Spatola Racing Back in Action at Farmer City & Fairbury...
(July 20, 2014) The Spatola Racing team strolled into Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Illinois and Fairbury American Legion Speedway in Fairbury, Illinois on July 18-19 for a pair of UMP Super Late Model programs. On Friday night in a $1,500 to win showdown at Farmer City, Mike Spatola III timed in tenth fastest during qualifying and finished sixth in his heat race to earn the outside of the sixth row for the start of the A-Main. Unfortunately, an oil line came off during the feature and Mike pitted to fix the issue before returning to the track to salvage an eleventh place effort. At Fairbury on Saturday evening, "Opie" fought fuel pressure problems all night, but was able to advance past nine competitors during the $1,200 to win main event to finish fourth behind only winner Daren Friedman, Joe Harlan, and Kevin Weaver. Full results from both racetracks can be viewed online at www.farmercityracing.com and www.fairburyspeedway.com.

Mike Spatola III Hits Two More Summer Nationals Shows in Land of Lincoln
(July 14, 2014) Mike Spatola III and his #89 team invaded Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Illinois and Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Illinois from July 11-13 for a pair of UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals tilts. On Friday night at Farmer City, Mike timed in fourth fastest in Group B during qualifying prior to scoring the win in heat race action. After drawing the outside of the front row prior to the start of the $10,000 to win feature event, Mike stayed near the front of the field in the 40-lapper and eventually netted a strong fourth place performance behind only winner Billy Moyer, Bobby Pierce, and Shannon Babb.

At Danville on Sunday evening, a $5,000 top prize was on the line in another "Hell Tour" battle. Mike posted the third quickest lap in Group A during time trials and finished third in his loaded heat race - despite suffering a blown motor on the last lap. "Opie" was forced to load up prior to the 40-lap feature and was placed seventeenth in the rundown from VCS. Full results can be accessed online at www.thehelltour.com.

Spatola Enters High-Profile Late Model & Modified Events Over Weekend
(July 6, 2014) Spatola Racing traveled to LaSalle Speedway in LaSalle, Illinois on Thursday, July 3 for another UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals tilt, which boasted a $5,000 payday. Mike Spatola III knocked down the fourth fastest lap in Group B during qualifying and later grabbed the fourth and final transfer spot through his heat race. After rolling off from the outside of the eighth row in the 40-lap feature, Mike suffered an early flat tire in the headliner and was relegated to a disappointing twenty-third place outing.

Mike's doubleheader holiday weekend then wrapped up on Friday evening, July 4 with the annual running of the 'Firecracker 50' for the Open Wheel Modifieds at Shadyhill Speedway in Medaryville, Indiana. "Opie" won his heat race after starting in the seventh position and later started the $3,000 to win main event from the outside of the second row. Mike was then battling for the lead late in the race, but unfortunately tangled with a lapped car and was pushed back to fourteenth in the final finishing order.

Mike Spatola Earns Another Kankakee Win; Climbs to Tenth at Lincoln
(June 30, 2014) Mike Spatola, of Manhattan, Illinois, racked up his third feature win of the 2014 campaign on Friday night, June 27 at Kankakee County Speedway in Kankakee, Illinois! After starting the weekly UMP Super Late Model feature from the outside of the third row, Mike stormed to the front of the field to record the $1,000 victory over Torin Mettile, Randy Manos, Don Hilleary, and Dave Whittington! Mike also put forth another solid showing on Saturday, June 28 in an Open Wheel Modified at Shadyhill Speedway in Medaryville, Indiana, as he won his heat race before finishing runner-up in the A-Main behind only winner Jesse Bitterling.

On Sunday evening, June 29, the action quickly shifted to Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, Illinois for another UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals showdown. Mike timed in eleventh quickest in Group A during qualifying and later placed sixth in his heat race and tenth in the B-Main. After receiving a series provisional to gain access into the $5,000 to win feature event, "Opie" charged past nine competitors during the 40-lapper en route to a tenth place performance.

Spatola Racing Hits Select UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Shows...
(June 23, 2014) Spatola Racing made their way to Peoria Speedway in Peoria, Illinois tonight for another UMP Summer Nationals battle. Mike Spatola III showed up late to the track and did not record a lap during qualifying. After finishing eighth in his heat race and ninth in the B-Main, Mike fortunately received a series provisional to gain access into the $5,000 to win main event. During the course of the 40-lap headliner, "Opie" drove past twelve competitors to salvage a solid tenth place effort out of the evening.

(June 21, 2014) Mike Spatola III and the #89 team rolled into Fairbury American Legion Speedway in Fairbury, Illinois tonight for a $10,000 to win UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals tilt. Mike knocked down the fourteenth quickest circuit in Group A during qualifying and later placed fifth in his stacked heat race. Unfortunately, inclement weather invaded the Fairbury area prior to the B-Main and the remainder of the program was postponed to a later date.

