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Cody Hahn Hustles To His First Win at the Mighty Axe Nationals

Brainerd, MN
By: Greg Parent (9-4-10)

Cody Hahn looked forward to the day when he would earn his first career sprint car feature win. Last year in his rookie season, Hahn steadily improved as the season progressed, came close on a couple of occasions, and he ended up earning the Rookie of the Year honors in the Upper Midwest Sprintcar Series. Fifteen races into the 2010 UMSS season, Hahn garnered his first-ever feature win on the opening night of the Mighty Axe Nationals at North Central Speedway. An elated Hahn stated from victory lane following his triumph, "I was hoping we could get the first one off our back. I owed this one to my crew. They have worked hard and given me a great car on many nights. This is awesome." The win also helped solidify Hahn's point lead in the UMSS standings over Brad Barickman.

Hahn led the entire 20 lap distance on a rough track due to recent heavy rainfall in the Brainerd area. Hahn started on the outside front row, grabbed the lead on the opening lap, survived one timely caution with thirteen laps in the books, and went on to record his inaugural win over eighteen fellow competitors on the D-shaped 1/3 mile oval. Despite rough track conditions, only one car dropped out of the feature, and the race was only slowed once under caution. On this late summer evening during the Labor Day weekend, the young Minneapolis driver took home the unique axe trophy and memories that will last a lifetime.

Local racer Tim Johnson along with Cody Hahn brought the seventeen car starting grid to the green, as two cars were unable to compete in the Precision Tool/Crosslake Sheetmetal 20 lap feature following the challenge races. Glencoe driver Chris Graf immediately fell into second behind Hahn at the conclusion of the opening lap, having quickly advanced from his fourth starting spot. Graf stayed within striking distance of Hahn, as the race saw a steady run of green flag laps roll by. The leaders were soon in lapped traffic, and Graf closed in on Hahn. The lone caution waved with thirteen laps scored when Australian driver David Craft, who was running third at the time, lost his brakes, hooked a rut in turn four, and spun sideways. Just moments before the yellow light blinked on, Graf had actually nosed past Hahn in a bid for the lead. The caution nullified the attempt, and Hahn was solid during the final seven lap green flag run to the checkers to earn the $1,000 first place money. Graf finished second ahead of Alan Gilbertson, Tim Johnson and last year's double winner of the Mighty Axe Sye Anderson. Completing the top ten finishers was 2010 rookie contender Jared Goerges, Jerry Richert Jr, Brad Barickman, Eric Schulz, and another rookie candidate Ronnie Erickson.

Ultimate Sprint Race victories in the heats saw Chris Graf top the Midwest Racing Talk first heat, David Craft best the Driverwebsites.com second heat, and Jerry Richert Jr. earn the win in the Sprintsource.com third heat. Using the typical UMSS double-round of qualifying races, Cody Hahn raced to victory in the Bryant Heating and Cooling Challenge Race #1 while hometown driver Tim Johnson won the Mastell Brothers Trailer Service Challenge Race #2. Jerry Richert Jr ended up being the top point driver after the two rounds of qualifying which utilize finishing and passing points. Richert pulled the six pill, so the first three rows of the feature race would be inverted.

On the opening lap of the first challenge race, Shannon Eriksen and Brandon Allen both fell victim to the ruts in turn one. Both drivers flipped their sprint cars nearly at the same time. Eriksen ended upside down while Allen ended upright. Eriksen's car was done for the night, but Allen's crew worked feverishly to make repairs in time to start the feature. Allen not only started the feature race, but he was able to complete the entire distance enroute to a 12th place finish.

Dave Becker was making his return to racing with the UMSS after sitting out for well over a month while his motor was being repaired. The night did not go well for Becker, as he dropped out of the first challenge race after what he described as a "motor shutter similar to the one at Elko." Hopefully the Belle Plaine driver can return soon and continue his pursuit for his second feature win of the season.

The second night of the Mighty Axe Nationals was still to be contended though, as young Cody Hahn would try to repeat his opening night performance and do what Sye Anderson did last year. A strong field of cars would stand in his way however.

UMSS Race Results - North Central Speedway September 4, 2010 (Race #15) Mighty Axe Nationals:

Midwest Racing Talk Ultimate Sprint Heat #1 (6 laps): Chris Graf, Sye Anderson, Ronnie Erickson, Tim Johnson, Dave Becker, Mike Luks.

Driverwebsites.com Ultimate Sprint Heat #2 (6 laps): David Craft, Jack Zweber, Jared Goerges, Cody Hahn, Brad Barickman, Brandon Allen.

Sprintsource.com Ultimate Sprint Heat #3 (7 laps): Jerry Richert Jr, Alan Gilbertson, Shannon Eriksen, Eric Schulz, Jennifer Eriksen, Justin Giddings, Kevin Nickel.

Bryant Heating & Cooling Challenge Race #1 (8 laps): Hahn, Richert, Zweber, Graf, J Eriksen, Nickel, Erickson, Becker DNF, S Eriksen DNF, Allen DNF.

Mastell Brothers Trailer Service Challenge Race #2 (9 laps): Johnson, Gilbertson, Schulz, Craft, Anderson, Goerges, Barickman, Luks, Giddings.

Precision Tool/Crosslake Sheetmetal Mighty Axe A Main (20 laps): Hahn, Graf, Gilbertson, Johnson, Anderson, Goerges, Richert, Barickman, Schulz, Erickson, Zweber, Allen, Luks, J. Eriksen, Giddings, Nickel, Craft DNF, S. Eriksen DNS, Becker DNS.

Lap Leader: Hahn 1-20.
(1) caution.

Photo courtesy of Stan Meissner:

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