KANKE APPROACHING ANOTHER RECORD - FOR SEASON VICTORIES.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Auto Racing

M.K. Kanke is halfway to another NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series record.

The Frazier Park resident and driver of the Crown Motor Sports Chevy already has the most career fast times and leads the series money list.

After winning the Food 4 Less 150 on May 9 at Irwindale Speedway for his fourth victory of the season, Kanke needs four more to tie the mark for most Southwest Series wins in a season.

Rick Carelli and Dan Press share the series mark with eight wins in a season. Carelli, a regular on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, did it in 1992 during a 17-race season. Press did it in 1989 during a 20-race season.

With nine races left in the 16-race 2001 Southwest Series schedule, Kanke has his work cut out for him. But if he wins as many races at the same pace as his first seven races, he should be able to break the record by at least one.

But Kanke doesn't want to talk about breaking or setting records.

``I go race by race,'' Kanke said. ``I don't think about how many I can win. It's not a big issue to us how many races we win.''

Kanke won back-to-back races for the second time this season. He won the June 2 race at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield and followed up with the win at Irwindale last weekend. He holds a 194-point lead in the season standings over Craig Raudman of Redding.

The Southwest Series drivers get a break this weekend but pick up again on June 23 for the Snap-On Tools 200 at Sears Point International Raceway in Sonoma, the only road course race on the schedule.

Kanke and his team have been working on a new road-course car for this event. They started putting it together at the start of the season and will be making the finishing touches this weekend.

``I notice a big difference in the motor,'' Kanke said. ``I'm pretty happy with it. It's really nice.''

Kanke has taken the new car to test at Willow Springs in Rosamond and to Sears Point. As for having to adjust to a road course for one race, Kanke said he isn't too worried about making any drastic changes.

``Everybody's pretty much in the same boat,'' Kanke said. ``I like the configuration of the track. You have to be on top of your game there.''

--More Southwest Series: Ben Walker of Santa Clarita recorded his best finish of the season with a second-place showing in the Food 4 Less 150 at Irwindale Speedway.

Greg Pursley of Canyon Country finished fourth. Sean Woodside of Saugus finished 10th. Bob Lyon of Agua Dulce finished 22nd. Former Saugus Speedway driver Nick Joanides of Woodland Hills was 23rd. Frank Maronski Jr. of Quartz Hill had suspension problems and finished 28th.

--Hornaday update: NASCAR Winston Cup driver and former Saugus Speedway champion Ron Hornaday Jr. finished 32nd in the Kmart 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.

Hornaday, formerly of Palmdale and driver of the No. 14 Conseco Pontiac for A.J. Foyt Racing, is third in rookie points, trailing Roush Racing driver Kurt Busch and Richard Childress Racing driver Kevin Harvick.

Harvick, who is ninth in the championship standings, leads the rookie race with a 24-point edge over Busch and a 58-point lead over Hornaday.

The next race on the Winston Cup schedule is the Pocono 500 from Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania on Sunday.

--USAC National Sprint Cars: Jay Drake of Val Verde put together a threesome of top-10 finishes last week in USAC National Midget competition.

He finished second in the USAC National Midget Indycar.com Spring Sprint Special at Indianapolis Raceway Park on June 9.

Tracy Hines led the last 16 laps of the 30-lap race to win the Spring Sprint Special.

Dave Darland, who finished fourth, leads the National Sprint Car standings.

Drake followed with a seventh place at the Showdown at the Prairie at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wis., on Sunday.

Jack Hewitt won the race at Angell Park Speedway. Darland was second.

Drake then finished fifth in the Sprint Car race Illiana Motor Speedway on Tuesday at Schererville, Ind.

Jason McCord won the Illiana 30-lap race. Drake is third in points in the USAC National Midget standings.

The next race is the Oldtimers Weekend at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on June 22.

--USAC Western Midgets: Bobby Boone of Palmdale finished 17th in the USAC Western Midget feature at Bakersfield Speedway on June 9.

Danny Stratton won the abbreviated feature, which was 20 laps instead of the scheduled 30 laps due to an accident.

Boone is 10th in points on the USAC Western Midgets Series. Danny Ebberts won the race.

The next Western Midget race is today at Perris Auto Speedway.