Midwest Lights Series

May 6 2024

MUST SEE RACING ADDED TO HY-MILER WEEK

May 5, 2024 – Holly, Michigan – With Sandusky Speedway grounds currently saturated and rain expected nearly every day next week, Sandusky Speedway and Must See Racing Sprint Series Presented by Perfit-Parts mutually agreed to postpone the May 11 MSR event at the track. The area has received record amounts of rain for the month of April.

The event was to be the opener for the MSR National Sprint Series and Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights Series. The MSR National Series opener will now be at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan May 18, while the MSR Lights opener is set for Friday June 21 at Corrigan Oil Speedway in Mason, Michigan

When MSR president Jim Hanks and Sandusky Speedway owner Kevin Jaycox sat down to find a suitable replacement date, things took an interesting turn of events.

“I woke up this morning and was thinking about everything I still want to do, and ideas I want to try” explained Jaycox. “One thing I always wanted to do is race every day from Saturday to Saturday the week of the annual Hy-Miler. I got close last year only being off Tuesday. This morning at about 8 am Jim Hanks from Must see racing called me and we were discussing my thoughts on 2024. I was telling Jim of my crazy idea and Jim was all into it. So, we started laying out the groundwork and after 30 minutes on the phone we had a solid idea. I left the call to get Chris Mize, Cale Krebs, Doug Dock and our promoter Kevin Jaycox Jr.’s thoughts. Within 5 mins we had everyone’s approval. So, we are making a schedule change”.

As it stands now, the Must See Racing Sprint Series presented by Perfit-Parts along with the MSR Midwest Lights Series will now race on July 24, the Wednesday of Hy-Miler Nationals week, in conjunction with Friday and Saturday’s ISMA-MSS Supermodified events. In addition, there will be other racing events still to be announced that will now make the Hy- Miler week a true festival of speed. Fans will have the chance to see two of the “World’s Fastest Short Track Cars” competing in the same week at the same speedway.

Tentative plans include the Sprint Car and Supermodified events being streamed by Racing America. Details of streaming and a full schedule of racing for the week will be announced in the coming days.

Photo Credit: David Sink

April 10 2024

MUST SEE RACING SET TO RETURN TO SANDUSKY FOR OPENER

Photo by David Sink

April 9, 2024 – Holly, Michigan – The Must See Racing Sprint Series Presented by Perfit-Parts will join the Maxima Racing Oils MSR Midwest Lights Series for a winged sprint car double-header to open the 2024 season at Sandusky Speedway April 27.

Sandusky is no stranger to Must See Racing, but it will be the first time the 410 series has competed since August 25, 2019. Five-time series champion Jimmy McCune won that last event nearly five years agon. The MSR Lights Series last competed at Sandusky Speedway in October 2022.

Sandusky Speedway has long been known as the home of the Supermodifieds. But winged sprint cars have played an important part in the track’s history. In 1989 Jeff Gordon claimed an All Star Circuit of Champions 410 victory at the track before he found NASCAR fame. There have been multiple 305- and 602-winged sprint car events over the past three decades.

Sandusky Speedway started life as a ¼ mile dirt oval between 1950-1954. The track was extended to a ½ and paved in1955 to its present configuration. The track played host to weekly Supermodifed racing for decades. Nearly every top Supermodified driver has competed at the track one time or another during its storied history. Sandusky Speedway is unfortunately the site of Nolan Johncock’s fatal Supermodified crash on October 3, 1971.

This will be the season opener for both the 410 National Series and the Midwest Lights Series. A huge turnout of fans and cars is expected due to the lengthy absence of winged 410 sprint cars at the track.

The entry process hasn’t opened yet, so no entries were released by the series at the time of this release. But, in addition to the MSR regulars, a huge contingent of Florida drivers is expected for this event. Entries will be released closer to the event once they have been received.

