Walker's Chris Anthony celebrates ASA Late Model victory at Berlin Raceway

Walker's Chris Anthony celebrates ASA Late Model victory at Berlin Raceway

Steve Kaminski
The Grand Rapids Press

MARNE -- Berlin Raceway crowned five track champions and had six different feature winners Saturday, but Chris Anthony might have had the best night of all.

Anthony, of Walker, captured top honors in the ASA Late Model 100-lap feature race after finishing fifth in the track’s 100-lap Late Model Season Championship main. The ASA win was especially sweet for Anthony because it was his first victory in that series at his home track.

“We have been fighting for years with this car here, and we have gotten a lot of seconds and thirds and led a lot of laps and everything else,” Anthony said. “Tonight, we finally got one with this car here.

“This is a big one for us.”

Anthony had to run down front-running Erik Jones, a 14-year old standout from Byron who has already won one ASA race this season at Owosso Speedway. Jones dominated the first part of the race before Anthony overtook him on lap 77. Anthony eventually held off Alec Carll of Grand Rapids for the win.

“I thought for awhile when (Jones) took off, we were going to have to play catch-up the whole time,” Anthony said. “He sort of fell back at the end, and we had a lot left and were able to get around him and take off.”

Berlin favorite Johnny Benson Jr. of Grand Rapids won the Late Model feature, then had a rare opportunity to compete in an ASA event when series officials offered him a ride. Benson was running fifth before dropping out with 11 laps to go.

“I was pretty happy (with the car),” Benson said. “It has that new Camaro body on it, which is pretty cool. I have to thank the Varneys from ASA for bringing it out and letting me play with it.

“We got to fifth but I got a flat right front (tire). I don’t know if I ran over something or what. It was pretty loose all day. But it was fun.”

Here's a roundup of weekend winners from around West Michigan and the state:

BERLIN RACEWAY

•ASA Late Models: Chris Anthony
•Late Models: Johnny Benson Jr.
•Super Stocks: Justin Regnerus
•Pro Stocks: Brian Tillema
•4 Cylinders A: Phil Speet
•4 Cylinders B: Tyler Nawrocki
CRYSTAL MOTOR SPEEDWAY

•Late Models: Jeff Kohn
•IMCA Modifieds: Chad Wernette
•Michigan Traditional Sprints: Joe Bares
•Pro Trucks: Carl Thayer
•Flinn Stocks: Austin Bean
•Street Stocks: Brian Williams
KALAMAZOO SPEEDWAY

•Call of the Wild: Andy Bozell
•B feature: Nate Moon
•C feature: Larry Hollenbeck
•D feature: Bob Metheny
•E feature: John Hurst
WEST MICHIGAN SAND DRAGWAY

•Pro 1: Lee Reynders
•Pro ATV: Steve Ewing
•Sportsman 1: Dave Weaver
•Sportsman 2: Mike Moll
•ATV: Matt Ewing
•Junior Dragsters: Makayla Beld
•Junior ATV: Devin Reust
•Mighty Midgets: Josh Rammacher
•Gambler: Tom Bray