From Must See Racing
OVID, Mich. (June 21, 2025) – Saturday night’s twin Must See Racing Maxima Midwest Lights features at Owosso Speedway showcased the contrast of the series’ all-time wins leader and one of its rising stars.
J.J. Henes and 14-year-old Keegan Weese split the victory spoils at the three-eighths-mile oval, with both races featuring late passes for the lead and enough plot twists to write a small novel about.
In the first feature, hometown favorite Charlie Baur led the majority of the 20-lapper, but suffered a major tire vibration throughout the second half that diminished his speed as the run wore on.
Finally, a turn-two spin by Weese set up a restart with four to go, with Henes going for broke on the outside lane against Baur and making the winning pass in turn three with a lap and a half left.
It marked Henes’ record-extending 12th career Midwest Lights feature win and his second in four races this season. He was also fighting a similar vibration to Baur’s down the closing stretch.
“The tire gave up about lap three,” said Henes, whose victory came despite a stop in the work area under the final caution. “It was shaking so bad that it broke the rear radius rod bolt and that’s what we had to get fixed.
“Rolling off fourth on that last restart, I was hoping to just get a spot or two … but then I realized we might have a shot to win, and I just sent it.”
Baur hung on for second in the opening stanza, .489 seconds in arrears, with Weese rallying from his spin to complete the race-one podium.
A right-front axle failure on lap two put series hotshoe Andrew Bogusz out of action early in the first race, but he was able to make repairs and return for the second act.
After an inversion of the top five finishers for the 15-lap nightcap – shortened due to tire wear concerns – Parker Corbin started from pole and led her first-ever lap in Midwest Lights competition before Henes stormed to the front on the second circuit.
Henes led the lion’s share, out front until lap 13 despite Baur’s best efforts to chase him down, but Baur’s sideways slides through the corners in a desperate attempt to find speed eventually bit him late.
The mayhem began when Rick Wichtner broke a rear gear and left fluid strewn in turns one and two, necessitating a red flag stoppage for extensive cleanup.
Then, after the leaders had resumed and taken the white flag, Baur was running second when his right-rear tire finally gave out. It failed explosively in turn two and left debris strewn down the backstretch.
When Baur slowed to a stop on the backstretch, it forced a caution and a single-file, green-white-checkered restart, with Henes out front and Weese right on his bumper and motivated to try and pounce.
After a strong restart and gaining momentum, Weese pitched his car inside of Henes in turn one, pulling even exiting the second corner and with the preferred inside lane for the opposite end of the racetrack.
Weese then dove deep into turn three to complete the race-winning pass and never looked back, closing out his first Midwest Lights victory in just his ninth feature start and second season of sprint car racing.
“Man, I just held my foot to the floor,” said Weese of the final restart. “I knew J.J. was gonna be hard to beat, and I just drove it down in there and hoped for the best. I wanted this bad.
“It’s huge. Winning in these cars means the world to me. I don’t even really have the words to describe it right now; I can’t believe it.”
Henes, who has served as a quasi-teammate and mentor to Weese, was second and had nothing but praise to offer his young protégé after narrowly losing out on a sweep of the night.
“I wouldn’t call myself the greatest teacher; I try my best to tell him what he should be doing … but he’s learning so quickly. Every race he’s gotten better, especially this year,” Henes said of Weese. “If there’s anyone I’m OK with losing to, it’s him. He outdrove me on that last restart and I’ll admit that.”
Bogusz completed the podium with a last-lap pass for third place, while Baur ended up sixth after replacing his right-rear tire and returning for the final two laps.
Henes remains the Midwest Lights point leader with an average finish thus far of 1.5 through four races.
The Must See Racing Maxima Midwest Lights season continues Friday night, June 27 at Corrigan Oil Speedway (formerly Spartan Speedway) in Mason, Mich., with Twin 25s at the quarter-mile oval.
For more information on Must See Racing, including the latest news and results, visit www.mustseeracing.com.
The results:
Qualifying (group format): 1. J.J. Henes, 36JR, Henes-13.740; 2. Charlie Baur, 23, Baur-14.018; 3. Andrew Bogusz, 17, Fast Company-14.104; 4. Keegan Weese, 37, Henes-14.335; 5. Brandon Tregembo, 1, Drive One-14.593; 6. Parker Corbin, 77, Corbin-15.183 7. Rick Wichtner, 11, Drive One-16.143.
A Feature #1 (20 laps): 1. 36-J.J. Henes [5]; 2. 23-Charlie Baur [4]; 3. 37-Keegan Weese [2]; 4. 1-Brandon Tregembo [1]; 5. 77-Parker Corbin [6]; 6. 17-Andrew Bogusz [3]; 7. 11-Rick Wichtner [7].
Lap Leader(s): Brandon Tregembo 1, Charlie Baur 2-18, J.J. Henes 19-20.
Hard Charger: 36JR-J.J. Henes (+4)
A Feature #2 (15 laps): 1. 37-Keegan Weese [2]; 2. 36-J.J. Henes [4]; 3. 17-Andrew Bogusz [6]; 4. 1-Brandon Tregembo [1]; 5. 77-Parker Corbin [5]; 6. 23-Charlie Baur [3]; 7. 11-Richard Wichtner [7].
Lap Leader(s): Parker Corbin 1, J.J. Henes 2-13, Keegan Weese 14-15.
Hard Charger: 17-Andrew Bogusz (+3)