ANDERSON, Ind. – Sam Hinds did all he could to claim the championship for the Mel Kenyon Midget Series, but came up short Saturday afternoon.

Hinds entered the final race at Anderson Speedway on Saturday 47.5 points behind Colin Grissom.

Hinds set fast time, won his heat race and led all 30 laps of the feature, coming up 15 points shy of catching Grissom.

Grissom qualified third, finished second to Hinds in the heat race and came home third in the feature.

“Once I got behind Dameron (Taylor), I just wanted not to crash,” Grissom said. “I knew going into the last race that I just had to stay close to Sam (Hinds).”

Grissom lost the 2019 championship to 30 points to Kameron Gladish.

The 15-point difference was the closest in the history of the Mel Kenyon Midget Series.

Hinds led the entire distance in the feature, finishing 2.9 seconds ahead of Jack Macenko.

It was Hinds’ third victory on the high banked quarter-mile oval in 2020 and fourth overall.

“We did everything we had to,” Hinds said. “I love racing at Anderson and I never expected to win four races in my rookie year.”

Hinds was named the series’ Rookie of the Year.

The finish:

1. Sam Hinds; 2. Jack Macenko; 3. Colin Grissom; 4. Ryan Huggler; 5. Ayrton Houk; 6. Dameron Taylor; 7. Trey Osborne; 8. Tyler Fitzpatrick; 9. Ben Varner