the start/finish line and eventually completing the pass on Pinkerman for the lead. After the race, it was reported from race officials that Moyer had jumped the start giving Pinkerman the win and Magnuson Jr. the runner-up spot.

Dwight Dunlap made it two for two at Rockford in 2009, bringing home the Allison Legacy Cars 12-lap headliner one month after collecting the first Allison Legacy feature of the season at the high-banked quarter-mile.

Dunlap started on point for the feature and staved off numerous challenges from a hungry Michael Bilderback, who was fresh off a Late Model win at Madison International Speedway last Friday, to claim the checkers.

Heat winner Mark Hayes, making his way from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa for the race, took home third while Bill Fox took the fourth spot.

The Stateline Staffing Services Winged Woman on Wheels opening event of the season featured Felisha Morgan driving from the back of the field to the front in just 12 laps to take home the main event for the ladies.

Morgan didn’t have it easy, holding off a determined Robin Ulrey over the final five circuits for the win.

Olivia Chance, American Short Tracker driver Rachel Sparkman and Jenn Bohlken finished off the top five.

5th grader Cory Cootware brought home the trophy for the INEX Bandoleros 8-lap feature. Cootware, hailing from Iron Mountain, Michigan, held off Johnny Kringas and Joshua James for the victory.

Tom Schneider outlasted Jonathon Stoltz and Lloyd Hawkins for the National Figure 8 League’s opening night victory.

David Russell, a weekly American Short Tracker driver, raced his 1991 Acura to the victory in Spectacular Drags.

Next up at the Rockford Speedway is the annual Loves Park Policeman vs. Businessmen Grudge Race Friday night. All tickets are just $5 and the racing action gets underway at 7:07pm.

The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series returns to action this Saturday night for the Nason’s Landscaping Father’s Day Weekend Special. The Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models, Bargain Hunter Sportsman and Mtn Dew RoadRunners all take on the high-banked quarter-mile plus the Sam’s Drive-In RoadRunner Challenge will feature RoadRunner Smokey Burnouts. The Popeye’s Mini Grand Prix is also on tap plus Aaron’s Sales & Lease will be sponsoring a Big Screen Give-A-Way. The green flag will fly at 7:07pm with qualifying scheduled for 5:45pm and spectator gates opening at 5pm.

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.

Allison Legacy's

A-Main 01 -- 1. Dwight Dunlap, Machesney Park; 2. Michael Bilderback, South Beloit; 3. Mark Hayes, Mt. Pleasant,
Iowa; 4. Bill Fox, Machesney Park.

Heat 01 -- 1. Mark Hayes, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; 2. Michael Bilderback, South Beloit; 3. Dwight Dunlap, Machesney Park;
4. Bill Fox, Machesney Park.

INEX Bandoleros

A-Main 01 -- 1. Cory Cootware, Iron Mountain, Mich.; 2. Johnny Kringas, Homer Glen; 3. Joshua James, Saukville, Wis.

Heat 01 -- 1. Cory Cootware, Iron Mountain, Mich.; 2. Joshua James, Saukville, Wis; 3. Johnny Kringas, Homer Glen; 4.
TJ Grawkowski, Jackson, Wis.

INEX Legends

A-Main 01 -- 1. Rachel Pinkerman, Barrington Hills; 2. John Magnuson;; 3. Aaron Moyer, Fond Du Lac, Wis.

Heat 01 -- 1. Aaron Moyer, Fond Du Lac, Wis; 2. Rachel Pinkerman, Barrington Hills; 3. John Magnuson;; 4. Cory
Cootware, Iron Mountain, Mich..

Time Trial -- 1. Aaron Moyer, Fond Du Lac, Wis; 2. Rachel Pinkerman, Barrington Hills; 3. John Magnuson;; 4. Cory
Cootware, Iron Mountain, Mich..

RoadRunner Summer Rumble

A-Main 01 -- 1. Alex Papini, Machesney Park; 2. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 3. Kris Nilson, Rockford; 4. Joe
LaMarca, Rockford; 5. Beau Lawson, Machesney Park; 6. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 7. Jonathan Stoltz, Fort Wainwright,
Alaska; 8. Andrew Wells, Machesney Park; 9. Justin Hawkins, Machesney Park; 10. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 11. Jason Brockway, Machesney Park; 12. Lennard Groleau, S. Beloit; 13. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 14. David Lounsbury,
Beloit, Wis; 15. Ronald Stoltz, Rockford; 16. Mike Vines, German Valley.

Heat 01 -- 1. Mike Vines, German Valley; 2. Beau Lawson, Machesney Park; 3. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 4. Jason
Brockway, Machesney Park; 5. Andrew Wells, Machesney Park; 6. Jonathan Stoltz, Fort Wainwright, Alaska; 7. Lennard
Groleau, S. Beloit; 8. Ronald Stoltz, Rockford; 9. Justin Hawkins, Machesney Park; 10. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere; 11. David Lounsbury, Beloit, Wis.

