KANKAKEE COUNTY SPEEDWAY
May 20, 2011
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Spatola Nets Natural Hat Trick With Sunoco ALMS Tour Triumph

KANKAKEE, IL (May 20) - To say Manhattan's Mike "Opie" Spatola is on a bit of a roll at Kankakee County Speedway would be an understatement.  The 20-year-old former modified ace, who captured six wins in 2010, has reeled off three straight in the Late Model division at the 1/3-mile high-banked clay oval.  In fact, no rookie in the track's rich 61 year history has ever won three consecutive races to start a season.  Furthermore, Spatola has not only scored the Kankakee hat-trick, but also netted his fourth victory in just ten starts.  Dare I say, we're talking Scott Bloomquist type numbers.  While Spatola's first two wins at Kankakee came during weekly shows, Spatola showed race fans and competitors alike that this cat is for real.  The win was Spatola's first on the Sunoco ALMS tour and comes on the heels of a big win at the Player Hater 50 held at Winston Speedway a month ago.

When the green flag fell, Ottawa's Mike Provenzano assumed command from his pole position over front row mate Jon Henry of Ada, OH, making his first ever visit to Kankakee County Speedway.  Provenzano would lead the first 15 circuits of the 40-lap main event, which drew 36 cars from six states and the Province of Ontario, Canada.  Henry meanwhile, held the second spot for the first nine laps before giving way to Spatola, who started seventh on the grid after the redraw.  Spatola vaulted into fifth on the opening lap and ran there for the first three trips around before steadily climbing his way to the top spot on lap 16.  With Spatola now comfortably out front, both Alan Vochaska and JR Hotovy, a pair of Hartford (MI) Speedway regulars brought out cautions on laps 17 and 19, respectively.  Spatola once again had a clean track out in front of him, with a pack of hungry drivers right on his tail.  On lap 24, defending UMP National Champion Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, MI took over the runner-up spot and began to apply the pressure on Spatola using the high side of the race track.  Following one final caution on lap 30, the duo went side by side over the final 10 laps, swapping the lead several times over the final six laps.  Schlenk's tires would go away just enough to allow Spatola to claim the win, while Provenzano, who has been so close to victory recently that he can almost taste it, settled for a great third place showing followed by Henry, and Dillan White of Crofton, KY.  The race was slowed by four cautions.

Jeep Van Wormer, Curtis Roberts, Henry, and Bret Sievert won preliminary heat races, while JR Hotovy and Aaron Ricketts captured B Main's.  Tonica's Scott Schmitt was again fast qualifier with a time of 14.879.  Britton, MI driver Devin Shiels, also making his debut appearance at Kankakee, was the Hard Charger of the race improving 10 spots to finish 12th.

Spatola's Pierce Race Car has a Rhyne Competition Engine and sponsorship from Chicago Heights U-Pull-It, Pic-A-Part, Big Daddy Scrap and Modern Carriage Werks. ... The track's Late Model division is sponsored by Court Street Ford. ... Spatola leads the division's points over Mike Provenzano. ... Devin Shiels of Britton, Mich., was the event's hard charger, improving from 22nd to 12th. ... Twenty of 25 starters were running at the finish. ... Spatola is the third consecutive first-time winner on the series; Brian Shirley and Ryan Unzicker ended last season as back-to-back first-time series winners. ... Among drivers failing to make Friday's main event: Steve Sheppard Jr., Andrew Reaume, Jay Morris, Steve Thorsten and Keith Piano.

