JB Fan
Event - June 12th
Please join us for a night of celebration with JB fans.
The celebration includes a cold buffet, cash bar, door
prizes, gift bag, silent auction and a question and answer
session with Johnny. Tickets
are available until Friday, June 9th.
Proceeds from this night will benefit
the Johnny Benson Foundation. Last year, the event
raised $1,829. With a matching donation from Johnny
himself, 2 children were able to attend the Victory
Junction Gang Camp. Other beneficiaries of the
Foundation in 2005 were Habitat for Humanity of Kent
County (Michigan), Motor Racing Outreach and Our Towns
Habitat (North Carolina). For complete details -
click here.
(05-15-06)
Back Online
We are happy to report that the "Guestbook" and "Ask JB" features are back
online for fans to access. Thank you for your patience as we worked
through our technical difficulties! (05-30-06)
Mansfield Photos
By: Barb Benson
 |
 |
|
#23 Toyota Tundra on pit road
|
The crew had to push the truck
to the starting grid on the track
|
 |
 |
| Poised for the
national anthem |
Fan support is the best!
Kaye Schragg and friend drove
in from Michigan
|
 |
 |
|
The damaged tire |
Glad to finish in the top
five! |
Jack Drolema Jr. wins bobble
head voting contest
Westside Mortgage
Jack Drolema Bobble Head Night scheduled for August 12
Berlin Raceway Engine Pro Super Stock driver Jack
Drolema received the most votes in the Westside Mortgage
Bobble Head Night online fan voting contest, and as a
result will be immortalized on a bobble head that will
be given away to the first 1,000 fans at Berlin Raceway
on August 12. The results of the contest were revealed
by Ron Priebe of Westside Mortgage last night at The
Trackside Show's live radio broadcast on 107 WMUS from
Shots Grill in Standale.
The contest came about following the wildly popular
Opening Night Randy Sweet Bobble Head Night; after that
race, Grand Rapids-based Westside Mortgage offered to
sponsor a second bobble head night but chose to let the
fans decide who would be featured on the bobble head. In
just under four weeks of open voting, Berlin Raceway
received more than 1,700 votes for 78 different people
from the ballot on Berlin Raceway's website,
www.berlinraceway.com. Votes from verified unique e-mail
addresses were counted; duplicate votes and votes from
invalid e-mail addresses were not included in the tally.
Drolema received 344 votes, followed by defending
Standale Lumber Sportsman champion Terry Bockheim with
263 votes. Engine Pro Super Stock driver James Haney
came in third with 177 votes and fellow Super Stock
driver Bob Bliss finished fourth with 165 votes. Coors
Light Late Model driver Leroy Magoon's 120 votes ranked
fifth.
Finishing in the next five spots were Johnny Benson Fan
Club President (and sister of Benson) Barb Benson,
Flagman Tony Postma, Late Model driver Tom Thomas, 2005
De-Jay Slick Truck Pro Stock champion Casey Berenbrock
and defending Late Model champion Tim DeVos. Eleventh
though 20th positions all went to Berlin Raceway
drivers. In order: Dave D'Avignon (Pro Stock), Tim
Greene (Sportsman), Paul Gerou (Sportsman), Jack Russell
(Sportsman), Dave Lake (Pro Stock), Sean Archambault
(Sportsman), Fred Campbell (Late Model), Allen Davis
(Sportsman), Brian Maxim (Late Model) and Shawn Simon
(Sportsman). A total of 56 of the vote-getters are
current Berlin Raceway drivers.
Top vote-getters among non-Berlin regulars were, in
addition to Barb Benson and Tony Postma in sixth and
seventh place: John Benson Sr. (21st place), Johnny
Benson (23rd place), Grand Rapids Press auto racing
writer Steve Kaminski (25th place), Bob Senneker (39th
place) and Berlin Raceway race team owner Mike Blackmer
of Boyne Machine (40th place).
Drolema is a third-generation racer. His grandfather,
Harry Drolema, began his nearly 30-year racing career in
the 1940's at the Grand Rapids Speedrome and was one of
the first drivers to race at Berlin Raceway when the
track was opened by Chet Mysliwiec in 1951. Harry's son,
Jack Drolema Sr., continued the tradition, winning
Berlin Raceway championships in 1973 and 1976 before
moving on to the ASA Series, where he raced until he
retired in 1982. Jack Jr., known as "Butch", began
racing at Berlin in 2003. He finished 11th in Engine Pro
Super Stock points with one feature win in his rookie
season, but was forced to sit out most of the 2004
season after shattering his leg in a crash in the third
race of the season. He came back strong in 2005, posting
a ninth place finish in the points with one feature win.
He currently sits 12th in Super Stock points.
Drolema, who was present at The Trackside Show's live
broadcast from Shots for the announcement (as were
runner-ups Bockheim and Haney), said he's excited about
winning and is looking forward to seeing what his bobble
head will look like. "It's really cool that
Westside Mortgage put together this Bobble Head
promotion," Drolema said. "I got to meet Ron Priebe when
he announced that I won last night at Shots and he was
very happy for me. I want to thank my mom and my buddy
Justin for getting the word out to all my friends and
family to vote for me, both by word of mouth and on my
website at www.drolemaracing.com - that's what sealed
the deal. I'm really looking forward to August 12 and
seeing what I look like as a bobble head! The best part
about this is that August 12 is my mom's birthday, so
we'll really be celebrating on that day!"
Mike Strevel, Berlin Raceway's director of race
operations, said the final tally was quite revealing.
"It was quite interesting to see the votes spread out so
evenly for drivers of all four divisions," Strevel said.
"Our entry-level division, the Standale Lumber Sportsman
class, actually had the most Top 20 vote-getters, with
seven. A lot of young, new guys got the votes that I
would have thought might have gone to the veterans in
the top Late Model division. I'm really happy for Jack,
and pleased that Westside Mortgage made this fun,
interactive promotion possible."
Tickets for the August 12 Westside Mortgage Bobble Head
Night are $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 6 to
12 (5 and under are free). Tickets can be purchased in
several ways, including in person at Berlin Raceway from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and on racedays
beginning at 11:30, online at www.berlinraceway.com, and
by phone to Berlin Raceway, (616) 677-5000. For a
complete schedule of races and ticket prices, please
visit www.berlinraceway.com.
MIS Updates
MIS President to step down
after 2006: W. Brett Shelton, President of
Michigan International Speedway will step down from his
position at the end of the 2006 racing season at MIS. Roger
A. Curtis, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for
California Speedway, has been named as Shelton's replacement
and will move to MIS to begin working on the transition
immediately.
MIS June race to be named Con-Way Freight 200: Ann
Arbor-based Con-way Freight Inc., and Michigan International
Speedway (MIS) have announced that the less-than-truckload
freight transportation company will be the title sponsor of
the Saturday, June 17 "Con-way Freight 200" Truck Series
race at MIS. In addition to its title sponsorship of the
race, Con-way Freight Inc. is the primary sponsor of Truck
Series driver and Michigan native Jack Sprague, who is
piloting the #60 Con-way Freight Toyota Tundra throughout
the 2006 season for Wyler Racing.
(05-14-06)
A Day at the "Office"
Photos By: Barb Benson
The #23 Bill Davis Racing team worked in their "office"
under sunny skies at the Atlanta Motor Speedway ....
 |
 |
When Johnny pulls into his pit
stall, the crew members scramble
to make the necessary changes
during the practice session.
|
A sea of red shirts stand by
the
driver's door to get feedback from
Johnny on what his truck is doing
on the track. The best speed
secrets are never communicated
on the radio, since other teams
may be listening! |
|
 |
 |
Johnny practice under the watchful
eye of his crew chief, Rick Ren who
is standing on top of the transporter.
