It was the winter of 2001. The muffler had just fallen off, and the rust was setting in. But Nick Stalnos wasn't ready to give up on his 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. Instead, he grabbed his friends, bought every roll of silver tape he could find, and created a local legend.

In this episode of This One Time in Kankakee, we sit down with Nick to hear the true story behind "The Silver Bullet." From delivering pizzas on Kennedy Drive to a hilarious run-in with Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White on I-57, Nick takes us back to a time before GPS, when a car was more than just a vehicle—it was a canvas.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why a Kankakee pizza delivery driver decided to wrap his car bumper-to-bumper in duct tape.
• The hilarious reactions from Chicago locals (and one very confused snake owner).
• The story of how the "Silver Bullet" passed an unexpected inspection by Jesse White himself.
• Why the "duct tape craze" of the early 2000s holds a special place in local history.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Daily Journal
• Papa John’s Kankakee
• Jesse White Tumblers
• I-57 & Kennedy Drive

Have a Kankakee story? We want to hear from you! Send us your "This One Time in Kankakee" moment to [email protected]. 

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Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

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