2012 Rockford 200 heat races

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The 2012 Rockford 200 heat races were a quintet of heat races designed to set the field for the 2012 Rockford 200 and its associated Rockford 200 B-Main races.

They were, along with the main race itself, held at the Rockford Speedway in Rockford, Illinois.

Format[edit | edit source]

The 120 cars not already locked into the field were seeded into five heat races. The top five finishers in each heat automatically advanced to the Rockford 200, with the winner of each heat earning 20 bonus points.

Positions six through 15 in each heat advanced to one of two B-main races, seeded as follows:

Position B-Main seeding
6th
8th
10th
12th
14th
B-Main 1
7th
9th
11th
13th
15th
B-Main 2

All cars finishing below 15th place did not advance, and thus, failed to qualify.

Starting order for each race, like at the Mini Indy 500, was determined by random draw.

Heat One[edit | edit source]

2012 Rockford 200 Heat One
Date November 6, 2012
Location Rockford Speedway, Rockford, IL
Laps 40
Polesitter J.W. Lester
First J.W. Lester
Second Bob Stephans
Third Curtis Rutherford
Cautions 3
Race Results

J.W. Lester drew the pole for the first of the 40-lap heat races. Steve Johnson in the No. 60S drew third, but he was slow right out of the gate.

Ryan Griffin was knocked up the track in a three-wide situation going into Turn 3, and he was quickly caught by another three-wide battle. This was too many cars in too small of a space, and Libby Bell was sent spinning into the infield on the frontstretch. The caution didn’t come out.

At the same time, Scott Dalitz was sent sliding up into Turn 1 after contact with Jason Bates, and this didn’t bring out a caution either.

Just when it looked like the flagman had fallen asleep, on Lap 13, Leigh Gruell was turned around by David Krikorian while running in fourth at the exit of Turn 2. Several other cars clipped the No. 46, with Bobby Porteau and Ben Atkins getting the worst of it. Porteau returned to the track missing his front end, and Atkins dropped out.

During the caution, Steve Johnson was waved around the field. He drove around the outside, but Lester pulled right in front of Johnson, resulting in a nice little dent on the side of the No. 5-O car. Both Lester and Johnson were asked to meet with Race Control after the race.

Seiju Dejao pulled into the pits under caution, but stalled at the pit entrance. He lost a couple of laps trying to get going.

After the restart, Lane Cranston and Dale Hill got together while battling for third. Hill was pushed into the lapped car of Ryan Gregory, sending Hill flipping down Turn 2, collecting Jarkko Forsstrom and Libby Bell. Hill and Forsstrom dropped out.

Curtis Rutherford and Frank Azure got together while battling for sixth. Gruell and Griffin plowed into Azure.

When Azure was turned, he tagged Taylor Brillon, turning her into the infield off of Turn 2. Brillon plowed through the grass and flew back up into Gregory in Turn 3, in turn shoving Cranston into and up the wall. Not surprisingly, Brillon was asked to meet with Race Control.

Right on the restart, Bates, who was involved in the previous incident, broke down and stalled on the track, prompting another yellow.

Karma came back to bite Brillon, as she blew her engine right after the restart.

On Lap 38, Curtis Rutherford dumped Afzal Tahmid coming out of turn 4. Tahmid spun through the grass and flew back up onto the track, collecting Ashley Tucker and Krikorian. Tucker was going to finish in third had she not been tagged, but she ended up in sixth.

Lester, who appeared to retain his speed from IRP, led flag-to-flag.

Results[edit | edit source]

Green background indicates driver transferred directly to Rockford 200
Yellow background indicates driver transferred to a B-Main
Red background indicates driver failed to advance
Position Number Driver Sponsor Team Car
1 5-O J.W. Lester Dough-Nuts Peter Irving-Gray Sports Lenard Q9
2 211 Bob Stephans Big Bunny BBQ Big Bunny Racing Tonare Thunderbolt
3 07T Curtis Rutherford 7 Key Aftermarket Enhancements Team Thunder Tonare Thunderbolt
4 37 Kyle Gaffigan Atsuro Technologies MRD Motorsports Nemoto Celerox
5 696 Jennifer Goodwin T-Bone's Wrecking Service Altamont Autosport Saar Carolina
6 57 Ashley Tucker Kalberg's Ice Cream Riggs Motorsports Saar Carolina
7 460 Frank Azure FAC Motorsports Saar Carolina
8 18 Scott Dalitz Dalitz Kartz Dalitz Performance Nemoto Celerox
9 60S Steve Johnson Last Row Autosport Xenos Hilt
10 74 Bobby Porteau Rick Milligan Auto Group Mitchell & Sons Racing Saar Carolina
11 32 David Krikorian Joe Tree & Lawn Service Speedvision Saar Carolina
12 24 Libby Bell Patriot Cola Power Steering, Incorporated Tonare Thunderbolt
13 114 Lane Cranston Stareye Light MT Motorsports Karl, Inc. Revolution
14 91 Seiju Dejao MRD Motorsports Nemoto Celerox
15 56T Afzal Tahmid Last Row Autosport Xenos Hilt
16 65 Taylor Brillon RoniZone M&J Racing Saar Carolina
17 51 Jason Bates Karl, Inc. Karl, Inc. Racing Karl, Inc. Revolution
18 70 Ryan Griffin HP Engine Parts/High Voltage Guitars Great Lakes Motorsports Inglesby Flashback
19 46 Leigh Gruell Hanmore Xenos Development Xenos Hilt
20 97 Ryan Gregory Whiplash Energy Nitro Racing Nemoto Celerox
21 0 Jarkko Forsstrom Polymer Oil Whiper-Ildest Racing Xenos Hilt
22 098 Dale Hill Bobby Dollard Racing Inglesby Flashback
23 12 Trey Ashby Fancy-Ass Pens Brinson Engineering Kivett Spade PS
24 84 Ben Atkins Uncle Chunky's Milk Eichholtz Autosport Saar Carolina

