Carlson Races to Redemption at Rockford, Holds
off Hoffman for 'All-Star 100' Glory
By Jordan Kuehne
Loves Park, IL (July 24, 2010) – Ryan
Carlson’s comeback was already complete – he had
successfully returned to racing after a devastating wreck left
him with a broken back and questioning his future in the sport.
Tonight, Carlson put the proverbial cherry on top of his giant
ice cream sundae, winning in front of his hometown fans at the
Rockford Speedway in the same race that ended his season one
year ago. Jumping out front when the green flag waved on the
ASALMS North ‘All-Star 100’, the local driver had
the car to beat until the last 15 laps when wily veteran Eddie
Hoffman lived up to his nickname, showing how ‘Fast’ he
was when he closed up to Carlson’s bumper and looked for
the win. Carlson’s home track advantage no doubt played
a role as he held Hoffman in his rearview mirror and beat him
to the checkers by less than a car length in a great finish.
In the Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models headliner, Tim Sargent
padded his points lead with his third feature win of
the year, topping a 23 car field for the hard-fought victory.
Anthony Lloyd, Jarrett James, and Ed Ensor also collected feature
wins on the evening.
The main event of the evening, the ASA Late Model Series North
Division ‘All-Star 100’, got off to a fast start
as local driver Ryan Carlson jumped out front and into the early
lead. Pulling double duty on the evening, Carlson had a three
car-length cushion over ‘Fast’ Eddie Hoffman when
the caution flew courtesy of a solo spin by Seth Moody on the
backstretch.
With eight laps in the books, Carlson cruised to a comfortable
margin on the restart as Hoffman steadied himself in second.
14-year-old Erik Jones pursued the veteran in third as fast qualifier
Jesse Saunders eyed the top three.
Saunders aggressively asserted himself as a factor challenging
Jones on the inside only to have the door slammed shut. Two laps
later, Saunders’ second effort paid off as Jones loosened
up exiting turn four forcing the young gun to slow it down as
Saunders blew by and took third. Defending National Short Track
Champion Josh Nelms toppled Anthony Danta for fifth as he worked
his way into the top five with a quarter of the race completed.
Six laps later, a wild ride around the turn four barrier sent
Naperville driver Brad Plunkett careening into a very unfortunate
Seth Moody, who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A hard hit crippled the right rear of Moody’s hot rod and
caved in Plunkett’s front end, bringing their nights to
a halt with 31 laps tallied.
On the ensuing restart, Hoffman didn’t let Carlson get
away, keeping him within shouting distance as Saunders began
to set up a pass for the second spot. As Saunders worked on Hoffman,
the leader began to slowly edge away out front.
With 53 circuits remaining, Nelms’ bid for a repeat of
his historic National Short Track Championship last fall came
to a stunning close when his machine broke coming out of turn
two and snapped his back end around before spinning him into
the infield. Carlson dashed back to the lead on the restart as ‘Fast’ Eddie
tried to keep pace behind him.
With the laps ticking off and the leaders pacing themselves
up front, the best battle on the track was for sixth as Anthony
Danta and Trevor Dassow dueled. Dassow threw his car into turn
two a notch too hard causing the young gun to slip up and costing
him a spot as he gathered it back up. Up front, Carlson began
to build a solid margin as Hoffman did the same to Saunders in
third.
As the race entered the closing stages, ‘Fast’ Eddie
turned up the heat on Carlson, chipping away at his cushion until
it was down to a single car length with 22 laps to go. Hoffman
had found his groove and was about to make his move with 20 circuits
remaining when the proceedings came to a halt for the fourth
time on the evening after 16-year-old Jared Marks and Dassow
made contact and spun in tandem in turn four. While the race
was under caution, Mike Beyer sacrificed his fifth place position
and exited to the pits after he ran out of fuel on the frontstretch.
Immediately after the race went back to green, Marks’ wounded
machine came to a sudden stop on the backstretch and brought
out the yellow setting up a 19-lap shootout to the finish. Marks
returned to the show at the rear just in time for the green flag
as Carlson calmly drove back to the lead ahead of Hoffman.
As Carlson broke away from the field, the second place Hoffman
fell into the clutches of Saunders who eyed the spot and a late
race charge. Hoffman hustled away from Saunders as his car began
to hit its stride, slowly tracking down the leader and shaving
time off the gap to Carlson’s car.
With five laps to go, Hoffman had cut down the lead to less
than a car length, setting up a potential late race move for
the win as he peeked on the inside and waited for a chance to
pounce. That chance never came as Carlson managed to barely keep
enough space between a charging Hoffman and himself, never presenting ‘Fast’ Eddie
with the opportunity to get alongside him and work his way by
him.
