What won the race: Powering around early leader Terry Casey after a lap-13 restart, seventh-starting Nick Panitzke of Lonsdale, Minn., outdueled Nick Anvelink just before a lap-27 caution then led the final 15 laps of Saturday's 40-lap, 27th annual Masters feature at Cedar Lake Speedway. Panitzke beat Anvelink to the checkers by 1.746 seconds for the $12,000 victory, his first feature win of the season and biggest payday of his career.

Quotable: “Honestly, with my kid winning, I was pretty much in tears the first 10 laps. It was just a little bit of a shot in the arm, it (gave me) the confidence I needed to keep my cool, keep my tires underneath me and just give it everything I got cause that’s what he did,” Panitzke said. “I couldn’t let him beat me in the win column, either, so I really had to gas on it.”

Key notes: Panitke led twice for 18 laps (22-24, 26-40) for his first victory of the 2026 season and eighth career Cedar Lake triumph, adding to previous wins in local Limited Late Models. ... Panitzkes swept the Saturday portion of the Masters, as Nick's 14-year-old son, Cam Panitzke, led the final 17 laps in winning the USRA Late Model main event on the undercard. ... Nick Anvelink slipped by the elder Panitzke as they came to complete the 25th lap, grabbing the lead by 0.078 of a second at the line before Panitzke seized control by the exit of turn two on lap 26; Anvelink did not challenge again over the final 15 circuits in settling for runner-up honors. ... Veteran racer Terry Casey led the opening 21 laps from the pole before Panitzke powered around him out of turn two just after a lap-20 restart; Casey completed the podium finishers. ... Cade Dillard reclaimed fourth after Kevin Eder slowed and retired on lap 27, drawing the race's third and final stoppage. ... Jake Timm, who won the night's modified feature and Friday's rain-postponed $5,000 Masters prelim, climbed six spots to finish fifth. ... Cory Bruggeman rallied to finish eighth a lap-20 spin drew the second caution. ... Cole Searing slowed from eighth with a flat right-rear tire to trigger the first slowdown on the 13th lap; Searing pitted and rebounded to finish 12th. ... The 27th annual Masters finale lasted 18 minutes with 14 starters completing 40 laps.

On the move: Kevin Burdick of Proctor, Minn., started 22nd and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Panitzke’s No. 22 is sponsored by GRP Motorsports, PennTek Industrial Coatings, BMRE Electrick Carts, St. Croix Builders, Wehrs Machine, Nitro’s Fab Lab, Gorsuch Performance Solutions and PrintLab Wraps.

Points chase: Cedar Lake points after Saturday: 1. James Giossi (185); 2. Pat Doar (173); 3. Cade Nelson (148); 4. John Kaanta (129); 5. Darrell Nelson (123).

Current weather: Overcast, 63°F

Car count: 44

Polesitter: Terry Casey

Heat race winners: Cade Dillard, A.J. Diemel, Charlie Olsen, Nick Anvelink, Terry Casey

Consolation race winners: Pat Doar, Kevin Eder