STOCKTON — Mason Beghtel has learned a lot in his first season driving a Late Model race car – from entry speed to growing more comfortable behind the wheel.

Saturday night, the St. Mary’s High School teenager learned how to graciously accept a rare easy win, pulling away to a 7.137-second victory in the 40-lap Stockton Late Model main event at Stockton 99 Speedway.

The win was Beghtel’s third in his rookie Late Model campaign and first since June 13.

“This one feels pretty good because going so long without a win is kinda rough, especially when the car is so good and everybody is helping. It’s hard,” Beghtel said in victory lane after posing for several pictures with family and friends. “Noticing all the mistakes, it sucked every time I made a mistake that cost me the race. This time, I just thought of all that. I had to make moves.”

Beghtel described his race car as “phenomenal.” He was quickest in both practice sessions before qualifying No. 1 at 14.588 seconds around the quarter-mile paved oval. Beghtel then left everyone in the dust in the main after driving around Stockton’s Greg Potts for the lead on the 10th lap.

“Friday night, we went out here probably eight times, and that really paid off,” Beghtel said.

It was the last points race for the Stockton Late Model division before Championship Night #1 on Oct. 17. Beghtel went into the night trailing reigning track champion Sammy Solari of Escalon by eight points but trimmed the deficit as top qualifier and race winner. Solari was second in qualifying and the main.

Beghtel said his speed entering the corners and getting comfortable with the car have been areas of focus this season.

“It’s challenging to get comfortable with the car because I know what I can do, I know what the car can do, but I didn’t think I could do as much as the car could do and I figured it out,” he said.

Legends of 99: Linden brothers Zach and Wyatt Sansom ran 1-2 over the entirety of the 30-lap feature race with Zach squeaking out his third checkered flag of the season by .308 of a second.

It was an all-green flag main event for 27 laps until Erin Brandt spun out in turn 4. Wyatt Sansom pushed brother Zach to the limit over the final four circuits but couldn’t get by him.

Wyatt Sansom, also a three-time winner this year, was on point in saying their cars were running “about the same speed.” Zach was quicker by one-thousandth of a second in the second practice session. Wyatt and Zach Sansom are also running 1-2 in points.

“I don’t like it, but it is what it is,” Wyatt Sansom said. “I probably should have stuck my nose in a little further. I tried moving him up, but it wasn’t enough.”

His brother saw it coming, based on a memory from their last 1-2 finish on Sept. 5 – also won by Zach Sansom.

“The only way to get around is to move him out of the way,” Zach said. “I knew he was gonna hit me; he did it last race trying to get by me.”

Robbie Czub of Huntington Beach and Jason Gilbert of Danville ran 3-4 behind the Sansom brothers from start to finish in the feature, and 11-year-old Austin Lefholz won the trophy dash.

Grand American Modified: Calvin Hegje of Sacramento passed Scott Winters of Tracy for the lead on the eighth lap and held off the Grand American Modified legend over the final 17 laps to claim his first checkered flag this season.

Winters, the current points leader and a three-time winner in five outings at Stockton 99 this season, mounted a challenge lap after lap taking the low groove and even tapped Hegje coming out of turn 4 on lap 13, but Hegje held on to win by .282 of a second.

“I thought if I could keep him on the bottom that we had a fighting chance,” Hegje said, noting he preferred the middle of the track. “The car was getting grip. (Winters) was knocking at the door. He’s an amazing driver. Every single time, it’s always a very clean battle. I love racing against him.”

Aaron Coonfield of Riverbank won the trophy dash and finished third in the main.

Fast Kar Solutions Mini Modified: Modesto’s Freddy Irvin and Stockton’s Mike Brooks Jr. exchanged the lead on five consecutive laps before Irvin pulled away on the eighth of 15 circuits to win the 15-lap feature by 1.12 seconds, his eighth victory in nine races this year.

Brooks won the heat race and trophy dash.

Up next: Stockton 99 Speedway is back in action Saturday, Oct. 10, with racing in the Pro Late Model, Pure Stock and Legends of 99 divisions. Ticket prices are $20 for ages 16-59 and $15 for juniors ages 11-15, seniors 60 and over and military with an ID. A family pass (two adults, two juniors) costs $55. A pit pass costs $50 for all ages. Kids 10 and under are admitted for free, and parking is free at Stockton 99. Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 6. Visit stockton99.com or call 209.466.9999.

STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY

Results, Sept. 26

Stockton Late Model (40 laps): 1. Mason Beghtel, 2. Sammy Solari, 3. Greg Potts, 4. Daniel DeVore, 5. Zack Huffman, 6. Larry Tankersley, 7. Tony Vincent, 8. Dylan Powell, 9. John Callas, 10. Shawn O’Leary, 11. Todd Corral.

Legends of 99 (30 laps): 1. Zach Sansom, 2. Wyatt Sansom, 3. Robbie Czub, 4. Jason Gilbert, 5. Justin Gantt, 6. Rick Anderson, 7. Tate Hegje, 8. Barrett Sugden, 9. Denny Hadler Jr., 10. Ethan Rumsey, 11. Brooke Hegje, 12. Andy Rumsey, 13. Austin Lefholz, 14. Erin Brandt, 15. Jameson Morrissey, 16. Michael Ball, 17. Lillie Cook, 18. Randy Gilbert.

Grand American Modified (30 laps): 1. Calvin Hegje, 2. Scott Winters, 3. Aaron Coonfield, 4. Rick Avila, 5. Carl Pearce.

Fast Kar Solutions Mini Modified (15 laps): 1. Freddy Irvin, 2. Mike Brooks Jr., 3. Jack Large.