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on April 08, 2013 at 10:05 AM, updated April 08, 2013 at 10:07 AM
on April 08, 2013 at 10:05 AM, updated April 08, 2013 at 10:07 AM
MARNE – The familiar sights and sounds of a new Berlin Raceway season will return to the Marne half-mile when the short track opens for its 63rd year Saturday at 7 p.m.
Norm Jelsma, right, interviews Kyle Busch, left, and Johnny Benson during a big race at Berlin Raceway in 2006.
Well, not all the sounds will be back, now that veteran track announcer Norm Jelsma said that he is retiring. Jelsma, who has served as track announcer for the past 18 years and has worked there for 30 seasons in all, made the announcement last week.
Jelsma, of Grand Rapids, is co-owner with Jeff Striegle on the Racingawareness.com Foundation race team, and he said his huge commitment as a car owner has resulted in him hanging up his microphone.
“Racingawareness.com has raised over $100,000 in three years, and you can’t imagine the time and effort that goes into the team,” Jelsma said. “It has become a business, and it really has become a full-time job beside the full-time job that I have.”
Matt McKenzie and Chris Danielson will serve as track announcers. McKenzie has worked with Jelsma in the past at Berlin, while Danielson previously co-hosted the Chris & Emilee Show on WJQK-FM in Holland.
Jelsma, who works for Magnum Coffee in Nunica, got his start at Berlin working for track founder Chester Mysliwiec in the early 1980s. Jelsma was instrumental in bringing the Berlin’s safety crew to the track, and he worked on the crew each Saturday night before replacing John Shipman as announcer.
‘If you’re not excited right now, then you’re not hooked up right,’ developed into Jelsma’s popular catch phrase he shouts over the roaring engines prior to the start of the evening’s biggest races.
“I certainly have mixed emotions because I have worked with a lot of great people and have made a lot of friends, and I’ve learned from a lot of good people,” Jelsma said. “I always enjoyed working with Tony Stewart when he came back. He was a lot of fun.
“One of my favorite drivers was Freddie Campbell. I always enjoyed watching the 47 racing around there.”
Jelsma will still be spotted in the Berlin pits this season. Racingawareness.com raises funds and awareness for the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation, and it returns with two cars this season. Dave Lake is back to drive the No. 55L Super Late Model, while Kevin DeGood has returned to race the No. 97L Modified.
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Norm Jelsma, right, interviews Kyle Busch, left, and Johnny Benson during a big race at Berlin Raceway in 2006. Well, not all the sounds will be back, now that veteran track announcer Norm Jelsma said that he is retiring. Jelsma, who has served as track announcer for the past 18 years and has worked there for 30 seasons in all, made the announcement last week.
Jelsma, of Grand Rapids, is co-owner with Jeff Striegle on the Racingawareness.com Foundation race team, and he said his huge commitment as a car owner has resulted in him hanging up his microphone.
“Racingawareness.com has raised over $100,000 in three years, and you can’t imagine the time and effort that goes into the team,” Jelsma said. “It has become a business, and it really has become a full-time job beside the full-time job that I have.”
Matt McKenzie and Chris Danielson will serve as track announcers. McKenzie has worked with Jelsma in the past at Berlin, while Danielson previously co-hosted the Chris & Emilee Show on WJQK-FM in Holland.
Jelsma, who works for Magnum Coffee in Nunica, got his start at Berlin working for track founder Chester Mysliwiec in the early 1980s. Jelsma was instrumental in bringing the Berlin’s safety crew to the track, and he worked on the crew each Saturday night before replacing John Shipman as announcer.
‘If you’re not excited right now, then you’re not hooked up right,’ developed into Jelsma’s popular catch phrase he shouts over the roaring engines prior to the start of the evening’s biggest races.
“I certainly have mixed emotions because I have worked with a lot of great people and have made a lot of friends, and I’ve learned from a lot of good people,” Jelsma said. “I always enjoyed working with Tony Stewart when he came back. He was a lot of fun.
“One of my favorite drivers was Freddie Campbell. I always enjoyed watching the 47 racing around there.”
Jelsma will still be spotted in the Berlin pits this season. Racingawareness.com raises funds and awareness for the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation, and it returns with two cars this season. Dave Lake is back to drive the No. 55L Super Late Model, while Kevin DeGood has returned to race the No. 97L Modified.
Friend Steve Kaminski on Facebook and follow him on Twitter
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