Latest News
|
Illiana Motor Speedway The 47th annual Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 presented by Lisa Thomas Salon brought down the curtain on the 2008 racing season at Illiana Saturday. Jack and his Kal Racing Grand Prix No. 99 were among a field of 38 entries for the annual Chicago area stock car event. After practicing Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, Jack could only “muster” a 22nd-best qualifying effort with a lap of 20.177 seconds for an average speed of 89.210 miles per hour. Jack’s time was not good enough to make the race through qualifying with the fastest 16 only guaranteed starting positions in the 26-car field. Jack had to run the second 12-lap “last chance” qualifying race, eventually finishing second behind Chris Cooling and a spot ahead of veteran Dave Weltmeyer. Starting 20th in the Bettenhausen 100, Jack ran a pretty steady race, picking off a few cars here and there and moving up a spot or two via attrition. Jack eventually finished 12th, a few positions from his target “top 10” goal. The season is now over for Jack and his Kal Racing and Trgovich Racing teams. Thanks to everyone for your support in 2008!
Illiana Motor Speedway Jack and the Trgovich Racing No. 11 Ford Fusion had a “tough night at the races” Saturday. Jack was the 12th fastest qualifier among a field of 22, turning in a lap of 20.180 seconds. Jack finished fourth in the second 8-lap heat race. Lining up 12th in the 22-car starting field for the 35-lap Season Champions race, Jack raced up to seventh place in the opening laps, using the outside groove to his advantage. The car picked up a terrible “push” (wouldn’t turn) during the race with Jack pulling of the track after completing 24 laps. He was credited with 18th place. Next Saturday, Jack will race his Kal Racing No. 99 Grand Prix in Illiana’s 47th annual Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 presented by Lisa Thomas Salon.
Illiana Motor Speedway A busy weekend for Jack started at Illiana on Saturday night with Jack racing to a seventh place feature finish in Nick Trgovich’s Ford Fusion No. 11. With the car not handling the best, Jack “soldiered on” throughout the night. Jack was the sixth fastest qualifier earlier during time trials with a lap of 20.063 seconds. Later, he finished ninth in the 8-lap ‘”fast car” heat race. Also, Mary Beda sang the National Anthem before the races began. GREAT JOB MARY BOB!!!
Grundy Count Speedway Grundy’s annual “Nite of Features” saw Jack compete in his Kal Racing Grand Prix No. 99. A field of 26 late model stock cars was on hand with Jack ending up 16th fastest with a lap of 15.744 seconds around the third of a mile paved oval. Jack lined up in the 16th starting sport for the 61-lap Lee Schuler Memorial race. Jack ran a steady race during the first part of the event, which saw the yellow caution flag fly numerous times. About halfway or so, Jack pitted with the crew removing a right rear spring rubber, trying to improve the car’s handling. It did and Jack worked his way passed a number of cars and came home in 9th place. Only a few more races are on Jack’s schedule this year… Saturday, September 6—Illiana Motor Speedway – Season Championship Program (Trgovich No.11) Saturday, September 13—Illiana Motor Speedway – Tony Bettenhausen 100 (Kal Racing No. 99) See you at the races!
Illiana Motor Speedway Jack’s racing seems to have been “few and far between” for one reason or another this year, but Saturday saw Jack and his Kal Racing Grand Prix No. 99 make an appearance at Illiana. Among a field of 16 cars, Jack turned the second fastest time during time trials with a lap of 19.920 seconds (average speed of 90.334 miles per hour). After starting eighth, Jack finished second in the eight-lap “fast car” heat race. In the 25-lap feature race, Jack lined up inside the third row and was second by lap five. With the laps winding down, Jack tracked down the leader and raced out of the final turn inside the leader, finishing a foot or so behind at the checkered flag. Not a bad night of racing for only the third time the “old 99” was on the track this year. After the race, Jack said, “I was trying to track him (Blake Brown) down. He was pretty fast and there were no yellows (flags). He was sort of missing the corners there at the end. I stuck my nose in there, trying to go for the win.” Jack's next scheduled race is at Illiana on August 30, driving Nick Trgovich's No. 11.
