"The Chet" presented by Comerica  to benefit St. John¹s Home

MARNE, MI - Berlin Raceway and Comerica are proud to announce that the fourth annual "The Chet" race, to be held on Wednesday, August 18, will benefit St. John's Home, Michigan's premiere residential treatment program for emotionally troubled children and adolescents. The Comerica Bank-sponsored race, which will feature NASCAR stars Bobby Labonte and Johnny Benson, is held in memory of track founder Chet Mysliwiec.

Berlin Raceway and Comerica will donate one dollar for every ticket sold from the August 18 race to St. John's Home. All funding for the home comes from charitable contributions from the community, such as the Berlin Raceway/Comerica fundraiser.

St. John's Home is a nationally acclaimed, non-denominational, non-profit organization that has been devoted to West Michigan's children since 1889. Located on Knapp St. in Grand Rapids, St. John's is the only youth home in America designed by kids, for kids. The home includes a residential treatment program for 60 abused and neglected children and adolescents; the KidsFirst program, an emergency shelter care program for Kent County youth that sees more than 600 youth each year; the Champions for Life Host Homes program, a foster family program; and the Discovery Program, an adolescent substance abuse center for teens. St. John's boasts a success rate of more than 90% of their students (vs. the state average of 55%) who leave the home to become economically independent and is the only home in the country that guarantees every student a college education or vocational training after high school.

This is the fourth year that the partnership between Berlin Raceway and Comerica has resulted in contributions to community organizations. Contributions totaling close to $22,000 have been made to organizations such as the Berlin 4-H program (to build the new pig barn for the Berlin Fair) and the Todd Senneker Memorial Foundation, which awards a scholarship to a graduating senior from Wayland Union High School in memory of the late Berlin Raceway driver.

Other organizations benefitting from monetary donations through Berlin Raceway's Community Support program include the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, the Chris Bradley Memorial Scholarship Fund, the Marne Lions Club and the Wright Township Sewer Fund. Berlin and its partners have contributed a total of $42,437 to the community through this program.

Lew Chamberlin, Whitecaps Racing CEO, stressed the importance of the organization's commitment to the community. "It has always been our philosophy, in a business like ours where the community supports us and helps us be successful, to give back to the community whenever possible. I'm proud to be able to partner with Comerica and use an event such as The Chet, with Bobby Labonte and Johnny Benson both participating, to support a worthy endeavor such as St. John's Home."

Joe Davio, Regional Bank President of Comerica Bank, indicated that Comerica believes in supporting the community and explained that the bank is especially proud to partner with a business client, Whitecaps Racing, in its efforts to enhance the community. "Children and teens are our future and St. John's Home has a proud history of helping children in need for more than 115 years. The results exhibited at St John's Home are impressive. It is wonderful to provide up to $5,000 to such a results-oriented organization." We support many community organizations and find it particularly even more rewarding when we can work with one of our clients to support our mutual interests."

Tickets to "The Chet" are $21 in advance and $22 at the door. Children 3-12 are half price and 2 and under are free. Pit passes are $25. Tickets can be purchased at the Berlin Raceway administrative office (2060 Berlin Fair Drive, Marne, MI) from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday as well as at the Box Office on racedays. Tickets are also available online at www.berlinraceway.com and at www.ticketmaster.com. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the first race begins at 7 p.m.