(Kevin Lee photo) Dan Lindsley of Vulcan won the 2020 Late Model championship at Norway Speedway. His first Late Model championship since 2014.

NORWAY TOWNSHIP — Aside from one caution flag in the Auto Value Super Stock feature race, it was clean racing during the main event of Werner Electric night at the Norway Speedway Friday.

However, fans collectively held their breaths during heat races after Ken’s Sports Sport Trucks’ driver Pete Zarnhoff — the oldest driver at Norway at 88-years-old — went tumbling in turn one.

As the field turned hot laps prior to the first KSST heat, one truck went spinning — triggering a stack up at the fastest part of the track.

Zarnhoff flew over the back of another truck, nose-dived into the dirt beyond the turn one asphalt and flipped violently before landing right side up.

Zarnhoff was awake and alert following the shunt but was transported to a local hospital for a further check-up.

Copping the $1,000 check for the Bink’s Coca-Cola Super Late Model 50-lap feature was Dan Lindsley (Vulcan). Chad Butz (Green Bay, Wis.) charged through the field but ran out of time to catch Lindsley and finished second. Scott Stanchina (Kingsford) crossed the line third.

Kasey Vander Loop (Freedom, Wis.) won the showcase Sport Truck 20-lap race — that featured out-of-car driver intros — ahead of Cody Vander Loop (Freedom, Wis.) and Brad Barglind (Kingsford).

Paul Bourgeois (Iron Mountain) took the checkered flag in the 141 Auto Sales Stock Car feature in front of Brian Massicotte (Kingsford) and Travis Hulsizer (Menominee).

Following the win — the first of his career — Bourgeois commented he was “excited and relieved to accomplish the goal (of winning a feature).”

He also gave insight into the challenges presented by the Stock Car division’s 18-second lap time rule where drivers must not run a lap faster than that limit or be sent to the rear of the field, known as ‘breaking out.’

“At any point in the race you can (break out and) be in last place, so it’s a struggle to fight the will to push it or be smart and hold where you know you won’t break out,” he said. “It’s a chess match between man, machine, other cars and the clock.

“As the lead car in that class you need to set the pace, know your car, know your lane and make cars come to you, so if your pace is close to 18 (seconds) they will have to break out to pass. The pressure is just a bit more setting the pace without breaking out.”

Above all, though, Bourgeois is just happy to be racing.

“(I’m) just grateful to be involved and have the support by sponsors 141 Auto Sales and Controls Supply, 141 pit team and my family and friends,” he said.

In the Auto Value Super Stock feature, Ryan Wender (Upper Pine Creek) held off Joey Pontbriand (Norway) — who gave Wender a handful of a challenge and then some — and John Komp (Menominee).

As Wender led the way, Pontbriand shadowed him trying to find an opening to get past the 00.

For several laps, Pontbriand drove one-handed along the front stretch, arm raised out the window appearing to be asking the flagman about possible blocking from Wender.

The two duked it out but kept things clean in an entertaining race.

Another week brought yet another exciting MC Signs and Graphics Four Cylinder feature. Weekly, the division sees three and even four-wide racing with minimal incidents. The combination of multiple lanes and clean racing constantly provides a captivating on-track product.

Mike Loberger (Marinette, Wis.) escaped a beehive of activity in the pack to win the Four Cylinder feature with Chris Fifarek (Marinette, Wis) and Brett Ayotte (Hermansville).

The next race brings another night of big-money racing with the second round of Auto Value action at Norway Speedway. Qualifying is at 5:30 p.m and racing at 7 p.m.

RACE SUMMARY

BINK’S COCA COLA SUPER LATE MODEL FEATURE – Dan Lindsley, Vulcan; Chad Butz, Green Bay, WI; Scott Stanchina, Kingsford; Jason Wells, Kingsford; Cory Cootware, Iron Mountain; Gregg Haese, Manitowoc, WI; Tanner Kelly, Waucedah; Robby Iverson, Escanaba; Mike Lantange, Vulcan; Bruce White, Kingsford; Wyatt Spade, Norway; John Ostermann, Norway; Dean Varda, Vulcan.

HEAT – White; Iverson

DASH – Lindsley

FAST TIME – Butz, 14.291

AUTO VALUE SUPER STOCK FEATURE – Ryan Wender, Upper Pine Creek; Joey Pontbriand, Norway; John Komp, Menominee; John Mattia Jr. Norway; Anthony Schiefelbein, Pembine, WI; Andy Gerwig, Norway; Kelly LaCount, Athelstane, WI; Joe Benninger, Deforest, WI; Kevin Peterson, Marinette, WI; Bob Schiefelbein, Pembine, WI; Tony Wender, Kingsford.

HEAT – Benninger; LaCount

DASH – Tony Wender

FAST TIME – Komp, 15.778

141 AUTO SALES STOCK CAR FEATURE – Paul Bourgeois, Iron Mountain; Brian Massicotte, Kingsford; Travis Hulsizer, Menominee; Zachery Krans, Kingsford; B.J. Schoneck, Marion, WI.

HEATS 1) Massicotte; Jon Menpaa, Kingsford 2) Gary Thom, Aurora, WI; Nick Kroehler, Appleton, WI

FAST TIME – Todd Schmidt, Spread Eagle, WI 18.044

KEN’S SPORTS SPORT TRUCK FEATURE – Kasey Vander Loop, Freedom, WI; Cody Vander Loop, Freedom, WI; Brad Barglind, Kingsford; Brent Barglind, Kingsford; Andy Secrist, Florence, WI.

HEATS 1) Tanner Fickel, Appleton, WI; Ted Ullman, Greenville, WI 2) Brad Barglind; Secrist,

FAST TIME – Brent Barglind, 16.549

MC SIGNS & GRAPHICS 4 BANGER FEATURE – Mike Loberger, Marinette, WI; Chris Fifarek, Marinette, WI; Brett Ayotte, Hermansville; Dean Bellmore, Hermansville; Elliot Reid, Faithorn

HEATS 1) Owen Eichmeier, Bucktown; Fiferek 2) Dean Bellmore; Reid

FAST TIME – Cory Grondine, Hermansville, 18.057

Joe Verdegan contributed to this story