Redig-Tackman Shines in Mid-Am Thriller; Osterhoff and McKinney Also Lead The Way (click here)
With stormy weather increasingly looming as the night wore on, the staff at Kankakee County Speedway pushed the show forward enough to get in all but four features races amongst the seven divisions competing. A total of 105 cars filled the pit area including 20 cars representing three states from the visiting Mid-Am Racing Series, an asphalt based series that competes around the Midwest. However, on this night the series was set to tackle the first of two dirt tracks (Sycamore the other) over the weekend.
Rick Redig-Tackman of Waukesha, WI would best the 20 car field over the 30-laps, in what was a thriller of a race especially given that most of these drivers have limited if any experience on a dirt surface, to claim the $2,000 winners share.
Chasing Redig-Tackman to the checkered flag were Steve Blair, Scott Gardner, Bobby Gash III and John Ventrello. Ventrello, Redig-Tackman and Gash III won preliminary heat races while former UMP Modified driver Vince Cooper of Morris, IL set fast time with a lap of 17.763 (track record for the series).
In UMP Pro Late Model action Chad Osterhoff collected his second win of the season in the last four weeks. .
Osterhoff started on the pole and never looked back, thus notching his 20th career feature win in the super competitive division.
Giving chase over the 20-laps were Matt Hammond, Chase Osterhoff, Austin McCarty and Dan Kuhn. Promoter/Driver Billy Knippenberg Jr. and Hammond won preliminary heat races while Knippenberg Jr. also claimed fast time honors with a lap of 15.642.
In UMP Modified 20-lap feature action was dominated by Mike McKinney of Plainfield, IL as the still young ace collected his 33rd career feature win and fourth of the season. He would be followed by Jamie Lomax, Steven Brooks, Jason Hastings and Frank Marshall. There's a lot of feature wins amongst that top five.
McKinney and Marshall would earn heat race wins while McKinney also set fast time with a lap of 15.653.
On tap for next Friday night July 21st is the 50-lap Dick Potts Memorial race for UMP Pro Late Models paying $2000 to win presented by Big Rig Oil Pros.
Also $800 to win features for the UMP Pro Modifieds and Factory Stocks plus a full program of racing in all divisions (Crown Vics are OFF). Pro Late Models will also be engaged in the All-Star Performance Non-Winners race. A race for those who have never won a feature event with the winner earning the pole position for the feature event later in the evening.
