The MARS Late Model Championship Series opens a weekend doubleheader in the Land of Lincoln with Friday’s 40-lap, $5,012-to-win inaugural Richard Craven Memorial at Kankakee County Speedway.

Date: Friday, May 17

Track: Kankakee County Speedway in Kankakee, Ill. (quarter-mile oval)

Sanction: MARS Championship Series

Purse: $5,012-to-win

Streaming: FloRacing; hot laps at 6:15 p.m. CDT

Key notes: Reigning series champion Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., won last year's visit to Kankakee County. … Mike Spatola of Manhattan, Ill., grabbed a $5,000 MARS victory there in August 2022. … Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., winner of April’s $5,098 season opener at Peoria (Ill.) Speedway, topped 2022’s $5,000 Summer Nationals stop there. … Modifieds, sportsman and street stocks are on the undercard.

MARS Series points: 1. Ryan Unzicker (75); 2. Tommy Sheppard Jr. (70); 3. Jake Little (65); 4. Justin Duty (60); 5. Allen Weisser (57).

Next MARS race: May 18, Highland (Ill.) Speedway, $5,000-to-win

MARS Racing Series Kankakee County Speedway Entry List

(Tentative alphabetical roster)

Driver (car no.), hometown

Daniel Adam (75), Wade, N.C.

Rich Bell (21B), Sheffield, Ill.

Kye Blight (31), Katanning, Western Australia

Justin Duty (15), Mulino, Ore.

Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill.

Bob Gardner (26m), East Peoria, Ill.

Mike Harrison (33), Highland, Ill.

Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill.

Jake Little (38L), Springfield, Ill.

Myles Moos (84), Lincoln, Ill.

Colby Sheppard (27), Williamsville, Ill.

Tommy Sheppard Jr. (6T), New Berlin, Ill.

Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill.

Dylan Thompson (99T), Paducah, Ky.

Doug Tye (4D), Troy, Ill.

Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill.

Mark Voigt (30v), Marine, Ill.

McKay Wenger (99w), Fairbury, Ill.

Allen Weisser (25w), Peoria, Ill.