Court Street Ford
UMP/ALMS Late Models (36 cars)

Overall Fastest Qualifier - 10 Scott Schmitt 14.879

Feature (40-laps, $2000 to win)
1. 89 Mike Spatola
2. 91 Rusty Schlenk
3. M27 Mike Provenzano (2)
4. 15 Jon Henry (1)
5. 54 Dillan White
6. 5 Bret Sievert
7. 10 Scott Schmitt (11)
8. 49 Brian Ruhlman (14)
9. 29 Sammy Epling (10)
10. 1 Casey Noonan (19)
11. 55 Jeep Van Wormer
12. 51 Devin Shiels (22)
13. 21B Rich Bell (15)
14. 42A Shawn Toczek (23)
15. 13 JR Hotovy (17)
16. 95 Aaron Ricketts (18)
17. 15 Phil Ausra (21)
18. 9R Curtis Roberts
19. 111 Randy Manos Jr. (25)
20. 14 Glen Thompson (20)
21. 11 Steve Dimmick DNF (12)
22. V77 Guy Volk DNF (13)
23. 34 Alan Vochaska DNF (9)
24. 14 Kerry Mathew DNF (24)
25. 23v Ryan Vanderveen DNF (16)

Hard Charger - 51 Devin Shiels +10

Heat 1 (Top 4 transfer) 9
1. 55 Jeep Van Wormer
2. 54 Dillan White
3. 34 Alan Vochaska
4. V77 Guy Volk
5. 21 Keith Piano
6. 13 JR Hotovy
7. 27 Brian Rickey
8. 111 Randy Manos
9. 51 Devin Shiels

Heat 2 (Top 4 transfer) 9
1. 9R Curtis Roberts
2. 89 Mike Spatola
3. 29 Sammy Epling
4. 49 Brian Ruhlman
5. 95 Aaron Ricketts
6. 42A Shawn Toczek
7. 14 Glen Thompson
8. 16 Cody Morales
9. 5S Steve Sheppard DNF

Heat 3 (Top 4 transfer) 9
1. 15 Jon Henry
2. M27 Mike Provenzano
3. 10s Scott Schmitt
4. 21B Rich Bell
5. 88 Andrew Reaume
6. 1 Casey Noonan
7. 7T Steve Thorsten
8. 77M Jay Morris DNF
9. 14 Kerry Mathew DNF

Heat 4 (Top 4 transfer) 9
1. 5 Bret Sievert
2. 91 Rusty Schlenk
3. 11 Steve Dimmick
4. 23v Ryan Vanderveen
5. 15 Phil Ausra
6. 116 Torin Mettile
7. 10H Don Hilleary
8. 05 Gary Schalmo
9. 1 Doug Zartler

B Main #1 (Top transfer) 8
1. 13 JR Hotovy
2. 1 Casey Noonan
3. 88 Andrew Reaume
4. 7T Steve Thorsten
5. 27 Brian Rickey
6. 51 Devin Shiels
7. 111 Randy Manos Jr.
8. 14m Kerry Mathew
9. 21 Keith Piano DNS
10. 77M Jay Morris DNS

B Main #2 (Top transfer) 9
1. 95 Aaron Ricketts
2. 14 Glen Thompson
3. 05 Gary Schalmo
4. 15 Phil Ausra
5. 10H Don Hilleary
6. 116 Torin Mettile
7. 1 Doug Zartler
8. 16 Cody Morales
9.  42A Shawn Toczek
10. 5S Steve Sheppard DNS

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Indulgent Creations UMP Sport Compacts (19 cars)

Heat 1 (All transfer) 9
1. 00 Skylar Antonelli
2. 98 Jerry Legner
3. 812 Dennis Polak
4. 28K Jason Kemp
5. 66 Shannon Mudro
6. 2 Joe Tsilis
7. 48 Tim Cronin
8. B9Jr Breanne Brown
9. 07 Brian Bennett

Heat 2 (All transfer) 10
1. 77 Jesse Gaylord
2. 95 Dave Polak Jr.
3. 37 Scott Cupples
4. 42JR Jessica Summar
5. 10 Mike Grabe
6. x3 Ben Kirchner
7. 1 Robert Naese
8. 9 Chris Schmink
9. 15 Austin Wilkerson
10. 18 Scott Russo