Defending MSR champion Jason Blonde is expected to be on hand to defend his MSR championship aboard the potent Tony Nosal owned #42 Diablo Chassis. The veteran Blonde captured his first career MSR championship last season.
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April 1 2024

Blonde Leads Top Performers Honored During MSR Banquet

Jason Blonde (center) and car owner Tony Nosal (right) were honored for their 2023 Must See Racing national sprint car championship Saturday night. (Kelly Poole photo)

BIRCH RUN, Mich. (March 23, 2024) – Must See Racing recognized its top drivers and teams from the 2023 season during the sanctioning body’s rescheduled Night of Champions celebration Saturday at Birch Run Speedway and Event Center.

The banquet, originally planned for January, was rescheduled to March due to a winter storm that swept across the state of Michigan during the initial event weekend. Despite that, there was still snow on the ground Saturday evening during the festivities.

Chief among the banquet’s honored guests were first-time Must See Racing National Sprint Car Series champion Jason Blonde and back-to-back Must See Racing Midwest Lights titlist Cody Gallogly.

Blonde never trailed during the season-long points battle, winning last year’s opener at Michigan’s Berlin Raceway and holding court atop the standings throughout the 12-race calendar.

“If I have to come up and talk, so does my car owner,” joked Blonde, referencing longtime car owner Tony Nosal. “We’ve been together for a lot of years, and he keeps wanting me back, for some reason.

“This year was rewarding, challenging at times, but special because of the group that I get to race with. We’ve wanted a Must See title for a long time; it just seemed like things never quite worked for us to be able to chase it, but this past year everything finally fell into place,” Blonde added.

“The drivers here are some of the best in the country, and it’s an honor to be part of that history.”

Gallogly dominated the Midwest Lights season for a second consecutive year, leading the crate sprint car tour in nearly every statistical category over the course of the year.

“Yes, my wife did help me with my speech again,” tipped Gallogly to laughter from the crowd.

“In all seriousness, I can’t thank you my family enough for supporting me and allowing me to run up the electric bill in the race shop every month,” he added. “I also can’t say enough about my three kids for their love and support, though I’m not sure I’ll ever quite be able to replace (title rival) J.J. Henes as their favorite driver. This year was challenging, not having my dad around, but my mom has always believed in me and helped to keep this race team going.

“We earned another championship as a team, and now the goal is to go for the three-peat this year.”

Cody Gallogly (left) received the laurels for his second consecutive Must See Racing Midwest Lights crate sprint car title Saturday night. (Kelly Poole photo)

Among the other Must See Racing national honorees Saturday was Gene Fogle, crew chief for Bobby Komisarski, who received Crew Chief of the Year honors. Blonde was named Driver of the Year for the first time, while Nosal secured Car Owner of the Year laurels for Blonde’s championship run.

Additional Midwest Lights award recipients included Matt Double (Rookie of the Year) and Terry Bogusz (Crew Chief of the Year), while an emotional moment for all involved saw the late Steve Sexton recognized posthumously as the Midwest Lights’ Car Owner of the Year.

“I was really nervous about coming here, but I was really happy once I did,” said Sexton’s widow, Dana, in accepting the award. “This was Steve’s element, and I can’t say enough how much he cared and loved everyone in this series. He was the ultimate car guy and a great person, husband, and friend.

“I’m glad that Josh (Steve’s son) is going to continue driving in his dad’s honor, and we know Steve will be looking down with pride on everything that Must See Racing continues to do going forward.”

The night’s highest honor, the Jerry Caryer Ironman Award for commitment to Must See Racing, was presented to Ryan Litt as the driver who both exemplified loyalty to pavement sprint car racing as a whole and for his comeback from a vicious supermodified crash last summer to continue racing.

Litt joined Tom Jewell (2021) and Charlie Schultz (2022) as the third recipient of the perpetual honor, which is housed at Must See Racing’s series headquarters in Holly, Mich.

With the 2023 season officially in the books, Must See Racing will kick off its 2024 points campaigns for both the Maxima Racing Oil Midwest Lights and the Must See Racing Perfit Sprint Car Series at Sandusky (Ohio) Speedway on Saturday, April 27.

