KAANTA OUTDUELS MARS TO GRAB THRILLING WDRL WIN AT FREEPORT
Veteran Wisconsin driver takes advantage of late caution to score first-ever series win
By Tom Lathen
WORLD Dirt Racing League

FREEPORT, IL (April 28) -  John Kaanta outran fellow Wisconsin driver Jimmy Mars following a late-race caution flag Saturday night and went on to win the Freeport 40, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series sanctioned event here at Freeport Raceway Park.

The 53-year old Kaanta, who had led for two brief stretches earlier in the race, powered underneath Mars as the pair raced through turns one and two on a lap 37 restart, and held on to secure his first-ever PolyDome Late Model Series victory on the northwest Illinois half-mile.

“This thing was kind of a battle royale all night,” quipped Kaanta following the win. “We were really pretty lucky, because early in the race I hit one of those big tires coming out of one of the corners so my front end was screwed up the whole race.”

“This thing couldn’t have happened without that caution though,” he added. “Jimmy (Mars) was probably a half straightaway ahead when that caution flag came out, and without it, I never would have had a chance.”

Following an opening lap caution flag, brought out when outside front row starter Darren “The Thriller” Miller slowed to a stop in turn four, Kaanta powered his LPI Lift Systems/MasterSbilt/Pro Power Chevrolet Monte Carlo to the advantage, only to lose the lead a lap later when last year’s WDRL series runner-up Brian Harris moved to the point as the leaders raced in front of the grandstands.

A second caution flag appeared on lap three when two-time defending series champion Denny Eckrich coasted to a halt down the back straightaway, and three laps later, Kaanta, of Elk Mound, Wisconsin, snuck underneath Harris to regain the top spot, with Mars wheeling into third, just ahead of Brady Smith and Justin Fegers.
Mars powered into second on lap ten, and as the front-runners roared out of turn four and underneath the flag stand a lap later, surprised the front-running Kaanta to take the lead on lap 11.

Mars, of Menomonie, Wisconsin, raced to nearly a half straightaway advantage over the remainder of the field, before the final caution flag of the night was displayed on lap 37, regrouping the field and allowing Kaanta the opportunity to steal the victory.

On the ensuing restart, the two-time WISSOTA national champion streaked up the front straightaway and raced door-to-door with the front runner into turn one, before powering to the advantage as the pair wheeled out of turn two with three circuits to go.

“I was right on the button when we took off,” commented Kaanta on the restart. “When he (Mars) went in to the corner, I stuck it underneath him and was able to get the car turned just how I needed to.”

“He pushed just a smidgen and that’s all it took,” added the winner. “There was a little bite coming right off on the bottom and I was able to beat him off of (turn) two and I just held my line and was able to pull it off.”

From there to the finish, Kaanta was able to hold off Mars, who withstood a furious finish by Darren Miller to grab second.

“This win has to rank up there with any of them I’ve ever had,” said the winner, who has notched over 150 feature race wins in his 28-year racing career.

“We never really had the motor to do this before and I bought a motor over the winter and really, I just want to run good with these guys and gain their respect, so to win one this early is really a neat deal.”

Brian Harris held off Justin Fegers to finish fourth, with Eric Pember, Brady Smith, Dave Eckrich, Chris Simpson, and Ray Guss, Jr. completing the top ten.

RACE REPORT:

Group Qualifying: 1. Jimmy Mars; Menomonie, WI (21.167), 2. Justin Fegers; Mound, MN (21.838, 3. Brady Smith; Solon Springs, WI (21.425), 4. Andrew McKay; Edina, MN (21.639), 5. Darren Miller; Chadwick, IL (21.646), 6. Brian Harris; Davenport, IA (21.828), 7. Dave Eckrich; Cosgrove, IA (21.864), 8. Ray Guss, Jr.; Milan, IL (21.969), 9. Matt Furman; Iowa (22.023), 10. Jason Utter; Columbus Junction, IA (22.063), 11. John Kaanta; Elk Mound, WI (22.105), 12. Rob Moss; Iowa City, IA (22.176), 13. Curt Martin; Independence, IA (22.231), 14. Craig Jacobs; Freeport, IL (22.265), 15. Scott Lemke; Rockford, IL (22.383), 16. Chris Simpson; Marion, IA (22.404), 17. Mike Fryer: Freeport, IL (22.440), 18. Bob Bollan; Freeport, IL (22.510), 19. Jeff Larson; Freeport, IL (22.525), 20. Denny Eckrich; Tiffin, IA (22.566), 21. Eric Pember; Pittsville, WI (22.649), 22. Steve Morgan; Orangeville, IL (22.739), 23. Jon Rogers; Freeport, IL (22.895), 24. Mike Widdes; Chicago, IL (22.923), 25. Pat Gillespie; Pecatonica, IL (23.001), 26. Jason Widdes; Chicago, IL (23.097), 27. Tim Isenberg; Marshfield, WI (23.110), 28. Greg Wagner; Polo, IL (23.505), Dan Shelliam; Hazel Green, WI (no time), Jeff Hayunga; German Valley, IL (no time).

First PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Harris, 2. Smith, 3. Furman, 4. Lemke, 5. Moss, 6. Larson, 7. Simpson, 7. Morgan, 8. Gillespie, 9. Wagner.

Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Kaanta, 2. Miller, 3. Fegers, 4. Denny Eckrich, 5. Guss, Jr., 6. Jacobs, 7. Fryer, 8. Rogers, 9. Jason Widdes.

Third PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Mars, 2. Martin, 3. Pember, 4. Dave Eckrich, 5. Tim Isenberg, 6. Bollon, 7. McKay, 8. Mike Widdes, 9. Utter.

KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Chris Simpson, 2. Morgan, 3. Fryer, 4. McKay, 5. Mike Widdes, 6. Gillespie, 7. Rogers, 8. Jason Widdes, 9. Wagner.

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Kaanta, 2. Miller, 3. Harris, 4. Smith, 5. Mars, 6. Pember, 7. Fegers, 8. Martin.

Freeport 40: 1. Kaanta, 2. Mars, 3. Miller, 4. Harris, 5. Fegers, 6. Pember, 7. Smith, 8. Dave Eckrich, 9. Simpson, 10. Guss, 11. Jacobs, 12. Martin, 13. Moss, 14. Bollan, 15. Fryer, 16. Denny Eckrich, 17. Lemke, 18. Isenberg, 19. Morgan, 20. McKaoy, 21. Larson, 22. Furman, 23. Rogers, 24. Gillespie.

INFORMATION OF INTEREST:

Entrants: 30
Lap Leaders: Kaanta (1), Harris (2-5), Kaanta (6-10), Mars (11-37), Kaanta (38-40)
Time of Race: 32:30.432
Margin of Victory: 0.480
Caution Flags: 5 (Laps 1, 3, 9, 37)
Red Flags: none
Rookie-of-the-Race: Kaanta
Hard Luck Driver: McKay
Series Provisionals: none

CONTINGENCY AWARD WINNERS:

Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation: Kaanta, Miller, Harris
QA1 Motorsports: Mars
AMSOIL: Kaanta
Chase Race Decals: McKay
KSE Racing Products: Simpson
The Brake Man: Mars
Champ Pans: Miller
Performance Bodies: Harris
Design 500 Racewear: Fegers
V-Performance Batteries: Pember
Fast Shafts: Smith
Hooker Harness: Dave Eckrich
Joie of Seating: Simpson
Weld Wheels: Guss, Jr.
BSB Manufacturing: Mars