Campbell Defends Home Turf in Winning the Battle at Berlin 251
Salem, IN (August 27, 2017) – Wyoming, Michigan racer Brian Campbell defended his home turf in getting the win in Saturday night’s ARCA/CRA Super Series Powered by JEGS Battle at Berlin 251 Presented by Primera Plastics at Berlin Raceway, as part of The Chet Championship Weekend. Campbell, a former regular at Berlin, held off all challengers to get the win and the $15,000 first place payoff.
“That was a lot of fun, what a great car we had tonight,” remarked Campbell in victory Lane. “The goal was to save the car for the first 200 and stay in the top five so we would be in a position to race for the win, and that plan worked to perfection tonight. It was a lot of fun to race hard with Carson (Hocevar) and Bubba (Pollard) there to start the last segment. I have to thank my whole team for their hard work, and all our sponsors, without their support we wouldn’t be able to race or be standing here in victory lane!”
Outlaw Late Model standout Terry Senneker used his outside front row starting position to grab the lead from EDCO Welding Fast Qualifier Campbell at the drop of the flag. Senneker was in a team car with Campbell and cruised for the first 54 laps in first place until Campbell made the pass on lap 55 to grab the lead and was followed by Pollard to second. The two worked their way through the field, with only one caution early in the first segment, lapping all the way up to tenth place running Steve Wallace as the laps winded down for the first break. Pollard was able to get around Campbell to take the lead as the two tried to put Wallace a lap down and fight for the lead on lap 97 as the field took the first five minute break at lap 100.
At the break the top ten cars redrew for their starting positions, Campbell drew a two putting him on the outside front row, which he wasted no time in getting the lead again as the green flag flew for the lap 101 restart. As clean as the first 100 laps were, the second 100 was marred by several cautions, with several restarts. Pollard used a restart to grab the lead from Campbell on lap 118 as the two raced hard side by side, but Campbell would come back to get the lead on lap 121. Pollard fought back and retook the lead on lap 161and would lead until the second break at lap 200.
The top five redrew for their lap 201 starting positions. JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour point’s leader, 14 year old Carson Hocevar, would start on the pole with Rapeal Lessard outside, the second row would be Pollard and Campbell with Senneker in fifth place. Things got interesting fast at the drop of the green flag with Hocevar getting the lead with Pollard right behind in second. Campbell quickly worked his way to third as he and Pollard tracked down Hocevar.
Hocevar was able to hold off the challenges of both the veteran drivers as they raced side by side behind him battling each other for second. Campbell was able to go low and pass Hocevar to grab the lead on lap 219 with Pollard also getting by. One more caution flew setting up a 15 lap dash to the finish. Campbell used the outside to grab the lead quickly on the restart and was able to pull away to win by just over two seconds.
The win was Campbell’s second straight ARCA/CRA Super Series win and his third overall of the season. Campbell picked up the $400 Team Construction Clean Sweep Award, the third driver this season to set fast time and win the race. Campbell’s Lakeshore Motorsports crew was awarded the PitBoxes.com Pit Crew of the Race Award for giving Campbell such a fast racecar for qualifying and the race.
Pollard would finish in second in the Battle at Berlin 251 for the second straight year. Pollard picked up the AR Bodies Cool Move of the Race for his pass of Campbell on lap 97. Senneker would finish in third, making a clean sweep of the podium finishers for Senneker Performance built race cars. Senneker would pick up the Sweet Manufacturing Sweet Move of the Race for keeping his car in the top five and in contention throughout the race.
Hocevar would finish in fourth and would be crowned the Berlin Raceway 2017 ZFS Super Late Model Champion, by being the highest finisher of the four Berlin drivers fighting for the season Championship in the Battle at Berlin 251. Hocevar picked up the FLUIDYNE High Performance Cool Under Pressure Award for being able to hold off Campbell and Pollard for the first 18 laps of the third segment.
Four time Berlin Raceway Champion Joe Bush fought his way back from a lap down to finish in fifth place earning a Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award. Jordan Dahlke came from his 22nd place starting position to finish in seventh and earned the Hamner Racing Engines Hardcharger Award and a Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award.
Three time series Champion Johnny Van Doorn was the top finisher of the five drivers in the series Championship Chase with a sixth place finish. The others all had bad luck, including Dalton Armstrong who was involved in a lap 234 incident with Boris Jurkovic, with Armstrong’s car suffering heavy rear damage. His crew was able to get Armstrong back on the track to finish the race with an 11th place finish.
Leading Senneker Performance rookie Logan Runyon and Wes Griffith Jr. were both involved in a lap 173 incident. Griffith’s crew made repairs and he was able to continue to get a 12th place finish. Runyon limped his car around until parking it with too much damage on lap 190, giving him a 17th place finish. Fellow rookie Hunter Jack’s night ended on lap 98 with a broken rear-end giving him a 24th place finish.
VanDoorn will have the Championship Chase points lead with two more Chase events left until the final four will battle it out for the 2017 Season Championship at the Winchester 400 on October 8th. The ARCA/CRA Super Series will return to action next Monday at Winchester Speedway as part of the Labor Day Weekend World Stock Car Festival.
More information on the ARCA/CRA Super Series is available at www.cra-racing.com.
Photo By: R&S Racing Photos
