MOTOR SPORTS NOTEBOOK: KANKE IS READY TO RETURN AFTER LAYOFF, DRIVER IS BACK FOR FOOD 4 LESS 150 AT IRWINDALE.

Byline: Tim Haddock Staff Writer

M.K. Kanke has had to wait a little longer than he wanted to get back in his NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series car.

Coming off a win at Cajon Speedway in El Cajon last month, Kanke was ready to return to racing at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield on April 7.

But the Bakersfield race was rained out and rescheduled for June. As a result, the Frazier Park driver had to wait an extra two weeks before he could get back in gear. Tonight's (April 21) Food 4 Less 150 at Irwindale Speedway couldn't have come any sooner.

Not that he's worried the long layoff will hurt his momentum.

``I have never looked at it that way,'' said Kanke, who went more than two years between wins on the Southwest Series. ``We've been fast everywhere. We're right there with a top-10 car. We're right where we want to be.''

Actually, Kanke said the rainout created a packed, yet appreciated, racing schedule in June. There are now four races in June, starting with the Southwest Series' second race at Irwindale Speedway on June 9.

``It makes June pretty busy,'' Kanke said. ``I like racing every weekend. I wish we could have run at Bakersfield, but this makes it better for the fans.''

As for racing at Irwindale Speedway, Kanke said he is looking forward to the smooth half-mile track. It will be a drastic change from the rough track at Cajon Speedway.

``It's more of a smoother way to drive,'' said Kanke, who also tested there this week in preparation for tonight's race. ``I am glad we went. We are going to go back better than we were. I'm pretty happy we went.''

One of the many things Kanke tested this week was a new HANS (Head And Neck Safety) device. Even though he said he felt comfortable wearing the safety device, he is not going to use it in tonight's race.

``I had trouble getting out of the car with it on,'' Kanke said. ``I got to make some changes in the car and I have to make sure NASCAR approves some of the changes I want to make.''

The list of previous winners from the Southwest Series at Irwindale Speedway include Greg Pursley of Santa Clarita and Frank Maronski Jr. of Quartz Hill, who won in 1999.

Kurt Busch of Las Vegas, who drives the No. 97 Roush Racing Ford on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit this season, won the first Southwest Series race at Irwindale Speedway in 1999.

The defending Southwest Series champion, Matt Crafton of Tulare, is entered in tonight's Irwindale event. He also is racing full time on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Bob Lyon of Agua Dulce is the iron man of the Southwest Series, with 220 appearances.

The Southwest Series top 10 is peppered with drivers from Santa Clarita and its surrounding areas. After two races, Pursley is fifth in points, followed by Sean Woodside of Saugus (sixth), Maronski (ninth) and Lyon (10th).

Ben Walker of Canyon Country also is entered in tonight's race, as are former Saugus Speedway drivers Keith Spangler of Chatsworth and Nick Joanides of Woodland Hills.

Woodside is not entered in tonight's Southwest Series race.

--USAC Sprints: Troy Cline of Santa Clarita takes his USAC Western States Sprint Car to Madera Speedway tonight for a 40-lap feature.

Cline, fourth in USAC Western Sprint points, trails series leader Randy Bauer of Kingston, Wash., by 34 points. The Western Sprints will be part of a doubleheader at Madera Speedway. The USAC Western Midgets will be running a 30-lap feature at the 1/3-mile paved oval.

--Irwindale Speedway results: Woodside won the first of two NASCAR Super Late Model races at Irwindale Speedway on April 14.

Woodside, driving a Chevy, took the first feature race, a 50-lapper. David Gilliland of Chino Hills, also in a Chevy, won the second, a 35-lapper.

Woodside, who drives regularly for Walker Racing on the NASCAR Winston West Series, won the Winston West championship in 1999 and was a track champion at Saugus Speedway. But his win at Irwindale Speedway was his first ever at the track.

He could have made it two in a row, but a crash during the second race cut the event short and made for slippery racing conditions.

``The track was pretty oiled down,'' said Woodside. ``It made it a follow-the-leader type of race.''

Woodside said he will race in more Super Late Model events at Irwindale Speedway. But he will be selective. His focus is on the Winston West.

``We basically had a month off,'' Woodside said. ``Rather than sit around doing nothing, (team owner) Mike Walker let me run his Super Late Model.''

His next Super Late Model race will be the same night he plans to race in the Winston West Pontiac Grand Prix Wide Track 200 at California Speedway - April 28.

He's hoping he can continue his Super Late Model success on the Winston West Series.

``Our racing luck has just killed us,'' Woodside said. ``We had three bad races. Hopefully, bad things come is threes.''

Mike Knapp of Valencia was fourth in the NASCAR Grand American Modifieds 40-lap feature. Robert Rice of Hawthorne won the Grand Am main.

--Parris Auto Speedway results: Denise Szymczac of Santa Clarita finished third in the California Lightning Sprints race.

AT A GLANCE

NASCAR

Featherlite Southwest Series

Food 4 Less 150

Track: Irwindale Speedway (Half-mile paved oval)

When: Tonight, 8:30

Distance: 150 laps, 75 miles

Field: 30 cars possible. Fastest 26 through time trials with two provisional spots and two spots from qualifying race electing to transfer.

Purse: $40,700

Records: Bryan Germone holds the series qualifying record at Irwindale Speedway at 17.363 seconds (103.669 mph) set on June 15, 1999. Frank Maronski Jr. holds the 100-lap race record at 36 minutes, 26 seconds (81.569 mph) set on July 31, 1999. Rocky Nash holds the 150-lap race record at 52 minutes, 18 seconds (86.042 mph) set on July 29, 2000.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) WOODSIDE

(2) CLINE

Box: At a Glance (see text)