Posted by Kankakee Speedway on 8/29/2005, 11:04 am
Board Administrator

KANKAKEE, IL -- Once again the Norther All-Stars Late Model Series organizers made out the $2,500 check to Steve "Ice Man" Hillard. He has endured some highlight-reel-quality bad luck at this track, but he was flawless in his wire-to-wire victory Friday night. He noted after the race that he never felt comfortable with his lead, because second-place Dennis Erb is always capable of a late-race surge. On this night, though, Erb was too busy holding off third-place Jason Feger to concern himself with Hillard. Feger could pull even with Erb in the turns but didn't have the power to stay with him on the straight-aways. Brian Shirley was fourth and All-Stars' point leader Steve Barnett was fifth. Defending track champ Ted Loomis made a steady run to notch fifth. Another regular, Rich Hedrick, was with the front runners until and oil line broke and forced him out of the race with 18 laps remaining. In the Open-Wheel Modifieds' feature, Jason Hastings might have had the fastest car on the track, but he didn't have the lane opening he needed to slow down the family team of Dan Hamstra and Kyle Cooper. Hamstra lead in the early going, but his nephew Cooper flew past him on the high side with 16 laps remaining. Hastings followed suit and moved to second three laps later, prompting Hamstra to give up the low groove and move into line behind Hastings. With Hastings taking a line so high it appeared he was touching the wall � all the way through turns three and four, the top three cars stayed in that order for the next 10 laps. Eventually, Cooper started so lose some power and Hastings was pressing hard for the lead. Then Hamstra recognized the slight slow-down and moved back to the low groove. For the final three laps it was anybody's race, but Cooper held on; Hamstra edged into second and Hastings settled for a hard-fought third. Jim Farris was fourth and Matt Bachman . In the Street Stock Division main event Steve Dimmick notched his first feature win, holding off a serious charge from Don McCarty. They seemed to be the only two drivers immune from the rash of accidents that marred the race. Late Model Division Fast Time: Wes Stiedinger � 14.210 seconds First Heat: 1. Dennis Erb; 2. Kevin Weaver; 3. Jason Feger Second Heat: 1. Steve Hillard; 2. Rich Hedrick; 3. Steidinger Third Heat: 1. Brian Shirley; 2. Duane Chamberlain; 3. Jaimie Zider Semi-Feature: 1. Steve Barnett; 2. Kerry Matthew; 3. Jarrod Holshouser Feature: 1. Hillard; 2. Dennis Erb; 3. Feger; 4. Shirley; 5. Barnett Open-Wheel Modifieds Fast Time: Dan Hamstra � 15.649 First Heat: 1. Hamstra; 2. Matt Bachman; 3. Nick Allen Second Heat: 1. Kyle Cooper; 2. Dave Porth; 3. George Aimone Third Heat: 1. Jim Farris; 2. Lance Dehm; 3. Vince Cooper Semi-Feature: 1. Jammie Wilson; 2. Tony Roland; 3. Mike Mosier Feature: 1. K. Cooper; 2. Hamstra; 3. Jason Hastings; 4. Farris; 5. Bachman Street Stock Division (No Time Trials) First Heat: 1. Jay Morris; 2. Mike Cavanaugh; 3. Brett Peters Second Heat: 1. Jay Hamilton; 2. Rick LaFine; 3. Randy Akers Third Heat: 1. Steve Dimmick; 2. Don McCarty; 3. Kevin Lenzen Feature: 1. Dimmick; 2. McCarty; 3. LaFine; 4. Billy Wicker; 5. Dan Kroll