For more news and information on Must See Racing, visit www.mustseeracing.com.

Must See Racing National Awards

Perseverance Award: Tommy Nichols
Sportsmanship Award: Dave Koyan/Joe Speakman
Rising Star Award: Rick Holley
Most Improved Driver: Bobby Komisarski
Best Appearing Car: Davey Hamilton Jr.
Fast Qualifier of the Year: Charlie Schultz
Hard Charger of the Year: Bobby Komisarski (+33)
Crew Chief of the Year: Gene Fogle
Car Owner of the Year: Tony Nosal
Driver of the Year: Jason Blonde
Jerry Caryer Ironman: Ryan Litt

Must See Racing Midwest Lights Awards

Perseverance Award: Steve Sexton/S&S Racing
Rising Star Award: Sawyer Stout
Sportsmanship Award: Steve Sexton/S&S Racing
Most Improved Driver: Charlie Baur
Best Appearing Car: Joshua Sexton/S&S Racing
Fast Qualifier of the Year: Cody Gallogly
Hard Charger of the Year: Cody Gallogly
Rookie of the Year: Matt Double
Crew Chief of the Year: Terry Bogusz
Car Owner of the Year: Steve Sexton/S&S Racing
Driver of the Year: J.J. Henes

November 22 2023

MUST SEE RACING MIDWEST LIGHTS RETURNS TO LORAIN RACEWAY PARK IN 2024

November 22, 2023 – Holly, Michigan – The Must See Racing Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights Series is set to return to Lorain Raceway Park in South Amherst, Ohio twice in 2024. The series will be returning to LRP for the fourth consecutive season. LRP has become the unofficial home of the Midwest Lights Series since its inception in 2020.

The series is set to invade LRP on August 24 and September 21. LRP has been the site of some of the best racing the series has contested over the years. The 3/8-mile Northeast Ohio speedway is one of the raciest the Midwest Lights Series annually visits.

2024 Midwest Lights Series winners at LRP included Andrew Bogusz and JJ Henes.

With today’s announcement of these two dates, the Midwest Lights Series 2024 schedule stands at eight events and counting. Must See Racing has not officially announced the complete 2024 schedule so it’s possible there could be additional dates announced in the coming weeks.

Cody Gallogly is coming off his second consecutive series championship in 2023. Gallogly will be shooting for his third series championship in 2024. He will battling a stout field of cars in 2024 including 2020 series champion J.J. Henes among others.

The 2024 Must See Racing Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights Series will visit five different tracks as the schedule stands now. Besides LRP the series is set to visit Sandusky Speedway, Owosso Speedway, Corrrigan Oil Speedway, and Birch Run Speedway. The series opener is set for April 20 at Sandusky Speedway.

For more info on the Must See Racing Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights Series please like and follow Must See Racing on Facebook or visit www.mustseeracing.com

November 7 2023

MSR LIGHTS TO INVADE CORRIGAN OIL SPEEDWAY IN 2024

November 7, 2024 – Holly, Michigan – Must See Racing today announced that the Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights will be making their first ever appearance at the ¼ mile semi-banked Corrigan Oil Speedway in Mason, Michigan on Friday June 21, 2024.

This event will be a part of a double-header weekend for the 602 Crates series as they will join the MSR 410 National Series the following evening June 22, 2024, at Owosso Speedway.

The Corrigan Oil Speedway event will showcase the close wheel to wheel winged sprint car competition at only the fourth different track in the state of Michigan that the series has competed at.

Previous Michigan venues include Kalamazoo Speedway, Birch Run Speedway, and Owosso Speedway. The series will be the headline event as they compete without their 410 National counterparts.

The Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights Series continues to grow each year with the addition of new and young drivers. The series continues to be a steppingstone to the 410 National Series with a full schedule of events in Michigan and Ohio, where the vast majority of the teams reside.

