KNOXVILLE, IL (Aug. 2, 2000) — The United States Modified Touring Series held three races in Illinois for the Illinois Summer Swing. The first night of racing action was Wednesday night, Aug. 2, at the 150th Knox County Fair in Knoxville, IL. The next night the series moved to the Peoria Speedway in Peoria, IL. The final night of racing was held at Quincy Raceway in Quincy, IL. This was the first visit of the 2000 season to the Illinois area for the USMTS and the racing and weather was all excellent. The A-main winner each night was paid $2,000 to win.

The first night of action started at Knoxville, Ill. A total of forty-four cars checked in for the racing action and a very full grandstand witnessed the first race of the year at the speedway.

Bob Dominacki Bettendorf, IA picked up his first ever win in the USMTS as he passed Mike Chasteen Peoria, IL with seven laps to go in the main event. Mike Chasteen started the race from the AFCO pole and led the first twenty-three laps with challenges from Tommy Myer early in the race. Tommy Myer had some bad luck as his car jumped the cushion in turn one and Bob Dominacki got into Myer and the yellow was thrown for Tommy Myer and Todd Ihde. The race restarted with eight laps to go with Chasteen leading and Mark Noble and Dominacki right behind.

When the green flag was thrown Noble went into turn one and two on the low side trying to get by Chasteen but had no luck then entering turn three and four Noble tried once again to get by and went into the corner to hard and lost control and brought out the last yellow of the evening. That restarted the race with seven laps to go and Tommy Myer and Mark Noble at the tail and Chasteen and Dominacki at the point.

On the restart Dominacki took his GRT modified into turn one on the high side and never even let of the gas and went by Chasteen the two drivers raced side by side down the back chute and coming out of turn four Dominacki was the leader. Dominacki went on to win the race easily as the motor of Chasteen started to lose power.

Chasteen held on for a second place finish. Dominacki started the race from the outside of the sixth row. Rounding out the top five was Dennis Leveine best ever USMTS finish local star Kevin Peters and series point leader Kelly Shryock.

Heat races were won by Kevin Peters, Mike Chasteen, Mark Noble, Corey Dripps, Dennis Leviene. B-mains were won by Larelee O’Leary and Rich Smith. Dominacki made this the thirteenth different winner in the 2000 season.

RESULTS

Heat 1 - Kevin Peters, Rick Hixson, Steve Grotz, Mike Garland, Matt Yoho

Heat 2 - Mike Chasteen, Marty Thompson, Bob Dominacki, Rich Smith, Donovan Lodge

Heat 3 - Mark Noble, Darren Bangert, Larelee O’Leary, Dean McGee, Jim Roach

Heat 4 - Corey Dripps, Tommy Myer, Leland Bushong, Mike Caves, Dan Robey

Heat 5 - Dennis Laveine, Sean Evans, Tim Anderson, Dan Daniels, Todd Ihde

B-Main 1 - Larelee O’Leary, Dan Daniels, Leland Bushong, Todd Ihde, Bruce Hanford

B-main 2 - Rich Smith, Mike Garland, Tim Anderson, Mike Delozier, Matt Yoho

A-main - Bob Dominacki, Mike Chasteen, Dennis Laveine, Kevin Peters, Kelly Shryock, Marty Thompson, Mark Noble, Tommy Myer, Bruce Hanford, Leland Bushong, Corey Dripps, Sean Evans, Mike Delozier, Mike Garland, Steve Grotz, Todd Ihde, Rick Hixson, Rich Smith, Dan Daniels, Darren Bangert, Matt Yoho, Larelee O’Leary, Tim Anderson