LMS: Berlin summary

Columbus, Ohio veteran, Robbie Pyle holds off 10-time Track Champion, Fred Campbell to win the 1st annual Tradition 200 at the Berlin (MI) Raceway.

Marne, Michigan (06/17/2007): The Sixth Race and the halfway point of the Fifth Anniversary 2007 Season for the ASA Late Model Series Challenge Division Presented by GM Performance Parts is now complete! The famed Berlin (MI) Raceway located West of Grand Rapids in Marne, Michigan served as gracious hosts for the 1st annual Tradition 200.

"America's Premiere Short Track Series" has completed the first of three total events in the series' home state of Michigan. The second and third shows in the Wolverine State are a part of the ASALMS Northern Divisions' 3rd annual Mid-Michigan Doubles Weekend Presented by the Michigan Racing Scene on Friday August 17, 2007 at the Dixie (MI) Motor Speedway and Saturday August 18, 2007 at the Owosso (MI) Speedway.

As for the 1st annual Tradition 200, Robbie Pyle, who earlier in the evening won the ARP Bodies Fast Qualifier Award, retook the lead from 10-time Berlin Track Champion and Michigan Motorsports Hall of Famer, Fred Campbell on Lap 150 and from there, the Columbus, Ohio veteran would hold off the advances of the crowd favorite to win the 1st annual Tradition 200.

18-year-old Keeton Hanks and another Berlin Fan Favorite, Terry VanHaitsma, who is second in the tracks weekly Coors Light Super Late Model Points Standings, led the field to Chief Starter, Tim Goodlet's green flag to begin the deuce century Feature. Hanks powered his way into Turns 1-2 and beat VanHaitsma out of Turn Two to take the early lead as the rest of the field settled in behind the Auburn, Kentucky teenager.

Hanks set a torrid pace to begin the 1st annual Tradition 200 as he pulled away to as much as a Five Second lead over the remainder of the field. Trailing Hanks was the Boyne Machine sponsored trio and crowd favorites, VanHaitsma, as well as 10-time Berlin Track Champion and Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame Driver, Fred Campbell and his son, Brian Campbell all traded positions 2-3-4 while Hanks set the pace.

The first of seven cautions and the only yellow thrown during the first 100 laps came on Lap 26 when Michael Simko tagged the Turn Three wall and had to pit and repair cosmetic damage to his Mound Steel and Supply Chevrolet Monte Carlo. On the restart it was Hanks leading the hometown favorites of VanHaitsma, F. Campbell, B. Campbell, and now ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Fast Qualifier, Robbie Pyle, to the green to resume the event.

Pyle slowly but surely began picking off the Boyne Machine trio and soon the Columbus, Ohio veteran found himself in second spot and began reeling in the 18-year-old Blue Grass State pilot. After catching Hanks in his Allen-Hock Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Pyle made the pass for the lead on Lap 82 as he dove to the inside of Hanks coming down the front stretch and completed the pass coming out of Turn Two.

The 38-year-old Buckeye State veteran would lead the field into the Lap 100 halfway break as Brian Campbell was second and was followed by his Father, Fred Campbell. Chris Anthony and Michael Annett completed the Top Five as Hanks fell all the way back to Sixth at the break for Two Hoosier Racing Tires and a replenished Fuel Cell full of Torco Racing Fuel as well as any other adjustments the teams could make in a 10 minute time span.

As the green flag waved for the second half of the 1st annual Tradition 200, Fred Campbell immediately began applying pressure to his son, Brian Campbell using the patented outside groove that the Battle Creek, Michigan veteran has perfected over the years. After the pass for second, Campbell glued himself to Pyle's back bumper and the race was on for the lead.

Finally on Lap 136 and to the roar of the partisan home track crowd, Fred Campbell drove around the outside of Pyle to take the lead for the first time in an ASALMS event since he won what was then a USPRO Cup Series Event at the Spartan (MI) Speedway way back on June 22, 2003!

The Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame Driver began pulling away from the pack until the Fifth Caution of the night flew on Lap 142 when Current Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year Points Leader, Derek Thorn spun off the backstretch after battling an ill handling car all evening long in Marne, Michigan. The previous cautions from Lap 102 up to this point were all thrown for harmless spins around the 0.437 Mile Semi-Banked Paved Oval.

On the restart, Pyle stayed glued to Campbell's back bumper and on Lap 150 retook the lead from the 10-Time Berlin Track Champion and tried in vain to pull away from the pack. Campbell stayed close though and all the while had to fend off his rejuvenated son, Brian Campbell as well as another Berlin regular, Chris Anthony who had been steadily working his way up into the Top Five.

The Top Four cars rode nose to tail with both Campbell's ducking high and low trying to figure out a way around the car in front of them. The racing became even more intense with 10 laps to go as they gathered themselves up for one final charge

With the close racing something had to give and it did on Lap 196 as Brian Campbell and Anthony collided heading into Turn Three sending Campbell hard into the Turn Three wall and done for the evening! Anthony was sent to the rear of the field. This set up a Four Lap Dash between the crafty veterans; Robbie Pyle and Fred Campbell.

Right as the green flag dropped, Campbell immediately went up to the second groove to begin building his momentum back up for one final chance but ran out of time as Pyle worked the inside groove just enough to hold back the perennial crowd favorite to win the 1st annual Tradition 200!

Fred Campbell would settle for the runner-up spot while Des Moines, Iowa Sophomore, Michael Annett tied a career high with a third place finish. Eddie Hoffman finished a solid fourth over Terry VanHaitsma, who would earn the Appleton Rack and Pinions Rookie of the Race Award with his career high Fifth Place Showing.

Charlie Menard picked up the Hard-Charger of the Race Award with his 20th to Sixth Place finish while Keeton Hanks, who led the first 81 laps, finished seventh. Current ASALMS Challenge Division Points Leader, Travis Dassow was shown eighth over Colt James and another Chris Anthony came back through after going to the back of the field in only four laps to complete the Top 10.

Earlier in the afternoon, Pyle won the ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Fast Qualifier Award over the 22-car field at the 0.437 Mile Semi-Banked Paved Oval as he turned a 16.286 which measures out to 96.819 MPH.

The next event overall for the ASALMS will be for the ASALMS Southern Division, who return to action after a seven week layoff due to the wildfires in North Florida and South Georgia and then later Tropical Storm Barry that postponed the June 2, 2007 event at the South Georgia (GA) Motorsports Park.

In what will now be Race Number Three for the ASALMS Southern Division is set for Saturday June 23, 2007 at the historic New Smyrna (FL) Speedway located Eight miles West of New Smyrna Beach and 15 miles South of Daytona Beach in Samsula, Florida on Saturday June 23, 2007 for the running of the Florida 100.

-credit: asa