Cody Gallogly captured his second consecutive MSR Lights championship this season on the heels of a series leading 3 feature wins and 4 Fast Times.

The 2024 MSR Midwest Lights season will kick off April 20, 2024 at Sandusky Speedway with a combination show that will also include the 410 National Series. For more info on the MSR Midwest Lights please like and follow us on Facebook or visit http://www.mustseeracing.com.

photo credit: David Sink

October 31 2023

MUST SEE RACING RETURNS TO HISTORIC SANDUSKY SPEEDWAY IN ‘24

Holly, Michigan (October 31, 2023) Must See Racing announced today that the 2024 season for both the MSR National Series Presented by Engine Pro and Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights Series will kick off at Sandusky Speedway with both series in action April 20, 2024.

This will be the first visit to Sandusky Speedway for the National Series since 2019 while the MSR Midwest Lights last competed in October 2022 during Cavalcade Weekend.

Sandusky Speedway has long been the home of Supermodifieds, but sprint car racing has a brief history with the track. In 1989 Jeff Gordon claimed an All Star Circuit of Champions 410 victory before he found NASCAR fame. There have been other 410 sprint car series compete at Sandusky prior to the inaugural appearance of MSR in 2019.

Jimmy McCune won the last and only 410 National event at Sandusky Speedway on August 25, 2019. He was also the days Fast Qualifier with a lap of 15.266 second around the historic half-mile. That Sunday afternoon event drew 22 cars and provided plenty of side-by-side racing throughout the day.

The April 20, 2024, season opener will offer a practice session on Friday April 19. Teams will be able to get acclimated to the track and shake cars down for the first time after a long winter. The following night will see complete racing programs for both series with qualifying, heat races, and feature events.

Must See Racing continues to offer a sneak peek at its 2024 schedule by releasing specific dates each week from the schedule ahead of its release date. The next date that will be released from the 2024 schedule will be November 7.

Tracks already announced from the 2024 National schedule include Owosso Speedway, Birch Run Speedway, and Lancaster Motorplex.

For the latest breaking Must See Racing news please follow us on Facebook or visit www.mustseeracing.com.

Attached photo caption/credit: The filed prepares for a MSR National event at Sandusky Speedway in 2019. David Sink Photo

October 17 2023

TWIN 2024 MUST SEE RACING EVENTS AT BIRCH RUN ANNOUNCED

Photo: The field prepares for the start of a 2023 MSR event in 2023. David Sink Photo

October 17, 2023 – Holly, Michigan – Must See Racing today announced two more dates from its yet to be released 2024 schedule. The series will compete at Birch Run Speedway in Birch Run, Michigan on two occasions in 2024.

Both the 410 National Series and Midwest Lights Series will come together for a double-header on Friday May 4. This could very well be the season opener for both series. The 410’s will be on the 4/10-mile while the Midwest Lights will be on the inner ¼-mile oval.

The MSR National Series made four visits in 2023 including the two-night American Speed U.S. Nationals. Jimmy McCune was victorious twice while Charlie Schultz and Davey Hamilton Jr. each scored MSR National wins. Birch Run Speedway was also the site of two Must See Racing MAVTV nationally televised events this past season.

Cody Gallogly swept both Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights Series events contested at Birch Run Speedway in 2023. His success at Birch Run Speedway helped propel him to a second consecutive series championship.

The final appearance of MSR at Birch Run Speedway in 2024 will occur on Friday July 19 when both series will join forces once again for a double-header. The 410’s will be on the 410-mile and the Midwest Lights will be on the ¼-mile oval.

Birch Run Speedway has historically drawn great crowds for MSR events in the past and 2024 looks to be much the same. The 410 National Series will be chasing a winner’s share of $4,000 and $600 to start in both of these events. This would now mean that it will pay $4,000 to win all four of the recently announced 2024 MSR dates at Birch Run Speedway and Owosso Speedway in Ovid, Michigan.

