By: Kevin Ramsell
Saturday, September 01, 2007 (Loves Park, IL) – The battle for the Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Model championship literally came down to the final lap with Ricky Bilderback capturing the win and his seventh straight championship over Jerry Gille. Also, Charlie Frisch took home the Coca-Cola Roadrunner championship while Tim Melvin narrowed BJ Sparkman’s lead in the Budweiser American Short Tracker division.

The eyes were on Gille and Bilderback at the start of the Whelen 30-lap feature event. Gille held a seven-point lead going into the feature event, meaning that Bilderback had to finish at least four spots ahead of Gille to claim the championship.

At the start of the feature, Bilderback started eighth and quickly started to work his way to the front where he was up to second by lap eight.

Gille started 14th and was up to seventh by lap 10. Bilderback knew that he had to at least win the feature in order to have a good shot of taking the championship away from Gille.

At the halfway point, Bilderback was running second while Gille was in fifth, giving Bilderback a one point lead. With 11 laps to go, Bilderback made his move to the top spot by getting by leader Tim Sargent on the inside going down the backstretch.

The caution flew a lap later when Scott McGinnis spun in turn four. On the re-start, Bilderback was in the lead with Gille choosing to re-start on the outside lane. The choice didn’t allow Gille to gain any spots.

Bilderback would go on to collect his fifth feature win of the year with Matt Berger in second and Sargent in third. Jon Reynolds Jr. was fourth and Gille ended up fifth.

With Bilderback’s win and Gille’s fifth place finish, Bilderback captured his seventh straight championship by only one point, the closest finish in the 60 year history.

“I really didn’t deserve it this time,” a humbled Bildberback stated in victory lane. “As a team we deserve it, but it takes so much luck to win. With Jerry blowing a motor earlier, you can’t foresee that, we could have had a flat tire or broke something ourselves. It feels good, it really does.”

“We have really nothing to complain about,” Gille stated after the race. “It’s a hard pill to swallow, but we will move on and come back and race hard next year.”

The top two in points battled all the way to the checkered flag in the Budweiser American Short Tracker feature.

Melvin would get the jump on the start of the 25-lap feature event. While BJ Sparkman started ninth and worked his way towards the front. BJ wouldn’t have any easy time getting to the front as he had to battle his brother George for the second spot at the halfway point.

George Sparkman would fall off the pace in the late going and this allowed BJ Sparkman to focus on catching Melvin. With 10 laps to go, Sparkman would catch up to the rear bumper of Melvin. Sparkman would make many attempts to get by Melvin on the inside but his car would get loose off the corners. At the line, it was Melvin picking up his fourth feature win of the year over Sparkman.

Aaron Rude would come third with Steve Allman in fourth. Nick Cina Jr. rounded out the top five.

Frisch locked up the Coca-Cola RoadRunner championship by winning the feature event.

Frisch started 11th in the 20-lap feature event and worked his way up to sixth by lap five. Three laps later, Frisch moved into second looked to take over the top spot from early leader Ronald Stoltz. It only took a lap and Frisch was leading the pack.

Frisch would go on to hold off Terrance Robinson to the win and lock up the championship. Joshua Lundy was third with Chris Gantz in fourth. Vachenzia Jester rounded out the top five.

“It was a good season for me,” Frisch said after the race. “I was a nervous wreck all day, all I wanted to do was win this.”

Next Saturday night it’s the Budweiser Night of Thrills presented by LaMonica Beverages. The Big Dawg Monster Truck will be here along with the Crap Scrapper Hornets, Spectacular Drags, Roll Over Contest, Figure 8 Train Race, Skid Cars, Monster Truck Rides, School Bus Ultimate Destruction and the World Championships of Auto Soccer as Team USA will take on Team Internationale. The action gets underway at 7:07 p.m.
Make your plans now to be a part of the 42nd Annual Chicago International Trucks National Short Track Championships on September 28-30th at the Rockford Speedway. It will be “One Great Racing Weekend!”

