| |
Ross Meeuwsen Runs Away to Win
the Great Lakes International Trucks 125 at Berlin Motor Speedway
Pictures from Berlin
Marne, MI (August 21, 2005) –
Zeeland, Michigan native Ross Meeuwsen power around the outside of
current leader Eddie Van Meter coming out of turn two on lap 29 and
ran out to a large lead before
winning The Great Lakes International
Trucks 125 at Berlin Motor Speedway Saturday night. Jeff Lane took
over second on lap 108 and cut Meeuwsen’s lead from a full straightway
to a few car lengths in the remaining laps but was not able to catch
Meeuwsen to challenge for the lead. It was Meeuwsen’s first CRA Super
Series presented by Spray Power win, making him the seventh driver to
get his first series win this year, and the 13th different
driver to win in the 14 CRA Super Series events held so far in the
2005 season.
"I have to hand it to my pit crew
guys, the car was absolutely awesome, I could not have asked for a
better car. It was a little bit of a guessing game, we qualified on
stickers (new tires) and that is different for us. We use the same
tires on our late model, but they let us scuff them so this was new.
But we got it right, set fast time and won the race." Commented
Meeuwsen following the race.
Meeuwsen, a multi-time feature winner
in the Berlin Raceway Coors Light Outlaw Late Model Division, was the
Bicycle Clay Poker Chips/Menards fast qualifier. Meeuwsen also led the
most laps to win the Acro-Tech Manufacturing/A.T. Performance Lap
Leader Award. By leading the 63rd lap he won the
RaceTrailerSale.com Halfway Leader Award.
Lane was third fastest qualifier,
started third and followed early race leader E. Van Meter for many
laps, racing side by side with him for nearly 30 laps before getting
past him on lap 108. This finish pushed Lane into the Driver’s points
lead in the CRA Super Series Championship by a slim margin, and second
in the Owners point standing.
"Coming up here today I was really
uncomfortable with the set up we had. We went through a lot today,
with practice and we used qualifying as a practice to get ready for
the race. I did not think we would be that good. You never really know
what you have until you get out there, I thought we might be lucky to
get a fourth, fifth, or sixth place finish, so we will take a second
and grin all the way home." Stated Lane.
The race was relatively caution free
with only three cautions in the first 34 laps and running the last 91
laps without another slow down, something fifth place finisher Andy
Ponstein lamented following the race. "I needed
a caution, this car
seemed to change a little after each caution and following the last
one it tightened up some and I was hoping for another to see if it got
a little looser on the restart."
Scott Hantz started back in the field
and raced to the front in the first 40 laps. He then ran side by side
with Ponstein for 50 laps before passing him, using a great move
through lap traffic to get by, earning him the Sweet Manufacturing
Sweet Move of the Race Award. Hantz’s move through the field, from 13th
to fourth, also earned him a Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award.
Bobby Murany, making his first CRA Super Series Appearance this year,
won the ISKY Racing Cams/ Lane Automotive Hard Charger Award moving up
to finish ninth after starting 21st, this also earned him a
Hoosier Racing Tire Performance Award and the Racing Electronics Most
Improved Award.
Meeuwsen’s crew chief Mike Meeuwsen
was awarded the Marvel Mystery Oil Mechanic of the Race Award. The
Leaf Race Products Tough Luck Award went to Donny Klotz who was forced
out due to a broken trailing arm. The Cometic Gasket Top Rookie Award
went to teenage racer Billy Crane, his first such award of the 2005
season, the Crane family has made the long haul from Independence,
Missouri to every series event so far in 2005.
The next CRA Super Series Event will
be the Winchester 100 Presented By McGunegill Engine Performance at
the World Stock Car Festival at Winchester Speedway on Labor Day
Weekend. Practice and qualifying will be on Sunday, September 4th with
the 100 lap feature event on Monday, September 5th. For
more information
click here.
Official Results
Videos Available
Prime Trax Video has video tapes and DVD's from the Great Lakes
International Trucks 125. Tapes are $20 + $3.00 shipping, DVD's
are $30. Call 616-285-6471 for more information.
Ross Meeuwsen Sets Fast Time
Ross Meeuwsen set fast time with a time of 16.430 seconds, Bobby
Parsley was second, Jeff Lane third, and Robbie Pyle fourth.
Eddie Van Meter qualified fifth. Meeuwsen then drew a five for
the invert putting Van Meter on the pole.
Qualifying Results
Lineup
Robbie Pyle Fastest in Second Practice Session
Robbie Pyle stepped up his time nearly 1/2 second from the first
practice session to the second and was the fastest car on the track
the second time around with a time of 16.778. Billy Shotko was
second fastest on .015 seconds behind the leader.
Practice
Session #2 Results
Van Meter Fastest in First Practice Session
Eddie Van Meter picked up where he left off in June by being the
fastest in the first practice session. Van Meter's lap of 16.646
was .162 seconds faster than Tom Hernly, Jr. with the second fast
time.
Practice
Session #1 Results
Qualifying Order
|
|