Heat 02 -- 1. Charlie Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 2. Kris Nilson, Rockford; 3. Alex Papini, Machesney Park; 4. John Logan, Jr.,
Loves Park; 5. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 6. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 7. Joe LaMarca, Rockford; 8. Ricky Nielsen,
Rockford.

Time Trial -- 1. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 2. Alex Papini, Machesney Park; 3. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 4. Charlie
Frisch, Beloit, Wis; 5. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 6. Kris Nilson, Rockford; 7. John Logan, Jr., Loves Park; 8. Joe LaMarca,
Rockford; 9. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 10. Lennard Groleau, S. Beloit; 11. Andrew Wells, Machesney Park; 12. Jeff
Allendorf, Belvidere; 13. Jason Brockway, Machesney Park; 14. Mike Vines, German Valley; 15. Beau Lawson,
Machesney Park; 16. David Lounsbury, Beloit, Wis.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Alex Papini, Machesney Park; 2. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 3. Kris Nilson, Rockford; 4. Gene
Marocco, Machesney Park; 5. Richard Nielsen, Byron.

Hornets

A-Main 01 -- 1. Nick Lasher, Machesney Park; 2. Alan Bekielewski, Roscoe; 3. Justin Pearson, Belvidere; 4. Mark
Vicencio, Rockford; 5. Steve McBride, South Beloit; 6. Bryan Ellis, Loves Park; 7. Vinny Mangiaracina, Rockford; 8. Jake
Vicencio, Rockford; 9. Tim Dix, Beloit, Wis; 10. Derek Dixon, Janesville, Wis; 11. Randy Reynolds, Rockford; 12. David
Pautsch, Jr, Roscoe; 13. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 14. Solomon Barker, South Beloit; 15. Dustin Dixon, Janesville,
Wis; 16. Jason Davenport, Machesney Park; 17. Richard Remer, Winnebago; 18. Brian Mayer, Machesney Park; 19.
Ryan Ostenson, Beloit, Wis; 20. Erik Pearson, Beloit, Wis; 21. Steve Lizer, Rockford; 22. Allen Meyers, Beloit, Wis; 23.
Brad Henry, Rockford; 24. Danny Heavin, Rockford.

Heat 01 -- 1. Vinny Mangiaracina, Rockford; 2. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 3. Randy Reynolds, Rockford; 4. Derek
Dixon, Janesville, Wis; 5. Steve Lizer, Rockford; 6. Richard Remer, Winnebago; 7. Danny Heavin, Rockford; 8. Allen
Meyers, Beloit, Wis; 9. Dustin Dixon, Janesville, Wis; 10. Jason Davenport, Machesney Park.

Heat 02 -- 1. Mark Vicencio, Rockford; 2. Nick Lasher, Machesney Park; 3. Justin Pearson, Belvidere; 4. Tim Dix, Beloit,
Wis; 5. Erik Pearson, Beloit, Wis; 6. Ryan Ostenson, Beloit, Wis; 7. Devon Dixon, Janesville, Wis; 8. David Pautsch, Jr,
Roscoe; 9. Scott Schelling, Rockton.

Heat 03 -- 1. Bryan Ellis, Loves Park; 2. Alan Bekielewski, Roscoe; 3. Steve McBride, South Beloit; 4. Solomon Barker,
South Beloit; 5. Brad Henry, Rockford; 6. Jake Vicencio, Rockford; 7. Brian Mayer, Machesney Park.

Challenge 01 -- 1. Derek Dixon, Janesville, Wis; 2. Mark Vicencio, Rockford; 3. Steve McBride, South Beloit; 4. David
Pautsch, Jr, Roscoe; 5. Jake Vicencio, Rockford; 6. Erik Pearson, Beloit, Wis; 7. Dustin Dixon, Janesville, Wis; 8. David
Russell (r), Rockford; 9. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 10. Brad Henry, Rockford; 11. Allen Meyers, Beloit, Wis; 12. Nick
Lasher, Machesney Park; 13. Devon Dixon, Janesville, Wis.

National Figure 8 League

A-Main 01 -- 1. Tom Schneider, Machesney Park; 2. Jonathan Stoltz, Fort Wainwright, Alaska; 3. Lloyd Hawkins,
Machesney Park.

Winged Women on Wheels

A-Main 01 -- 1. Felisha Morgan, Rockton; 2. Robin Ulrey, Rockford; 3. Olivia Chance, Roscoe; 4. Rachel Sparkman,
Loves Park; 5. Jenn Bohlken, Rockford; 6. Allison Nichol, Roscoe.

Heat 01 -- 1. Robin Ulrey, Rockford; 2. Felisha Morgan, Rockton; 3. Rachel Sparkman, Loves Park; 4. Allison Nichol,
Roscoe; 5. Jenn Bohlken, Rockford; 6. Olivia Chance, Roscoe.