While Hoffman nipped at Carlson’s heels over the final
five laps, he simply ran out of time as the local hero’s
knowledge of the high banks proved invaluable. The wire-to-wire
win helped round out a great evening for Kar Korner as Carlson
responded in the same race that ended his season in devastating
fashion just one year earlier.
“I think he is a whole lot smarter than I am,” an
emotional Carlson admitted in the winner’s circle after
accepting his trophy and wrapping the traditional Rockford Speedway
champion’s wreath around his neck. “He stayed back,
saved his tires, and here I was literally driving the wheels
off my car. If there would have been five more laps, he would
have gotten me. I was just holding on for dear life there at
the end.”
Carlson was surrounded by family and friends as he celebrated
his amazing comeback, one year after a spectacular wreck left
the local driver to face devastating injuries, mired in a neck
brace for months after he shattered his vertebrae in the late
race crash that sent his car through the billboards in turn four.
“I’ve helped a lot of guys out of the way here,” stated
an understanding Hoffman after the race. “And we had a
shot to move Ryan out of the way with the excuse that we were
a hair faster. We had some laps to think about it but I wasn’t
going to knock him out of the way or wreck him. First would have
been nice but it wasn’t worth wrecking (Ryan). He ran a
good race and deserved it.”
Hoffman garnered a stellar second place effort while fast qualifier
Jesse Saunders came home in third. Young Erik Jones had a solid
fourth place finish as Anthony Danta rounded out the top five
in fifth.
Chad Stevens jumped out front in the early stages of the 30-lap
headliner for the Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models. Young gun
Tanner Whitten quickly maneuvered into second as he set his sights
on the Madison International Speedway regular and the top spot.
Points leader Tim Sargent wasted no time moving up from his
fifth-place starting position into third before targeting Whitten
and the bridesmaid’s spot. Sargent zoomed by Whitten and
immediately closed up to Stevens’ back bumper, working
his way into the lead in a swift four laps.
Veteran Tom Gille returned to the high banks of the Rockford
Speedway in style, collecting second from Whitten as he delved
deep on the low line. Whitten dropped another spot to his teammate
and mentor, Ryan Carlson, who took away third as the halfway
point came and went.
The first caution flew with 12 circuits remaining for a pileup
in turn one involving ‘Driver X’, fast qualifier
Jon Reynolds Jr, as well as Kyle Shear who spun to avoid him
and ended up making contact. Reynolds Jr. exited to the pits
for repairs while Shear regained his spot in the field because
he was spinning to avoid the incident.
On the ensuing restart, Carlson mashed the gas on the bottom
groove to charge into second and shut the door on Gille as Sargent
slowly built a cushion up front. Gille wasn’t going to
give up on second that easy though, fighting back to Carlson’s
back bumper and peeking on the inside as Whitten joined the fray
to make it a three-car battle.
As the race wound down into the closing stages, Mikie Breiner
took a solo trip through the spin cycle in turn three and caused
the back end of the field to stack up as Nick Shutkas and Dave
Edwards spun to avoid and were allowed to take their spots back.
The restart was short-lived as one lap later a charging Jerry
Gille made contact with Kyle Shear sending Shear hard into the
outside retaining wall. Shear rode the barrier for well over
20 feet until careening back onto the track in front of a helpless
Tanner Whitten who smashed into Shear’s mangled machine.
Both drivers walked away unharmed but their races were over,
victims of unfortunate circumstances that cost them top five
runs. Gille was sent to the rear of the field for his involvement
in the melee as four laps remained in Sargent’s quest for
victory lane.
Sargent surged ahead of the field on the final restart and hit
his marks over the final four circuits to collect his third feature
victory of the season, padding his points lead to a comfortable
45 markers.
“The car was good again,” a pleased Sargent stated
in victory lane. “I felt like I had the car to beat again
tonight and it really came to as the night wore on. Once I got
out front, I knew I had some company coming but the car felt
so good out there.”
Carlson rounded off a great night with a stellar second place
run before jumping into his ASA car and winning. Tom Gille’s
return warranted his hard-earned third while Eddie May found
his way up to fourth. Chad Stevens’ return to the high
banks was rewarded with a top five as he finished off the top
five in fifth.
Brad Jones jumped out to an early lead in the final event of
the evening, the 20-lap Mtn Dew RoadRunners feature. Jones held
off a 25 car field for nine laps before Anthony Lloyd overpowered
him on lap nine and commandeered the top spot.
