KAANTA CASHES IN AT QUAD CITY RACEWAY
Wins exciting WORLD Dirt Racing League event on fast quarter-mile track
By Bucky Doren
WORLD Dirt Racing League


EAST MOLINE, Ill. (Sept. 3, 2007) -- John Kaanta held off a late-race charge Sunday night from Denny Eckrich to grab the WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series win here at the Quad City Raceway. Kaanta was slowed late in the race by a lapped car, and Eckrich closed in. But the leader of the WDRL Rookie of the Year competition held on to take the win.

Rob Toland, no stranger to the speedway, had brought the field to life on the fast-paced quarter-mile when he jumped out front. Eckrich, Eric Pember and Kaanta put on some great two- and three-wide racing for the fans for second place. Kaanta eventually worked around Eckrich to take second, then he began to reel Toland in.

Toland and Kaanta worked through lapped traffic, staying nose to tail through most of the first 30 laps of the 50-lapper. That's when trouble stopped Toland's bid for the win as he came to a stop in turn three. Mechanical problems forced him to the pit area, ending his night early.

Kaanta then took a slight lead ahead of a four-car battle for second, with Eckrich, Pember, Jimmy Mars and Justin Fegers searching for a way around each other. Eckrich was able to work clear of the foursome, and he started closing in on Kaanta.

With three laps to go, Eckrich was right on Kaanta's back bumper, but it was to be Kaanta's night as he scored the $5,000 payday. Eckrich was second at the checkers, followed by Mars, Pember and Fegers.

"This is great," a tired Kaanta said in the AMSOIL Victory Lane. "After last night (at Deer Creek Speedway), we really wanted to do well tonight. The crew worked hard, and we got the win."

Lapping traffic was a concern Sunday night for the race winner.

"I was starting to think that this lapped car is going to really let the rest of the pack to catch up. I just tried to focus on getting by (the lapped car),” Kaanta added.


Next up for the WDRL PolyDome Late Model Series is a trip to Freeport (Illinois) Raceway Park and "The Rebel." Friday, Sept. 7, and Saturday, Sept. 8, at the half-mile will feature two separate shows.


RACE REPORT
QUAD CITY RACEWAY
EAST MOLINE, ILL.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 2, 2007


BSB FASTEST QUALIFIERS: Top 5
1. John Kaanta 13.849, 2. Darren Miller 13.963, 3. Brian Harris 14.105, 4. Rick Hanestad 14.274, 5. Gary Webb 14.288.


POLYDOME QUALIFIER 1:
1. Rob Toland, 2. Kevin Blum, 3. Jason Bahrs, 4. Rick Hanestad, 5. Fred Remely, 6. Eric Gustaf, 7. Stephan Kammerer, 8. Andrew McKay, 9. Mike Guldenefenning, 10. Mike Murphy.


POLYDOME QUALIFIER 2:
1. Dave Eckrich, 2. Jimmy Mars, 3. Brian Harris, 4. Chris Simpson, 5. Tim Lance, 6. Ray Guss, 7. Rob Moss, 8. Rich Bell, 9. Ron Gustaf.


POLYDOME QUALIFIER 3:
1. Denny Eckrich, 2. Justin Fegers, 3. Adam Oppendike, 4. Darren Miller 5. Mike Prochnow, 6. Marshall Fegers, 7. Scott Schmitt, 8. Jason Utter, 9. Mike Stadel.


POLYDOME QUALIFIER 4:
1. Eric Pember, 2. John Kaanta, 3. Gary Webb, 4. Shawn Mulvany, 5. Tony Izzo, 6. Adam Hensel, 7. Herschel Roberts, 8. Dustin Edwards, 9. Tim Isenberg.


QA1 PASSING POINTS: Top 8
1. Denny Eckrich 65.75, 2. Eric Pember 63.50, 3. Rob Toland 63.50, 4. John Kaanta 62.25, 5. Dave Eckrich 61.25, 7. Adam Oppendike 58.75, 8. Jimmy Mars 57.75.


IOWA ILLINOIS TAYLOR INSULATION POLE DASH:
1. Toland, 2. Kaanta, 3. Denny Eckrich, 4. Bloom, 5. Mars, 6. Pember, 7. Dave Eckrich, 8. Openndike.


B-MAIN 1: (Top 2 advanced)
1. Kammerer, 2. Utter, 3. Izzo, 4. Murphy, 5. Moss, 6. Schmitt, 7. E. Gustaf, 8. R. Gustaf, 9. Bell, 10. Isenberg.


B-MAIN 2: (Top 2 advanced)
1. Prochnow, 2. Hensel, 3. M. Fegers, 4. Guss, 5. McKay, 6. Guldenfennig, 7. Edwards, 8. Stadel, 9. Roberts.


QUAD CITY RACEWAY 50:
1. Kannta, 2. Denny Eckrich, 3. Mars, 4. Pember, 5. Justin Fegers, 6. Dave Eckrich, 7. Lance, 8. Hanestad, 9. Harris, 10. Hensel, 11. Bloom, 12. Webb, 13. Prochnow, 14. Mulvany, 15. Remley, 16. Oppendike, 17. Kammerer, 18. Bahrs, 19. Toland, 20. Utter, 21. Simpson, 22. McKay, 23. Miller, 24. Isenberg.


HIGHEST FINISHING ROOKIE: John Kannta


CONTINGENCY AWARD WINNERS:
Iowa Illinois Taylor Insulation: John Kaanta, Denny Eckrich, Jimmy Mars
KSE Consi Winners: Rob Moss, Adam Hensel
QA1 Motorsports: Denny Eckrich
BSB Manufacturing Fast Time: John Kaanta
AMSOIL: John Kaanta
The Brake Man: Denny Eckirch
Champ Pans: Jimmy Mars
Performance Bodies: Eric Pember
V-Performance Batteries: Justin Fegers
Fast Shafts: Dave Eckrich
Hooker Harness: Rick Hanestad
Weld Wheels: Brian Harris