The Vault
1999 – ROCKFORD OPENER, MID-AM, RE/MAX, LIL’ AL, MARS ON TAR & MORE
Posted on: Friday February 20, 2026
Kewaunee, Wisconsin’s Rick Lemmens battled in the Mid-American Stock Car Series in 1999. (Rick Lemmens photo)
RACING AROUND TITLETOWN by Joe Verdegan
(pulled from the April 28, 1999 edition of Racing Review)
Rockford (Il.) Speedway is just like Bristol (TN) in that the fast way a round the tight, quarter-mile, paved oval is on the high groove. And if you can make your car stick on the lower groove, especially at the spring race where cold temperatures mean less grip for the tires, you’re off to the races.
Steve Carlson and Pat Kelly each won their respective features in the Re/Max late model and Mid-American Stock Car Series Sunday. Both used the relatively unused lower groove to pass for the win.
Kelly was a surprise entry in the Mid-Am Series. With a late model ride on tap this year Kelly had his Mid-American car collecting dust all winter long. It was a snap decision just a few weeks before Rockford to dig the car out of the mothballs and thrash away. “We put a lot of hours into this thing in a very short period of time,” said Kelly. When asked why he decided to race with the Mid-Ams at the last minute he simply replied, “I love Rockford. But, right now I don’t plan on running the whole series.”
What thickens the plot even more is that the second place finisher, Rick Lemmens, planned on defending his 141 Speedway (Francis Creek) track title and racing the rest of the series races. “We’re going to Plover (Golden Sands Speedway) and see what happens from there. This is the first time we’ve ever finished a race at Rockford, much less a runner-up finish.”
One guy who gets the nod for the unofficial “Hard Charger” award in the Mid-Am class is Kevin Rybuck. The former Hales Corners Speedway (Franklin) sportsman champion had to battle his way into the main event through the last chance qualifier. After starting in the back of the field he wound up third and was coming on strong at the end. Look for Rybuck to be near the top of the series points all season long.
Countryside, Il. rookie Brian Schwartz ran real strong in the contest on the bottom of the track until he tangled with another machine. Schwartz plans on chasing rookie-of-the-year honors in the series and should be strong.
This season the ’99 Monte Carlo is legal for the Mid-Am Series cars – and they are a pretty close match (at least in appearance) to the Re/Max machines. In fact, the cars of Schwartz and Sheridan, Il. driver Mike Combs were approached by Re/Max tech officials who mistook the cars for Re/Max machines.
A total of 30 Mid-American cars from four states were on hand at Rockford.
***
Thirty-eight Re/Max Challenge Series late models towed in for the weekend on Friday. A tour through the pits Sunday found a real “keeping up with the Joneses” mentality when it comes to team transporters. Forty-eight, fifty and even fifty-three foot haulers were common, with some equipped with second cars, satellite dishes, tv, microwave, shower and all the modern conveniences of home. A very impressive display. In fact, between the three divisions that weekend I counted only three open trailers out of some 82 teams on hand.
Some talented drivers squared off in the 40-lap last chance race. The #9 of Deerfield, WI driver Roy Aitchison really stood out, with a machine decked out in John Deere colors. Unfortunately this former Midwest Modified champion came up one spot short as he placed third in the last chance.
Tough going as well for Winston West regional champion Joe Bellm of Westminster, CO. He placed fourth behind Aitchison in the last chance. Bellm got my vote for most impressive rig. It came with a mural of his car painted on. During the early rain delay, the team was watching the ASA race inside the hauler.
Jimmy Mars had a humbling experience at Rockford. The dirt late model standout struggled in qualifying and wound up ninth in the last chance aboard the ParkerStores entry. “We’ve had brake problems all weekend long. This is a tough track, for sure,” said Mars.
The Elk Mound, WI native described what it’s like to be racing full-time. “You gotta work at it a little more when it’s your bread and butter. For the last five or six years we kind of took our dirt late model program to a level a little more than a hobby. Thing is with the pavement a push can be a major problem where on dirt it wasn’t really a big deal.”
Appleton’s Rod Wheeler turned in a strong qualifying performance, timing in third quick Saturday.
While moving through the pack he was black flagged. Officials said his Schwarz Construction Monte Carlo had been leaking fluids.
In the feature some strong performances were turned in by Pete Moore (McFarland) and rookie Nathan Haseleu (Marshall). Moore led much of the early going until dropping out with mechanical woes. Haseleu was running fourth until All Schill Jr. and Travis Kvapil got together when he was shuffled to the back a few spots.
With an extra 50 laps in the main event this year, tire management became even more critical. With a ten car invert, Carlson started from row five and the defending series champ put on a performance we’ve seen time and time again, hover around sixth through eighth during the first 100 laps, by around lap 150 steadily move up into the top three, and with around 40 to 50 to go, Carlson shoots down to the low groove. This late in the race, there is just enough rubber laid down to pull off the pass on Kvapil, and from there it was a battle for second place.
With a pair of laps to go, Kvapil held second with quick timer Schill Jr. in third. On the restart, Schill Jr muscled inside of Kvapil, much to the delight of the crowd. The second-generation driver from Muskego placed second. Afterwards, Kvapil remained calm. “I know Al wouldn’t do something like that on purpose,” Kvapil said. “He was racing hard and I probably would have done the same thing. There are no hard feelings at all. Just hard racing.”
Al Schill Jr. in action at Rockford Speedway’s 1999 season opener. (danlewisphoto.net)
Afterwards, Schill Jr. echoed his rival’s comments. “That’s sure not how I wanted this thing to end. If I would have went any lower my tires would have been in the grass.”
It was a great race and during our trip back to Green Bay we had talked about what a great future Al Schill Jr. had going for him. The 24-year-old was quickly moving up through the ranks and was enjoying his stint racing full time for Gerry Gunderman’s All-Star Racing team. In talking to him before the rain delay he talked about what a great deal he had racing for Gunderman and all of the talented drivers that have wheeled cars out of that stable. Life was good.
Little did we know it would be the last time “Lil Al” would compete behind the wheel. I was saddened by a phone call the following afternoon by my friend and Mid-Am series promoter Gary Vercauteren about Schill’s unfortunate death the following day. In fact, as I write about it now this really hasn’t sunk in.
I remember the Memorial Day Re/Max event at WIR a year ago. It was the first race I had every taken my youngest son Jordan to. Afterwards some of the “big dogs” were too busy to sign autographs for the fans.
One of the few guys on that hot, sunny afternoon who took a few minutes for my two sons was Al Schill Jr.
Despite having run a pair of grueling, 50-lap features back-to-back, Schill wiped the sweat off his brow, grabbed a sharpie and pulled some autographed cards out of his hauler. This was one young man who understood how important it was to take care of the race fans, especially kids.
In addition to excelling on the track, Schill Jr. was also a state champion wrestler for Franklin High School in 1993. This studious-looking young man more resembled a real estate broker than a race car driver. Our condolences to the family. Al Jr., thanks for taking some time with my kids when it seemed no one else would that afternoon. It meant a lot to them.
Rest In Peace.