Sizzling kart racing action as the Burris Circle Tour stops at Illiana Motor Speedway

Story & photos by John Nuttall
JULY 8, 2001 - The temperatures soared Sunday, July 8th as the Burris Circle Tour made its first stop at the New Illiana Motor Speedway. The racing action was just as hot as the crowd saw 11 classes of the best kart racing to be found. This week there were many races that were as close as the Pepsi 400 at Daytona - with all of the strategy and grit. Pulling out notable wins were Anthony Danta in the Sr. Heavy race and Shane Morrissey in the Jr. III class. Anthony, from nearby Orland Park, Illinois is the current points leader in the Heavy class. Right on his tail this week were Joe Veyette, a former Burris Tour Champion, and Mike Fox, the winner of the first heat race. The three karts raced within inches of each other from start to finish. Rick Simpson and Bob Chatten battled it out for fourth and fifth.

The Jr. III feature was another nail biter. Shane Morrissey got out to a good size lead - three kart lengths or so - early in the race. Jeff Everts and Matt Atkinson then chased him down. Finally, on the last lap, Everts made a clean pass to the outside in turn 2 and he looked like a shoo-in winner. But coming down the last straight a way, Morrissey had fire in this eyes and a heavy foot on the gas to inch out Everts as they crossed the finish line. Atkinson was third, Brian Freiberg fourth and Jimmy Johnson finished fifth.

Jay Gough, from Love's Park, Illinois, had a great day winning all of the heat races and feature events in the Sr. Medium and Yamaha Sportsman Light classes. Rounding out the podium for Medium was Josh Stahl, Anthony Danta and Jesse Stromme. Other top finishers in the Yamaha class were Rick Skelton, Eric Freiberg and Jake Mogan in second through fourth.

The Sr. Lite class is always full of action and this week was no exception. Up front at the start of the race was the familiar trio of Jacob Humphries, Ryan Rockhold and Joe Moser. Humphries pulled off at the halfway mark with mechanical problems and Moser took the lead. Rockhold was fast, but not fast enough to pass the veteran driver. Josh Stahl made a great move past Cale Wyse to finish in third.

The Jr. Yamaha class featured another driver who moved up from the Kid's Kart class this week. Rylee Bohlen took home the third place trophy in her first Yamaha race. Clay Kliem won the race, Carly Mandarino was a close second and Amanda Preo was fourth.

In other firsts, Sara O'Dell won her first feature in the Jr. Sportsman Champ class. She joined her brother Nick, who won the Jr. Champ feature. It will be an easy ride home to New Lennox, Illinois for the O'Dell's tonight. Vince Cooper, from Morris, Illinois was second in the Jr. Champs and Gina Mooi finished third.

After struggling for the past few weeks, Jack Benson got his Star Champ Kart running flawlessly for the feature win. Mike Slabenak, Jr. an Johnathan Foster battled side-by-side for second and third. Slabenak edged out Foster at the finish line.

Results:
Sr. Heavy: 1.) Anthony Danta, Orland Park, IL, 2.) Mike Fox, Momence, IL, 3.) Joe Veyette, Indianapolis, IL, 4.) Rick Simpson, 5.) Brandon Hill, Lake Geneva, WI, 6.) Bob Chatten, E. Peoria, IL, 7.) Steve Campbell, 8.) Kyle Rhoades, Green Bay, WI

Jr. Yamaha: 1.) Clay Kliem, Elgin, IL, 2.) Carly Mandarino, Glen Ellyn, IL, 3.) Rylee Bohlen, Hortonville, WI, 4.) Amanda Preo, Lomira, WI, 5.) Clint Kliem, Elgin, IL, 6.) Brian Ellis, Orland Park, IL

4-Cycle Sportsman: 1.) Denise Kruse, Bridgeview, IL, 2.) John Hunley

Jr. Sportsman Champ Kart: 1.) Sara O'Dell, New Lennox, IL, 2.) Frank James Slabenak, Palos Park, IL, 3.) Jessica Kudlicki, Glendale Heights, IL

