Full Results

By: Kevin Ramsell
LOVES PARK, IL (Saturday, September 27, 2008) – The Saturday night action at the Rockford Speedway was at a high at the 43rd Annual Army National Guard National Short Track Championships with Jon Reynolds Jr. having a Hollywood style finish to win the BRP Big 8 Series presented by Gandrud Chevrolet 108-lap feature event. Doug Bennett, Jim Tate Jr. and Pat Ecklund also took home wins.

The Big 8 Series feature had a wild finish as Reynolds slid sideways coming across the start/finish line as the checkered flag flew. And that wasn’t enough drama for Reynolds as he believed he had a broken valve spring in the closing laps as well.

“He (Sargent) is going to have to go through me, and he almost did,” a happy Reynolds stated in victory lane. “With 40 to go, I just flipped the mirror because I just didn’t want to know and my spotter is telling me that he is getting closer and closer. It was just coming apart, I was looking down and trying to let off and try not to use much motor down the straightaway.”

The feature event got off to a rough start as Nick Shutkas got into the backstretch wall and then made hard contact with the turn three on the opening lap of the feature event.

On the re-start, it was Tim Sargent taking the lead over Jon Reynolds Jr. The two pulled away to battle for the top spot in the first eight laps. On lap 9, Reynolds got on the inside of Sargent to battle for the top spot; Reynolds would take over the top spot a lap later.

Michael Bilderback and Ryan Carlson were quickly moving through the field with Bilderback moving to third and Carlson to fourth by lap 10.

At the 30-lap mark, it was still Reynolds in the lead with Sargent in second. Behind him, it was uncle versus nephew as Ricky Bilderback challenged Michael Bilderback for the third spot. That was until the caution flew on lap 35 when Mike Beyers spun coming off of turn two.

Reynolds continued to lead with Sargent in second with 51 laps completed. That is when the caution flew again when Ross Kenseth and Skylar Holzhausen made contact coming off of turn two causing Kenseth to spin. Both were able to continue but would re-start at the rear.

At the halfway mark, it was Reynolds still pacing the field but behind him Sargent had both of the Bilderbacks in his rear view mirror. But, the family feud continued allowing Sargent to pull away and chase down Reynolds with 40 laps to go.

Bad luck for the current point leader Jeremy Miller on lap 74 as he and Kyle Jarlsberg were battling for sixth when the two made contact coming off of turn two, causing Jarlsberg to spin. Both were sent to the rear of the field.

Reynolds pulled away from Sargent on the re-start while Michael Bilderback challenged Sargent for the second spot. Sargent would hold the position and gain about two car lengths on the young driver.

With ten laps to go, Sargent made his charge to the back bumper of Reynolds hoping to challenge for the lead as it sounded like Reynolds motor was starting to go away from him.

Sargent was all over the back bumper as Greg Oliver’s white flag flew in the air. As the two came off of the fourth turn, Sargent got into the back right rear panel and got Reynolds loose. Reynolds car began to spin as he came to the checkered flag but came across the line sideways before Sargent to take the victory.

Michael Bilderback was third with Uncle Ricky in fourth. Carlson rounded out the top five.

Carlson was the fastest qualifier with a time of 13.921 seconds. Travis Dassow and Ryan Miles won the qualifying heats. Ross Kenseth and Mike Beyer won the qualifier heats. Andrew Kulka won the last chance race.