National Short Track Championships – Rockford Speedway (IL) – 10/2/2016
Last updated: October 3, 2016 at 10:20 am
(Updated throughout the day – Be sure to refresh this page frequently)

Dave & Jody Deery join the top three on stage. (L to R) Steve Apel (3rd), Casey Johnson (Winner), and Austin Nason (2nd). (Speed51.com photo)
Feature Notebook:
Lap 168 – Apel spins in four. Johnson still leads.
Lap 155 – Apel and Nason battling for the lead. Two make contact off of four, Apel spins, both to the rear. Johnson takes over the lead.
On the restart on lap 137, Landry Potter, Alex Prunty and James Swan tangle on the backstretch. Swan went off on the flatbed. Prunty drove to the pits and Potter continued.
Still under caution on lap 137. One to go to restart and Jon Reynolds Jr’s motor makes a weird sound. He pulls off the track. Apel will take over the lead.
Lots of shuffling around in the top five. Reynolds leads when the caution flies on lap 133 for Rob Braun & Jim Olson’s tangle in turn four. Reynolds leads Apel, Nason, Johnson and Prunty.
Back to green, Reynolds continues to lead. Caution flies on lap 102 when Josh Nelms gets sideways in turn three in front of Trent Snyder. Both continue, Dana Czach was collected and had some right front damage.
At the halfway break, Reynolds has led all the way. Alex Prunty is second with Casey Johnson in third. Austin Nason is third and Steve Apel rounds out the top five.
Lap 78 – Michael Bilderback and Casey Johnson are battling for third with Johnson on the inside. The two appear to make contact, with Bilderback hitting the wall. Staying green, but Bilderback to the pits with possible rear end issue.
72 laps complete when the second caution flies for Jim Olson’s spin in turns one and two. Top five: Reynolds, Prunty, Bilderback, Nason, and Johnson.
First caution on lap 39 for Mike White’s spin. Reynolds leads Apel, Prunty, Nason, Johnson and Bilderback.
Pre-Feature Notebook:
Jim Olson’s car was qualified by Bobby Wilberg and Larry Schuler’s was qualified by Ricky Baker on Saturday. Both of their cars will make up the sixth row due to the driver’s change. Originally, there was going to be qualifier and last chance races on Saturday, but due to the weather, those were cancelled.
Johnson rolled a one for an invert of five for today’s race.
Starting Lineup:
1 | 89 | Ryan Ferrell |
2 | 51 | Steve Apel |
3 | 89m | Brad JJ Mueller |
4 | x | Jon Reynolds Jr. |
5 | 5 | Casey Johnson |
6 | 11 | Alex Prunty |
7 | 45 | Trent Snyder |
8 | 14 | Austin Nason |
9 | 0 | Josh Nelms |
10 | 97 | James Swan |
11 | 24 | Jim Olson |
12 | 30 | Larry Schuler |
13 | 66 | Landry Potter |
14 | 2 | Michael Bilderback |
15 | 28 | Jake Finney |
16 | 50 | Jake Gille |
17 | 33 | Dana Czach |
18 | 20 | Danny Church Jr. |
19 | 4 | Robert Maynor |
20 | 00 | Mike White |
21 | 13 | Mikie Breiner |
22 | 98 | Rob Braun |
Time Trial Results:
1 | 5 | Casey Johnson | 12.967 |
2 | x | Jon Reynolds Jr. | 12.977 |
3 | 89m | Brad JJ Mueller | 12.986 |
4 | 24 | Jim Olson | 13.004 |
5 | 51 | Steve Apel | 13.103 |
6 | 89 | Ryan Ferrell | 13.126 |
7 | 30 | Larry Schuler | 13.151 |
8 | 11 | Alex Prunty | 13.191 |
9 | 45 | Trent Snyder | 13.205 |
10 | 14 | Austin Nason | 13.209 |
11 | 0 | Josh Nelms | 13.237 |
12 | 97 | James Swan | 13.25 |
13 | 66 | Landry Potter | 13.259 |
14 | 2 | Michael Bilderback | 13.292 |