Heat Two[edit | edit source]

2012 Rockford 200 Heat Two
Date November 6, 2012
Location Rockford Speedway, Rockford, IL
Laps 40
Polesitter Jacob Eichholtz
First Alex Carson
Second Jacob Eichholtz
Third Kurt Walker
Cautions 2
Race Results

Jacob Eichholtz drew the pole for Heat Two. He built up a comfortable lead in the opening laps as Kurt Walker and Megan Driver fought for second.

On Lap 7, Laura Cyrus got into the back of Nikos Kastapolous and sent him spinning through the backstretch grass. The caution didn't come out.

Bryan George blew up on Lap 11 and came to a stop against the wall and out of the way in Turn 1, bringing out the caution.

On Lap 16, Kastapolous received another bump, this time from defending Rockford 200 winner Edwin Schwarzloski, and plowed through the backstretch grass, careening into the side of Raibeart Scott.

All sympathy towards Kastapolous evaporated when the No. 728 lined up on the inside line for the restart, illegally advancing to third. Kastapolous was stuck behind the pace car with the leaders until the "one-to-go" signal was given. Even though he hadn't lost a lap on the track, Kastapolous apparently thought that he did and started in the wrong line. Kastapolous never conceded the positions, earning himself a big fat disqualification and the laughter of all of his peers.

Eichholtz led every lap...until Alex Carson grabbed the lead (and the win) with a big run into the last corner.

Cyrus can put herself back into championship contention if she wins her B-Main.

Results[edit | edit source]

Green background indicates driver transferred directly to Rockford 200
Yellow background indicates driver transferred to a B-Main
Red background indicates driver failed to advance
Maroon background indicates driver was disqualified
Position Number Driver Sponsor Team Car
1 93 Alex Carson Flatt Soda Pearson/Sweeney Motorsports Saar Carolina
2 231 Jacob Eichholtz Bitter Pills Eichholtz Autosport Saar Carolina
3 98 Kurt Walker Radii Radiators Kurt Walker Motorsports Nemoto Celerox
4 728 Nikos Kostapoulos TheRacingExperts.com Carcia-Aragon Motorsports Saar Carolina
5 61 Megan Driver Cruze-In Auto Detailing Terra International Motorsports Tonare Thunderbolt
6 19 Allie Riggs tirADE Ballistic Berry M&J Racing Saar Carolina
7 500 Mike Andrews Windy City Subs Mike Andrews Racing Lenard Q9
8 116 Tiffany Matthews Red-Hot Race Wear Matthews Motorsports Lenard Q9
9 6 Kiriki Hetsuno Atsuro Technologies MRD Motorsports Nemoto Celerox
10 22 Makodo Yamata Big Mac Racing Nemoto Celerox
11 79 Tanner Clason Clason Enterprises Inglesby Flashback
12 102 Laura Cyrus Voltso Motor Assault Racing Kivett Spade PS
13 39 Nami Mura People Against Shark Smuggling Kurt Walker Motorsports Nemoto Celerox
14 46A Nick Azure FAC Motorsports Saar Carolina
15 71 Todd Wodarczyk Grape Soup Gravity Racing, Inc. Kivett Spade PS
16 08 Jared Warth Graphite Max G-Max Crew Kivett Spade PS
17 86X Mac Rhylen Bloody X Ike Durbin, Inc. Inglesby Flashback
18 2 Andy Pearson Smash Beer Pearson/Sweeney Motorsports Saar Carolina
19 53 Kodi Richards The Flying Fifty-Three Inglesby Flashback
20 14 Bigsby Foote Sasq-Watch Power Steering, Incorporated Tonare Thunderbolt
21 24X Brandon Lareau Brandon's Chair Repair Afterburner Motorsports Saar Carolina
22 66 Edwin Schwarzloski tirADE M&J Racing Saar Carolina
23 33 Raibeart Scott Aeroscopic Evans Motorsports Lenard Q9
24 01 Bryan George Esper Security Systems The Doppelgang Saar Carolina

Heat Three[edit | edit source]

2012 Rockford 200 Heat Three
Date November 6, 2012
Location Rockford Speedway, Rockford, IL
Laps 40
Polesitter Todd Stater
First Mariano Zavala
Second Kellan Rogers
Third Carlo de Pretto
Cautions 3
Race Results

Todd Stater, in his return to racing, drew the pole for heat 3. Isaac Lightener started on Stater’s outside, but Stater got away from the field on the first lap.

