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Night Of Thrills Saturday Night At The Rockford Speedway
Speed Channel Filming at Rockford Speedway Saturday
Television camera crews from Speed Channel will be filming this Saturday night
at Rockford Speedway during the Budweiser Night of Thrills. Saturday
will mark the third visit by Speed this season to the northern Illinois
speedway which will celebrate its 60th consecutive year of entertainment in
2007. Crews had previously shot the first ever Divorcee Demo Derby as
well as the World Famous Figure 8 Trailer Race in August.
Spectators are encouraged to bring signs to the event to help them find their
way onto national television. “The footage they shoot will be shown
later this year on the Lucas Oil on the Edge program that airs on Speed.
It is really cool to see our local track and fans on television, Rockford
should be proud.” Offered Speedway Flagman Dave Sankey.
Camera crews will be on hand for the Figure 8 School Bus Race, camper trailer
jump, Big Dawg Monster Truck, “California Style Drifting” Exhibition, Roll
Over Contest, Smokey Burnout Championships, Figure 8 Train Race, Spectacular
Drags, Stock Car Roller Derby, Stanley Steemer Hornets and more.
This marks the final appearance of 2006 by Monster Trucks at Rockford
Speedway.
Tickets are on sale now at www.rockfordspeedway.com
or they can be purchased over the phone by calling 815-633-1500. Adult
reserved seats cost $15, ages 11 and under are $7.50. Spectator Gates
open at 5, the thrills begin at 7:07. Free Monster Truck rides will take
place for children ages 11 and under from 5:15 until 6:45.
Stock Car Roller Derby and New Roller Derby Girls at Speedway Saturday
Members from the Rockford Rage Women’s Roller Derby Team will be in
attendance Saturday night at Rockford Speedway during the Budweiser Night of
Thrills. The newly formed team will be holding a 50/50 raffle in hopes of
acquiring funds for the team which is to start league play early next
year.
The women will also be the honorary starters for the Stock Car Roller Derby
event that evening. Rockford Rage team members will be sporting their new
uniforms and roller skates as they skate through the stands selling the raffle
tickets. In late August one such raffle reached well over $2,000 with the
winner taking $1100 home.
Speedway’s Smokey Burnout a Blast
When the 2006 Rockford Speedway Schedule went to print, it was apparent that
Rockford Speedway General Manager Gregg McKarns saw potential in the Smokey
Burnout Competition the track tried last summer. Or perhaps he just likes the
smell of rubber melting to the race track. This Saturday night’s Budweiser
Night of Thrills will showcase the Smokey Burnout Championships.
“After last year’s event I knew we were onto something, the entire staff
took notes on what we could do differently. We have had two contests so far
this summer and I think the changes, such as no brake stands, have really
added to the show—a lot of smoke and a lot of movement from the cars. The
roar from the stands is what matters and Saturday night should provide even
more to cheer about,” commented McKarns.
The Championship round is open to anyone wishing to compete with their street
car. Entries are taken at the Rockford Speedway Pit Gate located just off
Forest Hills Road;the cost is $20 to enter. The first round will allow all
entrants fifteen seconds to make their tires smoke as much as possible, many
cars will become lost in the cloud of smoke. The field will then be narrowed
to those in the finals by fan applause. In the final round participants are
allowed to go as long as they want or in some cases can. The July finals saw
one car become engulfed in flames as its rear tires exploded. The Bachrodt
Auto Mall Speedway Safety Team quickly extinguished the flames and the driver
was not injured.
Drifting Returns Saturday
The “California Style Drifting” Exhibition returns to the high banks of
the Rockford Speedway Saturday night during the Budweiser Night of Thrills.
Over one dozen DRIFT drivers from across the region are expected to try their
hand at drifting the quarter-mile oval, including defending event champion
Brian Peter from Milwaukee , WI .
Drifting is a relatively new motorsport to the Midwest in which drivers
attempt to set their car into a controlled slide, smoking their tires as well
as delighting fans. “I am really looking forward to returning to Rockford ,
since my last appearance I have been working on some new tricks to test on
those big banks,” stated Peter. Also returning to action after a hard hit to
the retaining wall in July is Darin Orth from Appleton , WI as well as
Chicagoland’s Adam Krawzuk amongst others.
Krawzuk has also commented that he will attempt to take on Jim Stanis in
Spectacular Drag action next Saturday. Stanis has been virtually unbeatable
this season and many of the DRIFT competitors took notice. “A lot of us do
autocross, we think we may have something for that guy,” a confident Krawzuk
declared.
Kids are reminded to arrive early for Monster Truck rides from 5:15 until 6:45
. Rockford Speedway is located at the intersection of Illinois 173 and Forest
Hills Road in Loves Park .
Free Rides in Bear Foot Truck Saturday at Speedway
The nationally recognized Bear Foot Ride Truck will be at Rockford Speedway
this Saturday night during the Budweiser Night of Thrills. Free rides will be
given to children ages 11 and under that have a ticket to that evening’s
performance. Rides will take place on the track from 5:15 until 6:45 and will
resume following the show, however there will be a charge for rides those
rides.
The action packed night includes the return of Doug Noelke and the Big Dawg
Monster Truck to Rockford Speedway, “The last time we were in Rockford it
rained most of the day and I had a tough time getting enough grip to do my
wheelie across the infield. I think we will be able to tear up a whole lot
more this time around,” commented the Missouri native.
Additional events include the Figure 8 School Bus Race, Spectacular Drags,
Stanley Steemer Hornets, Smokey Burnout Championships, Roll-Over Contest,
Stock Car Roller Derby, Camper Trailer Jump, “California Style Drifting”,
Figure 8’s, Diesel Divas and the Figure 8 Train Race. The Q98.5 Crew will be
there to greet fans as they pull into the parking lot which features acres of
free parking.
Main gates open at 5 with the first event beginning at 7:07 Saturday night.
Adult reserved tickets are $15 with children ages 11 and under $7.50. Tickets
are now available by calling the Speedway Box Office at 815-633-1500 or online
at www.rockfordspeedway.com.
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