The 2024 MSR schedule is nearly complete and is expected to be finalized and released before the end of the month. For more information on Must See Racing please like and follow us on Facebook or visit http://www.mustseeracing.com.

October 10 2023

OWOSSO SPEEDWAY TO HOST TWIN MUST SEE VISITS IN 2024

Photo by David Sink

October, 9, 2023 – Holly, Michigan – The Must See Racing Sprint Series Presented by Engine Pro released an early glimpse of their 2024 schedule for both the 410 National Series and Maxima Racing Oils Midwest Lights Series.

Both series are set to invade Owosso Speedway as part of a twin bill of racing action beginning June 22 with a follow up return date on August 31. Both series will be action with both events awarding full points.

Owosso Speedway provided the perfect venue for winged sprint car action in 2023. With a new resurfacing, a new track record fell to Rick Holley on the second and final visit of the year when he toured 3/8-mile oval at 12.520 seconds. Holley bested an 18-year-old record previously held by the late Cameron Dodson.

The 410 National Series teams will be competing for $4,000 to win both nights and $600 to start.

Both events provided stellar racing this past season. In the event earlier in the season Jimmy McCune held off late race challenges by Davey Hamilton Jr. to capture the feature event. In the final MSR appearance over Labor Day Weekend Ryan Litt and Hamilton Jr. waged a ferocious battle through lapped traffic to see Hamilton Jr. emerged victorious in front of the cameras of MAVTV in the nationally televised event.

These are the first two dates officially announced from the 2024 MSR schedule. MSR hinted that additional dates will be released in the coming weeks revealing the 2024 schedule for both the 410 National Series and Midwest Lights Series.

For more information on Must See Racing please like and follow us on Facebook or visit www.mustseeracing.com.

September 25 2023

Henes Wins Lorain Finale, Gallogly Is Two-Time Midwest Lights Champ

Photos by Kelly Poole

SOUTH AMHERST, Ohio (Sept. 23, 2023) – Though J.J. Henes gave a valiant effort, Cody Gallogly cemented his place as a two-time Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series champion on Saturday night at Lorain Raceway Park.

Henes did everything within his power to erase a 15-point deficit, leading all 30 laps of the Steve Sexton Memorial feature at the three-eighths-mile oval en route to victory, but Gallogly’s third-place finish was more than enough to secure his second series title in as many years.

Gallogly’s final championship margin was 10 points. He becomes the first back-to-back and first multi-time champion in Midwest Lights history.

“It’s what you work for all season, and we had to work for this one, especially with the crash at Owosso (Speedway in Michigan) during the summer that set us back,” noted Gallogly. “We never gave up, though; we just dug down deep and got it done. I feel like we’ve had one of the best cars all season and it’s nice when you can see that consistency and performance rewarded when it’s all said and done.”

Gallogly kicked off the night by setting the fastest time in group qualifying, a lap of 13.343 seconds (101.177 mph), with Bob Komisarski and Sawyer Stout topping the pair of 10-lap heat races held prior to the start of the main event.

A five inversion originally put Stout on the pole, but after he spun coming to the start of warm-ups and had to relinquish his scheduled grid spot as a result, Joshua Sexton led the field to green in an emotional moment – the first race for the series since the passing of his father and car owner, event namesake Steve Sexton.

Henes took over from that point on, however, charging from third to first in the opening lap and never looking back en route to a 1.471 second victory over runner-up Andrew Bogusz.

Though Gallogly didn’t come into the night looking for a third-place finish, he knew that this was the one night he had to protect his points position in pursuit of the bigger picture.

“I don’t like racing for points; when it’s in the back of your mind that’s just not the most fun feeling as a racer, but we knew tonight was the one night we might have to do that in order to bring home this championship,” Gallogly said. “We always race to win, but we knew a top three would get it done tonight and once I got there, I made sure nothing crazy was going to happen toward the end of the race.

“It’s special, to be the first two-time champion with this series; I’m glad my family was able to be here to celebrate with us tonight and we’ll head home, regroup and try for a three-peat next season.”