Grundy County Speedway Jack took his Kal Racing Grand Prix No. 99 to Grundy for the first time this year and finished 10th in the 50-lap Mid Season Championship late model race at the third of a mile paved oval. Jack was 11th fastest in qualifying among a field of 22 with a lap of 15.769 seconds. Starting on the inside of the front row for the “fast car” heat race, Jack came home in the fifth spot at the checkered flag. Jack started fifth in the 50 lapper and battled a “tight, would-not-turn” car the entire race.
Illiana Motor
Speedway Jack and his Trgovich Ford Fusion No. 11 were in the battle again for feature race honors in Illiana’s super late model division. Setting sixth fast time during time trials and a second place finish in the 10-lap “fast car” heat race, Jack lined up second row outside in the 17-car starting field for the Molenaar Classic/Mid Season Championship race. Wasting no time, Jack was the leader of the race by lap one and held the lead when the race’s only yellow flag flew with 17 laps complete. With four-time Illiana champion Mike White on his bumper for the restart, Jack brought the field down for the restart. A lap or so of green flag racing saw White get the inside lane advantage on Jack with Jack now in the outside groove. Not giving up, Jack raced White side-by-side, lap-after-lap for eight circuits or so with White finally gaining control of the race on lap 27. A used up right front tire caused the handling to go away a bit in the closing laps with Josh Nelms slipping by Jack at the end. A third place finish and battling for the lead, not a bad night of racing! After the feature, Jack commented to The SouthtownStar reporter Tony Baranek about his evening of racing and battling with Mike White…
"Yeah, and with a guy that I
look up to a lot. Mike White taught me a lot. I worked on his car in
'96. He taught a lot in that first year, and ever since then I take any
knowledge I can get from him. Jack and the Trgovich Racing team will not be racing next week at Illiana, returning to action on July 19.
Illiana Motor Speedway It was another good night of racing at Illiana for Jack and the Trgovich Racing team as Jack finished third in the 25-lap super late model stock car feature race. Starting seventh in the 16-car field, Jack snuck through a multi-car wreck on the fifth lap in turn one, driving thru the infield grass to avoid the fracas. Jack worked all day at the BP refinery in Whiting and got only a few practice laps before qualifying. Jack was the fourth fastest qualifier among 17 entries in Nick Trgovich’s Ford Fusion No. 11, turning a lap of 20.058 seconds around the half-mile paved oval. Jack finished sixth in his 10-car heat race. Jack and Trgovich Racing plan on racing at Illiana this Saturday evening (July 5), competing in the annual Molenaar Memorial Classic, which honors former Illiana owner and founder, Harry Molenaar. Racing starts at 7:00 p.m.
Illiana Motor Speedway For the first time this year, the Kal Racing Grand Prix went to the race track with the Jack and the team hoping to turn in a credible performance during the 7th annual Elmer Musgrave Memorial 100 presented by Texas Corral and Saloon. The event was a Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series event so a number of “out-of-town” competitors were on hand for the 100 lapper. Jack posted 13th quick time among 28 entries during time trials, getting around the Illiana half-mile paved oval in 19.476 seconds for an average speed of 92.422 miles per hour. Jack started 13th and was in eighth place by lap 10. Jack continued to move up and was seventh by lap 21 and ran as high as sixth for laps 36 and 37. Jack dropped back and was running seventh when the yellow caution flag flew with 71 laps complete. On the restart, Jack got up into the dirty part of the race track and slid a bit, losing several positions in the process. Working his way inside a slower car on lap 78, the slower car came down on Jack, sending Jack crashing and spinning between turns one and two. Jack drove the car on to pit road and a long yellow flag period allowed the crew time to check the damage and duct tape the right front fender and nose of the car. Jack was now 11th—the last car on the lead lap when green flag racing resumed. Jack passed one car in the final 23 laps and finished in 10th place. All in all, a good run for the first time out with the car which had the complete front end redone over the winter months. It was also the first outing with Jack’s new sponsor – K& K Warehousing on board.
