ARCA Results from Berlin

Joey Coulter rallies at Berlin Raceway for his first ARCA win

Steve Kaminski
The Grand Rapids Press

MARNE -- The ARCA Racing Series already had nine first-time winners in the season’s first 11 races heading into Saturday’s action at Berlin Raceway.

Make that 10 first-timers in 12 races after Joey Coulter of Miami Springs, Fla., pulled out the victory in the ARCA Berlin 200.

Coulter led the final 55 laps and beat Patrick Sheltra and Steve Arpin for the win on the half-mile.

“It is really amazing,” Coulter said. “We have worked so hard the last couple of years and we have been so close so many times, especially at these short tracks. It is just awesome to be able to pull it together. These guys have worked so hard. These guys have done so much for me, and it is just so awesome to be able to get one for them.

“I’m so happy, I just don’t know what to say. This is for everybody. Mom, Dad, all the guys. The pit crew guys were awesome, and I had a lightning-fast pit stop tonight.”

Coulter, who entered the race ranked 10th in the points standings, is beginning to love the state of Michigan. He finished second overall in the June 11 Racing for Wildlife 200 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

Saturday’s race was the 12th stop on ARCA’s 20-race schedule, and Brian Campbell of Wyoming made a bid for the victory. Campbell was making just his second career ARCA start and his first since 2004, when he finished third at Toledo Speedway.

Campbell landed a ride for the Berlin race when car owner Don DeWitt and his Zeeland-based D & B Motorsports team offered up the No. 24 Hantz Group-Wolverine Power Systems Chevrolet for the event. Campbell led once for 12 laps and ran in the top three most of the race before encountering late trouble.

Campbell, the son of 10-time Berlin track champion Fred Campbell, faded back to fourth in the opening laps. He quickly fought back and eventually overtook Sheltra for the lead on lap 133.

Campbell eventually ran into trouble on lap 145, when he spun out trying to avoid the spinning lapped car of points leader Justin Marks. That forced Campbell to give up the lead, and he lined up 10th on the restart.

He began climbing back through the field when he tangled with Frank Kimmel. Campbell damaged the front of his car and headed to the pits for good, finishing 23rd.

“I got into Frank,” Campbell said. “I hit his right rear going into (Turn 3), and he spun. It was my fault. I take full responsibility for it. Frank doesn’t deserve that. I will be shaking his hand and apologizing at the end of the race. I did not mean to do that.”

Berlin’s weekly Pro Stock division also ran, and two-time defending track champion Brian Tillema captured top honors in the 25-lap main.

Tillema outran Dave Hull and Weston Jewett for his fifth win of the season. He now leads the points standings by two over Jewett, who also has five wins.

Marc Coleman and Jewett won heat races, and Allen Davis set fast time.

Berlin will host a special Thursday race when the USAC Silver Crown Series competes in a 150-lapper. Action will begin at 7 p.m.