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KANKAKEE, IL (July 23, 2010) - A late afternoon shower that lasted just a few minutes didn't dampen the spirits of some 117 drivers and another large crowd on Carload Night as Kankakee County Speedway hosted it's Mid-Season Championships Friday night at the 1/3-mile oval located on the grounds of the Kankakee County Fairgrounds. After a nearly two hour rain delay to rework the track's surface, Elmer Saathoff and crew gave the track staff the thumbs up to go green flag racing, and what their efforts produced was a very fast and smooth racing surface all night long that gave fans that high octane excitement they came looking for as well as one very frightful tense moment when late model driver Gary Schalmo of Mokena, IL got airborne and cart-wheeled his Warrior race car down the front stretch after exiting turn four in earlier heat race action. It was unclear as to what caused the miscue, but after several minutes, Gary Schalmo exited his car with the assistance of track crew member Jon Hamilton clearly shaken as he was helped to the ambulance with the assistance of others. After being initially evaluated, Gary claimed he was alright only to have the track ambulance return later on to transport him to nearby Riverside Medical Center where he was treated and released after suffering a mild concussion. Promoter Tom Smith spoke with Schalmo by phone Saturday, and Schalmo said he doesn't remember anything about the accident but did want to thank everyone who helped extricate him from his badly damaged car and also to all those who have called to check on him and wish him well. Meanwhile, the action on the track never slowed down as Mike Spatola of Manhattan romped to his second win of the season at Kankakee besting a field of 25 other UMP Modifieds in the Chicago Heights U-Pull-It UMP Modified 20-lap, $700 to win feature. Finishing a distant second was Jim Farris of Odell after Kankakee's Phil Line slowed and fell out of the top five. Vince Cooper of Morris came home in the third spot followed by Gardner's Dave Porth and Jamie Lomax of Lake Village, IN. Heat race winners included Line, Spatola, and Porth, while rookie Allen Line earned his first ever checkered flag by winning the consolation race. Keith Piano of Oglesby, IL was the surprise winner of the Court Street Ford UMP Late Model 25-lap feature that netted the veteran driver $1,500 on the night. Piano also became an unprecedented ninth different winner in as many weeks in the Court Street Ford UMP Late Model division. That number could climb even higher over the next several weeks as Kankakee will be hosting the second and third legs of The Land of Lincoln Triple Crown Clash over the next three weeks. More on that later. Giving chase and finishing runner-up was point leader Ted Loomis of Kingston, who used his edge of his seat style of racing to throw everything he could at Piano except the piano itself. Rounding out the top five was Rich Bell, Jimmy Dehm, and Frank Heckenast Sr., who were all engaged in a spirited battle of their own. Heat race winners included Kyle Madison, Piano, and Dehm. The event drew 24 late model entries. In Smith Realty I-Mod action, Mike Kingma of Lowell, IN crept closer to the top of the points standings with his victory over Adam Williams in the 15-lap feature affair. Kingma, the defending track and series champion, came into the night trailing Williams by 18 points in the standings and with his win trimmed off five points and now trails by just 13 points. Meanwhile, Mitch Bailey would ride home in third followed by John Robbins and John Rhoads. Williams and Robbins were heat race winners among the 19 entrants on hand. Driver Mike Heckenast of MPH Trucking added $500 to the purse to be dispersed down through the field. Next up were the Miller Hydraulic UMP Stock Cars where Alex Clubb of Morris was a surprise winner in a division where making the show as an outsider is half the battle, much less winning the 15-lap, $400 to win feature. However, Clubb was able to use his pole starting spot to jump out front and never relinquish the lead despite having Joel Funk of Dwight giving chase in his Rambler bodied stock car. Jay Hamilton of Bonfield finished third while point leader Jerrad Krick of Earl Park, IN, and Andrew Funk of Dwight finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Heat race winners included Clubb, Jeff Riley, and Hamilton, while rookie Axle Wicker won the consolation race. For Riley, it was a high-flying day after jetting in from Las Vegas just prior to race time then making the drive from Lewis airport in Joliet. Finally, in Indulgent Creations UMP Sport Compact action, Nick Clubb of Morris bested 20 other four-cylinder combatants in earning $200 for his first win at Kankakee. Matt McCarty finished runner-up to maintain his point lead in the division, while Shannon Mudro, newcomer Kyle Cox, and Nick Boring rounded out the top five. Clubb and John Provenzano each won preliminary heat races. Join us Friday night, July
30th, as Indy Pic-A-Part presents The Land of Lincoln Triple Crown Clash
featuring the Monster Midwest Series vs. Northern All Stars vs. Sunoco
American Late Model Series competing in a 40-lap, $3,000 to win battle of
Midwest supremacy. Some of the regions top drivers including the Top 5 in
UMP National points will be on hand to do battle in what should prove to go
a long way in determining the 2010 UMP National Champion. Rusty Schlenk of
Jackson, MI, Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, MI, Ryan Unzicker of El Paso,
IL, Jason Feger of Bloomington, IL, and Dennis Erb of Carpentersville, IL
are just some of the names of what looks to be a stellar lineup of drivers
competing here over the next few weeks. Feger represents the Monster
Midwest Series, Kevin Weaver represents the Northern All Stars, and Jon
Henry respresents the Sunoco American Late Model Series as series champions
from 2009. Drivers from Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana will also be pleased to
know that Fairbury American Legion Speedway will host a $2,000 to win show
on Saturday, July 31st, giving drivers from those states a reason to travel
to Kankakee knowing they can compete all weekend long. Plus the night will
also include a full program of racing including Chicago Heights U-Pull-It
UMP Modifieds, Miller Hydraulic UMP Stock Cars, and the Indulgent Creations
UMP Sport Compacts.
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