Winning in dramatic fashion is Brian Bergakker's style at Berlin Raceway

Winning in dramatic fashion is Brian Bergakker's style at Berlin Raceway

Steve Ungrey
The Grand Rapids Press

MARNE -- The last thing any driver wants to do is wreck his or her vehicle, which can result in thousands of dollars in damage.

Wrecking a car gave Brian Bergakker two big and unexpected Modified victories.

For the past two weeks, Bergakker and Billy Shotko have put on a show for the fans at Berlin Raceway. Each time, Bergakker has ended up on top of the feature race that week, with Shotko finishing second.

“It’s the second week in a row I’ve done this," Bergakker said. “I destroyed my car in the USA Modifieds race which was here a couple weeks ago, and it’s been good so far. I’ve won both weeks I’ve been in this car.”

Bergakker jumped the right rear tire of another driver during the USA Modified race July 3, sending him hard into the wall.

“The chassis was pretty well junked, and most of the suspension was junked," he said. "The engine, rear end and drive train were pretty good, but the rest of it was toast."

Bergakker, of Lowell, was the Modified points champion last summer at Kalamazoo Speedway. A car owner at Kalamazoo, Mark Fliearman, gave him a new vehicle.

“I used to drive for those guys and won the track title down there for them. They just offered me Mark’s car to race for the rest of the year,” Bergakker said.

“We just put in a new setup and took it from there.”

Bergakker is vying for the first championship in Berlin’s new Modified division, which was added before the 2010 racing season. He had a 41-point edge over Travis Eddy and a 52-point edge over Shotko going into Saturday, which was a race that counted for double the normal points. Point standings for the upcoming week will be released before Tuesday.

“I just like racing with Billy,” Bergakker said. “He’s a hard driver around here and a good guy. He has a lot of laps here and I don’t. It’s been a lot of fun leading the point standings.”

The Modifieds race at Berlin six more times, but only the first five will count toward the season point standings. The next race for the Modifieds will be Saturday as part of Berlin’s 60th anniversary night.

BERLIN RACEWAY

•Late Models: Tim DeVos
•Super Stocks: Andrew Nylaan
•Pro Stocks: Brian Tillema
•4-Cylinders A: Ryan Hamm
•4-Cylinders B: Mike Speet

CRYSTAL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

•Late Models: Rusty Seaver
•Pro Stocks: Chaney Newland
•Modifieds: A.J. Ward
•Pro Trucks: Ashlee Scott
•Street Stocks: Kevin Rohn

THUNDERBIRD RACEWAY

•Late Models: Dave Hilliker
•Modifieds: Walt Wisniewski
•Bombers: Spike Grega
•Street Stocks: Dan Dykman
•4-Cylinders: Nick Curtis
•Warriors: Brian Carlson
•Thunder Stocks: Mike Pickard

WINSTON SPEEDWAY

•Late Models: Kevin Nelson Jr.
•Factory Stocks: Mike Epplett
•4-Cylinders: Brandon Tramper
•Warriors: Harley Farkle
•Young Guns: Bethany May
AROUND THE STATE

DIXIE MOTOR SPEEDWAY

•Pro Late Models: Blake Childers
•Modifieds: Mike Luberda Sr.
•Pro Stocks: Don Riley
•Street Stocks: Jake Caverly
•Bombers: Kyle Maize
•Figure 8s: Ray DerMiner

MOUNT PLEASANT SPEEDWAY

•Late Models: Bill Bray
•Modifieds: Rich Robinson Jr.
•Stock Cars: Greg Tragis
•Modified Mini Stocks: Trever Fedewa
•Stock Minis: Bob Baltierrez

SPARTAN SPEEDWAY

•Super Late Models: Logan Beckwith
•Modifieds: Tom Hernly Jr.
•Pony Stocks: Wayne Beckner Jr.
•Pure Stocks: Landon Hidy