CHICAGO WHISPERS
by Stan Kalwasinski

Chicago , Ill. , May 3—Racing around these parts is getting up a full head of steam with local tracks getting into their 2010 schedule.

            Grundy County Speedway in Morris tried to get its new season underway Friday night, but the weatherman interfered with heavy rains hitting the third-of-a-mile paved fairgrounds oval after practice, time trials and the first late model heat race were in the books.

            A strong field of late model cars was on hand for “opening night” and every Friday night feature should be a good one.  Each week, ten or so drivers have a chance to win the late model main event at the “Friday Night Racin’ Place.” 

            Jim Welch will again handle the management chores at the speedway, taking over the reins after his dad, Frank, passed away last year.  The track plans to host a special Frank Welch Memorial race this summer.

        "We're going to have a new race this year in honor of my father. It's going to be called the Frank Welch Memorial and depending on rain dates, it's either going to be run in late July or early August," Jim Welch told the Morris Daily Herald newspaper recently. "Back in his day, dad used to race at the Mazon Speed Bowl in the 94 car and I just knew that one day we were going to have a 94-lap feature in his honor. We've also never had a special event on our midseason championship night and we think that it will be a good fit there because we usually draw a good crowd then."

            Young David James “D.J.” Weltmeyer is on an early-season “roll.”  Pretty much a raw rookie this season in area late model ranks, the 17-year-old Weltmeyer, son of veteran late model racer Dave Weltmeyer, is “two for two” so far in heat race competition this year.  Young Weltmeyer won the first heat at Grundy on Friday and, early, won a heat race on opening night at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville , Ind.  Not a bad effort for your first two nights of racing!

            Kind of a disappointing field of only 18 cars showed up for the ASA Late Model Series Northern Division event, the “Derby Run for the Roses 100,” at Illiana on Saturday – no doubt a sign of the current economic times.

            Brian Campbell of Wyoming , Mich. captured the 100-lap headliner in his Perfect Circle Race Cars/Lane Automotive/All Star Performance-sponsored Ford Fusion.  Racing since 2000, the second generation speedster pretty much had the field covered with the exception of local racer Anthony Danta of Orland Park .

            Campbell grabbed fast time honors during Saturday’s qualifications with the 23-year-old Danta claiming second quick time.  For most of the race, Danta and his Impala SS kept Campbell in their sights and almost took over the top spot just passed the halfway mark.  Losing control of his car for an instant, Campbell almost “opened the door” for Danta to grab the lead after a restart after a yellow caution flag period with 59 laps completed.

            “It happened to me in practice, Campbell said.  “For whatever reason, I go over a big bump in (turn) one wrong, too hard, too high.  I haven’t figured it out yet.  I did it again (during the race) and it jacked the car all up.  Thankfully, I didn’t wreck the whole field.”

            Commenting about his chance for the lead, Danta said, “It looked like he ( Campbell ) got sideways.  I got there, but I didn’t want to force the issue.  It was still kind of early.  I didn’t want to knock the nose (of my car) off.  There wasn’t a lot of room.  He has always runs me clean so I figured I would race him the same way.  We were just equal.  I didn’t have enough to get him.” 

            Phil Harper Motorsports provided the engine under the hood of Campbell ’s winning No. 20, while McGunegill Engine Performance was responsible for the horsepower for Danta’s No. 51 ride.  Danta credits his dad, Frank, for his success in racing as Frank does most of the chassis and setup work on the family-owned entry.

            Campbell ’s dad, Fred, has enjoyed a “hall of fame-type” driving career, mostly in his home state of Michigan .  The elder Campbell use to visit Illiana from time to time for special late model events, especially the annual Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 lapper.

            Speaking of young drivers, 13-year-old Erik Jones of Byron , Mich. was in the starting lineup for the ASA l00 lap contest at Illiana.  Jones was the 10th fastest qualifier and came home in eighth place after an early race pit stop.  Thinking about it, I was still playing with Tootsie toys or, maybe, had advanced to electric slot cars, when I was that age!

            Shadyhill Speedway in Medaryville , Ind. hosted its opening night of dirt track stock car racing on Saturday.  33 United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) open-wheel modifieds showed up for the “season opener” with Derek Losh of Rensselaer , Ind. grabbing top honors in the 20-lap main event.

            Losh was last year’s UMP modified champion at the now-shuttered Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell , Ind.  Shadyhill’s 2009 UMP modified champion Nick Allen of Wheatfield , Ind. was leading the feature race over Losh but suffered a broken axle around the halfway mark, putting the three-time Shadyhill modified champion out of the race.

            In addition to winning the title last season, Allen was the UMP modified champion at “The Hill” in 2003 and, again, in 2004.  Allen recently commented about his success at the Medaryville oval.

            “It’s kind of a tough, little track.” Allen said.  “Shadyhill is a little tougher to be competitive on.  The track gets slick at the end of the night.  You have to have throttle-control and your car working real good (to win there).

“I’ve seen a lot of guys run good at other tracks and come to Shadyhill and not do so good. You don’t want to be too ‘jumpy’ on the gas because you’ll just spin the tires.  Being smooth out there helps a lot.”

            Promoter Tom Smith will get his Kankakee County Speedway opened up this Friday evening, as the dirt track celebrates its 60th Diamond Anniversary.  UMP late models, UMP modifieds, I-Mods, Street Stocks and four-cylinder Hornets will make up the weekly racing card.

            The “buzz” regarding the Kankakee oval is that Smith is putting together a special event for paved track ASA/Super Pro Series-type cars, scheduled for Sunday, August 29.  Catching the attention of competitors and fans alike, talk of $5,000-to-win, $500-to-start should help build this into one of those “don’t miss it” type of events.

        “Looking Back” - May 30, 1949 saw the Kankakee fairgrounds facility host an unusual 50-lap stock car “road race” event, utilizing both of Kankakee’s tracks at the time—its half mile and quarter mile ovals.  George Klupping of Maywood won the event, followed by fellow Chicago area racers Eddy Anderson and Harvey Sheeler. 

            The address for news and comments is 9618 Cypress Ave. , Munster , Ind. 46321-3418 or e-mail to skalwasinski@yahoo.com.

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