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HENES CLAIMS LORAIN MSR LIGHTS EVENT

HENES CLAIMS LORAIN MSR LIGHTS EVENT

SOUTH AMHERST, Ohio – J.J. Henes returned to the Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series this season determined to win a series title after narrowly missing out on the crown one year ago, and he took a major step toward that goal with a dominant victory Friday night at Lorain Raceway Park.

Henes blistered the field for his first win of the year, driving from seventh to the lead in three laps and checking out for the remainder of the 30-lap feature, held as part of the Super Crown Nationals event at the three-eighths-mile, slightly-banked paved oval.

The 18-year-old native of LaGrange, Ohio – also a recent high school graduate – led by as many as 4.5 seconds during the main event and bested runner-up Cody Gallogly by 1.952 seconds in the end.

It marked Henes’ second career Must See Racing Midwest Lights victory.

“We wanted to come back and win some races this year, and it feels good to be able to get the job done tonight,” Henes said afterward.

After the initial start was called back by race officials, polesitter Tim Henthorne paced the opening two laps before contact between he and Henes while racing for the lead in turn two led to a caution with two laps complete, ending the night for Henthorne.

Sawyer Stout, driving for reigning Midwest Lights Car Owner of the Year John Higgins, dropped out at that point with a steering gear failure after battling mechanical woes for most of the afternoon.

At that point, Henes took command of the feature and never looked back.

However, a final yellow flag with 11 to go – when Dale McQuillen broke an axle and stalled on the racing surface – erased a four-second advantage for the teenager and set up a final restart with Gallogly alongside Henes and looking to extend his series point lead with a second win of the season.

Henes left no doubt when the green flag returned, though, streaking off into the night and forcing Gallogly to settle for second. Joshua Sexton completed the podium ahead of recent Kalamazoo Speedway feature winner Andrew Bogusz.

Henes kicked off the program by setting a new crate sprint track record during single-car qualifying, turning a lap of 13.310 seconds (101.427 mph). It was his fourth career fast time with the series.

Henthorne and Sexton won their respective eight-lap heat races prior to the feature.

The Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series continues its season July 9 during the Comet Classic at Lorain Raceway Park. It will be the crate sprint car touring series’ third visit of the year to the Ohio short track.

For more information on the Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series, visit www.mustseeracing.com.

Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series; Lorain Raceway Park; South Amherst, Ohio; June 17, 2022
Qualifying (best of two laps): 1. JJ Henes, 36JR, 13.310-Henes (NTR); 2. Cody Gallogly, 27, 13.685-Gallogly; 3. Andrew Bogusz, 17, 13.721-Bogusz; 4. Joshua Sexton, 51s, 13.780-Sexton; 5. Sawyer Stout, 92, 13.792-Higgins; 6. Junior Gould, 65, 13.988; 7. Tim Henthorne, 15t, 14.030-Henthorne; 8. Charlie Baur, 23, 14.308-Baur; 9. Dale McQuillen, 21, 14.786-McQuillen; 10. Kyle Capodice, 18, 14.895-Capodice.

Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Tim Henthorne [3], 2. Dale McQuillen [1], 3. Charlie Baur [2], 4. Kyle Capodice [5], 5. Junior Gould [4].

Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Joshua Sexton [1], 2. Cody Gallogly [3], 3. JJ Henes [4], 4. Andrew Bogusz [2], 5. Sawyer Stout [5].

A-Feature (30 laps): 1. 36JR-JJ Henes [7], 2. 27-Cody Gallogly [6], 3. 51S-Joshua Sexton [4], 4. 17-Andrew Bogusz [5], 5. 23-Charlie Baur [8], 6. 65-Junior Gould [2], 7. 21-Dale McQuillen [9], 8. 18-Kyle Capodice [10], 9. 15T-Tim Henthorne [1], 10. 92-Sawyer Stout [3].

Lap Leader(s): Tim Henthorne 1-2, JJ Henes 3-30

Hard Charger: #36JR – JJ Henes (+6)

Must See Racing Lorain County Raceway Park

MUST SEE LIGHTS BACK IN ACTION THIS FRIDAY NIGHT

June 15, 2022 – The Maxima Racing Oils Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series will be back in action this Friday night June 17 as part of the inaugural Super Crown Nationals at Lorain Raceway Park in South Amherst, Ohio. It will be race #3 towards the 2022 championship chase.

The MSR Lights will be making its first appearance since Memorial Day Weekend when the series competed in the American Speed U.S. Nationals at Kalamazoo Speedway. Rookie 16-year-old Andrew Bogusz pulled off a surprising win when he captured his first career MSR Lights victory in only his second series start during the American Speed U.S. Nationals.