In the back of the field, Ryan Matthews got into former Rockford 200 winner Rush McCloud, shoving McCloud into Earl McDermott and sending McDermott for a spin on the backstretch. The caution didn’t come out for McDermott, but it did come out on the next lap, as McCloud apparently had a problem with Ricky Navarro, and shoved him from Turn 3 all the way until Turn 1, when Navarro finally spun. McCloud was ordered to meet with Race Control.

Mariano Zavala got the best restart of anyone in the field, passing a couple of cars after the line. However, he drove into Turn 1 much too hard, and got into the side of Carlo de Pretto. After getting by de Pretto, Zavala was then hit by Lightener, who had gotten into the side of Brenda Riggs. Riggs was sent for a slide into the wall, and lost several positions.

Paul Lyons drove his way up to ninth during this run, but he was shuffled back through the field after Jon Halks got by him.

Stater was held up by Doom-O for a couple of laps. Doom-O laughed like a maniac over his radio as he impeded Stater. Stater finally got by the No. 666 car to find Zavala chasing him down. Stater then came across the slow cars of Henry Santos and A.J. Young and took evasive action on the outside. Zavala darted to the inside and took the lead.

On lap 21, McCloud dumped Doom-O into the infield. Doom-O shot back up into turn three, clipping Zachary Zins and taking them both into the wall. However, the caution did not come out.

Doom-O was finally taken out of the race by Lightener in the other Gravity Racing, Inc. car on lap 31. Lightener turned Doom-O into a concrete barrier off of Turn 4, but Lightener also spun as he came across Paul Lyons’ bumper. Car No. 7 smashed into the No. 666 as Doom-O bounced off of the barrier, taking Lightener out of the race as well.

Stater had a mechanical problem under this caution, and stalled at the entrance to pit road, taking him out of contention.

Zavala had several lapped cars in between himself and second-place Kellan Rogers on the restart, and he cruised to a surprising victory.

Results[edit | edit source]

Green background indicates driver transferred directly to Rockford 200
Yellow background indicates driver transferred to a B-Main
Red background indicates driver failed to advance
Position Number Driver Sponsor Team Car
1 47 VEN.png Mariano Zavala PDVSA Xenos Development Xenos Hilt
2 146 CND.png Kellan Rogers Need Gone! Liquidators Matthews Motorsports Lenard Q9
3 26 ITA.png Carlo de Pretto Xoron MRD Motorsports Nemoto Celerox
4 250 USA.png Sarah Carlisle High-Line Racing Saar Carolina
5 58 CND.png Nick Howard Gibson's Speedy Lube Last Row Autosport Xenos Hilt
6 94 USA.png Alec McDonald OEN Team Alec Lenard Q9
7 945 USA.png Jon Halks MT Motorsports Karl, Inc. Revolution
8 62 USA.png Kelly Posadas Wisconsin Hall Center Hot Wire Motorsports Nemoto Celerox
9 71R USA.png Rush McCloud Paper Football Association Gravity Racing, Inc. Kivett Spade PS
10 67 USA.png Brenda Riggs Horse Piss M&J Racing Saar Carolina
11 54 USA.png Paul Lyons Team Burr Lenard Q9
12 20P USA.png Rence Brown Rence Brown Muzzle Foundation Arnold Pine Racing Saar Carolina
13 87 USA.png Tom Delgado Gold Star Security MRD Motorsports Nemoto Celerox
14 80 CND.png Earl McDermott OEN Xenos Development Xenos Hilt
15 99 NWO.png Zachary Zins SEEK THE TRUTH A1 Racing Karl, Inc. Revolution
16 41 USA.png Greg Woodard Trollbusters.com Terra International Motorsports Tonare Thunderbolt
17 34 USA.png Ricky Navarro Cromwell Racing Parts Riggs Motorsports Saar Carolina
18 106 USA.png Ryan Matthews I.W. Eagle Matthews Motorsports Lenard Q9
19 X2 MEX.png Henry Santos Full Throttle Motorsports Xenos Hilt
20 15 USA.png Todd Stater Edelweiss Greenhouses Green Racing Inglesby Flashback
21 02 USA.png A.J. Young EY Wheelbarrows Team Burr Lenard Q9
22 10 USA.png Kasie Campbell Grease Burger Grease Burger Racing Karl, Inc. Revolution
23 7 USA.png Isaac Lightener Sub-Zero Energy Gravity Racing, Inc. Kivett Spade PS
24 666 File:EVL.png Doom-O Evil Race Team of Doom ?

Points[edit | edit source]

Postrace driver changes/penalties[edit | edit source]