Berlin Raceway Celebrates 60 Years of Racing
Marne, MI- Berlin Raceway celebrated its 60th Anniversary with a full night of racing action on Saturday night. All five divisions, along with the Vintage Racing Organization of America, were back at the track to honor this storied Marne track. Winners for the evening included #14 Billy Shotko (Modified), #16 Samantha Jansen (VROA), #14 Steve Needles (Late Model), #36 Ken Smith Jr. (Pro Stock), #76 Warren Speet (Super Stock), #77 Jared Lyzenga (4-Cylinder B), #024 Cole Roelofs (4-Cylinder A).
The Model Coverall Modifieds took to the track first. Leading the way were #4 Joe Morisette and #88 AJ Foote. The caution was thrown early in the race, lap 1 was barley compete when a four car caution came out. The #8 Billy Eppink, #97 Mike Bursley , and #76 Ryan Gruppen spun to avoid the #14 Billy Shotko. After the restart Morisette charged to the lead, but on lap 7 he was passed by #99 Brian Bergakker. Shotko was also making head way as he used traffic to move into second on lap 7. Bergakker was battling to keep his top spot as Shotko was on his tail. After many failed pass attempts, Shotko finally got Bergakker on the outside lane coming out of turn 4. Lap 21 saw a new leader in Shotko and he would fight off the field to take the checker. Bergakker, #44 Jordan Dahlke, #78 Travis Eddy, and Bursley rounded out the top 5.
Up next were the Vintage Racing Organization of America. On front row were #30 Max Wirebaugh and#43 Terry Byrne. The first caution for the VROA feature came out on lap 2, as the #74 Steve Fuller and #83 Glenn Parker went into the wall going out of turn 3. Out of the restart Byrne would take the lead and #18 Michael Becker began to make his way to the front. Just as Becker was making a move, the #82 of Rob Parker spun on the front stretch causing the yellow to come out once again. Samantha Jansen in the #16 took full advantage of the restart and passed Byrne to take the lead. Another caution would slow the race down when Wirebaugh began to shed debris on the track during lap 9. Jansen, #3 Lou Caposey and #86 Bob Martin were battling for position out of the restart. Caposey took the lead as he passed on the outside on lap 14; Jansen and Martin were still fighting hard until another caution came out. The #81 Andrew Bartoszek and #47 Larry Mollohan hit the wall on lap 16. The three way battle would continue out of the restart; Jansen and Caposey fought until the very end. Jansen took the checker flag with a .035 second lead over Caposey. Martin, #20 Don Deyman, and Byrne rounded out the top 5.
The Coors Light Late Models followed with #19 Nick Szotko and #22 Josh Slade on the start/finish line. Once the green flag was waved, Szotko took the quick lead. The first caution came out on lap 8, when #6 Dave Zagaiski spun coming out of turn 4. Out of the restart #14 Steve Needles shot to the front, while Szotko and #37 Terry Senneker were fighting for the second spot. The #32 Ross Meeuwsen was also making his way to the front, Meeuwsen started in the ten spot, but moved up to second on lap 24. At the half way mark Needles, Meeuwsen, and Szotko were the top three leaders; each had a comfortable lead ahead of the pack. Meeuwsen started to close in on Szotko on lap 41. A couple of spins brought out two more yellow flags, but that wouldn’t hinder the battle between Szotko and Meeuwsen. Things heated up on lap 56 when Meeuwsen tried to pass Szotko and lost control. Meeuwsen would go to the rear; Needles, #12 Tim DeVos , and Senneker were the leaders out of the caution. Needles would get the win, DeVos, Senneker, #55 Chris Anthony, and #61 Joe Bush finished in the top 5.
The Kerkstra Services Pro Stocks were next as #22 Darin Niemi and #1 Brett DeKraker started at the front. The green flag dropped and Niemi was off to a fast start. The #36 Ken Smith Jr. who started 7 made his way to second by lap 5; while the #F1 Randy Veldman and DeKraker were neck and neck for third. Weston Jewett in the #51 car was also moving through the pack. On lap 13 Smith was inches behind Niemi, Smith finally passed on lap 17. Smith had a comfortable lead, but there was a three car battle for second with Niemi, #76 Brian Tillema, and Jewett. Smith took the checker with easy; he finished with a 4.415 second lead over Tillema who beat out Jewett for second. Niemi and Veldman rounded out the top 5.
A 60 lap feature for the Engine Pro Super Stocks was next. Starting on front row were #76 Warren Speet and#16 Kelsey Steele. Speet took the quick lead, as he and #5 Ray VanAllsburg established themselves as the leaders. Steele brought out the yellow flag for a spin on lap 17. VanAllsburg would take advantage of the restart and take the lead. By lap 22 though, #55 Dave Lake and #77 Andrew Nylaan both passed VanAllsburg. Another caution came when #95 Curt Filkins spun on the back stretch; Lake and Nylaan would continue to lead out of the restart. Both drivers were fighting hard, on lap 54 Lake lost control as Nylaan was riding him hard, both would have to go to the tail. Speet would be the beneficiary, as he and #18 Denny Anderson became the new leaders. With 7 laps to go, Anderson just didn’t have enough to pass Speet. Justin Regnerus in the #50 car, #32 Gabe Ensing, and #1 Brian Wiersma finished in the top 5.
The Burnips Equipment 4-Cylinders B Feature was next. Tyler Nawrocki in the #20 raced to the front of the lineup, by lap 4 he had taken the lead from #26 Cal Phillips. On lap 8, Phillips brought out the caution for a spin; #T11 Jim Rhodes was about to take the lead coming out of the caution, when he slammed into the wall out of turn four. Rhodes was not seriously injured, but would not return. Dan Dells in the #110, #77 Jared Lyzenga, and Nawrocki thrilled fans with a three car wide race to first out of the restart. Dells and Lyzenga created space between them and the field; on lap 15, Lyzenga passed Dells for the lead. Lyzenga took a trip to victory lane for the second time this season. Dells, Nawrocki, #20 Jackson Walker, and #63 Paul Ritchie rounded out the top 5 spots.
The final feature of the evening were the 4-Cylilnders A. Ron Myers in the #4 had a fast start, but lap 3 would see a new leader as #024 Cole Roelofs passed Myers; as did #0354 Chris McKinley and #100 Jason Scheid. The always dangerous #17 Kyle Hamm moved into fourth on lap 5. Hamm would continue his move to the front, he passed McKinley on the inside out of turn 2 to move into second behind Roelofs on lap 15. Hamm put some pressure on Roelofs, but to no avail, Roelofs would take the win. Hamm, McKinley, Scheid, and #7 Ryan Hamm took the remaining top 5 spots.
Up next for Berlin Raceway is a two day ARCA weekend. Kicking things off is The Chet on Friday Night with a 125 lap Late Model Feature, both 4-Cylinder divisions, and ARCA practice under the lights. Tickets for the night are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 60+, children ages 6-12 are $5, and 5 and under are FREE. The main event on Saturday night will be a 200 lap ARCA feature, with the Kerkstra Services Pro Stocks also in action. Tickets for the night are $30 for adults, $28 for seniors 60+, $5 for children ages 6-12, and children under 5 are FREE. There is also a two day pass available for adults for $25. For additional information please visit www.berlinraceway.com
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Marisela Rodriguez
616.662.2051
Marisela@berlinraceway.com
www.berlinraceway.com
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