Matt Berger Loves Park, IL shows his jubilation to the crowd on hand after posting his feature win. (Jim Ambruoso Photo | myfinishlinephotos.com)by Eric Huenefeld
Despite consistent showings in each of his first four Late Model starts this season at Rockford Speedway, Matt Berger was not necessarily a happy driver.

Berger, the former Sportsman division champion, had finished among the top six in each race he had entered in 2012, including the season opening Spring Classic. Despite those good finishes, the Loves Park driver felt he could do better. He felt that his car was capable of more. He felt he and his team were capable of being a winner in the super competitive Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models division.

Berger was right. Saturday night he would become the third different winner in four different Late Model features, holding off the advances of “Driver X” Jon Reynolds Jr and two-time track champion Jerry Gille to become the third different winner in four Late Model features this season.

Berger would have the best seat in the house on the start of the 30 lap feature event, sitting on the outside front row. He was amongst fast company, as defending track champ Ryan Carlson was on the pole to inside of Berger. The two would nearly cause a major incident on the opening lap, as Carlson would get around in turn two, just missing Berger while bottling up the other sixteen starters in the field. Mitch Garfield, winner the Saturday night previous, would suffer the most damage in the skirmish, but would return to the track to continue.

As the field got down to business, a quartet of contenders made there way to the front. It was Berger leading Reynolds along with former Late Model Rookie of the Year Alex Papini and Gille. As Berger led, the battling for second through fourth was furious between Reynolds, Papini and Gille. After a few laps of green, Reynolds settled into second, while Gille and Papini continued an evening long battle for position. Gille would eventually win the third place battle, and Papini would settle for fourth.

Last Saturday night saw great battles throughout the field and this week promises more of the same during Loves Park Motorsports Ladies Night. All escorted ladies will be admitted free Saturday night May 12. The RoadRunners will partake in the Sam’s Drive-In Morning Make-Up Dash, action will also include the NASCAR Stanley Steemer Late Models, Bargain Hunter Sportsman, RockStar Energy RoadRunners and making their first appearance of 2012, the Crap Scrapper Hornets. Mitch Garfield recorded career feature win number one last week topping Jon Reynolds, Jr and Jerry Gille, can the sophomore sensation strike again Saturday night or will Ricky ‘The Rocket’ Bilderback leave with the trophy in hand?

Illinois Vintage Racing Media PR PhotoSunday dawned with threatening skies as we were set to open our 7th year of vintage racing at Rockford Speedway.

1st Heat
Eddie Williams of Shorewood, a Kankakee Dirt Driver made his 1st appearance on the Vintage circuit driving the Bob Pronger Car. Fast Freddy Pitner was unable to drive due to a Lawn Mower accident during the week which left him with an injured hand. He needs a roll cage on his riding mower this is the 2nd time the mower was rolled over and down his hill in Tennessee.

Eddie started on the pole of the fast heat and looked like a veteran as he withstood the pressure from Frank Slabanek Jr lap after lap. On the white flag lap Slabenak dove to the inside and Nick Club running 3rd dove to the outside making for an exciting finish. Eddie won his 1st ever asphalt race by mere inches.

2nd Heat
Ron Wilson wheeling his #28 ’57 Chevy lead the 1st lap as the cars behind him scrambled for position,. On the 2nd lap Pat Echlin took the lead. Pat Heaney scraped the wall down the front stretch Darlington Stripe style and never even lost a position holding on to 2nd place. Meanwhile, Dick “Buckshot” Kath driving the Don Waldvogel tribute chevelle was working his way through traffic from his last place starting position, Dick is no stranger to Rockford. He is a former 4 time Figure 8 champion in the 70’s.

On the 4th lap the Yellow was out for a Ron Wilson Spin in the Dale Earnhart ’55 Ford bunching up the field. As Pat Echlin was leading, the laps were winding down. Kath caught Heaney with 2 laps to go. On the white flag coming in for the checkered Dick stuffed it to the bottom and finished 2nd by inches as Pat Echlin took the win.

There was one hell of a close call when Denny Falkos #22 lost power with Pat Heaney & Dick Kath on his tail. Denny swerved to the pit ramp just in time to avoid being rear ended.

Feature
The Vintage Feature lined up but was delayed by a rain down pour for little over an hour. All the cars were loaded, then unloaded and we went racing. The Rockford Staff did an outstanding job drying the track so quickly.

