Berlin Raceway’s management made what might be called a ‘sweet outside pass’ stick, filling the stands with a $5 ticket offer and $1 beer and hot dogs for all. PR Director Kevin Striegle breathed a sigh of relief smiling at the packed stands and first time race goers raising their hands in a giant wave. Together with the traveling O’Rielly USA Modified series making it’s second of four appearances, and Kerkstra Services Pro Stocks, Young Guns and Burnips Equipment 4 Cylinders filling out the night, the track was packed with activity.
However, this is Berlin where enough is never enough; where tight points dramas are unfolding in all the classes and series’. On top of that track owner Mike Blackmer had extra attractions like trash can bowling by the fans and a monster 4th of July fireworks display this week. Mike while zipping around the pits and track on foot or in a fast golf cart, is sometimes the entertainment himself. He and others were the ‘pin setters’ during trash can bowling, giving the official count of barrels down. Track announcer Norm Jelsma commented that Mike didn’t look too happy with Brian Tillema spinning the Berlin Raceway Ultimate Racing Experience two seat Impala across the finish line with his ‘guest’ next to him. The crowd came to it’s feet and roared with the cool recovery in the smoke by Brian and roared again with Mike’s fatherly reaction. Five times Tillema took fans out who were taking advantage of the half off, $50 special ride of your life.
The O’Rielly USA Mod Berlin Challenge, a four race package, had it's points standings mixed up with No. 11 Brian Nester’s dominating win over Kyle Jones and Mike Brooks. Series leader Jake Meyerink , who took the checkered in the first race on May 16th, was on Nester’s heels early on, but posted a DNF from a hard hit in turn two. After that caution it was all No. 11 as Nester opened up half-track leads, even in lapped traffic. He placed fourth in the first race of the series, but after this win said, “Last time we started eighth or tenth, but if you start up front here you don’t have to wear out your tires.” It looks like he and Brooks will be a dead heat when the points adjustments are made.
In a dramatic finish, between points leaders and contenders for the Kerkstra Services Pro Stock Championship, the No. 50 of Justin Regnerus held off the other three of the top four in contention. Defending Champ and current leader Brian Tillema was tight on his tail in his No. 76 while the No. 76 of Ryan Gruppen was tight on his, leaving no room for error the entire second half of the 40 lap one hour marathon feature. Ryan Schnabel got into the inside of the No. 00 of Dennis Mann coming out of turn four. Marc Coleman, who was racing them close, went along for the ride into the wall causing the longest delay of several. Not much changed on the restarts though, “If I had to pick a driver from our division to race against it would be Brian,” Justin told me, “He’s one of the cleanest and best drivers I’ve ever raced. Just a super nice guy and we get along real good.”
Justin knows what he’s up against having finished second to Tillema last year and admitted his strategy this year is to keep up steady pressure and be there in the case of a mistake or bad luck on Brian’s part. His lead was only sixty-two points before this week and qualifying, Dash, and heat points broke about even on the night. The back and forth in feature wins between these guys, with Ken Smith winning two also, is heating the year up.
Young Gun No. 32 Gabe Ensing evened up the feature win column count with Division leader Kelsey Steele's two, after virtually all of the participants sustained damage, during their heat, from the same accident in turn one that eliminated leader Lauren Bush. If they were lucky they only sustained body damage. Gabe actually had a tire going down when he took the checkered, but a win is a win.
Several of the Burnips Equipment 4 Cylinder drivers gave the crowd the biggest barrel count of all, as they put on a clinic on how to reverse into, and spin through, the ‘bowling pins’ set up on the start finish line. Not even the Hummer that entered could match them as the fans jumped, laughed, screamed or booed when each driver slammed the barrels. The loudest roar came when the driver of a retired police car misjudged speed and slide, slamming the infield wall.
Ben Kleis added to his feature win list in his No. 6, 4 Cylinder. Berlin’s car count certainly hasn’t dropped off this year, making three heats and two features the norm when they run. A large chunk of the track family comes from this division and they take the standings seriously with many sponsors coming from the ranks of all division's teams and drivers. Most competitors have help from, or were born into, the extended racing family that thrives here.
Don’t forget the raceway’s sister, the Berlin Fair, starts in a week bringing animals, rides, extra racing, Monster Trucks, and Jesse McCartney with it.
