Kankakee County Speedway
Weaver survives for ALMS win at Kankakee
Kevin Weaver (12) and Jason Feger (25) battle for the lead at Kankakee. (Jim DenHamer)
KANKAKEE, Ill. (May 18) — Inheriting the lead when a number of other front-runners were collected in a mid-race pileup, Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Tenn., lead the remaining distance of Friday night’s Sunoco American Late Model Series event and picked up a $2,000 victory at Kankakee County Speedway. | Slideshow
Tenth-starting Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., followed Weaver to the finish at the third-mile oval with Mike Spatola of Manhattan, Ill., third. Curtis Roberts of Coleman, Mich., was fourth with 12th-starting Scott Bull of Fairbury, Ill., rounding out the top five.
Weaver, who started fourth in the 40-lapper, was just outside the top five when a lapped car spun in front of the leaders, collecting among others polesitter Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., and Ryan Unizicker of El Paso, Ill.
Weaver suffered damage from the accident, but was able to continue on to score his first-career victory on the ALMS tour.
Notes: Weaver’s sponsors include Jimmy Johns Sandwiches, Morris Trucking and Excavating, Bradbury Auto Sales, Precision Plastic Products and Bill West Enterprises. … Thirteen of the race’s 22 starters were running at the finish. … Phil Ausra of Dowagiac, Mich., earned the race’s hard-charger award with his 21st-to-12th run. … The event kicked off an ALMS tripleheader weekend in Illinois. The Ohio-based tour moves to Fairbury American Legion Speedway Saturday night and Lincoln Speedway on Sunday.
ALMS @ Kankakee: (1) Kevin Weaver, (2) Jason Feger, (3) Mike Spatola, (4) Curtis Roberts, (5) Scott Bull, (6) Richie Hedrick, (7) Terry Casey, (8) Scott Schmitt, (9) Brian Ruhlman, (10) Ryan Vanderveen, (11) Steve Thorsten, (12) Phil Ausra, (13) Jay Morris, (14) Steve Dimmick, (15) Bobby Pierce, (16) Frank Heckenast Jr., (17) Shannon Babb, (18) Brian Shirley, (19) Ryan Unzicker, (20) Mike Provenzano, (21) Torin Mettile, (22) Don Gordon. Did not start: Shawn Toczek, Aaron Ricketts. Fast qualifier (among 30 cars): Scott Schmitt, 14.863. Heat race winners: Casey, Shirley, Babb. Consolation race winner: Provenzano.
