Saturday, July 23, 2011

Nate Walton: Winston Speedway Champion to Berlin Raceway Champion?

Hudsonville's Nate Walton hopes to build on first-half success at Berlin Raceway

By Steve Kaminski | The Grand Rapids Press

MARNE -- Nate Walton of Hudsonville has been one of the most pleasant first-half surprises at Berlin Raceway, and there are at least two people who still can’t believe what he has done.

Walton is first on that list, and No. 2 is his mother, Julie Walton.

"I told my mom I was leading the (Super Stocks) standings, and she said to me, 'Really?'" Walton said.

Believe it.

Walton, 21, entered this weekend’s Midseason Championships with a one-point lead over Nick Gebben of Zeeland. The track opened its two-night program Friday with feature races for its 4 Cylinders A and B classes, plus qualifying and heat races for its four other weekly classes. The traveling Auto Value Super Sprints Series also is in town.

Action resumes at 7 p.m. Saturday with feature races.

It’s not that Walton hasn’t been competitive during the past four seasons he has raced at the Marne half-mile. He is a former Mini Stocks champion on the dirt track at Winston Speedway, too.

But the best he has finished in Berlin points came a year ago when he placed 11th overall. Plus, it is a class that has experienced veterans like Brian Wiersma and Denny Anderson, who have been racing since before Walton was born.

Walton also is breaking in a new Super Stocks car. He planned to buy a house during the offseason, but he changed his mind and purchased the car, and he will continue living with mom and dad for now.

"We are real happy because this is a brand new car this year, and we are trying to learn the car," Walton said. "We really don’t run for points. We are out there to have fun, and we keep working on it. The fact that we are up there is pretty cool, but we know we have a long ways to go. We will be happy to finish in the top five."

Consistency has helped Walton climb to the top of the points standings. Walton, an auto mechanic during the weekdays, hasn’t won a feature this season, and he has yet to set fast time. However, he has finished all but one feature race.

"Nate is the only driver in the top four who doesn’t have a win, but he has been consistent," said Walton’s father and crew chief, Gary Walton. "He qualified second tonight, and that was the seventh time he has done that."

Class points leaders Cole Roelofs (4 Cylinders A) and Tyler Nawrocki (4 Cylinders B) captured Midseason Championship 15-lap mains Friday. It was the fourth feature win for both drivers.

Roelofs nipped Chris McKinley by 0.029 of a second after the two raced door-to-door over the final four laps, with the two swapping the lead late. Roelofs led the final two laps.

"I just kept waiting for the car to come to me, and it got a little bit better, a little bit better," Roelofs said. "I knew I was catching him in turns three and four. I saw him pull ahead (in turns one and two), and I knew I had to catch him in three and four. I was able to make it stick on the bottom and take it home."

Nawrocki grabbed the lead on the second lap and pulled away for a 2.008 second win over Steve Thompson.

"This is my best year by far, the wins keep coming," Nawrocki said. "I can’t thank my dad enough because he sets the car up for me. I just drive it. He pays all the bills. I have to thank all the sponsors. I’m a happy camper today."

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