Kanke Racing Team Hits Speed Bump

  • Mike Kanke in the #33 car [David Misco photo/www.faninturn4.com]

    Mike Kanke in the #33 car [David Misco photo/www.faninturn4.com]

Michael Kanke had won three of the first four Stock Car Racing League meets (out of a 10-race series) when his team arrived at Irwindale for Saturday’s race. As the front-running favorite, a win would have locked in his points to win the series. Here’s the report.

By Chris Kanke

On a hot, humid day at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, CA, local racer Mike Kanke and his RPM Motorsports team proved their mettle as a team on Saturday night in dramatic fashion. Kanke is a three-time winner at Irwindale and looked forward to returning after a two-year absence. The team is part of the Spears SRL Southwest Tour that races at short tracks in California and Las Vegas. Kanke is the current points leader.

After a successful practice session on Friday night, race day handed them one obstacle after another. The team found a broken rear end on the primary car during routine mechanical preparations. Though they worked diligently trying to repair it, in the end, owner Dan Nikolai and crew chief Leon Ruther decided to run a backup car that had not been raced in three years. As a result, Kanke never practiced the car and had to directly qualify for the race. Qualifying is a two-lap run by each car and the faster of the two is its official time, which then dictates the lineup for the main event.

Kanke started the race on the ½-mile track in the fourth position (second row outside). Taking the lead on lap 26, he withstood hard fought racing with Derek Thorn from Bakersfield, Chatsworth’s Keith Spangler and Jim Pettit II of Prunedale for the next 70 laps. Toyota Speedway is a very technical, demanding track as competitors’ cars must be very quick and drivers must also be very mentally focused.

Five laps from the end, everything changed and proved the old adage that “it’s not over till it’s over!” Petitt’s engine blew on lap 96, bringing out the yellow flag to set up a 4-lap dash to the finish. Fast-qualifier Troy Ermish of Fremont moved into second.

Then as the green flag waved for the final time, Kanke’s fourth gear broke and he gave up the lead to eventual winner Ermish. Kanke had to settle for 8th, the last car on the lead lap. Though a disappointing ending, Kanke was still upbeat after the race.

“With the setbacks we battled with today, I am so proud of our team for their great attitude and hard work. Though it wasn’t our night to win the race, our real victory was in the pits. I just can’t say enough about this team.”

Their next race is at Stockton 99 Speedway on August 8.

Chris Kanke is Michael Kanke’s wife. The pit crew includes their son, Caleb. The family lives in Pinon Pines. Their Kanke Transportation business is based in Lake of the Woods.

This is part of the July 24, 2009 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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