Berlin still home to Benson
By Doug Vanderlaan - The Grand Rapids Press

For a driver who isn't currently running with the best, any track on a Saturday night will do.  For Johnny Benson Jr., who lost his NASCAR Busch Series ride this week, that track -- Berlin Raceway -- was 800 miles from his North Carolina home.

"We weren't really ready for this thing to happen," Benson said of the decision by the Phoenix Racing Busch Series to replace him with driver Jamie McMurray. "But no matter what it is in life, when something bad happens you go home."

So that's what he did Friday night, making the trip to Berlin in just under 12 hours and in time for testing and time trials on Saturday morning.  Starting first in the 100-lap late model feature, Benson weaved his way to a fourth place finish. The race was won by Randy Sweet after a long duel with second-place finisher Tom Thomas. Joe Bush finished third.

Benson said the trip to Marne was "just a whim," and one he won't be making regularly. The real object was to run on one of the top short tracks in America.

"It's where I grew up," Benson said. "It's where my dad ran, it's where you've got the best fans in the country, and it's one of the most competitive tracks you'll be ever be able to find.

"Down South at a local track you might get 12, 14, maybe 18 late models cars on a Saturday night. Here you'll have 35 to 45 cars. That's why it's so competitive."

Benson said that's also why NASCAR drivers like Tony Stewart and Kenny Schrader visit and why it wasn't hard to interest Bobby LaBonte and Michael Waltrip into making appearances at Berlin later this summer.

"No. 1, they come because they love to run," Benson said. "Secondly, it helps them out a little financially, but the third reason they come is because they've hear just how competitive it is."

Benson said that Berlin has produced some the best drivers ever in Bob Senneker, Ed Howe and Butch Miller. He left out, in deference, his own father, who dominated the track before retiring and devoting his time to manufacturing racing equipment.

"You have to be in the right place at the right time," Benson said of the line between Berlin and NASCAR. "Some drivers might not be able to go to ASA (American Speed Association) and get the television exposure that they need.

"Look at how Jeff Gordon raced sprint cars and people saw him in 'Thursday Night Thunder' at Indianapolis Raceway Park. You just have to have the exposure."

Benson's own break came when he joined ASA and was the circuit's Rookie of the Year in 1990. Benson's career also includes Rookie of the Year honors in the Busch Series in 1994, the Winston Cup Series in 1995, and a NASCAR Cup victory at Rockingham, N.C. in 2002.

Retirement is not on Benson's mind, even though NASCAR's trend seems to be replacing veteran drivers with younger ones. At 40, he said he's not worried.

"That's happening all over America," he said. "If it happens, so be it. If it   doesn't, so be it. Because when I retire there (NASCAR), I'll probably come up here more -- I'll never retire."