Lloyd had to fend off a gaggle of 15 cars running within five
car lengths of the leader halfway through the race. After building
a small cushion, the leader then felt the pressure from Dennis
Smith Jr, Robert Roush, and Howie Ware, all whom escaped ahead
of the pack in second through fourth.
Lloyd emerged out front of the breakaway pack and had a strong
enough car to fend off a late charge from Smith Jr. for his first
career feature victory.
“It was finally time to go and get one of these (wins),” an
ecstatic Lloyd yelled in victory lane. “We had a good car
and I have to thank my sponsors for helping me get back on the
track. Without them, none of this would be possible.”
Smith Jr. came home second as Roush took third. Howie Ware and
Gene Marocco rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth respectively.
The Nationwide Insurance Super Cups Junior feature got off to
a fast start as Erica Ensor made it three-wide to take the lead
on lap one of the 20-lap affair.
Ensor wasn’t out front for long as Jarrett James, making
the long trek from Indiana, found the answer for the challenging
quarter-mile and burst into the lead ahead of the field.
With 12 laps remaining, Jarrod Pritchett spun bringing out the
caution and bunching the field back together. James jumped back
ahead of Ensor on the restart and never looked back, hitting
his marks over the final ten laps to collect the hardware and
his first feature victory at Rockford.
Ensor settled for second as Kodee Busekros nudged aside Elliot
Pritchard for third. Tyler Brown completed the top five in fifth.
Jim Termanas collected the early lead in the 25-lap main event
for the Nationwide Insurance Central States Super Cups Pro division.
The always strong Ed Ensor joined the fray out front with 16
circuits to go, completing a pass on the bottom groove to work
his way by Termanas into the top spot. Termanas immediately took
the lead back though and pulled away from the pack.
A few laps later, Termanas and Ensor went at it again as Ensor
looked to set up another pass for the lead only to get loose
out of turn four and almost stuff his machine in the wall. He
managed to make a great save though as Termanas put a cushion
between himself and second.
With eight laps remaining, Termanas got caught up in lapped
traffic and succumbed to Ensor’s hot rod, handing over
the top spot to the veteran. Ensor did what he had to from there
as he collected his third feature win of the year at Rockford.
Termanas tepidly accepted second as Steve Naples collected a
top three in third. Jamie Domski rallied to fourth as Jeff Myers
notched a top five in fifth.
The Sam’s Drive-In RoadRunner Challenge featured the inaugural
Pizza Pie Race as drivers took eight circuits around the quarter-mile
with a twist – the leader could determine whether they
raced the high banks or took an alternate route through the infield
that resembled the shape of a pizza slice.
Raymond Hardesty led the field to green but wasn’t out
front for long as Jason Van Hise quickly worked his way around
and set the pace. Van Hise tested his compatriots by forcing
them to take the ‘pizza pie’ head-on, racing through
the infield and cutting a sharp left hand turn around a tire
that sat adjacent to the starter’s stand before zooming
back into turns one and two and doing it all over again.
Van Hise’s strategy paid off when he found victory lane
and earned a pizza courtesy of Papa John’s. Robert Roush
got past Hardesty for second as the veteran settled for third.
Racing action returns to the Rockford Speedway this Wednesday
for Tebala Shrine Night. Another Wild Wednesday will feature
a full slate of racing including the Mtn Dew RoadRunners Super
Summer Series, Crap Scrapper Hornets, Winged Women on Wheels,
National Figure 8 League, Spectacular Drags, INEX Legends, INEX
Bandoleros, Allison Legends and the Yellowbook Hornet Challenge
Creeper Race. The green flag is set to wave at 7:07pm sharp with
gates opening at 5pm. Qualifying will get underway at 6:10pm.
For more information, including the remaining 2010 schedule,
visit the track's website at www.rockfordspeedway.com or call
the Speedway Box Office at (815)633-1500.
Rockford Speedway Results Week 11
Central States Super Cup
Super Cup Junior -- 1. Jarrett James, Valparaiso, Ind.; 2. Erica
Ensor, Sheridan; 3. Kodee Busekros, Rockford; 4. Elliott Pritchett,
Sycamore; 5. Tyler Brown, Carol Stream; 6. Jarrod Pritchett,
Sycamore; 7. Joshua James, Saukville, Wis; 8. Jordan Wendt, Stoughton,
Wis.
Super Cup Pro -- 1. Ed Ensor, Sheridan; 2. Jim Termanas, Lake
in the Hills; 3. Steve Naples, Bartlett; 4. Jamie Domski, Pell
Lake; 5. Jeff Myers, Elgin; 6. Tyler James;; 7. Tony Velez, Buffalo
Grove; 8. Steve Holderman, Lombard; 9. Mike Harrold, Aurora,
; 10. Derrick VanDreel, Stevens Point, Wis.