The series is experiencing a youth movement in 2022. Several young teenage drivers are dominating the headlines as the series has become much younger. Bogusz, along with other teenage drivers Lauren DePasqua, Sawyer Stout, J.J. Henes, and Charlie Bauer, could provide MSR with a pipeline of future talent into the MSR National Series

The series will help kick off the opening night of the Super Crown Nationals when they invade LRP Friday night. The MSR Lights will be a part of an open wheel triple-header that will also feature the Midwest Supermodified Series and the TQ midgets. The MSR Lights will only compete on Friday, but the MSS Supermodifieds will return the following night and compete in twin feature events to close the weekend out.

By virtue of his season opening MSR Lights victory, Cody Gallogly is the current points leader and has stretched his points lead out to 23 points over second place J.J. Henes. Joshua Sexton sits in third place only 6 points behind Henes.

For more information on the Maxima Racing Oils Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series, please visit www.mustseeracing.com.

Bogusz raced to his first Must See Racing Midwest Lights victory

Bogusz Stuns Kalamazoo Midwest Lights Field For Maiden Victory

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (May 28, 2022) – For a driver making just his second-ever sprint car start, 16-year-old Andrew Bogusz drove like a seasoned veteran Saturday night at Kalamazoo Speedway.

Bogusz raced to his first Must See Racing Midwest Lights victory

Andrew Bogusz celebrates atop his race car after winning Saturday’s Must See Racing Midwest Lights feature at Kalamazoo Speedway. (Must See Racing photo)

Bogusz raced to his first Must See Racing Midwest Lights victory in wire-to-wire fashion, taking control of the 25-lap main event from the outside of the front row and holding serve through three first-half restarts before pulling away by 2.116 seconds in the closing stages.

The Shelby Township, Mich., young gun fended off Tim Henthorne early and two-time series winner Cody Gallogly later on before parking his white No. 17 on the frontstretch at the end of the night.

As he exited his race car and climbed atop the wing to celebrate, the explosion of emotion from the teenager was palpable and unmistakable.

“Oh my God, we won a Must See race!” Bogusz screamed in front of the SPEED SPORT TV cameras, tears in his eyes before he turned to his father Terry for a huge hug.

The young standout moved into the Midwest Lights division this season from go-karts and quarter midgets, but said he felt no nerves on any of the restarts Saturday night despite his relative inexperience.

“I just knew that we had a good car,” Bogusz explained. “I’d never been here before today, but I actually felt comfortable because I spent a lot of time on iRacing practicing at Lanier [National Speedway], which drove really similarly to what I had to do here at Kalamazoo. It really helped me settle in, I feel like.

“We knew there would be a learning curve, but we didn’t expect to be here this fast. It’s amazing.”

Two yellow flags for the stalled car of Joshua Sexton prior to lap five could have rattled Bogusz, but he darted away from fellow rookie Sawyer Stout both times.

On the third restart – necessitated after Stout jumped the tire of a slower lapped car and slammed the turn four wall – Bogusz roared away from J.J. Henes and then maintained his advantage through the closing stages. After Henes spun while challenging for the top spot on the final lap, the die was cast.

Gallogly, who was seeking his third series win in a row, couldn’t deny that he “just got beat” on this night after coming through the smoke in the third turn for a runner-up result.

“They were just better,” Gallogly lamented. “Congrats to Andrew; that first win is always special and he’s been super fast the first few races of this season. We’ll go home, do our homework and hopefully come back better for the next one.”

Must See Racing

(From left) Tim Henthorne, winner Andrew Bogusz and Cody Gallogly on the podium following Saturday’s Must See Racing Midwest Lights feature at Kalamazoo Speedway. (Must See Racing photo)

Henthorne converted his pole starting position into a third-place finish, the last car on the lead lap. Henes was credited with fourth place after his spin and Junior Gould closed the top five.

The top four Midwest Lights finishers were given the opportunity to tag the tail of the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series main event by race officials. All four drivers accepted the challenge, with Bogusz finishing the highest of the four in 11th place after 50 laps.

Gallogly kicked off the night with the fastest time in qualifying, a lap of 12.159 seconds around the three-eighths-mile, semi-banked oval. Henthorne and Stout won their respective heat races.

The Must See Racing Midwest Lights season continues Friday, June 17 with the Super Crown at Lorain Raceway Park in South Amherst, Ohio.

For more information on the Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series, visit www.mustseeracing.com.

Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series; Kalamazoo (Mich.) Speedway; May 28, 2022

Qualifying (best of three-lap group sessions): 1. Cody Gallogly, 27, 12.159-Gallogly; 2. J.J. Henes, 36, 12.262-Henes; 3. Joshua Sexton, 51s, 12.415-Sexton; 4. Sawyer Stout, 92, 12.595-Higgins; 5. Andrew Bogusz, 17, 12.710-Bogusz; 6. Tim Henthorne, 15t, 12.852-Sexton; 7. Junior Gould, 65, 13.082-Gould; 8. Dale McQuillen, 21, 13.475-McQuillen; 9. Lauren DePasquale, 18, 13.726-DePasquale; 10. Charlie Baur, 23, 13.873-Baur.

Heat #1 (8 laps): 1. Tim Henthorne [4], 2. Lauren DePasquale [1], 3. Dale McQuillen [2], 4. Junior Gould [3], 5. Charlie Baur [5].

Heat #2 (8 laps): 1. Sawyer Stout [1], 2. Cody Gallogly [4], 3. Joshua Sexton [2], 4. J.J. Henes [3], 5. Andrew Bogusz [5].

A-Feature (25 laps): 1. Andrew Bogusz [2], 2. Cody Gallogly [6], 3. Tim Henthorne [1], 4. J.J. Henes [5], 5. Junior Gould [7], 6. Charlie Baur [10], 7. Lauren DePasquale [9], 8. Dale McQuillen [8], 9. Sawyer Stout [3], 10. Joshua Sexton [4].

Lap Leader(s): Tim Henthorne Grid; Andrew Bogusz 1-25.

Hard Charger: #27 – Cody Gallogly (+4)

Must See Racing - Cody Gallogly

GALLOGLY CAPTURES MUST SEE LIGHTS OPENER AT LORAIN RACEWAY PARK

April 23, 2022 – South Amherst, Ohio – Cody Gallogly started the 2022 season just like he ended the 2021 season by capturing the Maxima Racing Oils Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series season opener Saturday night at Lorain Raceway Park. It was his second career MSR Lights victory. His other win came in the 2021 season final also at LRP.

Joshua Sexton paced time trials when he turned a lap of 13.719 seconds to kick the evening’s action off.

In a bizarre start to the night’s 25-lap feature event, two red flags were thrown before the first lap was completed. On the initial start, Jason Rader and J.J. Henes got together at the start. Series officials went red after a lengthy delay to clean u the carnage. Rader was done for the night, but Henes continued.

Cody Gallogly - Must See Racing On the next restart Rader got together with Dale McQuillen. Both cars would be done for the evening after Rader ended upside down in the melee

When the green flag finally waved, Gallogly got the jump from his outside front row starting position and lead the event wire-to-wire to capture his second career MSR Lights event. Gallogly would win by a margin of 00.611 seconds over Joshua Sexton.

MSR Lights rookie newcomer Sawyer Stout put in a solid performance in his first-ever series start with a third-place finish. Henes finished forth and Andrew Bogusz rounded out the top five.

The series will now be idle until the second annual American Speed U.S. Nationals at Kalamazoo Speedway Memorial Day Weekend.

Feature (25 laps) 1. 27-Cody Gallogly, 2. 51-Joshua Sexton, 3. 92-Sawyer Stout, 4. 36-J.J. Henes, 5. 17-Andrew Bogusz, 6. 65-Junior Gould, 7. 15-Tim Henthorne, 8. 18-Lauren DePasquale, 9. 23-Charlie Baur, 10. 52-Jason Rader, 11. 21-Dale McQuillen

 

MSR LIGHTS SET TO KICK OFF 2022 SEASON SATURDAY NIGHT

April 19, 2022 – The Maxima Racing Oils Must See Racing Midwest Lights will kick off its third season this Saturday night April 23 at Lorain Raceway Park in South Amherst, Ohio. It will be the first of five total events at LRP in 2022.

If the 2022 season is anything like last year, fans will be in for a treat. The MSR Lights series had one of the most competitive of any sprint car series in the entire country last season. There were seven different winners out of nine possible events contested last season. To say the series is competitive is an understatement.

“Our MSR LIGHTS safety, level competitive playing field and team cost containment objectives continues to attract young drivers and new teams showcasing close and exciting competition for the race fans. Plus, it has developed an ongoing talent of teams, drivers and owners moving into the MSR NATIONAL 410 series. We are excited to get the season started with 2022 looking to be our best yet” said MSR founder Jim Hanks.

