Posted by Rockford Speedway on 1/26/2006, 12:53 pm
Board Administrator

Thursday, January 26, 2006 (Loves Park, IL) - Rockford Speedway recently honored its track champions during the 58th Annual Championship Banquet. The event took place on Saturday, January 21st at the Forrest Hills Lodge. Ricky Bilderback had a prior committment and was unable to attend the ceremony to receive his fifth consectutive NASCAR Late Model Championship. Fred Nason took home the top honors by claiming his first Bachrodt Grand National Championship. B.J. Sparkman was all smiles as he took home the hardware for winning the Budweiser Grand National Championship. Other Champions to receive honors included: Dave Lignell, Coca Cola RoadRunner Champion; Vachenzia Jester, B. Sanfield Winged Women on Wheels Champion; Pat Smith, RoadRunner Challenge Champion; Chris Gantz, Figure 8 Champion; Steve Talley, Hornets Champion. Track announcer, Doug Halberstadt, served as Emcee for the awards event. A surprised Billy McCoy was awarded the Jody Deery Award of Excellence for his dedication to the Speedway. McCoy, the 1996 American Short Tracker Champion, was recognized not only for his dedication to the famed facility but being a role model and assisting the other drivers who compete at the track. Phil Pash was honored years of reporting the racing events at the Rockford Speedway by taking home the Hugh G. Deery Memorial Award. Pash, an award winning reporter, has written many stories on the Speedway for the Rockford Register Star and Rock River Times. Today, fans can read his columns at www.philpash.com. The 59th season of racing opens on April 1-2 with the 29th Annual Spring Classic. The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series action begins on Saturday, April 8th. 2005 NASCAR Late Model Champion – Ricky Bilderback 2005 Bachrodt Grand National Champion – Fred Nason 2005 Budweiser Grand National Champion – B.J. Sparkman 2005 Coca Cola RoadRunners Champion – Dave Lignell 2005 B. Sanfield Winged Women on Wheels Champion – Vachenzia Jester 2005 RoadRunner Challenge Champion – Pat Smith 2005 Figure 8 Champion – Chris Gantz 2005 Hornets Champion – Steve Talley Jody Deery Award of Excellence – Billy McCoy Hugh G. Deery Memorial Award – Phil Pash Perseverance Award – Greg Pruitt Attaining the Impossible Dream Award – Dave Lignell Vigilance Award – Amy Flippo Chicago Cubs Award – Randy VonHaden Always There Through Hell & High Water Award – Dan Sanders King Kong Award – Latasha Hillary IPOD Award – Wanda Dobbs Level Head Award – Josh Lundy Herbie Fully Loaded Award – Gene Marocco Not Whether You Win or Lose Award – Lloyd Hawkins Geico Insurance Award – Ricky Weimerskirk Star Wars “Revenge of the Sith” Award – Jack Mayberry Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way Award – Wanda Dobbs WWOW Golden Wing Award – Jenny Erickson Rock of Gibralter Award – Bruce Tucker University of Wisconsin Award – Bob Kahler Just Stayed at a Holiday Inn Express Last Night Award – Ricky Beckmeier Diamond in the Rough Award – Derek Nichol Accounting 101 Award (The Terri Gerhke Award) – Tina Lounsberry The Sharing Award – Don Russell Dukes of Hazzard Award – Jason Bragg Outrageous Fortune Award – Ben Montemoyer Driver Development Award – Jon Reynolds, Jr Creativity Award – Steve Hillary White Sox Clean Sweep Award – B.J. Sparkman Lincoln Electric Team Player of the Year – Steve Hillary Quality Team Award – Bill Hobson Budweiser WWOW Rookie of the Year – Linnea Weerda NASCAR American Short Trackers ROTY – Dave Eggert NASCAR Grand Nationals ROTY – Dave Behnke NASCAR Late Models ROTY – Bill Hobson Craftsman Mechanic of the Year Award – Dave Hurd Villani’s Sportsman of the Year – Debbie Numbers Winner of a Lefthander Chassis – Bob Kahler Winner of a Five-Star Body – Bill Hobson