Ben Hamburg started on the pole and had a comfortable lead until the 10th lap when #56 Frank Slabanek Jr. weaved through traffic past Pat Heaney who was 2nd and took the lead from Hamburg. On the 12th lap Pat Echlin was steadily moving through traffic and took over the 2nd spot. Running 4th, Pat Heaney retired to the infield with Mechanical woes on the 14th lap. Just a few laps later the yellow flag was waving for a Dick Kath spin following a sway bar failure. As the Green flag flew with 5 to go, it was Slabenak Jr 1st, Echlin 2nd and Nick Club 3rd. Nose to tail as the White flag flew, Eddie Williams moved to the outside and made a daring pass to claim 3rd at the line.

The first of four kids’ nights will take place Saturday Night May 5 at Rockford Speedway during Pepsi Night. Children ages eleven and under will be admitted free and the first five hundred kids through the gate will receive a free DOC 360/Driver X Racing poster as well as a family four pack to Mt. Olympus in Wisconsin Dells courtesy of ESPN 1380am. Racing action includes the NASCAR Stanley Steemer Late Models, Miller Lite American Short Trackers, RockStar Energy RoadRunners and the Sam’s Drive-In Stop ‘N Go Race. All kids are invited onto the track for the Kid’s Pinata Candy Scramble prior to feature racing.

Jerry Gille #99 Roscoe, Illinois takes the lead down the backstretch on his way his feature win. (Jim Ambruoso Photo)by Eric Huenefeld
In one of the great late race charges in recent memory, Belvidere's Brett McCoy thrilled the fans of Rockford Speedway Saturday night as he nabbed the checkered flag in the 25 lap Bargain Hunter Sportsman feature event. McCoy, in only his second race behind the wheel of a Sportsman, advanced from sixth spot to first in the race's final ten laps to secure the victory and make a little history for himself along the way.

Wisconsin driver Kody Hubred and six-time Rockford Speedway champion Scott Lawver would lead the Sportsman field to the green duing Tractor Town Night, with Lawver finally clearing Hubred for the lead on lap three. Hubred would hang tough on the bottom side of the speedway for about half of the event, before falling out of the top five. Lawver, meanwhile, would hold the lead somewhat comfortably thru the race's first ten laps.

As the event moved towards halfway, former Rookie of the Year Justin Sellers began to close on Lawver's bumper. With this development, a game of high-speed chess began between the two drivers. Lawver would run his line, yet play defense on Sellers, while Sellers would stay inches off the bumper of the leader, looking to force him into a mistake. Behind the lead duo, a furious battles raged. Much like the week prior, Darrell Garman and Doug Bennett raced hard. However instead of battling for the first place trophy this week, the two former champions were dueling for fourth. Behind them, Hubred and his teammate Kyle Chwala along with McCoy would battle for the fifth spot.

McCoy would make his move on Hubred and Chwala with ten laps remaining and enter the top five. He would close quickly on Bennett and Garman, passing them both within a few laps and sending both drivers into a four-way battle with Hubred and Chwala for fifth. McCoy then quickly pounced on the lead three of Lawver, Sellers and Rob Goodman. As McCoy passed Goodman with three laps remaining, the action at the front got hot. Sellers and Lawver began to battle each other, as well as their respective race cars. This allowed McCoy to quickly close on the top two. McCoy made his move on Sellers with a lap and a half to go and as the white flag flew, slipped inside of Lawver. McCoy would clear Lawver on the last lap and steal his first ever Sportsman feature win.

The wild action of Figure 8 racing joins in the fun this Saturday night April 28 during Tractor Town Buck Night at Rockford Speedway. See the daredevils dash in and out of the X just inches apart. The Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models, Bargain Hunter Sportsman and RockStar Energy RoadRunners will headline the night which also includes the Sam’s Drive-In RockStar Race. Last week saw phenomenal racing in all divisions with Jerry Gille holding off a determined Casey Johnson, Dave Edwards, Driver X Jon Reynolds, Jr and Ricky “The Rocket” Bilderback in Late Model action. Nick Cina, Jr inched ahead of George Sparkman during a highly entertaining American Short Tracker feature. Darrell Garman topped Doug Bennett in Sportsman action and the ageless wonder Gene Marocco at seventy one years young topped the RoadRunner competition. Be sure to check out the MacCloskey Kesler & Associates LLP Wreck of the Week on our website for a better view of the RoadRunner accident that has
everyone talking.

Pit gates will open at 3, spectator gates open at 5, qualifying begins at 5:55 with the Stateline Staffing Services Dashes Going Green at 7:07pm Saturday night. Adult general admission is just $12, students ages 12-17 are $8, kids 6-11 are $5 with children ages 5 and under admitted free. Remember the first one thousand race fans through the gate will receive a free set of hand warmers this Saturday night.

DOLLAR MENU SATURDAY NIGHT APRIL 28
Race fans will be treated to a special dollar menu during Tractor Town Buck Night. Those items include: