Posted by Kankakee Speedway on 4/30/2005, 10:48 am
Board Administrator

KANKAKEE IL -- Kankakee Valley Motor Speedway is under new management and the Osterhoff Family wanted to make a clear statement to racing teams on a cold rain-soaked Friday night: if you'll make the tow, we'll do our best to put on a show. So, time trials were delayed and the racing went on (in front of a sparse crowd) until midnight, but they got the show in for the more than 60 teams who filled the pits (some of whom had driven an extra 60 miles from tracks that were rained out). Sadly for the fans who chose to take a pass on the this one, this was maybe the best show ever seen by one of the smallest crowds in track history. The track was lightning fast. There were races won on the last lap. Cars hit the wall. Cars flipped. And a couple driver had their best night's ever. In the Late Model Division, Urbana's Richie "The Hitman" Hedrick had to battle side-by-side with former track champ Dennis Erb, but he held on with his heart-stopping high-side style. Erb wound up second and high school phenom Frank Heckenast Jr. was third. Ryan Dauber turned quick time and rocketed out front in the feature with Erb and defending track champ Ted Loomis in pursuit. Dauber found himself stuck in traffic eight laps into the race and Erb took over with Hedrick right on his tail. Nine laps later, Hedrick blasted by on the outside, but Erb never gave up. Through a rash of yellow flags, Hedrick had to continue to regain his dominance with his high-side daring. "We came out and practiced with the other car," Hedrick said. "When it continued to drizzle and we saw how wet the track was going to be, we went to the other car and the bigger motor. When I saw Erb down there I knew he'd race me clean and I knew I had the power to hold him off. It was in that race that another prep star, Kyle Roderick flipped his car – but he walked away, unhurt. One other note on that 30-lap feature: Dauber was later involved in a spin-out and sent to the back of the pack with 16 laps remaining. He turned on the after-burners and went from last to fourth in the second half of the race. In the Open-Wheel Modified Division, a former rookie of the year at the Kankakee track, Scott Bull of Fairbury, made his first visit of the year and won his first feature ever on this quarter-mile. He easily outran runnerup William Harrison. In the Street Stock Division, Kevin Lenzen made a rare clean sweep, thanks in part to a mechanical setback suffered by his friend and feature race leader – for just about all but the last lap – John Geary. Lenzen won a special trophy dash, sponsored by Conrad's Harley-Davidson of Joliet, and his heat race. Next Friday night will feature a $1,300 first-place prize for the Modified feature winner. The Late Models and Street Stocks will be running too. Summaries: Late Model Fast Time: Ryan Dauber, Tonica – 13.929 First Heat: 1. Dauber; 2. Jason Beier, Schneider, Ind.; 3. Wes Steidinger, Fairbury Second Heat: 1. Frank Heckenast Sr., Orland Park; 2. Ted Loomis, Ingston; 3. Garrett Slager, Mokena Third Heat: 1. Dennis Erb, Carpentersville; 2. Rich Hedrick, Urbana; 3. Jamie Zider, Greenfield, Wisc. Feature: 1. Hedrick; 2. Erb; 3. Frank Heckenast Jr., Orland Park; 4. Dauber; 5. Steidinger Open-Wheel Modified Fast Time: Matt Bachman, Gibson City – 16.107 First Heat: 1. William Harrison, Black Oak, Ind.; 2. AJ Dixon, Manteno; 3. Bachman Second Heat: 1. Scott Bull, Fairbury; 2. Dan Hamstra, Fair Oaks, Ind.; 3. Tom Kroll, Chebanse Feature: 1. Bull; 2. Harrsion; 3. Hamstra; 4. Bachman; 5. Jim Ferris, Odell Street Stock Trophy Dash: 1. Kevin Lenzen, Wilmington; 2. Billy Wicker, Bradley; 3. Jay Hamilton, Kankakee First Heat: 1. Lenzen; 2. Robert Turner, Kankakee; 2. Gordon Weaver, Bradley Second Heat: 1. Hamilton; 2. Wicker; 3. Jay Morris, Pittwood Third Heat: 1. David Billingsley, Chebanse; 2. John Geary, Kankakee; 3. Bill Stevenson, Kankakee Semi-Feature: 1. Steve Thorsten, Chebanse; 2. Vern Gaus, Buckingham; 3. Brett Peters, Joliet Feature: 1. Lenzen; 2. Hamilton; 3. Wicker; 4. Geary; 5. Billingsley