Todd Rose | Daily Press Scott Stanchina (41) sends dirt and grass flying as he takes evasive action to avoid the lapped car of Gary Thompson (88) during the first of two Bink’s Coca-Cola Late Model feature races Friday night at the Norway Speedway in Norway.

NORWAY — The Norway Speedway celebrated its 2021 Hall of Fame Night sponsored by Sayklly’s Candies Friday in Norway with clean, close, racing and an induction ceremony at intermission.

Among this year’s inductees was Bark River native Greg Ives whose racing career has stretched from the Norway third-mile to NASCAR’s premier league, the Cup Series.

Ives said the news he would be joining the Hall, which features names like Iverson, Richer, Pearson, Kelly, Coleman, among other legendary competitors, came as a surprise.

“To get the call I was being inducted was a shock to me. I questioned whether I did enough to deserve such an honor,” Ives said. “I have come to the conclusion that isn’t my call, but to race and live right is the example I need to set and hope to inspire the next dreamer who wants to work hard for their goal.

“As a kid growing up, I never even knew about a Hall of Fame, let alone worried about trying to make it. My mom and dad always told me to have goals to shoot for and accomplish one before trying to get them all.”

Though he has visited victory lane as a crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Alex Bowman a total of eight times in the Cup Series — including a win at Pocono Raceway Saturday — as well as being atop the box for Chase Elliott’s 2014 Xfinity Series Championship win, Ives keeps himself in check by remembering where he came from.

“I always say I am a mechanic, racer and then an engineer to keep me grounded to where I started, and that is why I am where I am at today,” he said. “Norway Speedway was my outlet for my racing blood and a foundation to make my dream come true.”

Because of his NASCAR commitments, Ives was unable to attend the ceremony in person. But, thanks to modern technology, he was able to join the festivities trackside via a video call on his wife Jessica’s phone and be interviewed by track announcer Joe Verdegan.

“I thank all the competitors and fans that have supported the race track over its history,” Ives said. “Whether they cheered or booed for me, we were all better for their support.

“I always tried to race the right way (and) set an example for the kids on and off the track despite being one myself. I had a great family that supported me either on the car or in the stands and knew I needed to represent the Ives Racing name.”

Among other inductees were Menominee’s Fred Gignac and the late Pat Temple of Vulcan — who both raced their ways into the annals of Norway Speedway history — longtime track volunteer Brian Swanson from Norway and Iron Mountain’s John Koehler who was the voice of Friday night’s at the track for over 30 years.

The night’s racing program featured a collection of exciting battles, including two in dual 20-lap Bink’s Coca-Cola Super Late Model feature races.

In the first, Scott Stanchina (Kingsford) beat Mike D’Angelo (Marquette) in a door-to-door paint swapping battle. In third was Jason Wells (Kingsford). The race also featured a tense moment when Stanchina was forced wide and sideways as he tried to navigate his way around the lapped car of Suring, Wisconsin’s Gary Thompson.

In the second 20-lapper, it was Wells defending from the lead to hold off Stanchina with D’Angelo in third.

Ryan Wender (Upper Pine Creek) won the Auto Value Super Stock feature in front of a hard-charging Tim Schultz Jr. (Vulcan). Joey Pontbriand (Norway) finished in third and had a record-setting night with a new track record of 15.749 for the Super Stock division in qualifying. The record was previously set by Mark Jenshak (15.758) in 2017.

In the 141 Auto Sales Stock Car feature — a class which drivers are not permitted to run lap times under 18 seconds with a penalty of being sent to the back of the field if they do — Todd Schmidt (Spread Eagle, Wis.) crossed the line in second but was declared the winner as Gary Thom broke out with a time of 17.921 on the final lap. B.J. Shoneck (Marion, Wis.) finished second and Pete Fraser (Iron Mountain) third.

Both the Ken’s Sports Wisconsin Sport Trucks and MC Signs and Graphics Four Cylinder features ran caution-free. Andy Secrist (Florence, Wis.), Scott Hoffman (Menominee) and Cody VanderLoop (Freedom, Wis.) were the top three in the WST feature,while it was Trever Cronick (Faithorn), Dean Bellmore (Hermansville) and Riley Johnson (Vulcan) up front for the Four Cylinder field.

Jerry Streseski (St. Francis, Wis.) and Jesse Denome (Escanaba) won the pair of Vintage Modified features.

Norway Speedway’s premier event, the 38th Annual Stateline Challenge, is up next this Friday.