(Updated:  01-02-06)

Berlin Raceway
Johnny will be competing at Berlin Raceway in 2006.  The dates are scheduled as follows: 
               Wednesday, June 14th      (ASA race)
               Wednesday, August 16th   (Along with NASCAR TBD)
                    **Schedule Subject to Change 

Berlin - 2006 Schedule of Events
Berlin Raceway's 2006 schedule, released today, blends prestigious traveling series such as ARCA, Auto Value Super Sprints, and ASA along with a host of special events such as the Boyne Machine 200 and the Speedbidz.com Shootout into a solid schedule that officials feel is one of the track's strongest schedules ever.

The 2006 season begins on April 15 and runs through September 30. Included in the 27 nights of racing are two Wednesday specials: the re-tooled ASA Challenge Series 200 with special guest Johnny Benson on June 14, and the sixth annual "The Chet" presented by Comerica, with Benson and a yet-to-be-determined NASCAR driver competing in the 100-lap Coors Light Late Model event named in honor of late track founder Chet Mysliwiec, on August 16. Racing action heats up the pavement every Saturday night all season long at Berlin, with the exception of Fair Week (July 22).

The month of September, which was highly attended by race fans in 2005, gets an extreme make-over and comes out stronger than ever. Weekly points races will conclude three weeks before the end of the season, with champions being crowned on September 9. The three final weeks of the season are new to the 2006 schedule: The $7,500-to-win Boyne Machine 200, a two-day Coors Light Late Model invitational event that will include the longest ever Late Model race at Berlin (200 laps) on Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16; the Speedbidz.com Shootout, a $5,000 winner-take-all 40-lap Coors Light Late Model all-star shootout including drivers who set fastest qualifying times of each 2006 race, on Saturday, September 23. The season finale marks the long-awaited return of the popular open-wheel ISMA Super Modifieds on Saturday, September 30.

Other traveling series to make stops at Berlin in 2006 include the Auto Value Super Sprints (three times), CRA Super Series (May 27), ARCA (July 15), Vintage Racing Organization (July 29), ASA North Late Models and USAC Ford Focus Midgets (August 19), and coming to Berlin for the first time, the Short Track Truck Series (May 6 and June 17).

Mike Strevel, Berlin's Director of Race Operations, said he feels the schedule is strong and will be well-received by fans.  "I feel this is one of the strongest, most aggressive schedules Berlin has ever presented," Strevel said. "The premier sanctioning bodies - ASA, ARCA, AVSS, CRA, ISMA - are all making stops here. I'm looking forward to seeing Benson race in an ASA car again! I'm particularly excited about the return of the ASA Challenge Series, re-built under new ownership, and the return of ISMA Super Modifieds for the first time since 2002. ISMA has a hard-core following in this area and we're happy that ISMA was able to offer us an affordable package so that we could get them back at Berlin.

Strevel also commented that the track's own weekly divisions, special races and promotional events make for a glitzy 2006 season. "I'm looking forward to the The Boyne Machine 200 and the Speedbidz.com Shootout - the fans are sure to appreciate the creativity that will make up these two races. A two-day show with Friday racing and the longest Late Model race ever at Berlin (Boyne Machine 200) and the Speedbidz.com Shootout, which steals a page from the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series with their Bud Shootout all-star race at Charlotte...there's a lot here for the fans to be excited about."

The popular School Bus Races return for three nights (May 6, June 3 and September 15). Spectator Drags are back on August 5, and new to the schedule are Powder Puff Races (racers' moms driving their sons/daughters' race cars) on May 13 as part of Mothers Day weekend, and Big Rig Races (August 12). In addition, fans can seek autographs from their favorite drivers on the track before nine races next season, and the ever-popular Fireworks Nights light up the schedule six times in 2006.

Ticket and concessions specials making their way onto the 2006 schedule include four $1 Beer and $1 Hot Dogs nights (Memorial Day Weekend-May 27, Fourth of July Weekend-July 1, Labor Day Weekend-September 2 and Friday, September 15), two Kids Nights (April 22 and August 26) feature free tickets for all kids 12 and under as well as Monster Truck rides and other kids activities.

Ticket prices for 2006 are $12 for regular shows and range from $16 to $25 for special events (children 6-12 are half price). The two high-end Wednesday race prices dropped to $20 in advance/$25 at the gate in 2006 from $25/$27 last year. Two significant changes to the ticket pricing are children 5 and under get in free (improved upon previous seasons' 2 and under policy) and a season ticket price that offers 15% savings off individual race ticket prices.
(01-02-06)