(June 15, 2014) The Spatola Racing team headed to Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wisconsin tonight for a special Sunday showdown, which was sanctioned by the grueling UMP Summer Nationals tour. Mike Spatola III clicked off the second fastest lap in his group during qualifying and later finished second in heat race action behind only prelim winner Brandon Sheppard. After starting the $5,000 to win main event from the outside of the third row, Mike was able to move up one spot in the 40-lapper en route to a strong fifth place performance behind only winner Rick Eckert, Shannon Babb, Ryan Unzicker, and Brian Shirley.

Spatola Nabs $2,000 Payday in Pappy & Bob Allen Memorial!!!
(June 14, 2014) Mike Spatola III, of Manhattan, Illinois, recorded his second win of the 2014 racing season tonight at Fairbury American Legion Speedway in Fairbury, Illinois! The annual running of the 'Pappy & Bob Allen Memorial' was held at FALS tonight and a strong contingent of UMP Super Late Models were in the pit area. Mike timed in second quickest during the qualifying session and finished a very close runner-up in his heat race. After starting from the outside of the second row in the 40-lap main event, "Opie" came out on top to earn the $2,000 top prize over Scott Bull, Eric Smith, McKay Wenger, and Kevin Weaver! Full results from Fairbury can be accessed online at www.fairburyspeedway.com. (Jeff Hall Photo)

Mike Spatola III Grabs Top Five in Summer Nationals Stop at Kankakee
(June 12, 2014) The Spatola Racing team rolled into Kankakee County Speedway in Kankakee, Illinois again tonight for a visit by the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour. Mike Spatola III laid down the second quickest lap in his group during time trials and later scored the win in heat race action. After drawing the third starting spot prior to the green flag in the $5,000 to win feature, Mike put forth a solid showing in the 40-lapper and eventually crossed underneath the checkers fifth behind only winner Billy Moyer, Ryan Unzicker, Brian Shirley, and Rick Eckert. Full results from Kankakee tonight can be accessed online at www.thehelltour.com.

Spatola Racing Reaches Victory Lane Tonight at Kankakee!!!
(June 6, 2014) Mike Spatola III picked up his first feature win of the 2014 campaign tonight at Kankakee County Speedway in Kankakee, Illinois! Mike set fast time during the qualifying session and later finished second in his heat race after starting in the fourth spot. When the main event went green at Kankakee, Mike rolled off from the outside of the front row and led the second half of the 25-lapper. "Opie" recorded the $1,000 payday in the regular weekly UMP show by besting Mike Provenzano, Torin Mettile, Shawn Toczek, and Jay Morris! Complete results from tonight at Kankakee County Speedway can be accessed online at www.kankakeecountyspeedway.com.

Mike Spatola III Invades Trio of Illinois Venues Over Weekend
(June 2, 2014) The Spatola Racing team invaded the Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Illinois, the Fairbury American Legion Speedway in Fairbury, Illinois, and the LaSalle Speedway in LaSalle, Illinois from May 30-June 1. On Friday night in the $5,000 to win 'Douglas Dodge 50' at Farmer City, Mike Spatola III qualified fourth quickest in his group, finished second in his heat race, and later crossed underneath the checkers ninth following fifty green flag racing laps in the feature. In a weekly UMP show at Fairbury on Saturday evening, Mike clicked off the fastest lap during time trials prior to finishing second in his heat race and runner-up in the $1,200 to win A-Main behind only victor Daren Friedman. Sunday's showdown at LaSalle was then unfortunately washed out following the qualifying session. Full results from these weekend events can be viewed online at www.farmercityracing.net and www.fairburyspeedway.com.

Spatola Competes in $4,000 to Win Kim Henderson Memorial at VCS
(May 25, 2014) Manhattan, Illinois native Mike Spatola III wrapped up his Memorial Day holiday weekend tonight at Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Illinois, as the 'Kim Henderson Memorial' was held for the American Modified Series. A strong field of Open Wheel Modifieds showed up for the one-day affair, which boasted a $4,000 top prize. Mike ran fourth in his heat race, which locked him into the inside of the eighth row for the start of the 40-lap main event. On the rubbered-up racetrack in the A-Main, "Opie" wound up finishing right where he started... in the fifteenth position. Full results from VCS can be obtained by logging onto www.thevermilioncountyspeedway.com.

Pair of Podium Finishes for Spatola in Season Lid-Lifter at Kankakee!
(May 23, 2014) Mike Spatola III finally kicked off his 2014 racing season tonight at Kankakee County Speedway in Kankakee, Illinois, as he competed in both the UMP Super Late Model and UMP Open Wheel Modified divisions. Debuting a new Warrior racecar in the $1,000 to win Late Model event, Mike finished ninth in his heat race prior to picking off seven competitors during the A-Main to score a strong runner-up performance behind only race winner Jason Jaggers. Behind the wheel of a #757 Modified, Mike timed in tenth fastest in qualifying, ran fourth in his heat race, and later moved up to third in the $600 to win feature event to claim another podium finish. Complete results from tonight at Kankakee can be found online at www.kankakeecountyspeedway.com.