Heat 01 -- 1. Jarrett James, Valparaiso, Ind.; 2. Kodee Busekros,
Rockford; 3. Tyler Brown, Carol Stream; 4. Erica Ensor, Sheridan;
5. Joshua James, Saukville, Wis; 6. Jordan Wendt, Stoughton,
Wis; 7. Jarrod Pritchett, Sycamore; 8. Elliott Pritchett, Sycamore.
Heat 02 -- 1. Ed Ensor, Sheridan; 2. Nathan Kelley, Morris;
3. Steve Naples, Bartlett; 4. Tony Velez, Buffalo Grove; 5. Tyler
James;; 6. Jamie Domski, Pell Lake; 7. Jim Termanas, Lake in
the Hills; 8. Jeff Myers, Elgin; 9. Steve Holderman, Lombard;
10. Mike Harrold, Aurora, ; 11. Derrick VanDreel, Stevens Point,
Wis.
Time Trial -- 1. Ed Ensor, Sheridan; 2. Jim Termanas, Lake in
the Hills; 3. Nathan Kelley, Morris; 4. Jamie Domski, Pell Lake;
5. Tony Velez, Buffalo Grove; 6. Tyler James;; 7. Steve Naples,
Bartlett; 8. Derrick VanDreel, Stevens Point, Wis; 9. Mike Harrold,
Aurora, ; 10. Jarrett James, Valparaiso, Ind.; 11. Jarrod Pritchett,
Sycamore; 12. Kodee Busekros, Rockford; 13. Erica Ensor, Sheridan;
14. Steve Holderman, Lombard; 15. Tyler Brown, Carol Stream;
16. Elliott Pritchett, Sycamore; 17. Joshua James, Saukville,
Wis; 18. Jordan Wendt, Stoughton, Wis.
ASA Late Models
'All-Star 100' -- 1. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 2. Eddie Hoffman,
Wheaton; 3. Jesse Saunders, New Garus, Wis; 4. Erik Jones, Byron,
Mich.; 5. Anthony Danta, Orland Park; 6. Jordan Sims, Sault Ste
Marie, ; 7. Robbie Pyle, Columbus, Ohio; 8. Trevor Dassow, West
Bend, Wis; 9. Jared Marks, Napoleon, Ohio; 10. Mike Beyer, Machesney
Park; 11. Josh Nelms, Lockport; 12. Brad Plunkett, Naperville;
13. Seth Moody, Middleville, Mich..
Time Trial -- 1. Jesse Saunders, New Garus, Wis; 2. Josh Nelms,
Lockport; 3. Erik Jones, Byron, Mich.; 4. Robbie
Pyle, Columbus, Ohio; 5. Eddie Hoffman, Wheaton; 6. Jordan Sims,
Sault Ste Marie, ; 7. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 8. Anthony Danta,
Orland Park; 9. Mike Beyer, Machesney Park; 10. Brad Plunkett,
Naperville; 11. Jared Marks, Napoleon, Ohio; 12. Seth Moody,
Middleville, Mich.; 13. Trevor Dassow, West Bend, Wis.
NASCAR Late Models
A-Main 01 -- 1. Tim Sargent, South Beloit; 2. Ryan Carlson,
Loves Park; 3. Tom Gille, Winnebago; 4. Eddie May, Crystal Lake;
5. Chad Stevens, Orfordville, Wis; 6. Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis;
7. Jacob Gille, Winnebago; 8. Mikie Breiner, Johnburg; 9. Jon
Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 10. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 11. Nick Shutkas,
Loves Park; 12. Steve Erickson, Jr, Machesney Park; 13. Michael
Cooter, Machesney Park; 14. Vern Fagerberg, Bloomingdale; 15.
Tanner Whitten, Congerville; 16. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 17. Wayne
Freimund, Elkhorn, Wis; 18. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 19. Timothy Slater,
Hampshire; 20. Joe Darnell, Machesney Park; 21. Tyler Peterson,
Lake Geneva, Wis; 22. Brandon Eash, Rockford; 23. Mark Hartline,
Gilberts.
Heat 01 -- 1. Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 2. Steve Erickson, Jr, Machesney
Park; 3. Vern Fagerberg, Bloomingdale; 4. Nick
Shutkas, Loves Park; 5. Timothy Slater, Hampshire; 6. Joe Darnell,
Machesney Park; 7. Michael Cooter, Machesney
Park; 8. Tyler Peterson, Lake Geneva, Wis.
