Boyne Machine Driver Awards Banquet
concludes Berlin Raceway's 2004 season

MARNE, MI -- Berlin Raceway's annual Boyne Machine Driver Awards Banquet presented by Performance Engineering and The Screen Print Department Inc. was held Friday night at the Pinnacle Center in Hudsonville, and a sold-out crowd of 650 drivers, crew members, families and car sponsors enjoyed an evening of celebration. Champions Joe Bush, Brian Wiersma and Terry Van Haitsma were awarded their championship trophies and points fund prize money for their respective divisions, and several other awards were presented for driver accomplishments.

The banquet presentations included $40,000 in points fund money distributed to the top 15 drivers in each division, provided by Hoosier Racing Tire, Van Manen Petroleum and division sponsors Coors Light, Engine Pro and Standale Lumber.

Bush, from Hastings, MI, collected six race wins on his way to winning the Coors Light Late Model championship and was a model of consistency, finishing in the top five in every race but one. Bush was also named The Screen Print Department Racer of the Year. Coopersville's Brian Wiersma won seven Engine Pro Super Stock features on his way to winning his third division championship and first since returning to the division after a five-year stint in the Coors Light Late Model division. Van Haitsma, from Hudsonville, won seven features in the Standale Lumber Sportsman division to capture the championship in just his second season racing.

In addition to the 7-foot-tall champions trophies, the three division champions each received a gold championship ring from Tom Davis Jewelers; a Hoosier jacket; $500 value helmets from Impact Racing; $100 product certificates from AFCO and Bassett Racing Wheel; and a $300 Howe Cool Radiator for the Late Model champion and two Howe premium precision ball joints ($100 value) each for the Super Stock and Sportsman champions. The Super Stock champion also received a $1,200 value complete body from 5 Star and the Sportsman champion received a $250 certificate towards a complete body from 5 Star.

The top 10 drivers in each division were awarded trophies and positions 11-20 were awarded plaques, all engraved with their names and points finishes. Prizes from Engine Pro, Impact Racing, Lane Automotive/K&N, Valvoline, Bassett Racing Wheel, Powder Coating Services, Foerch Designs, Leaf Racewear and AFCO were awarded to the other award winners (see next page) as well as via random drawings of drivers during the two and a half hour awards presentation. The event was MC'ed by tuxedoed track announcer Norm Jelsma and MRN/WMUS race broadcaster Jeff Striegle and included several videos put to music to capture the scenes and excitement of the 2004 season.

For the finale to the evening, three prizes totalling $23,000 were awarded by random drawing among those who attended The Racing Show live broadcasts on Monday nights during the season. Boyne Machine and Port City Racing gave away a Late Model chassis, valued at $12,000, to lucky winner Randy Ellen and a Super Stock chassis, valued at $3,000, to Linda McGarvey. Finally, Performance Engineering presented a complete race engine valued at $8,000 to Tommy and Christa Willet, son of Sportsman driver Dave Willet.


2004 Berlin Raceway Awards

2004 Berlin Raceway Champions        Standale Lumber Sportsman - Terry Van Haitsma
                       Engine Pro Super Stock - Brian Wiersma
                       Coors Light Late Model - Joe Bush
Todd Senneker Rookie of the Year Award     Standale Lumber Sportsman - Chris Koslek
                       Engine Pro Super Stock - Nick Shotko
                       Coors Light Late Model - Ross Meeuwsen
CARSTAR Best Appearing Car Award        Standale Lumber Sportsman - Andrew Nylaan
                       Engine Pro Super Stock - Warren Speet
                       Coors Light Late Model- Billy Shotko
Most Improved Driver Award            Standale Lumber Sportsman - Casey Berenbrock
                       Engine Pro Super Stock - Billy Eppink
                       Coors Light Late Model - Alan Fricke
Valvoline Hard Charger Award         Standale Lumber Sportsman - Kirk Meisner
                       Engine Pro Super Stock - Brian Wiersma
                       Coors Light Late Model - Mike Bursley
Most Popular Driver Award             Standale Lumber Sportsman - Terry Van Haitsma
                       Engine Pro Super Stock - Bob Bliss
                       Coors Light Late Model - Tim DeVos
Leaf Racewear Hard Luck Award         Standale Lumber Sportsman - Bruce Chase
                       Engine Pro Super Stock - Dan VanderMolen
                       Coors Light Late Model - Terry Senneker
Sponsor of the Year                Boyne Machine
Grand Rapids Press Unsung Hero Award     Kirk Meissner
Grand Rapids Press Chris Bradley Crew Chief Award
                       Al Hill / Todd Westveld (Brian Wiersma)
Powder Coating Services Hardest Crash Award    
                       Bob Bliss
Rodenhouse Body Shop Overall Hard Luck Award
                       Tim DeVos
Scott Baker Sportsmanship Award         Maurice Davis
Engine Pro Engine Builder of the Year Award     Baker Engineering
Sleep Doctor Sleeper of the Year Award     Dave Stehouwer
Screen Print Department Racer of the Year    Joe Bush