Sr. Medium: 1.) Jay Gough, Roscoe, IL, 2.) Josh Stahl, Sandwich, IL, 3.) Anthony Danta, Orland Park, IL, 4.) Jesse Stromme, Momence, IL, 5.) Mark Johnson, Plano, IL, 6.) Jessie Fox, Momence, IL, 7.) Jamie Rediehs, Hinsdale, IL, 8.) Brandon Hill, Lake Geneva, WI, 9.) Bobby Atkinson, Morris, IL, 10.) Steve Rex

Jr. I Lite (Purple): 1.) Adam Carlson, Lisle, IL, 2.) Billy Hulbert, Chanahon, IL, 3.) Tanner Bohlen, Hortenville, WI, 4.) Tyler Peterson, Lake Gevena, WI, 5.) Ryan Marshall, Kanasasville, Wi, 6.) Tyler Baran, Plainfield, IL, 7.) Corey Domenick, Lombard, IL, 8.) Karisa Rhoades, Green Bay, WI, 9.) Marly Mooi, New Lennox, IL, 10.) Kyle Beno, Lansing, IL, 11.) Ben Stumpf, Menasha, WI, 12.) Jordon Thiel, Appelton, WI, 13.) D.J. Werkmeister, Plainfield, IL

Yamaha Sportsman Lite: 1.) Jay Gough, Roscoe, IL, 2.) Rick Skelton, Lincoln, IL, 3.) Eric Freiberg, Lockport, IL, 4.) Jake Mogan, Wonder Lake, IL, 5.) Joe Kliem, Elgin, IL, 6.) Seth Lootans, Bristol, WI, 7.) Mike James, Saukville, WI, 8.) Kelly Mandarino, Glen Ellyn, IL, 9.) Shane Reinink, Sycamore, IL

Sr. Lite: 1.) Joe Moser, Elkhorn, Wi, 2.) Ryan Rockhold, Pekin, IL, 3.) Josh Stahl, Sandwich, IL, 4.) Cale Wyse, Evansville, WI, 5.) Richard McGill, Chicago, IL, 6.) Ricky Johnson, Lincolnshire, IL, 7.) Kenneth Hill, Lyons, IL, 8.) Bobby Atkinson, Morris, IL, 9.) Mike Kann, Arlington Heights, IL, 10.) Jackie Hagen, Franklin Park, IL, 11.) Paul Weter, River Grove, IL, 12.) T.J. Mertes, Sheboygan Falls, WI, 13.) Hank Sievers Jr., Lockport, IL, 14.) Dave Macikas, Tinley Park, IL, 15.) Jacob Humphrey, Lake Geneva, Wi, 16.) Tony Devea, Joliet, IL

Jr. III Lite (Gold): 1.) Shane Morrissey, Cuba City, WI, 2.) Jeff Everts, Channahon, IL, 3.) Matthew Atkinson, Morris, IL, 4.) Brian Freiberg, Lockport, IL, 5.) Jimmy Johnson, Lincolnshire, IL, 6.) Peter Byrne, Shullsburg, WI, 7.) Raymond Mooi, New Lenox, IL

Jr. Champ Kart: 1.) Nick O'Dell, New Lennox, IL, 2.) Vince Cooper, Morris, IL, 3.) Gina Mooi, New Lennox, IL, 4.) Mickey Kudlicki, Glendale Heights, IL, 5.) Alex Clubb, Morris, IL

Star Champ Kart: 1.) Jack Benson, Hoffman Estates, IL, 2.) Mike Slabenak, Jr., Cicero, IL, 3.) Johnathon Foster, Sycamore, IL, 4.) Nick Baran, 5.) Mark Kuzniar, Hanover Park, IL, 6.) Jason Lynch, Justice, IL, 7.) Jason Krage, Addison, IL, 8.) Michael Kuzniar, Hanover Park, IL, 9.) James Maher, Downers Grove, IL, 10.) Nicole Phillips, Sycamore, IL