Heat 02 -- 1. Tom Gille, Winnebago; 2. Wayne Freimund, Elkhorn,
Wis; 3. Chad Stevens, Orfordville, Wis; 4. Jacob
Gille, Winnebago; 5. Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis; 6. Ryan Carlson,
Loves Park; 7. Brandon Eash, Rockford; 8. Mark
Hartline, Gilberts.
Heat 03 -- 1. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 2. Tim Sargent, South Beloit;
3. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 4. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 5. Tanner
Whitten, Congerville; 6. Eddie May, Crystal Lake; 7. Mikie Breiner,
Johnburg.
Time Trial -- 1. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford; 2. Mike Lloyd,
Davis; 3. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 4. Tim Sargent, South Beloit;
5. Eddie May, Crystal Lake; 6. Tanner Whitten, Congerville; 7.
Mikie Breiner, Johnburg; 8. Chad Stevens, Orfordville, Wis; 9.
Dave Edwards, Salem, Wis; 10. Tom Gille, Winnebago; 11. Wayne
Freimund, Elkhorn, Wis; 12. Ryan Carlson, Loves Park; 13. Jacob
Gille, Winnebago; 14. Brandon Eash, Rockford; 15. Steve Erickson,
Jr, Machesney Park; 16. Timothy Slater, Hampshire; 17. Michael
Cooter, Machesney Park; 18. Vern Fagerberg, Bloomingdale; 19.
Kyle Shear, Roscoe; 20. Nick Shutkas, Loves Park; 21. Tyler Peterson,
Lake Geneva, Wis; 22. Joe Darnell, Machesney Park; 23. Mark Hartline,
Gilberts.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Mike Lloyd, Davis; 2. Tim Sargent, South
Beloit; 3. Jerry Gille, Roscoe; 4. Eddie May, Crystal Lake; 5.
Tanner Whitten, Congerville; 6. Jon Reynolds, Jr., Rockford.
NASCAR Road Runners
A-Main 01 -- 1. Anthony Lloyd, Loves Park; 2. Dennis Smith,
Jr, South Beloit; 3. Robert Roush, Marengo; 4. Howie Ware, South
Beloit; 5. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 6. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford;
7. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 8. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 9.
Jason Brockway, Machesney Park; 10. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere;
11. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 12. Brad Jones, Rockton; 13. Raymond
Hardesty, McHenry; 14. James Gregory, Winnebago; 15. Joshua Lundy,
Loves Park; 16. Mike Leopold, Algonquin; 17. Marvin Butler, Rockford;
18. Michael (Mike) Wallis, Machesney Park; 19. Jonathon Dean,
Machesney Park; 20. Shawn Rickelman, Rockton; 21. Michael Neblock,
Loves Park; 22. Adam Cartwright, Woodstock; 23. Nick Cina, Jr,
Belvidere; 24. Brian Mayer, Machesney Park; 25. Linnea Lundy,
Loves Park.
Heat 01 -- 1. Adam Cartwright, Woodstock; 2. Nick Cina, Jr,
Belvidere; 3. Brad Jones, Rockton; 4. Marvin Butler, Rockford;
5. Shawn Rickelman, Rockton; 6. Linnea Lundy, Loves Park; 7.
Jonathon Dean, Machesney Park; 8. Michael (Mike) Wallis, Machesney
Park; 9. Michael Neblock, Loves Park.
Heat 02 -- 1. Richard Nielsen, Byron; 2. Anthony Lloyd, Loves
Park; 3. James Gregory, Winnebago; 4. Brian Mayer, Machesney
Park; 5. Jason Brockway, Machesney Park; 6. Raymond Hardesty,
McHenry; 7. Mike Leopold, Algonquin; 8. Joshua Lundy, Loves Park.
Heat 03 -- 1. Brett McCoy, Belvidere; 2. Howie Ware, South Beloit;
3. Robert Roush, Marengo; 4. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 5.
Dennis Smith, Jr, South Beloit; 6. Ricky Nielsen, Rockford; 7.
Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 8. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere.
Challenge 01 -- 1. Jason Van Hise, Loves Park; 2. Robert Roush,
Marengo; 3. Raymond Hardesty, McHenry; 4. Matt Belknap, Lake
in the Hills; 5. Brad Jones, Rockton; 6. Michael (Mike) Wallis,
Machesney Park.
Trophy Dash 01 -- 1. Gene Marocco, Machesney Park; 2. Howie
Ware, South Beloit; 3. Robert Roush, Marengo; 4. Ricky Nielsen,
Rockford; 5. Jeff Allendorf, Belvidere.
For more information please call the
Speedway Box Office at 815-633-1500 or visit www.rockfordspeedway.com.
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