Evan Eckhoff had a couple of things on his mind Wednesday morning.

Will the latest rain storm steal the roar of the crowd to open the 2026 season at Kankakee County Speedway?

“I’m hoping and praying,” said Eckhoff, the new track promoter.

The quarter-mile clay oval has been groomed and the rain has not seeped into the track yet, Eckhoff said.

On Friday, the grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m. after the pit gates open for racers at 4 p.m. The qualifying hot laps start at 6:15 p.m. with racing to follow at about 7 p.m. at the track located at the Kankakee County Fairgrounds.

With the season’s starting line approaching, the second thing on Eckhoff’s mind is that this is his maiden voyage as the track promoter.

“Nervous,” is Eckhoff’s answer to how he feels about Friday’s opener.

“It’s all there. I feel in the back of my mind like everything is riding on opening day. It could be a hit or a miss.”

Opening night

A former racer at the Speedway, Eckhoff said opening night was always special.

“It was huge.”

As a driver, Eckhoff said he was “more laid back” for the season-opening race night.

“I would do a little bit of things to my car and then go watch.”

A practice held Sunday drew 50-plus racers and their cars. About 125 people came through the pits. Eckhoff said quite a few people came in and sat in the grandstand.

Much has been crammed into a few short months for the new promoter.

If being the new promoter isn’t enough, Eckhoff holds down a full-time job. Plus, he and his wife, Sarah, have a bounce house business on the side.

Sarah has a full-time job and is working on her bachelor’s degree.

Eckhoff chuckled when he was told he was burning the candle at both ends.

Changing promoters

After a bit of uncertainty surrounding the future of the races this past off-season, Eckhoff took over for Billy Knippenberg Jr. as of February this year.

Four-year track promoter, Knippenberg had announced his departure in August 2025 and sought a buyer for the business operations and equipment.

Knippenberg, who is still involved but more hands-off, has been a “huge” help, Eckhoff said.

“I’m still ‘in school,’ learning a lot. And there is still a lot to learn,” Eckhoff said.

There has been a lot of cramming since the deal was made.

“[Billy] has been helpful, patient, knowing that I don’t have a lot of knowledge of the behind-the-scenes stuff. Trying to let me learn instead of telling me you should know that by now.”

The men arranged where Knippenberg would help finance the speedway as a silent partner. Eckhoff, of Onarga, would ease into promoting duties while down the road taking full charge.

The goal both men have is to keep the local speedway, which has been a staple of Illinois dirt track racing since the 1940s, alive.

“I want to mirror how everything is done so as to have a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes,” Eckhoff said.

The learning process takes to the track Friday for Eckhoff.

For more information and the full schedule, visit kankakeecountyspeedway.com.

General admission tickets are $15 (kids 11 & under are admitted free). Pit passes are $35 for adults, $15 for children ages 5-10 and free for kids 4 and younger. Those prices increase by $5 each on championship nights and $10 each for special events.