LOVES PARK, Ill. (Friday, July 22nd, 2011) – Defending champion Ryan Carlson certainly appreciated the history associated with the ‘All-Star 100’ at Rockford Speedway after arriving in victory lane last July. Wearing the wreath just one year after a devastating accident forced him to deal with shattered vertebrae and sport a neck brace, the current Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models points leader will return in hopes of defending his title during next weekend’s 19th running of the event that has seen acclaimed victors like Dick Trickle, Mark Martin, Joe Shear, and Bobby Allison amongst others.

Also making the trek to the vaunted facility in its incredible 64th consecutive season of operation will be Chicagoland legend Eddie Hoffman who collected the trophy in this race in 2007. Fresh off a victory last weekend at Illiana, Hoffman is the current top gun in the JEGS CRA All-Stars Tour and is looking for a measure of redemption after Carlson fended off his last-race advances in last year’s event to win by a couple of feet.

“Eddie’s certainly a lot smarter than I am,” ‘RC’ admitted last season. “He knows how to run clean and if he wanted to get somewhere, like around me, I’m sure he could have used that bumper to get it done.”

While the modest Carlson has continuously contended in touring series events and denotes Rockford as his home track, Hoffman has never shied away from success at the high-banked quarter-mile with three National Short Track Championships amongst a scattered assortment of other victories. They wont be the only two contenders next Saturday though as 2009 NSTC champ Josh Nelms, 15-year-old rising star Erik Jones, and rookie-of-the-year candidate Jeg Coughlin will all look to have a say in the final outcome.

Fans will be treated to an exciting doubleheader of late model action with the ‘All-Star 100’ and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Weekly Series Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models taking to the asphalt oval for their 30-lap main event. Also on tap are the Mtn Dew RoadRunners and the Sam’s Drive-In RoadRunner Challenge featuring the Pretzel Race.

Adult admission is $20 and a five dollar coupon is available on the event flyer featured on the track website; students ages 12-17 cost $10 while kids ages 6-11 are just $5 and children 5 and under get in for FREE! Spectator gates open at 5pm with qualifying set to get underway at 5:45pm and the green flag waving on the first big race of the evening at 7:07pm.

For more information on the JEGS CRA All-Stars Series, visit the series website at www.craracing.net.

For more information on the Rockford Speedway, including an event flyer and more, visit the track website at www.rockfordspeedway.com or contact the Speedway Box Office at (815)633-1500.

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Former Rockford Speedway All-Star 100 Winners

Year Name Series

1978 Dick Trickle ARTGO
1979 Mark Martin ARTGO
1980 Dick Trickle ARTGO
1981 Joe Shear ARTGO
1982 Dave Watson ARTGO
1983 Dick Trickle ARTGO
1984 Bobby Allison ARTGO
1985 Joe Shear ARTGO
1986 Dick Trickle ARTGO
1987 Al Schill ARTGO
1988 Butch Miller ARTGO
1990 Larry Schuler ARTGO
1991 Kevin Cywinski ARTGO
1992 Joe Shear ARTGO
2007 Eddie Hoffman ASA Late Models
2008 Trent Snyder ASA Late Models North
2009 Ross Kenseth ASA Late Models North
2010 Ryan Carlson ASA Late Models North