CHICAGO WHISPERS

Chicago, Ill.—Racing is beginning to become “full bloom” in this area as most tracks have hosted their season-opening programs.
 
Kankakee County Speedway has already been the scene of three stock car racing events with the speedway brining back super late model racing this year.  Mike “Opie” Spatola, from Manhattan, Ill., has won two out of the three late model main events so far with a “DNF” costing him possibly another victory.  
 
Pretty much racing every Friday night, the fairgrounds quarter-mile dirt oval sees about a half-dozen or so divisions in action.  Make sure to check the speedway’s website for the latest scheduling and information.
 
Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill., was the site of the traditional Wayne Carter Classic for late models this past Saturday with Max Kahler, from Caledonia, Ill., taking home overall top honors in evening’s “Twin 50s” action – part of the track’s “Six Pack Shootout.”
 
The 23-year-old Kahler finished second to two-time Grundy champion Ricky Baker in the first, 18-car, 50 lapper and then came home the winner in the second “50” – getting by a slowing Eddie Hoffman in the nightcap with Baker grabbing third.
 
Earlier in the evening, Andy Jones, son of longtime Chicago area stock car favorite – Tom Jones, set a new qualifying track record, getting around the third-mile paved oval in 14.282 seconds in the Keith Tolf-owned No. 52.  Jones, who has only raced a handful of times over the past few years, finished third and sixth in the 50 lappers.
 
This year’s event was sanctioned by the speedway itself after being part of the old ARTGO Racing, NASCAR Elite and Midwest Tour for many years, starting in 1975.  A look through the history books shows that the late Joe Shear won six Carter Classic features at Grundy over the years. Hoffman, the ten-time Grundy late model titilist, has three Carter Classic wins to his credit – making him second on the all-time win list.
 
Again this year, Grundy County Speedway will be racing on Friday and Saturday nights – depending on scheduling.  Check the speedway’s website or Facebook page for the latest info.  Big 8-style late models, Crown Vics, Pure Stocks and the Midwest Pavement Midget Series are scheduled this Friday, May 15.
 
Brad DeYoung won the 10th annual “White Lightning Showdown” 10-lap modified special at Indiana’s Shadyhill Speedway last Saturday night.  The Wheatfield, Ind., veteran, a four-time modified champion at Shadyhill, picked up $5,000 for his victory ahead of Michigan’s Cliff Spalding.  Later in the night, Spalding won the regularly scheduled modified feature race.  The quarter dirt oval, outside the town of Medaryville, Ind., presents races every Saturday night.
 
Sycamore Speedway in Maple Park, Ill., on Route 64, a few miles east of Sycamore, hosted the Interstate Racing Association 410-winged sprint cars last Saturday with Paul Nienhiser of Chapin, Ill., winning the night’s 30-lap headliner ahead of Wisconsin’s Logan Julien and Blake Nimee from nearby Yorkville, Ill.  Jordan Miklas won the feature for the IRA Non-Wing Crate sprinters with Jordan Funderburk capturing the feature for the IRA Lightning Sprints.  
 
The quarter-mile dirt oval hosts spectator racing programs the next two Friday nights with Saturday night stock car action beginning May 23.
 
Illinois’ LaSalle Speedway lost its Flo Racing Night in America program to weather on May 5.  Next up on the specials-only LaSalle schedule is Saturday, May 30, when the Bumper to Bumper IRA Sprints, Wisconsin WingLESS Sprint Series, Midwest Open Wheel Association, and Midwest Legends Dirt Series invade the speedway.
 
The roar of racing engines returned to Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet on April 21 and 22 as several NASCAR drivers took to the track for Goodyear tire tests.  The 1.5-mile tri-oval had been idle since 2019 with NASCAR racing taking place locally on the streets of downtown Chicago the past three years.  A reported crowd of some 1,000 fans was on hand Tuesday, the first day of testing, with Wednesday’s runs closed to fans.
 
NASCAR Cup drivers Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney took part in the two-day test with O’Reilly Auto Parts Series drivers Illinois’ Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones testing on Tuesday only.
 
“It was cool to get out there and try to remember what it was like,” said Larson.  “It hasn’t been that long since we’ve been here.   We’ve raced so much between then and now. I didn’t remember a whole lot other than bump in (turn) one and the bumps in three and four and they are all still there.  The surface is better than I expected. It is really fast.”
 
NASCAR racing returns to the Chicagoland Speedway July 3 – 5 with the Automobile Racing Club of America Menards Series also on the schedule.
 
Johnny Kapovich, former Chicago area stock car racer, passed away recently at the age of 91.  Kapovich was a part of the “rough and tumble” area racing scene, winning feature races at five different local tracks during the 1950s and 60s.  Kapovich won at Blue Island’s Raceway Park, Chicago’s 87th Street Speedway, Mance Park in Hodgkins, Ill., Santa Fe Park Speedway near Willow Springs and Indiana’s Illiana Motor Speedway.  Kapovich won the season-ending 300-lap special at Santa Fe in 1955, diving a late model 1953 Lincoln.  
 
With Kapovich’s passing, only a few drivers are left that competed locally in the 1950s.  “Tiger Tom” Pistone, a three-time track champion at Chicago’s Soldier Field, quickly comes to mind.