THE NORTH RUN DELIVERED
- Arthur
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
The trip north to Norway Speedway produced everything you could ask for: breakthrough performances, hometown heroes, hard-luck stories, and a reminder of why short-track racing is so special.
The heat races set the stage for an exciting evening.
Daniel Calhoun picked up the victory in Heat 1, continuing to show the speed he's carried throughout the season.
In Heat 2, part-time competitor Clint Evans made the most of his opportunity, driving to the win over a talented field.
Heat 3 belonged to local standout Jesse Hendrickson, who gave the hometown crowd plenty to cheer about with a victory against a competitive field.
When it came time for the feature, it was Daniel Calhoun's night.
After years of chasing that elusive first victory, earning fast times, heat race wins, and coming painfully close on multiple occasions Calhoun finally broke through to capture his first career Mid-Am Racing Series feature win. It was a long-awaited milestone and one that was well deserved.
Behind him, Phil Speciale delivered the best Mid-Am finish of his career, bringing the No. 6 home in second after a tremendous drive. Cameron Vandermeir continued his impressive season with another podium finish in third, while local favorite Joey Pontbriand thrilled the hometown crowd with a strong fourth-place effort. After overcoming adversity early in the evening, Josh Nelms rounded out the top five with one of the night's best recovery drives.
Just outside the top five, Jeremiah Senko crossed the line sixth, followed by rookie Kellen Arnold III in seventh. Andrew Meyerhofer finished eighth, Clint Evans capped off a successful night in ninth after his heat race victory, and local driver Jeremy Yelle completed the top ten.
Shane Sapp finished 11th, Jim Thorson was 12th, hometown heat winner Jesse Hendrickson crossed the stripe 13th, followed by Todd Maki in 14th and Kyle McMahon in 15th.
The results don't tell the whole story, however. Pole sitter Mark Sontag Jr. looked to have one of the fastest cars in the field after earning fast time, but electrical gremlins ended his night before he could capitalize on his speed. Veteran Kenny Richards saw his evening come to an end after getting caught up in a multi-car incident, while Cody Clubb, Connor Kosowski, Josh Fehrmann, Bodde Johnson, Greg Beebe, and Rick Tackman Jr. all endured tough luck before the checkered flag.
One story that deserves special recognition belongs to Shane Sapp.
Shane's race didn't end the way he had hoped. But after the checkered flag, a young fan walked up to him and proudly said, "You're my favorite driver."
Rather than simply signing an autograph, Shane removed the damaged door from his race car, signed it, and gave it to the young fan.
To most people, it was just a bent-up piece of sheet metal.
To that young fan, it became a priceless keepsake and a memory that will last a lifetime.
Moments like these remind us that grassroots racing is about far more than finishing positions and trophies. It's about the relationships built in the pits, the memories made with fans, and the impact our competitors have on the next generation.
Congratulations to Daniel Calhoun on his first Mid-Am Racing Series feature victory, congratulations to all of our heat race winners, and thank you to Norway Speedway, our competitors, officials, and the incredible fans for making another North Run one to remember.
Official Feature Results
Daniel Calhoun (#4)
Phil Speciale (#6)
Cameron Vandermeir (#28)
Joey Pontbriand (#00)
Josh Nelms (#0)
Jeremiah Senko (#42S)
Kellen Arnold III (#3)
Andrew Meyerhofer (#14)
Clint Evans (#17)
Jeremy Yelle (#92)
Shane Sapp (#56)
Jim Thorson (#99)
Jesse Hendrickson (#97)
Todd Maki (#16)
Kyle McMahon (#32)
Cody Clubb (#23)
Connor Kosowski (#43)
Josh Fehrmann (#86)
Bodde Johnson (#42)
Kenny Richards (#5)
Mark Sontag Jr. (#1)
Greg Beebe (#98)
Rick Tackman Jr. (#42T)
