Posted by Kankakee Speedway on 4/11/2005, 11:38 am
Board Administrator

KANKAKEE -- Mike Jewell collected a $5,000 first-place check, winning the 40-lap Late Model feature ahead of runnerup Billy Drake of Bloomington and a hard-charging Dennis Erb of Carpentersville. John Provanzano of Marseilles challenged early, but settled for fifth, behind Shannon Babb of Decatur. It was Jewell's first major win here and the first success notched by the Osterhoff Racing team, the new track management group. The Open-Wheel Modified feature came down to the last lap before Matt Bachman, the 2004 track champ, finally rocketed out front of race leader Bob Pohlman. Also in the photo finish scene: Dave Porth. He ran out of racing room and wound up third. Jewell first flexed his muscle in the third heat, winning ahead of the surprising teenager from Orland Park, Frank Heckenast Jr. Then, in the feature, Russ Scheffler took the early lead. He felt Drake on his tail within four laps, while Jewell made his way to third within the first 17 laps. Jewell (driving a brand new car with an all-new shock set-up) needed just three more laps to pull into second. With 18 laps remaining, he found his way past Scheffler, and the focus shifted to the battle for second. Erb was beginning to gain momentum and, with 12 laps remaining, he and Drake were each looking for a way past a slowing Scheffler. In turn two, Drake may have pushed a little too hard on the outside as Scheffler aimed his car for the bottom groove, coming out onto the back straight-away. Scheffler didn't make it that far. His car spun onto the infield, in front of Erb, who had to bulldoze his way past the disabled car and back onto the track. In the other qualifying heats, Provanzano scored the first Late Model win of the season with a wire-to-wire run that left Drake second and Jeep VanWormer third. Scheffler, who made a run at the season title here last summer, showed off his knowledge of the track's lowside and earned the second heat win, ahead of fellow northerner, Brett Seivert. John Geary (who unveiled a new Tony Stewart look to his car) won the Street Stock feature with a run so impressive that former track champ Kevin Lenzen (who finished third) stopped in victory lane to congratulate Geary before the victory celebration. David Billingsley had to be pleased with his third-place finish. In the Open-Wheel preliminaries, Porth looked strong from the first green flag and easily out-raced runnerup Pohlman and third-place Kyle Cooper for his first win of the new season. Kevin Hastings wound up as the only guy who kept Bachman behind him. He won his heat with Bachman second and Travis Kohler third. Kohler also ran a strong fourth in the feature, just ahead of Tommy Kroll. Results: Late Model Division Fast Time: Wes Steidinger – 14.384 First Heat: 1. John Provanzan; 2. Billy Drake; 3. Jeep VanWormer; 4. Dennis Erb; 5. George Scheffler Second Heat: 1. Russ Scheffler; 2. Brett Seivert; 3. Shannon Babb; 4. Brian Shirley; 5. Jason Beiers Third Heat: Mike Jewell; 2. Frank Heckenast Jr.; 3. Roger Long; 4. Joe Harlan; 5. Jason Feger Semi-Feature: 1. Steidinger; 2. Dick Potts; 3. Ted Loomis Feature: 1. Jewell; 2. Drake; 3. Erb; 4. Babb; 5. Provanzano; 6. Van Wormer; 7. Heckenast Open-Wheel Modifieds Fast Time: Bob Pohlman – 15.850 First Heat: 1. Dave Porth; 2. Pohlman; 3. Kyle Cooper Second Heat: 1. Kevin Hastings; 2. Matt Bachman; 3. Travis Kohler Feature: 1. Bachman; 2. Pohlman; 3. Porth; 4. Kohler; 5. Tommy Kroll Street Stock Division First Heat: 1. Billy Wicker; 2. Kevin Lenzen; 3. Steve Dimmick Second Heat: 1. David Billingsley; 2. John Geary; 3. Jay Morris Third Heat: 1. Jay Hamilton; 2. Mike Cavanaugh; 3. Brett Peters Semi-Feature: 1. Gordon Weaver; 2. Vern Gaus; 3. Tim Caster Feature: 1. Geary; 2. Billingsley; 3. Lenzen; 4. Hamilton; 5. Dimmick