The computer provides lap times for
Rick to view. It usually shows the last
lap and the best lap of the session and
is in order of the fastest. Also, the
names of Johnny, Mike Skinner and Bill Lester are
highlighted so the team
knows where there teammates are on the speed charts.
|
Did you know? After the practice
session, Johnny got his helmet
and his Hans device and headed
over the Busch garage. As the
garage opened, Johnny was
approached by the #01 to fill in
for Jay Sauter who was feeling
under the weather. By the time
Busch practice rolled around, Jay
was feeling better and Johnny
returned to the truck garage. |
Have Dinner on the Deck at
Berlin Raceway
On these select dates, fans are invited to
watch the race from the Standale Lumber Deck located in Turn
1. For just $20, you'll receive a race ticket to the "best
seat in the house: and an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet of
hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies and soft drinks. Dinner
is served from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Enjoy this opportunity to have
dinner and watch a race from this exclusive deck that is
usually available only to large groups. Dinner on the Deck
date is May 27. Tickets are limited. To
purchase tickets for Dinner on the Deck, please contact Alanna Kuhn at (616) 677-5000 ext. 2018.
(04-20-06)
Drivers Added to Lineup
Three more NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers
have committed to be part of the
‘Craftsman For a Cure’ on
Tuesday, May 23 at NASCAR SpeedPark in Concord, N.C. Tickets
are on sale now. Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers and former
NEXTEL Cup champion Kurt Busch have been added to the driver
lineup which already includes a variety of drivers from the
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series.
‘Craftsman For a
Cure’ – a charity event hosted by Craftsman Motorsports and
Bobby Hamilton Racing – will give race fans the opportunity
to meet and race fender-to-fender with some of their
favorite NASCAR drivers while also helping out two very
important charities, the American Cancer Society Relay for
Life and the Victory Junction Gang Camp.
“I am so honored and grateful
to everyone who has stepped up to
help make 'Craftsman For A Cure' a success,” said former
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton, who
is battling head and neck cancer. “I am one of thousand who
are battling this disease and perhaps the efforts of all
these NASCAR drivers will help raise awareness for this
disease and provide funding to assist all the others who are
battling the disease.“This is a great opportunity for NASCAR
fans who are going to be in Charlotte on May 23 to come out
to race or meet more than 25 NASCAR drivers and raise money
for a great cause.”
‘Craftsman For a Cure’ will be held on Tuesday, May
23 from 5 to 9 p.m.
at NASCAR SpeedPark in Concord,
N.C. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 866-227-3264 now
for one of several unique opportunities to spend time with
some of NASCAR’s top drivers. For current
information on this event, ticket prices and options
click here.
(05-01-06)
Vote for Kyle Petty
Coca-Cola, others to donate
minimum $250,000 if Petty voted in All Star Race.
The "Vote Kyle, Reward Victory
Junction" campaign is a grassroots effort fueled by
Coca-Cola and other Petty Enterprises sponsors to reward the
man who has given so much of his time and effort to charity
with a spot in the Nextel All-Star Challenge on May 20,
2006, at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Voting for the Nextel All-Star
Challenge is currently open, and fans are invited to cast a
vote to help get their favorite driver into the event by
text messaging a vote on Nextel/Sprint phones or voting
online at NASCAR.COM. Voting will run through May 20 with
the winner announced the day of the race. The JBFC and
the Johnny Benson Foundation supports the Victory Junction
Gang Camp. This is a way for all of us to show our
support! (05-06-06)
Camping Allowed at Berlin
Berlin Raceway has
secured a camping permit from the Berlin Fairboard, owners
of the raceway property, for the following dates:
* ASA, Tuesday, June 13 and Wednesday, June 14*
* ARCA, Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15
* ASA/USAC, Friday, August 18 and Saturday, August 19
* Boyne Machine 200, Friday, Sept. 15 and Saturday, Sept. 16
* ISMA/USAC, Friday, Sept. 29 and Saturday, Sept. 30
Camping fee
is $25 per night and includes electricity, permanent
restrooms with showers, and overnight security. A limited
number of electrical hookups are available. Campers may
purchase permits upon arrival (beginning at noon), based on
availability. See our
area
lodging page for information on area campgrounds and
hotels for other weekends, For complete details -
click here.
