Berlin Raceway Storyline: June 26th

Dave Lake claims first feature win of season
Armstrong, Rhodes, Lyzenga, Dalhke, Hamm and Eddy all win

The Berlin Raceway hosted a full night of racing action on the Marne fairgrounds on Saturday night, with the traveling USAC Wolverine Regional Midget Series, Super Stocks, Modifieds, and 4-Cylinders all racing.

The Burnips Equipment 4-Cylinder division was the first feature to hit the track on the evening. Cal Phillips went to the early lead in his #26 car, racing with Paul Ritchie #63 for the first several laps. Rookie driver #77 Jared Lyzenga made a power move to the inside in turn #1, going three wide and successfully completing the pass to get into second. Jackson Walker #20 then flexed his muscle on laps 6 and 7, moving to the lead. Walker and Phillips would contend for the lead back and forth as the race continued, while #44 Nichole Randolph moved her way up behind. The first caution flew on lap 13 for debris on the backstretch. On the restart, Jared Lyzenga and Jackson Walker would immediately bolt out to a five car length lead and battle to the checkers. Lyzenga would be the first to cross the stripe on lap 20, winning the Burnips Equipment 4-Cylinder B Feature makeup race. Walker second, Jared Miller, Randolph and Ritchie rounded out the top 5.

The next feature race on the schedule was the first of two Modified features. Joe Morisette started from the pole in his first visit to the Marne fairgrounds, before giving up the lead to Brian Nester. Nester would hold the lead for the first several laps of the race in his #99, before relinquishing the top spot to Ryan Gruppen. Travis Eddy rode behind Gruppen for many laps in the second spot, before the two spun to the inside of turn four. Gruppen’s mechanical failures would force him to give up the lead to Eddy. A great battle for second and third to the finish with Mike Bursley and Jordan Dahlke took place as the race closed. Eddy would go to victory lane, over Bursley, Dalhke, Nester and Brian Bergakker.

The Burnips Equipment 4-Cylinder A Feature was next out, with Ron Myers on the front row alongside Mike Speet. The hard charger from the drop of the green was the #12 of Jason DeVos. DeVos, who started in ninth, raced his way to the lead on lap 3. Caution would fly for Kyle Hamm on lap 4 who stalled on the front stretch. Cole Roelofs and Rob Shoemaker would battle hard for position in fifth for many laps. On the closing laps, Ryan Hamm would come from behind and make an excellent pass around DeVos to take the lead, and the eventually victory. DeVos would finish second with Jason Scheid, Cole Roelofs and Rob Shoemaker rounding out the top five.

The 4-Cylinder B division once again took to the track for the regularly scheduled race. On the first lap, #29m Jared Miller got tangled with several other competitors and spun to the inside, making heaving contact with the inside retaining wall. Miller would climb from the car and be ok. Jim Rhodes would take his T11 to the front on the restart, and would be under heavy pressure from Jackson Walker for much of the race. Jared Lyzenga, who won the B Feature makeup race earlier in the night found himself in second and Nichole Randolph third. Daryl Davis made contact with the concrete barrier in turn one on lap #7, but would climb from the car under his own power. Rhodes would go back to the lead and never give it up, cruising to his first career feature win in three years of trying, over Randolph, Lyzenga, Nawrocki and Jackson Walker.

The traveling USAC Wolverine Regional Midget Series was the next race up, going for 25 laps. Dalton Armstrong, who struggled during practice would start from the pole and lead for the first four laps, before giving the top spot up to Dillon Welch’s #6 Ford. The field of cars would scream around Berlin going nearly caution free, until lap 23 when Welch’s engine would expire. Armstrong would reassume the lead and the win, over Daniel Bedford, Ali Jackson, Chris Phillips and Phil Rutledge.

The Engine Pro Super Stock feature was the last event of the night, with 18 cars taking the green flag. Brian Wiersma jumped to an early race lead over Justin Regnerus, Justin Ryan and Dave Lake. Caution flew for #77 Andrew Nylaan first, and then again on the restart with Gabe Ensing, Bob Bliss and Nate Walton. Before a lap could be completed, caution flew again for Justin Ryan off the backstretch and then again one lap later for Ray VanAllsburg in turn 3. The restart on lap 10 saw Dave Lake go to the top spot on the bottom. Travis Nylaan and Justin Regnerus did battle for position in fourth and fifth spots. Caution was once again in the air on lap 20 for Bob Bliss, who couldn’t get to the bottom of the track as he slowed. On the restart, Gabe Ensing found trouble once again in turn 4, spinning alone making no contact with the inside barrier. Dave Lake again jumped to a sizeable lead over Brian Wiersma, Denny Anderson and Travis Nylaan who moved up into fourth as a result of a caution plagued first half of the race. The second half of the 50 lap extended feature went much smoother, going completely caution free. Dave Lake would pull off the victory, over Brian Wiersma, Denny Anderson, Travis Nylaan and Chris Muyskens.

Next up is the Stars and Stripes Millitary Night, presented by the US Army. The USA Modifieds, Pro Stocks, 4-Cylinders and VROA cars will all be in competition. Tickets for all ages are just $5.00, and kids 5-under are free. Visit www.berlinraceway.com for more information.