NASCAR American Short Trackers
A-Main 01 -- 1. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 2. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 3. Aaron Rude, Cambridge, Wis; 4. Steven Allman, Oconomowoc, Wis; 5. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 6. Larry Dickinson II, Rockford; 7. Kenny Marcellis (r), West Chicago; 8. Reid Nuttall (r), Machesney Park; 9. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 10. Jeffery Turnure, Rockford; 11. Zach Rodriguez (r), Rockton; 12. Dave Lee, Rockford; 13. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 14. Randy Samples, Rockton; 15. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 16. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 17. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 18. Nick Letsinger, Rockford; 19. Rob Baaske, Rockford.
Heat 01 -- 1. Jeffery Turnure, Rockford; 2. Zach Rodriguez (r), Rockton; 3. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 4. Dave Lee, Rockford; 5. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 6. Nick Letsinger, Rockford; 7. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley.

Heat 02 -- 1. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 2. Larry Dickinson II, Rockford; 3. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park; 4. Reid Nuttall (r), Machesney Park; 5. Kenny Marcellis (r), West Chicago; 6. Rob Baaske, Rockford.

Heat 03 -- 1. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 2. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 3. Aaron Rude, Cambridge, Wis; 4. Randy Samples, Rockton; 5. Steven Allman, Oconomowoc, Wis; 6. George Sparkman, Loves Park.

Time Trial -- 1. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 2. Aaron Rude, Cambridge, Wis; 3. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 4. Randy Samples, Rockton; 5. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 6. Steven Allman, Oconomowoc, Wis; 7. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 8. Larry Dickinson II, Rockford; 9. Reid Nuttall (r), Machesney Park; 10. Keith Pierce, Machesney Park;11. Kenny Marcellis (r), West Chicago; 12. Rob Baaske, Rockford; 13. Jack Atchison, Stillman Valley; 14. Jeffery Turnure, Rockford; 15. Zach Rodriguez (r), Rockton; 16. Artt Higbee, Rockford; 17. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 18. Nick Letsinger, Rockford; 19. Dave Lee, Rockford.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. George Sparkman, Loves Park; 2. Steven Allman, Oconomowoc, Wis; 3. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park; 4. Nick Cina, Jr, Roscoe; 5. Boyce (BJ) Sparkman, Machesney Park; 6. Aaron Rude, Cambridge, Wis.

NASCAR Late Models
A-Main 01 -- 1. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 2. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 3. Tim Sargent (r), South Beloit; 4. Jon Reynolds,Jr., Roscoe; 5. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 6. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 7. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 8. Billy McCoy, Belvidere; 9. Jake Gille, Winnebago; 10. Steve Hillary (r), Machesney Park; 11. Leonard Reimer, Beloit, Wis; 12. Justin Wagner, South Beloit; 13. Scott McGinnis (r), Sugar Grove.

Heat 01 -- 1. Jake Gille, Winnebago; 2. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 3. Tim Sargent (r), South Beloit; 4. Scott McGinnis (r), Sugar Grove; 5. Billy McCoy, Belvidere; 6. Leonard Reimer, Beloit, Wis; 7. Steve Hillary (r), Machesney Park; 8. Justin Wagner, South Beloit.

Heat 02 -- 1. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 2. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Roscoe; 3. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 4. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 5. Jeremy Miller, Rockton; 6. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park.

Time Trial -- 1. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 2. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Roscoe; 3. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 4. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 5. Jeremy Miller, Rockton; 6. John Knaus, Rockford; 7. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 8. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 9. Tim Sargent (r), South Beloit; 10. Scott McGinnis (r), Sugar Grove; 11. Billy McCoy, Belvidere; 12. Jake Gille, Winnebago; 13. Leonard Reimer, Beloit, Wis; 14. Steve Hillary (r), Machesney Park; 15. Justin Wagner, South Beloit.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Ricky Bilderback, Rockton; 2. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 3. Matt Berger, Loves Park; 4. Jerry Gille,Roscoe; 5. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Roscoe; 6. Jeremy Miller, Rockton.