15 | 28 | Jake Finney | 13.296 |
16 | 50 | Jake Gille | 13.315 |
17 | 33 | Dana Czach | 13.393 |
18 | 20 | Danny Church Jr. | 13.416 |
19 | 4 | Robert Maynor | 13.443 |
20 | 0 | Mike White | 13.498 |
21 | 40 | Curt Tillman | 13.636 |
22 | 40 | Curt Tillman | 18.58 |
23 | 45 | Trent Snyder | 21.023 |
24 | 13 | Mikie Breiner | 99.999 |
25 | 12 | Brad Kossow | 99.999 |
26 | 98 | Rob Braun | 99.999 |
Car Count: 26
Entry List:
00 | Mike White | Monee, IL |
0 | Josh Nelms | Lockport, IL |
2 | Michael Bilderback | South Beloit, IL |
4 | Robert Maynor | Hartland, WI |
5 | Casey Johnson | Edgerton, WI |
X | Jon Reynolds Jr. | Loves Park, IL |
11 | Alex Prunty | Lomira, WI |
12 | Brad Kossow | Union Grove, WI |
13 | Mikie Breiner | Johnsburg, IL |
14 | Austin Nason | Roscoe, IL |
20 | Danny Church Jr. | Williams Bay, WI |
24 | Jim Olson | Harvard, IL |
28 | Jake Finney | Sycamore, IL |
30 | Larry Schuler | Minooka, IL |
33 | Dana Czach | West Chicago, IL |
40 | Curt Tillman | Rockton, IL |
45 | Trent Snyder | Glen Ellyn, IL |
50 | Jake Gille | Winnebago, IL |
66 | Landry Potter | Genoa City, WI |
89 | Ryan Ferrell | East Troy, WI |
89m | Brad JJ Mueller | Random Lake, WI |
97 | James Swan | Lake Geneva, WI |
98 | Rob Braun | Wales, WI |
51 | Steve Apel | Milwaukee, WI |
Qualifying Format: Qualifying was held on Saturday with the best of two laps.
Event Schedule:
Noon – Autograph session
12:40pm – Opening Ceremonies
1:00pm – Racing
Who to Watch For: Jon Reynolds Jr. is the defending winner after he and Casey Johnson had a spirited battle last year. Brad JJ Mueller is still looking for his first NSTC win. Current Kulwicki Driver Development point leader Alex Prunty is making his Rockford debut. Trent Snyder is looking for another big victory at Rockford Speedway.
The Track: Rockford Speedway is a quarter-mile oval located north of downtown Rockford, IL. It is in its 69th consecutive year of operation.
Weather: Temps in the 60’s with partly cloudy skies.
What Won the Race: Casey Johnson inherited the lead after Steve Apel and Austin Nason tangle while battling for the lead with 45 laps to go. Apel and Nason made contact off of turn four causing Apel to spin on the front stretch. Both recovered where Nason finished second and Apel was third.
The Finish:
1 | 5 | Casey Johnson |
2 | 14 | Austin Nason |
3 | 51 | Steve Apel |
4 | 89m | Brad JJ Mueller |
5 | 0 | Josh Nelms |
6 | 28 | Jake Finney |
7 | 33 | Dana Czach |
8 | 98 | Rob Braun |
9 | 45 | Trent Snyder |
10 | 4 | Robert Maynor |
11 | 24 | Jim Olson |
12 | 13 | Mikie Breiner |
13 | 66 | Landry Potter |
14 | 2 | Michael Bilderback |
15 | 11 | Alex Prunty |
16 | 30 | Larry Schuler |
17 | 97 | James Swan |
18 | x | Jon Reynolds Jr. |
19 | 20 | Danny Church Jr. |
20 | 00 | Mike White |
21 | 89 | Ryan Ferrell |
22 | 50 | Jake Gille |
Winning Quote: “It’s unbelievable. Usually this weekend takes a lot of luck. These races are rough races and you just have to keep your head in there and be there in the end,” Johnson said. “We were there at the end. We didn’t have the best car in either races but inherited the lead and able to hang on.”
On the Move: Rob Braun had limited practice time and started shotgun on the field. He survived to finish eighth.
Biggest Loser: Michael Bilderback had a tough weekend. He had a strong car in the early going until tagging the wall and loss many laps.