Illiana Motor Speedway Kalwasinski Claims Checkers in Late Model Action By: Tony Baranek (writer for The SouthtownStar) Schererville, IN (May 31, 2008) - Jack Kalwasinski made a little bit of history Saturday night at the ASA-sanctioned Illiana Motor Speedway, winning the first late-model feature of his career. Although his wife Jerilynn, his dad Stan, and his car owner Nick Trgovich were at the top of his thank-you list, there were several other names mentioned during his post-race thoughts. "I've been going to the races since 1974," he said. "It's always been a dream. I've watched Ed Hoffman, Larry Schuler, Dave Weltmeyer, Frank Gawlinski, Bobby Dotter, all my heroes. "They've all won races here. I've always wanted to be one of those guys." Kalwasinski's eyes teared up. On this night, he was one of those guys. And it wasn't a cheapie by any means. Kalwasinski won out in a grueling bumper to bumper and side by side battle with veteran Mike Monroe. Monroe took the lead from the pole at the drop of the green flag. Kalwasinski, starting in the second row, took second place away from Bobby Gash on lap two, and almost immediately challenged the leader. For many laps, they ran in close tandem, while a third-place war raged a handful of car-lengths behind them among Chris Cooling, Jeff Cannon and Mike White. The battle for the top spot became serious when Kalwasinski began to dip his No. 11 underneath Monroe . Finally, on lap 20, he pulled alongside. "( Monroe ) was getting loose and my car was pretty consistent," Kalwasinski said. "I figured, well, the only shot I had was to get underneath him. He was sliding up a little bit. I didn't want to nudge him, but I did. He gave me the lane, and we hustled." The two stayed side-by-side until Kalwasinski completed the pass as the white flag waved. As they roared into Turn 2, Monroe dropped to the bottom and pulled back alongside Kalwasinski. Out of Turn 4, it was Monroe by a nose, but he was in no position to floor it to the finish. "I don't know if he got into me on the last lap, but I held on on the outside," Kalwasinski said. "I pedaled my little crate motor to its heart's desire." Monroe swerved wildly as they approached the checkered flag, but was able to regain control of his No. 3 and finish 0.132 seconds behind the winner. "I tried to hold him back as long as I could," Monroe said. "I looked up after he got inside of me and saw that it was lap 22. I thought, 'Awwww, I should have held him off.' "I got back underneath him, but when we got into Turn 4 I just couldn't get off the turn. Second place is good, though. It'll help with the gas money to go home (to Pell Lake , Wisconsin )." Illiana
Motor Speedway After a couple of weeks being off, the Trgovich Racing Ford Fusion No. 11 was “primed up” for some super late model racing at Illiana. Working on the chassis of the car the past several weeks, Jack turned in a “surprising” second fast time during super late model qualifying, getting around the Illiana half-mile in 19.834 seconds for an average speed of 90.753 miles per hour. Anytime you qualify under 20 seconds at Illiana, you are going pretty good. Jack started seventh in the 8-lap “fast car” heat race and finished sixth. He lined up ninth for the 30-lap feature race. Jack quickly moved to eighth place on lap 1 and was sixth on lap two, moving to fifth on lap five. He was battling for fourth place on lap 11 when he got clipped by another car sending him spinning at the end of the frontstretch, causing him to hit the wall. The No. 11 was pretty well banged up, but Jack was OK. The damage to the car forced the team to miss Sunday’s USPRO Series 50 lapper at the Grundy County Speedway in Morris , Ill. Right now, plans call for the Trgovich Racing No. 11 to be ready to go for next Saturday evening’s racing at Illiana, which will be a special fundraiser at the speedway—The Nathan C. Splant Foundation Racing for Babies Illiana Motor
Speedway After three weather postponements, Jack and the Trgovich Racing Ford Fusion No. 11 were ready to go super late model racing at Illiana Saturday night. Jack started out the night setting 10th fast time with a lap of 20.266 seconds around the big half-mile paved oval. Jack finished 10th in the 8-lap heat race, going against some stiff Chicagoland competition. For the 30-lap feature, the lineup found Jack starting on the inside of the front row with 17 other competitors ready to do battle. Jack “soldiered” to an 11th place finish, racing by several cars in the closing laps.
A NEW MEMBER OF KAL RACING CAME INTO THE WORLD TODAY, JANUARY 3, 2008! Kasey Rae Kalwasinski She was born at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill., coming into this world weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces and being 20 inches long. Baby and "big sister" Delanie Ann, along with parents, Jerilynn and Jack, are doing fine!
|
