Edition 25, July 16th - 2008

Hot in Slinger

With the weather in the mid 80’s the Berge Race Team decided to enter the Mid West Sportsman race at the Slinger Nationals on this sultry night. We debated for quite some time if we were going to make the long drive from Reedsburg to Slinger Wisconsin, but it was the second anniversary of our first race together as sponsor and race team. With very little convincing, I decided to take off from work for an afternoon, and my boss Mark, decided to accompany me, because this is where Kenseth, Busch, the Wimmers, Stremme, Bires, Darnell, and so many other local hot shoes would race each other in a 200-lap late model feature. This could be the best talent in the state ever gathered to race.

We arrived and located the team. One of our crew men, Ryan was under the car, the driver James was looking at the car and shaking his head, and owner Adam was sitting in the hauler staring straight ahead. We have been with the team long enough to know that things were not as they were supposed to be. “Will not take a set in the corners, said James”. “Maybe I should just push it into the lake across from my house” said Adam, always the optimist. James even suggested that the car was now a Ford body, which has a hindrance. This car just does not like Slinger this year.

The team re-set the car in hopes of improvement, and we were lined up 2 nd for qualifying. We ran almost identical laps of 12.807 and 12.808, which held the pole until the #2 car ran a 12.794 on the second lap. The #19 entry had two good laps, best of which was 12.720, and local favorite #47 Joosten followed with two smoking hot laps the best of which was 12.645, which blew away the field. We would have fourth fast time and start third in the feature race. More work was performed on the car, and I went to get some autographs.

Our feature race was certainly not memorable. We watched for the first six laps as the #2 and #3 entries battling, with the 97 sitting in 4 th position. Kenny J. and his silver and maroon entry came forward and by lap 6 he moved in behind us in 5 th . Lap 10 had the #19 showing it’s muscle and found the 5 th place. We held in the 4 th position and watched the faster cars easily dispatch the rest of the field. Lap 15, and the 47 showed all why he was the one to follow as he took the lead and never looked back. We would finish in the same position we started; third behind the #47 and #19. More head scratching and swearing, but this is the best that this track and car are going to give us until we find another set up. We move on to Kaukauna.

For those that have not heard, the last chance late model race was one that many will never forget. Mark and I were sitting on turn four as the #75 Winn entry and #27 Collin Bamke car locked together with the #27 entry ending first into the fence, and then coming to rest against the wall on the driver’s door. And then the worst thing that most drivers fear happened as the Bamke car burst into flames. Fred Winn was able to free himself and rolled down the track away from the burning cars. But what seemed like eternity and the #27 continued to burn with track workers attempting to get close to the car.

Finally the driver popped his head and then his shoulders out of the passenger side window. He was struggling to free himself. More panic, screaming and commotion, when out of nowhere a lady raced towards the fence, grabbed the driver from the burning vehicle and literally pulled him by his shoulders over the fence to safety in the pits. We learned later that this was Collin’s mother who gained super human strength this day to save her son. This was one hot night in Slinger.

You can read more how Matt Kenseth raced to lead and win the 200 lap feature race, which many of us enjoyed; but the two real heroes of this night were Fred Winn, who saved himself and came back to race competively with a semi-melted race car, and Colin’s Mom who with no regard for her own safety, raced to a burning car to save the life of her son. This racing stuff is great!!

Please join us for a great time on July 26 at Dells Raceway Park. No car fires, just great racing.

Racing to the Checkers,
Jim