Posted by Rockford Speedway on 10/26/2005, 12:33 pm
Board Administrator

BILDERBACK TOPS BAHAMA BRACKETS By: Kevin Ramsell Sunday, October 16, 2005 (Loves Park, IL) - Ricky Bilderback, Mike Carpenter, Cher Bryant, Mike Smart, and Nick Lasher were all given the opportunity to have a nice winter vacation in the Bahamas as they captured Bahama Bracket feature wins at the Rockford Speedway. Not only did they have the challenge on the track but they also had to make sure they didn't go below their breakout time. Bilderback was ready for a vacation after capturing, a caution filled, "A" feature win. Dustin Heil took the early lead in the 50-lap main event. Heil's lead didn?t last long as Dave Dotter took over the top spot. Pat "Hacksaw" Heaney then challenged him as he grabbed the lead on lap 7. The first caution flew on lap 11 when Lyle Messinger spun coming out of turn two. On the re-start, John Fiorita spun in turns one and two to bring out another caution. Heaney would continue to lead at the re-start. Ron Morris got a great run coming off of turn two and took over the lead from Heaney in his modified. A lap later, Heaney made hard contact with the turn four wall to bring out another yellow. Bilderback challenged Morris for the top spot as the race reached the halfway mark. On lap 26, Josh Nelms left front tire went flat after contact and stopped on the backstretch. On the re-start, Bilderback got on the inside of Morris and took over the top spot on lap 27. A lap later, Jon Reynolds Jr. spun coming out of turn two to bring out another caution. Dave Behnke brought out another caution with 11 laps to go when he spun on the front stretch. On the re-start, Dave Dotter spun coming off of turn two for another caution. The final 11 laps were a battle between a late model style car and a modified as Bilderback held off Chad Willett to win the "A" feature win. Bilderback stated in victory lane that his wife insists that he takes the money over the trip. Mike Carpenter cruises to the "AA" Bahama Bracket feature. The 50-lap feature race started with a wild crash when Tim Murray and Randy Weese got together while going into turn three. Murray's car went head on into the tire by the pit entrance. Weese was right behind him. Both cars were heavily damaged and were done for the day. The drivers were able to walk away When the green flag dropped Alan Powell grabbed the early lead. Local favorite, Ricky Bilderback, moved from his 10th starting position all the way up to third by lap 10. Three laps later, Bilderback would take over the top spot. Bilderback would continue to lead until track officials caught him speeding as he went faster than his breakout time. This handed the lead over to Tony Sancinati. With four laps to go, Carpenter and Sancinati made contact and Carpenter took over the lead. Carpenter would go on to the win. Doug Bennett came through the pack to finish second while Sancinati finished third. Carpenter took the money over the trip. Cher Bryant and Jimmy Robinson put on the best race of the weekend in the "AAA" bracket. In the end, it was Bryant who was thinking of the picture postcard of the Bahama beach. Steve Goar was the early leader in the 50-lap race. That was until he broke out on lap 7. This handed the lead over to Ed Hast. Hast also broke out while leading. He got caught on lap 13 thus handing the lead over to Louis Schick. Schick had a healthy lead until the caution flew on lap 33 when Nick Crawford spun in turns one and two. This allowed Cher Bryant and Jimmy Robinson to re-start behind Schick with 17 laps to go. Schick brought out the caution with 14 laps to go when he lost his right rear tire going into turn one. Schick hit the wall pretty good, but was able to walk away. This handed the lead over to Robinson. The final 14 laps were simply awesome as Robinson and Bryant put on a great side-by-side battle all they way to the checkered flag. At the checkers, it was Bryant by inches over Robinson. Matt Doris came home third. Bryant was in tears in victory lane and elected to take the money over the trip to Bahamas. Mike Smart watched the beautiful sunset in turn one, as he would go on to his feature win. Lewis Bouchette surfed to the early lead in the "AAAA" bracket 50-lap event. The first caution flew on lap 9 when Gene Marocco spun and blew his right rear tire in turns one and two. Ed Ligue challenged and then took over the lead on lap 10. Pat Smith moved from his ninth starting position to second on lap 11. Ligue was caught breaking out from his set lap time on lap 15 and was done. This handed the lead over to Smith. Smith held on to the lead until lap 25 when Dennis Smith grabbed the top spot from Pat Smith. Dennis Smith would hold on to the lead until Mike Smart, who started 13th, worked his way to the top spot on lap 32. Dennis Smith would make a challenge for the lead on the last lap but Smart was able to hold him off for the win. He also chose the trip over the money. Nick Lasher had a cool sailing to take home the first ever Hornet Bracket feature. Camryn Frederick took the early lead in the 50-lap event. He would hold on to the top spot until Mike Spohr got past him for the lead on lap 7. Spohr was leading until he was caught going past his breakout time on lap 11. This handed the lead over to Matt Moore. Moore was leading when he broke out on lap 27. Nick Lasher inherited the lead. Lasher would go on to capture the win. Steve Bayer came home second while Chet Hartley came home third. John Paul Odegaard captured the shorttracknews.com fast time award by matching the allowed breakout time of 14.300 seconds. Nick Crawford from New Prague, MN traveled 362 miles to compete at the 2005 event and was awarded with driving the furthest distance. Crawford and his team also won the Best Themed Pits as well. The ?"Ladies from Hawkeye Downs" took home the Best Themed Pit Crew. The 2006 Bahama Bracket Nationals will take place on October 14-15. Make plans now to be at this one of a kind event. The racing action continues next Sunday at the Rockford Speedway with the annual running of the Goblin 250 enduro and demolition derby. The racing action will get underway at 1:00 p.m. The 58th season of racing will conclude on Saturday, October 29th the re-scheduled final day of the 40th Annual National Short Track Championships. The racing action will begin at 12:30 p.m. with the CRA Super series 250-lap feature, ASA Late Model Series 100-lap feature, Mid-American Stock Cars 75-lap feature and Mid-American Truck 30-lap feature. For more information, please call the track office at (815) 633-1500 or visit the track's website at www.rockfordspeedway.com.