Cannon wins twice at Illiana Motor Speedway

SCHERERVILLE | Despite driving with a busted-up finger, Jeff Cannon was the dominant driver in late model stock car racing Saturday night at Illiana Motor Speedway.

Injuring his left index finger while cutting down tree limbs on Friday afternoon, Cannon captured both late model features -- the 25-lap super late model main event and the 25-lap limited late model headliner -- wheeling Griffith businessman Wayne Govert's almost identical-looking Chevrolet Impalas.

The victories marked the second super late model win and the fourth limited late model victory for the Kouts resident and two-time Illiana super late model champion.

"Man, we did a couple of things over the past week (to the car) that I wish we would have had last week for the ASA (American Speed Association Midwest Tour) race," Cannon said.

"The limited car was just OK, but this car (the super late model) was on a rail. I can't say enough. It's a good feeling."

Commenting on his injured finger, Cannon said, "It was a painful night, but I guess it was worth it. I was trimming trees with a chainsaw, and I ended up trimming my finger too.

"I had to move the steering wheel way far away from me so that I could turn it. I kept binding up my hand in there, and it just hurt so bad."

Veteran Bobby Gash and Dave Gentile chased Cannon to the checkered flag in the super late model main, while defending division titlist John Nutley and Mark Ross, Jr. of Highland trailed Cannon at the end of the limited late model run on the half-mile paved oval.

Young female competitor Andrea Hans of Churubusco, in northeastern Indiana, led from flag-to-flag to capture the 20-lap Legends feature race on Illiana's quarter-mile track. The 18-year-old recent high school graduate finished ahead of 2009 division titlist Alex Arelano and 2008 champion Chris King of Kouts to capture her first career Illiana main event.

"I knew I could block them," said Hans when asked about the late-race challenge of both Arelano and King.

Other quarter-mile action saw Brian Kucaba of Orland Park, Ill., win the 25-lap Turbo Stock feature, claiming his first feature win of the year. Kucaba and his Monte Carlo drove to a convincing victory over Craig Amptmeyer of Lansing and Thornton's Eddie Wolf.

Chris Czaszwicz of Alsip, Ill., guided his rapid-running 1997 Saturn to victory in the 15-lap main event for Pure Stock division racers. Czaszwicz captured his third win of the season ahead of George Werner and Hammond's Helen Nester, who leads the current division standings. Justin Van Drunen of DeMotte won the 10-lap Bandoleros feature -- his first win of the year.

Shadyhill Speedway: Veteran driver and former multi-time track champion Jesse Bitterling of Star City was the winner of the 20-lap feature race for United Midwestern Promoters modified stock cars at the Medaryville quarter-mile dirt track Saturday night.

Bitterling's win was his first of the year and broke Nick Allen's streak of three straight victories. Allen came home second followed by Derek Losh.

Other features winners included Jerrad Krick (UMP Stock Cars), Mitch Bailey (I-Mods), Chad Bales (Street Stocks) and Kyle Cox (Barefoot Minis).

LOCAL AUTO RACING

Illiana Motor Speedway

At Schererville

Saturday's Results

Schepel Buick/GMC Super Late Models

25-lap feature -- 1. Jeff Cannon, 2. Bobby Gash, 3. Dave Gentile, 4. John Nutley, 5. Keith Tolf, 6. Kevin Moenck. 8-lap heat races -- Nutley, Tolf. Fastest qualifier -- Cannon.

Schepel Performance Limited Late Models

25-lap feature -- 1. Jeff Cannon, 2. John Nutley, 3. Mark Ross, Jr., 4. Dennis Lyp, 5. Rita Fields, 6. Phil Splant. 8-lap heat races -- Nutley, Splant. Fastest qualifier -- Nutley.

Legends

20-lap feature -- 1. Andrea Hans, 2. Alex Arelano, 3. Chris King, 4. Garrett Goodwin, 5. Matt Govert, 6. Craig Mahoney. 8-lap heat races -- Govert, Hans. Fastest qualifier -- Arelano.

Turbo Stox

25-lap feature -- 1. Brian Kucaba, 2. Craig Amptmeyer, 3. Eddie Wolf, 4. Bill Serviss, 5. Tony Meier, 6. Billy Jarrells. 8-lap heat races -- Kucaba, Pat Ligue. Fastest qualifier -- Chris Woodall.

Pure Stocks

15-lap feature -- 1. Chris Czaszwicz, 2. George Werner, 3. Helen Nester, 4. Ryan Hoffman, 6. Jason Berry. 8-lap heat races -- Hoffman, Werner, Mike Jucius.

Bandoleros

10-lap feature -- 1. Justin Van Drunen, 2. Stan Zolodz, IV, 3. Ashley Ligue.

Shadyhill Speedway

At Medaryville

Saturday's Results

United Midwestern Promoters Modifieds

20-lap feature -- 1. Jesse Bitterling, 2. Nick Allen, 3. Derek Losh, 4. Brad DeYoung, 5. Kurt Allison, 6. Tom Bell. 8-lap consolation races -- Derek Bunning, Mike Sullivan. 8-lap heat races -- DeYoung, Bell, Losh, Bitterling. Fastest qualifier -- Allen, 16.437 seconds (quarter-mile dirt track).

UMP Stock Cars

20-lap feature -- 1. Jerrad Krick, 2. Michael Shidler, 3. Travis Woolford, 4. Robert Schmidt, 5. Robert Kerley, 6. Dave Fritz. 8-lap heat races -- Kyle Cooper, Krick. 8-lap "just for fun" race -- Les Wolford.

I-Mods

20-lap feature -- 1. Mitch Bailey, 2. Jon Robbins, 3. Jimmy Walker, 4. Jeff Barger, 5. Robert Shidler, 6. John Rhoads. 8-lap heat races -- Walker, Mike Kingma.

Pure Streets

15-lap feature -- 1. Chad Bales, 2. Josh Hesson, 3. Cam Bales, 4. Steven Hobbs, 5. Travis Foulks, 6. Dave Kerley. 8-lap heat races -- Hesson, Cam Bales, Chad Bales.

Barefoot Mini Stocks

15-lap feature -- 1. Kyle Cox, 2. Scott Loomis, 3. A.J. Miller, 4. Ryan Brooks, 5. Timmy Trowbridge, 6. T.J. Larson. 8-lap heat races -- Miller, Brooks.