(05-06-06)
Congratulations
The JBFC would like to congratulate the following fan club
members on winning a 1:24 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles
Diecast from various contests. It pays to enter a
contest!
Condolences
The JBFC would like to send condolences to the family of Sgt
Rick Herrema of Michigan who recently lost his life in in
Baghdad. Rick was a loyal NASCAR fan and spent several
years in the JBFC. We honor Rick as he paid the
ultimate price in protecting our freedom.
Complete
Story
(05-06-06)
Cheers and Jeers
One of Judy Benson's
favorite online columnists, Carol Einarsson has returned to
reviewing the Craftsman Truck Series. Carol also
spends her time writing weekly articles and review the
Nextel Cup Series. To read her review of the Gateway
race:
Cheers_and_Jeers
(05-06-06)
One Week Left to Vote for
Bobblehead!
Fan votes cramming
online ballot box to name next Berlin Raceway Bobble Head
....
Drolema,
Bockheim, Haney leading contest
Votes are flying in
for the Westside Mortgage Bobble Head Night fan voting
contest! Fan participation has been much higher than
expected in the online contest, in which fans may vote for
whoever they'd like to see featured on the next bobble head
giveaway at Berlin Raceway. In just two weeks of open
voting, Berlin Raceway has received more than 1,200 votes
for 70 different people. Fans are encouraged to vote online
at www.berlinraceway.com for the contest, which ends on May
13. The highest vote-getter will be immortalized on a bobble
head that will be given away to the first 1,000 fans on
August 12.
Following the wildly popular Opening Night Randy Sweet
Bobble Head Night, Grand Rapids-based Westside Mortgage
offered to sponsor a second bobble head night, this one
determined by the fans. The Sweet bobble head giveaway was
so popular that the oversized-head image of Sweet on a
bobble head is attached to the hood of one race car and to
the roof of another. Although the real Randy Sweet has a
feature win this season, the bobble head Sweet only has a
couple of top fives to his credit.
Leading the voting, with polls open for one more week, are
Engine Pro Super Stock drivers Jack Drolema Jr. and James
Haney, and Standale Lumber Sportsman driver Terry Bockheim.
Also in the running are Super Stock driver Bob Bliss,
Flagman Tony Postma and Leroy Magoon. Fifty-two of the
vote-getters are current Berlin Raceway drivers; others
receiving votes include Johnny Benson, John Benson Sr.,
Bob Senneker and Dale Earnhardt Jr. But with one week
left in the voting, it's still anyone's contest to win.
Votes from verified unique
e-mail addresses are counted. Duplicate votes and votes from
invalid e-mail addresses are not included in the tally.
Mike Strevel, Berlin Raceway's director of race operations,
said the fan participation contest is exciting.
"I'm happy that Westside Mortgage got behind this fun
promotion," Strevel said. "The fans are getting into this,
which is great to see. It's interesting to see the wide
variety of nominees for this, uh, prestigious award, and I
want to send special thanks out to the two people who voted
for me."
Tickets for most races, including the August 12 Westside
Mortgage Bobble Head Night, are $12 for adults and $6 for
children ages 6 to 12 (5 and under are free). Tickets can be
purchased in several ways, including in person at Berlin
Raceway from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and on
racedays beginning at 11:30, online at www.berlinraceway.com,
and by phone to Berlin Raceway, (616) 677-5000. For a
complete schedule of races and ticket prices, please visit
www.berlinraceway.com
(05-06-06)
|
