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LATE-RACE PASS GIVES KAANTA WDRL WIN AT QUAD CITY SPEEDWAY Wisconsin driver's win adds to his series point lead By Bucky Doren WORLD Dirt Racing League EAST MOLINE, Ill. (August 31) - John Kaanta passed Wes Steidinger late in the 50-lap feature Sunday to take the WORLD Dirt Racing League win here at Quad City Speedway. With Kaanta's victory, he adds to his WDRL Late Model Series point lead. Kaanta, of Elk Mound, Wis., took the lead at the drop of the green, and he fended off all would-be challenges through the first half of the race. The 2008 Chase Signs Rookie of the Year point leader, Frank Heckenast Jr. of Orland Park, Ill., tried to work the low side to his advantage, but Kaanta held the point. Next, Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa, tried to work around Kaanta, but the leader found his way through lapped traffic like a veteran and held Simpson at bay. Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., worked his way from his 11th place starting position to challenge Kaanta for the lead. On lap thirty-one, Steidinger moved to the low groove coming off of turn two. Kaanta tried to stay even, but Steidinger had the lead as the duo rocketed into turn three. "I saw someone stick their nose underneath me a few times before that," Kaanta said later in Victory Lane. "There wasn't much I could; he got a great run off of turn two. I tried the low side (after the pass by Steidinger), but I just couldn't get my car to work down there." A caution flag tightened the field on lap 40. Steidinger restarted up front with Kaanta in tow. "I really didn't decide to go high or low on the restart until I hit the corner," Kaanta remembered. "We weren't really set up to run the high side, but the car was getting such a great bite off of turn four there." Kaanta worked the high side to his advantage, passed Steidinger with six laps to go and drove on to the win. Steidinger held on for second. Eric Pember of Pittsville, Wis., finished third. Chad Simpson of Mount Vernon, Iowa, started 18th and fought his way to a fourth-place finish. Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa, rounded out the top five. Next weekend, the WDRL Late Model Series will travel to Freeport (Ill.) Raceway Park for the 13th running of the The Rebel. Friday night, Sept. 5, features a 25-lap, $2,500-to-win main event. The Saturday night, Sept. 6, feature is 75 laps paying $7,500 to the top driver. The WORLD Dirt Racing League wishes to thank these series sponsors: Hoosier Racing Tires, Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation, CrashedToys.com, Chase Signs and Graphics, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Hooker Harness, Fast Shafts, Lincoln Electric, Performance Bodies, QA1 Motorsports, The Brake Man and Wyman Ford. For more information on the WORLD Dirt Racing League or the latest WDRL Late Model Series schedule, check out the WORLD Dirt Racing League's Web site, www.worldraceleague.com. RACE REPORT QUAD CITY SPEEDWAY EAST MOLINE, ILL. SUNDAY, AUG. 31, 2008 WDRL/CRASHEDTOYS.COM QUALIFIER 1: 10 Laps 1. Chris Simpson, 2. Matt Furman, 3. Eric Pember, 4. Jeremy Grady, 5. Jason Utter, 6. Rick Hanestad, 7. Denny Eckrich, 8. Brett Diercks, 9. Jeremy Gustaf. WDRL/CRASHEDTOYS.COM QUALIFIER 2: 10 Laps 1. John Kaanta, 2. Frank Heckenast Jr., 3. Gary Webb, 4. Wes Steidinger, 5. Rich Bell, 6. Chad Simpson, 7. Bobbie Toland, 8. Steve Lance, 9. Todd Malmstrom. WDRL/CRASHEDTOYS.COM QUALIFIER 3: 10 Laps 1. Adam Oppendike, 2. Ray Guss Jr., 3. Dave Eckrich, 4. Nate Buesling, 5. Mike Murphy Jr., 6. Mike Cothron, 7. Leroy Brenner, 8. Joe Kosiski. QA1 MOTORSPORTS PASSING POINTS: Top 10 1. Chris Simpson 60.76; 2. John Kaanta 60.76; 3. Ray Guss Jr. 60.28; 4. Adam Oppendike 59.00; 5. Frank Heckenast Jr. 58.52; 6. Matt Furman 58.52; 7. Dave Eckrich 58.04; 8. Eric Pember 56.28; 9. Gary Webb 51.00; 10. Jeremy Grady 48.76. IOWA-ILLINOIS TAYLOR INSULATION POLE DASH: 6 Laps (to determine starting position for the feature) 1. Ray Guss, 2. John Kaanta, 3. Adam Oppendike, 4. Frank Heckenast Jr., 5. Chris Simpson, 6. Matt Furman, 7. Dave Eckrich, 8. Joe Kosiski. WDRL FEATURE: 50 Laps 1. John Kaanta, 2. Wes Steidinger, 3. Eric Pember, 4. Chad Simpson, 5. Chris Simpson, 6. Jeremy Grady, 7. Frank Heckenast Jr., 8. Gary Webb, 9. Rick Hanestad, 10. Jason Utter, 11. Dave Eckrich, 12. Brett Diercks, 13. Rich Bell, 14. Steve Lance, 15. Todd Malmstrom, 16. Mike Cothron, 17. Nate Buesling, 18. Matt Furman, 19. Joe Kosiski, 20. Adam Oppendike, 21. Denny Eckrich, 22. Bobbie Toland, 23. Jeremy Gustaf, 24. Leroy Brenner, 25. Mike Murphy Jr., 26. Ray Guss Jr. WDRL CONTINGENCY AWARDS: IOWA-ILLINOIS TAYLOR INSULATION POLE DASH: Ray Guss Jr., John Kaanta, Frank Heckenast Jr. QA1 MOTORSPORTS PASSING POINTS: Chris Simpson CHASE HARD LUCK AWARD: To be announced DESIGN 500: Jeremy Grady BRAKE MAN: Eric Pember CHAMP PANS: Chad Simpson PERFORMANCE BODIES: Chris Simpson BSB MANUFACTURING: Frank Heckenast Jr. FAST SHAFTS: Rick Hanestad HOOKER HARNESS: Jason Utter WDRL PROVISIONALS: n/a CHASE SIGNS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Jeremy Grady, Frank Heckenast Jr. CHASSIS: MasterSbilt |