May 29
Spoon River Speedway,
Banner, IL
Sanction: MARS Racing Series (Gary Cook Jr. Memorial) - $5,064
Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated May 30, 2:51 pm)
Feger wins Cook Memorial at Spoon River
Gary Cook Jr. Memorial
- Jason Feger
- Ryan Unzicker
- Brian Shirley
- Rich Bell
- Kolby Vandenbergh
- McKay Wenger
- Tommy Sheppard Jr.
- Bob Gardner
- Justin Reed
- Blaze Burwell
- Kevin Weaver
- Mike Chasteen Jr.
- Mike Spatola
- Mark Voigt
- Dewayne Kiefer
- Michael Marden
- Doug Tye
- Rickey Frankel
- Paul Parker
- Cole Swibold
- Joe Godsey
Jason Feger heads for victory at Spoon River Speedway.
What won the race: Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., led from flag-to-flag at Spoon River Speedway to score a $5,064 victory with the MARS Racing Series. The 40-lap event honored veteran modified racer Gary Cook Jr. of Peoria, Ill., who died in 2013 after battling cancer.
Quotable: “Man, this car’s been really good. We had a few gremlins there at beginning of the year, and got pretty embarrassed here at that (May 11 Castrol FloRacing Night in America) race. We didn’t even make it and we usually run really good here," Feger said. "So I felt like we had something to prove to redeem ourselves tonight. And we always like be able to come here and run really strong.”
Key notes: Feger earned his 12th career MARS Racing Series victory. ... Seventh-starting Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., finished second, 1.063 seconds behind Feger. ... Reigning series champion Brian Shirley rounded out the podium in third after towing in overnight from the Show-Me 100 at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. ... Kolby Vandenbergh of Ashland, Ill., who set fast time and finished fifth in the feature, also competed in Saturday's Show-Me 100. .... Mike Spatola, Saturday's MARS winner at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway, retired while leading the third heat and had to start the feature from the tail; he finished 13th. ... MARS was scheduled to run a tripleheader weekend by Friday’s event at Farmer City, Ill., was rained out. ... The series Spoon River for the fourth time in series history and first time this season. ... Bob Gardner won Sunday's Crate Late Model feature.
On the move: Ryan Unzicker started seventh and finished second.
Winner's sponsors: Feger’s Longhorn Race Car has a Pro Power engine with sponsorship from Titan Industries, Hoker Trucking, Floyd’s Waste Systems, Digital Copy Systems, RLM Enterprises, Rosser Battery, Remtek Enterprises, Speedwerx, Cheap Cars and Griffin Signs.
Points chase: After Spoon River: 1. Jason Feger (274); 2. Ryan Unzicker (259); 3. McKay Wenger (239); 4. Tommy Sheppard Jr. (212); 5. Mike Spatola (210).
Current weather: Clear, 81°F
Car count: 21
Fast qualifier: Kolby Vandenbergh
Time: 13.218 seconds
Polesitter: McKay Wenger
Heat race winners: McKay Wenger, Brian Shirley, Jason Feger
Next series race: July 23, Spoon River Speedway (Banner, IL) $3,000
Editor's note: Corrects Feger's chassis to Longhorn sted MB Customs.