Feature (15-laps, $100 to win)
1. 77 Jesse Gaylord (2)
2. 42JR Jessica Summar (8)
3. 98 Jerry Legner (3)
4. 2 Joe Tsilis (19)
5. 66 Shannon Mudro (9)
6. 95 Dave Polak Jr. (4)
7. x3 Ben Kirchner (12)
8. 9 Chris Schmink (16)
9. 18 Scott Russo (18)
10. 10 Mike Grabe (10)
11. 1 Robert Naese (14)
12. 812 Dennis Polak (5)
13. 15 Austin Wilkerson (17)
14. 07 Brian Bennett (15)
15. 00 Skylar Antonelli (1)
16. 37 Scott Cupples (6)
17. 28K Jason Kemp (7)
18. B9Jr Breanne Brown (13)
19. 48 Tim Cronin (11) DNS

Hard Charger - 2 Joe Tsilis +15


Chicago Heights U-Pull-It UMP Modifieds (36 cars)

Heat 1 (Top 4 transfer) 9
1. 70 Vince Cooper 1
2. 21A Nick Allen 5
3. 21 Derek Bunning 9
4. 25P Dave Porth 13
5. 141 Mike Sullivan
6. 35 Jason Hastings
7. 23B Eric Boudreau
8. 88D Jordan Danford
9. 5 Mike Todd

Heat 2 (Top 4 transfer) 9
1. 36 Kevin Hastings
2. 21 Jr Justin McCoy
3. 0 Travis Kohler
4. 10 Shawn Scripter
5. 22N Lake Nichoalds
6. 17 Darrin Kohler
7. 7 Jason Klopp
8.57 Mark Grosvenor
9. 12x Tom Pasek

Heat 3 (Top 4 transfer) 9
1. 69 Jim Farris
2. 66 Phil Line
3. 7 Brad DeYoung
4. 28M Frank Marshall
5. 48x Kurt Allison
6. 06 Ryan Kortge
7. 49 Brian Ruhlman
8. 45 Loren Grosvenor
9. 27 Matt Laffoon

Heat 4 (Top 4 transfer) 9
1. 36L Jamie Lomax
2. 130 Chad Osterhoff
3. 67 Chris Gaither
4. 14 Adam Williams
5. 05 Steven Brooks
6. 31 Tom Bell
7. 27 Bob Pohlman Jr.
8. 48 Adam Pockrus
9. 22K Bobby Keller

Consi #1 (Top 2 transfer)
1. 141 Mike Sullivan
2. 48 Kurt Allison
3. 35 Jason Hastings
4. 06 Ryan Kortge
5. 88D Jordan Danford
6. 5T Mike Todd
7. 45 Loren Grosvenor
8. 49 Brian Ruhlman
9. 23B Eric Boudreau
10.

Consi #2 (Top 2 transfer)
1. 05 Steven Brooks
2. 27 Bob Pohlman
3. V17 Darrin Kohler
4. 22N Lake Nichoalds
5. 22K Bobby Keller
6. 48 Adam Pockrus
7. 12X Tom Pasek
8. 7 Brad DeYoung
9. 57 Mark Grosvenor
10. 31 Tom Bell DNF

Feature (20-laps, $600 to win)
1. 70 Vince Cooper
2. 36L Jamie Lomax
3. 36 Kevin Hastings
4. 21A Nick Allen
5. 69 Jim Farris
6. 130 Chad Osterhoff
7. 05 Steven Brooks
8. 66 Phil Line
9. 0 Travis Kohler
10. 7 Brad DeYoung
11. 25P Dave Porth
12. 21 Derek Bunning
13. 27P Bob Pohlman
14. 48x Kurt Allison
15. 10 Shawn Scripter
16. 141 Mike Sullivan
17. 14 Adam Williams
18. 67 Chris Gaither
19. 28m Frank Marshall
20. 21JR Justin McCoy

Hard Charger - 05 Steven Brooks +10