Posted by Kankakee Speedway on 10/5/2004, 12:35 pm
Board Administrator

It was a familiar scene, typical of the 2004 racing season at the Kankakee Motor Speedway. Again Friday, on the final night of competition, a field of cars slipped and spun wheels on a rain-slickened track. Track officials were once more interrupting a race and waving cars back to the pits. Trucks and trailers had to be quickly loaded and moved out before mud made the grounds impassable. An exceptionally large field of cars was on hand for the $2,000 payoffs in the Street Stock and Late Model features. But they won’t be back here for the running of those races. Track officials scrambled to come up with non-conflicting makeup dates and settled on the following. · The Late Model feature will be run Oct. 16, at the Crown Point Speedway, as part of an Enduro Racing event. Additional information on times, and directions to the track can be found on the internet at www.crownpointspeedway.com. · The Street Stock and Open-Wheel Modified features will be run on Oct. 23, also at the Crown Point Speedway. Those races will be part of a full program of racing that night. The postponed features were shaping up to be very competitive events, according to the battles waged in the qualifying heats. In the Late Models, Urbana’s Richie Hedrick turned in an inspired performance to win his heat ahead of Dennis Erb of Carpentersville. They raced side-by-side with Hedrick just inches from the wall and Erb straining at the wheel for a little more power from the car that turned the night’s fastest time. In another heat, Wes Steidinger of Fairbury was unchallenged, but the fans were treated to a memorable show of power as the track’s one-lap record holder blasted to the win. In a rare mechanical malfunction, however, the Stiedinger car lost power and had to be towed from the track before picking up the checkered flag. In the Street Stocks, more than 40 cars were on hand and no oddsmaker would touch the outcome of their final war. Kevin Lenzen of Wilmington, Chad Osterhoff of Bradley and Jay Hamilton of Kankakee all won their heats and would have to be considered among the favorites. Meanwhile, Don Hilleary of Kankakee took a ride in step-brother Darren Kohler’s car and won his heat and was on the outside pole of the main event with the rains came. Hilleary, who spent part of Friday in the hospital, getting 18 stitches in his left hand (as a result of a work accident), won his heat, over Steve McCarty of Bradley. Other drivers with a shot at the Street Stocks’ biggest payday of the season: Shannon Shutter of Kankakee, who ran a very strong second in his heat; 2. Mike Cavanaugh of Kankakee (who flew in again from his job in Philadelphia for this race) and Damon Miller of Bradley, who both chased Osterhoff in his win; and Bradley’s Don McCarty, the season point champ. The last-chance races (for the final four starting spots in the feature) provides some white knuckle racing, with Steve Dixon (who came in from Houston to drive Todd Shepard’s Manhattan-based car), Matt Doris of Arlington Hgts., Steve Dimmick of Joliet and newcomer Charles Garhold taking the top spots. In the Open-Wheel Modifieds, Dave Porth of Gardner was off to a strong start winning the dash and running a very strong third in the fast heat. VIEWS FROM THE PITS: Track officials introduced the four-cylinder Mini-Stock Division cars Friday night. They race regularly at Crown Point. Hoosier Mike Rhodes won both the heat and the feature. Track announcer (and KCC staffer) Bill Yohnka sponsored a post-race fan appreciation event to celebrate his first full year behind the microphone. The festivities continued, despite the rain and Danforth’s Randy Johnson provided the music. Summaries: Late Models Fast time: Dennis Erb, Carpentersville – 13.957 seconds First Heat: 1. Richie Hedrick, Urbana; 2. Erb; 3. John Provanzano, Marseilles Second Heat: 1. Bob Pohlman, Oak Lawn; 2. Mike Mataragas, DeKalb; 3. Jason Feger Third Heat: 1. Wes Steidinger, Fairbury; 2. Eric Smith; 3. Joe Harlan, El Paso First Semi: 1. Al Atkinson, Milwaukee; 2. Greg Salter; 3. Corey Turner, Cullom Second Semi: 1. Garrett Slager, Mokena; 2. Frankie Heckenast, Jr., Orland Park; 3. Guy Volk, Portage Feature: Postponed – Rescheduled for Oct. 16 at Crown Point Speedway Open-Wheel Modified Fast time: Tim Reynolds – 15.599 Trophy Dash: 1. Dave Porth, Gardner; 2. Jason Hastings, Kankakee; 3. Rick Thomas, Dwight First Heat: 1. Joe Funk, Dwight; 2. Bill Gianetti; 3. Anthony Ricketts, Cullom Second Heat: 1. Tommy Kroll, Chebanse; 2. Kevin Hastings, Kankakee; 3. Porth Semi-Feature: 1. Funk; 2. Gianetti Feature: 1. Postponed – Rescheduled for Oct. 23 at Crown Point Speedway Street Stocks First Heat: 1. Kevin Lenzen, Wilmington; 2. Shannon Shutter; 3. Jay Morris, Watseka Second Heat: 1. Don Hilleary, Kankakee; 2. Steve McCarty, Bradley; 3. Billy Wicker, Bradley Third Heat: 1. Chad Osterhoff, Bradley; 2. Mike Cavanaugh, Kankakee; 3. Damon Miller, Bradley Fourth Heat: 1. Jay Hamilton, Kankakee; 2. Don McCarty; 3. Brett Peters, Joliet First Semi: 1. Steve Dixon, Houston; 2. Matt Doris, Arlington, Hgts. Second Semi: 1. Steve Dimmick, Joliet; 2. Charles Garhold Feature: Postponed – Reschedule for Oct. 23 at the Crown Point Speedway