Joey Wyckoff, Charlie Shultz, Dylan Watson, J.J. Henes, Jason Rader, Josh Sexton, and Cody Gallogly each won MSR Lights feature events in 2021.

Over the past two seasons LRP has played host to several dramatic MSR Lights events. The track has become the unofficial home to the MSR Lights series. A highly competitive MSR Lights opener is expected Saturday night.

The series will welcome two young newcomers in 2022 when Charlie Bauer and Andrew Bogusz join the fray. Both will be competing for Rookie of the Year honors in 2022.

Other expected drivers this Saturday include Lauren De Pasquale, Junior Gould, Dale McQuillen, and Craig Sharfenburg.

Other highlights of the 2022 MSR Lights schedule will include participation in the American Speed U.S. Nationals at Kalamazoo Speedway on May 27 and select MAVTV televised events.

For more info on the Maxima Racing Oils Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series please visit or new and improved website at www.mustseeracing.com

promo-jan-4-feat

MSR ANNOUNCES THE “STEADFAST VETERANS CHALLENGE” FAST TIME AND COME FROM THE BACK BONUS MONEY

January 4, 2022 – Holly, Mich. – The Must See Racing Midwest Lights Sprint Series (MSRMWL) presented by Maxima Racing Oils officials today announced a unique bonus program that will be available at most races in 2022.

The STEADFAST VETERANS CHALLENGE will offer a $100 bonus to the fast qualifier at MSRMWL events in 2022. If the fast qualifier accepts the challenge of starting at the rear of the feature field, he will automatically receive a $100 bonus. If he can win the feature event from starting at the rear of the field, he will receive another $100 bonus. If no driver accepts the challenge, the bonus money will carry over to the next event.

Steadfast For Veterans is a non-profit organization that works closely with private donors, business entities, and federal, state, and local government agencies to find unused empty lots, properties with small structures in need of demolition, or properties with other unwanted dwelling structures. After assessing the most viable option, they are then rehabilitated with new, smaller energy efficient homes; or rehabilitate the older homes that are already onsite. The homes are then outfitted with all of the furniture and appliances required for independent living, giving homeless veterans in need the safety, stability, and dignity they deserve.

“Working with Tony Roberts at Steadfast in Indianapolis has been a great experience” explained MSR president Jim Hanks. “Their program helping veterans is outstanding and MSR and our marketing partners are honored to play a part in it. The 2022 STEADFAST VETERANS CHALLEGE certainly adds excitement, drama and racing entertainment at our events and an awareness of their efforts to help needy veterans to race fans everywhere” concluded Hanks.

Steadfast founder Tony Roberts explained the STEADFAST VETERANS CHALLENGE “This idea has been in the making for a few years. COVID-19 delayed it. It will add excitement and randomness to the events. It will be a total of $2,400. We’ve been blessed with an anonymous donor who has given us money to help different forms of motorsports because it has had an impact on his life. Through the STEADFAST VETERANS CHALLENGE, he wants us to help bring awareness to our homeless veteran’s projects that we have built. We’ve chosen Must See Racing. Jim (Hanks) does an amazing job of getting media involved. That’s why I wanted to get involved.”

For more info on Steadfast For Veterans please visit www.steadfastveterans.org or call Tony Roberts (317) 285-8827 if you or your business would like to make a donations.

2021bq-feat

Must See Racing Honors Top Performers During Season-Ending Banquet

PERRYSBURG, Ohio (Jan. 22, 2021) – Must See Racing honored its top performers from the 2021 racing season on Saturday night during the sanctioning body’s Celebration of Champions presented by Engine Pro, held at the Fremont Pike Quality Inn.

More than $25,000 in prize money and contingency awards were handed out as the pavement winged sprint car sanctioning body closed the book on its 12th season of operations and looked ahead toward 2022.Among the drivers and teams recognized were the top 15 from the Engine Pro Fast Car Dash mini-series for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series, as well as the top 10 from the Must See Racing Midwest Lights Series season-long point standings.Charlie Schultz and Jimmy McCune were feted as co-champions for the five-race Fast Car Dash mini-series, due to a tie in the final points, while Joey Wyckoff was recognized as the second champion in as many seasons for the growing Midwest Lights division for 602 crate engine-powered machines.

“We have a fierce rivalry on the race track, but on a night like this we know how to have a little bit of fun too,” noted McCune of Schultz. “Rumor has it that after this is all over, we’re going to find a way to break that tie somehow (laughter).”