Stout rallied back to finish fourth and Sexton closed out the top five.

In a special tribute, series officials planned for an extra lap at the conclusion of the feature, during which all cars came to a stop in turns three and four and allowed Sexton’s silver No. 51s to come to the checkered flag alone in honor of his late father – one of the staunchest supporters of Must See Racing over the years.

The 2024 Must See Racing Midwest Lights schedule and championship banquet details will be released in due course. For more information, visit www.mustseeracing.com.

Results:

Qualifying (best of two laps): 1. 27-Cody Gallogly, 13.343; 2. 36-J.J. Henes, 13.384; 3. 40-Sawyer Stout, 13.573; 4. 17-Andrew Bogusz, 13.794; 5. 23-Charlie Baur, 13.853; 6. 51s-Joshua Sexton, 13.912; 7. 1-Brandon Tregembo, 14.158; 8. 38-J.D. Evans, 14.507; 9. 21-Dale McQuillen, 14.684; 10. 77p-Parker Corbin, 14.887; 11. 45-Bob Komisarski, 14.964; 12. 32-Todd McQuillen, 15.194.

Heat One (10 laps): 1. Bob Komisarski, 2. Brandon Tregembo, 3. Dale McQuillen, 4. J.D. Evans, 5. Todd McQuillen, 6. Parker Corbin.

Heat Two (10 laps): 1. Sawyer Stout, 2. Andrew Bogusz, 3. J.J. Henes, 4. Cody Gallogly, 5. Joshua Sexton, 6. Charlie Baur.

Feature (30 laps): 1. 36-J.J. Henes [4], 2. 17-Andrew Bogusz [3], 3. 27-Cody Gallogly [5], 4. 40-Sawyer Stout [9], 5. 51s-Joshua Sexton [1], 6. 1-Brandon Tregembo [10], 7. 23-Charlie Baur [2], 8. 38-J.D. Evans [6], 9. 77p-Parker Corbin [11], 10. 21-Dale McQuillen [7], 11. 45-Bob Komisarski [8], 12. 32-Todd McQuillen (DNS).

Lap Leader(s): Joshua Sexton Grid, J.J. Henes 1-30.

Hard Charger: 40-Sawyer Stout (+5)

September 19 2023

STEVE SEXTON’S HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL OF SPEEDTO CONCLUDE MSR LIGHTS ’23 SCHEDULE

September 19, 2023 – the Maxima Racing Oils Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series will conclude their 2023 season this Saturday night September 23 at Lorain Raceway Park in South Amherst, Ohio. The MSR Lights event will be part of a huge weekend of racing that will include several different classes of cars as part of the ‘Steve Sexton’s Halloween Festival of Speed’.

Sexton was a car owner in the series who recently passed away on September 9. Sexton fielded cars in the series with son Joshua as the driver. Sexton was well respected and assisted many racers in Northeast Ohio over the years. He played an important part in helping racers with parts and set-up knowledge. LRP decided to name the event in his honor due to his huge popularity.

In honor of Sexton, an extra $51 will be given to MSR Lightsheat race winners. In addition, $51 will be added to each payout position in the feature event. #51 was the number carried on all of Sexton’s cars.

The event will conclude the 2023 season for the MSR Lights. Defending champion Cody Gallogly holds a 15-point advantage over former series champion JJ Henes. Gallogly will be looking to seal his second straight series championship with a solid night.

Gallogly has maintained the series points lead all season on the heels of his series leading three feature victories and three Fast Time awards in 2023.

One of the biggest car counts of the season is expected. In addition to Gallogly and Henes, other drivers expected include Joshua Sexton, Bob Komisarski, Charlie Baur, Andrew Bogusz, Parker Corbin, JD Evans, Brandon Tregembo, Matt Double, Dale McQuillen, Todd McQuillen, and Sawyer Stout.

For more info on the Maxima Racing Oils Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series please like and follow us on Facebook or visit www.mustseeracing.com.