Kloos Races to First Career Ironman Late Model Win!
By Steve Birmingham
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June 12, 2004; Granite City, IL – Michael Kloos stole the lead from early pace-setter Tommy Krankel and sped to his first career Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ironman Late Model win Saturday at Tri-City Speedway.
At the drop of the green Krankel and Kloos ran side by side into the first corner and quickly pulled out to a three car-length lead over Jim Gibson and Terry James. As they approached backstretch traffic three laps later Kloos sailed around Krankel, temporarily trapping him behind a backmarker and stealing past for the lead. Once ahead Kloos zipped to a 10-length margin at the checkers, with Krankel, James, Shannon Kuhn and Randy Rawlings trailing. Kloos took the first qualifier with Krankel nabbing the second and the Dash for Cash.
Ron Heaton made his first Tri-City appearance of the year a major one, winning the Mountain Dew Sportsman main over a hard-charging Bert Jacoby. Both had luck riding with them at the start of the race as Heaton rode just ahead of a five car crash and Jacoby threaded his way through it. Once Heaton blew past Pat Chalmers to lead the first lap, he had the next 19 to fend off Jacoby who, when not camped out on Heaton's back bumper, was challenging door to door for the lead. Heaton finally managed a five-length cushion at the checkers and was chased by Jacoby, Steve Maisel, Tim Gaertner and Jim Mettille. Terry Chester, Chalmers and Tony Walker took the qualifiers.
The Budweiser Modified main saw Tom Seets lead the majority of laps but Bobby Martintoni the most important to win his third of the season. Martintoni shadowed Seets for the first half the race, but managed to hold off Ed "Smokey" Lenhardt and Tommie Seets, Jr., to boot. Martintoni finally took control on lap 11 and was never headed, breezing to the win ahead of Lenhardt and Tom Seets. The qualifiers went to Tom Seets, Martintoni and Lenhardt.
Brad Yotter outpaced a huge Dominos Street Stock field to notch his second main event win of the season, besting David Parker and Brad Gilleland. The heats went to Tony King, Gilleland, Kevin Goodbrake and Tony Miller.
Aaron Wood won his second Auto Trader Factory Stock feature, racing ahead of Pat Harper and Michael Davidson. Harper and Wood won the heats.