Added Wyckoff, “It’s been an honor and a privilege to compete with Must See Racing and to be standing here as the Midwest Lights champion for 2021 is something I’ll remember for a long time. We’re not sure what the future holds right now for my Must See Racing career, but we appreciate everything Jim and Nancy Hanks, as well as Maxima Racing Oil and Engine Pro have done for the series this season.”

The two highest honors handed out Saturday night came at the very end of the program, both given to unsuspecting drivers who have made a major impact in Must See Racing’s national 410 sprint car scene.

Tom Jewell was named the inaugural recipient of the new Jerry Caryer Iron Man Award, recognizing the driver who not only attended the most Must See Racing national events over the past five seasons, but also made the most consistent positive impact on the series and sanctioning body during that time.

The Jerry Caryer Iron Man Award is in memory of the late Caryer, one of Must See Racing’s longest tenured competitors who passed away unexpectedly in August of 2020. It features a plaque given to the driver as well as a perpetual trophy which will remain at Must See Racing’s Michigan base of operations.

“I’m completely blown away,” said Jewell. “I wasn’t expecting this at all. It’s a true honor, as Jerry was a friend to so many of us and a valued competitor in this series. We definitely miss him.”

Meanwhile, Joe Liguori was named Must See Racing’s 410 Driver of the Year on the strength of a breakout season that saw him record two feature victories, three fast qualifying times and – had there been a season-long points system in place for 2021 – would have given him a championship in three out of four possible scenarios.

“If there wasn’t going to be a big trophy this year, this is the award you want to bring back to the shop,” Liguori pointed out following his acceptance speech. “We had a great year with the No. 13 car and, hopefully, we can find a way to top it during the season to come.”

Must See Racing Sprint Car Series sponsor Engine Pro’s Tom Stuyvesant was the night’s keynote speaker, while Must See Racing founder and president Jim Hanks delivered the annual State of the Series Address to kick off the program.

During that speech, Hanks noted a renewed sense of enthusiasm surrounding the sanction’s upcoming campaigns for both the national 410 series and the Midwest Lights, as well as a return to a full-season points structure and season-ending points fund for the national tour for 2022.

“Where we’ve been was really good and provided our fans with a ton of entertainment, but I think where we’re going has the potential to be the best season we’ve ever had,” noted Hanks.

Must See Racing’s 2022 event schedule will begin April 28-30 with its national 410 sprint car tour competing at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway for the first time.

Below is a full list of the awards handed out during the Must See Racing Celebration of Champions:

Midwest Lights Top 10 Drivers (car owners in parenthesis)

  1. Joey Wyckoff (Dave Koyan)
  2. Joshua Sexton (S&S Racing)
  3. JJ Henes (Jon Henes)
  4. Tim Henthorne (T&S Motors)
  5. Jason Rader (driver/owner)
  6. Charlie Schultz (John Higgins)
  7. Dylan Watson (driver/owner)
  8. Lauren DePasquale (Dave DePasquale)
  9. Junior Gould (driver/owner)
  10. Dale McQuillen (driver/owner)

Midwest Lights Special Awards

·        Most Improved: Jason Rader

·        Rising Star Award: JJ Henes

·        Rookie of the Year: Lauren DePasquale

·        Crew Chief of the Year: Dave Koyan

·        Car Owner of the Year: John Higgins

·        Driver of the Year: Charlie Schultz

Must See Racing Sprint Car Series Engine Pro Fast Car Dash Top 15

  1. Jimmy McCune (Jim McCune) / Charlie Schultz (John Reiser)
  2. Jacob Dolinar (HD Carter)
  3. Jeff Bloom (driver/owner)
  4. Tom Jewell (Gene Fogel)
  5. Todd McQuillen (Dave Koyan)
  6. Adam Biltz (John Reiser)
  7. Rick Holley (driver/owner)
  8. Dylan Watson (driver/owner)
  9. Tom Geren (driver/owner)
  10. Anthony Linkenhoker (driver/owner)
  11. Joe Liguori (driver/owner)
  12. Nolan Allison (N2 Racing)
  13. Joshua Sexton (S&S Racing)
  14. Joe Speakman (driver/owner)
  15. Troy DeCaire (Ken Statham)

Must See Racing Sprint Car Series Special Awards

·        Most Improved: Adam Biltz

·        Rising Star Award: Jacob Dolinar (retroactively named 2020 Rookie of the Year)

·        Rookie of the Year: Nolan Allison

·        Crew Chief of the Year: John Reiser

·        Jerry Caryer Iron Man Award: Tom Jewell

·        Car Owner of the Year: Gene Fogel

·        Driver of the Year: Joe Liguori