Late Model Class Suffering at Berlin

Economy takes toll on expensive Late Model class at Berlin Raceway
By Steve Kaminski
The Grand Rapids Press

MARNE -- Berlin Raceway officials offered a 100-lap Late Model feature race Saturday night, then waved a $2,000-to-win check in front of the field.

A program such as this would have likely attracted more than 30 cars a decade ago, but times have changed. Only 14 cars took the green flag Saturday.

Drivers and car owners pointed to the economy for the steady drop off in Late Models in recent years. The car counts for Berlin’s Super Stock, Pro Stock and 4 Cylinder classes remain solid. However, the Late Models are the track’s fastest class, and the cars are the most expensive.

"The economy is taking its toll on a lot of them,” said veteran Lee Van Dyk of Grand Rapids, who drives the No. 24 Late Model. “And drivers from other tracks don’t want to come here because these boys are bad fast.

“You are going to spend $50,000 on a car, and then you are going to spend a $1,000 a night racing. We don’t do it for the money.”

Tracks nationwide also have seen a decline in the Outlaw Late Models. The downward trend has Berlin second-year promoter Mike Blackmer concerned about the division’s future. The class is scheduled to race 12 times this season at Berlin, and Blackmer said what the future years holds remains a question mark.

“Outlaw racing will be racing here,” he said. “But we will have to see if it is every week or if its special events. They will be here, and if there are fewer races, there will be more money. It’s all going to depend on car count.

“I want to see it survive. Super Late Model racing is my favorite racing as a promoter. You stand up on top of the tower and see those Late Models go around the track, it’s awesome. There is no bigger rush than that."

Car owner Terry Gentry of Holland is optimistic about the division’s future. He fields cars for Terry Senneker Jr. and Steve Needles. Senneker won the track championship at Kalamazoo Speedway a year ago.

“The economy has hurt the number of Late Models. Fortunately, the lower classes have good numbers,” Gentry said. “I’m disappointed, but I think it is going to come back once the economy comes back. That’s the crutch of the problem right now.

“(Blackmer) is doing a tremendous job here and he has the track headed in the right direction. The economy has to turn around, and people will come back to the track to spend some money when it does.”

THE BUZZ
Saturday’s stars: Weston Jewett (Pro Stocks), Andrew Nylaan (Super Stocks), Lou Caposey (VROA) won feature races. Terry VanHaitsma won the 100-lap Late Model main.

Did you see that? Rookie Lauren Bush of Hastings, 16, started on the pole of the Pro Stock feature and led the first 24 laps. However, she spun out on a Lap 24 restart and finished 17th.

Did you hear that? "Toward the end of last year, my brother and I figured something out with the setup and we ended up winning three of the last five races or something like that. I was hoping over the winter, I would be able to come back and keep that momentum going." -- Pro Stock winner Weston Jewett.

Up next: The Auto Value Super Sprints will make its first Berlin Raceway appearance next Saturday. The program will include the USA Modifieds, Pro Stocks and 4 Cylinders.