NASCAR Road Runners
A-Main 01 -- 1. Charlie Frisch, South Beloit; 2. Terrance Robinson, South Beloit; 3. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 4. Chris Gantz, Rockford; 5. Vachenzia Jester, Beloit, Wis; 6. Dennis Smith, Jr, South Beloit; 7. Lennard Groleau, S. Beloit; 8. Ronald Stoltz, Rockford; 9. Sam Christofano, Rockford; 10. Andrew Wells, Machesney Park; 11. Beau Lawson, Machesney Park; 12. Dan Sander, Rockton; 13. Robert Roush, Woodstock; 14. Arlyn Roush, Woodstock; 15. Mike Leopold, Algonquin; 16. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 17. Steve Talley, Rockford; 18. Thomas Barclay, Roscoe; 19. Shannon Stoltz, Machesney Park; 20. Dave Lumsden, Jr., Rockford; 21. Robert Bielefeldt, Machesney Park; 22. Richard Edge, Marengo; 23. Curt Nighswonger, Rockford; 24. Christopher Jones, Rockford.

Last Chance "A" 01 -- 1. Charlie Frisch, South Beloit; 2. Vachenzia Jester, Beloit, Wis; 3. Mike Leopold, Algonquin; 4. Chris Gantz, Rockford; 5. Beau Lawson, Machesney Park; 6. Shannon Stoltz, Machesney Park; 7. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 8. Arlyn Roush, Woodstock; 9. Thomas Barclay, Roscoe; 10. Steve Talley, Rockford; 11. Dave Lumsden, Jr., Rockford; 12. Dana Czach, Wauconda; 13. Robert Bielefeldt, Machesney Park; 14. Jerry Edge, Marengo; 15. Justin Smith, Rockford; 16. Kyle Rogers, Loves Park; 17. John Logan, Jr., Loves Park.

Heat 01 -- 1. Curt Nighswonger, Rockford; 2. Ronald Stoltz, Rockford; 3. Richard Edge, Marengo; 4. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 5. Dave Lumsden, Jr., Rockford; 6. Kyle Rogers, Loves Park; 7. Mike Leopold, Algonquin; 8. Thomas Barclay, Roscoe; 9. Jerry Edge, Marengo; 10. Andrew Wells, Machesney Park; 11. William (BJ) Muraski, Stillman Valley; 12. Justin Smith, Rockford.

Heat 02 -- 1. Lennard Groleau, S. Beloit; 2. Dan Sander, Rockton; 3. Robert Roush, Woodstock; 4. Steve Talley, Rockford; 5. Mark Bielefeldt, Loves Park; 6. Beau Lawson, Machesney Park; 7. Dana Czach, Wauconda; 8. Sam Christofano, Rockford; 9. Arlyn Roush, Woodstock; 10. Shannon Stoltz, Machesney Park.

Heat 03 -- 1. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park; 2. Dennis Smith, Jr, South Beloit; 3. Terrance Robinson, South Beloit; 4. Charlie Frisch, South Beloit; 5. John Logan, Jr., Loves Park; 6. Vachenzia Jester, Beloit, Wis; 7. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 8. Chris Gantz, Rockford; 9. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 10. Robert Bielefeldt, Machesney Park.

Challenge 01 -- 1. Lennard Groleau, S. Beloit; 2. Brian Beebe;; 3. Arlyn Roush, Woodstock; 4. Richard Edge, Marengo; 5. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 6. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 7. Shannon Stoltz, Machesney Park; 8. Chris Gantz, Rockford; 9. Steve Hillary (r), Machesney Park; 10. Curt Nighswonger, Rockford; 11. Robert Bielefeldt, Machesney Park.

Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. John Logan, Jr., Loves Park; 2. Charlie Frisch, South Beloit; 3. Vachenzia Jester, Beloit, Wis; 4. Sam Christofano, Rockford; 5. Christopher Jones, Rockford; 6. Andrew Wells, Machesney Park.