Storylines: Berlin 40 Set for June 10th Date

Can anyone stop Tyler Roahrig at Berlin?

Tyler Roahrig had a year unlike any other in 2022. Winning his second consecutive Little 500, setting the Anderson Speedway track record, and winning four additional Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Part Stores 500 Sprint Car Tour events, Roahrig proved to be one of the fastest drivers in all of pavement sprint car racing. Two of his four points earning victories in 2022 came in dominating fashion at Berlin Raceway. Having had experience at the track in other disciplines, Roahrig went into each race with a level of experience unparalleled by his competitors. Heading into the first of two events at Berlin Raceway for the 500 Sprint Car Tour in 2023, Roahrig continues to be a proverbial favorite. Can someone put an end to Roahrig’s reign over Berlin Raceway, or will he continue to dominate at a track that has shown favor over him?

Can Drivers Shake off Little 500 Misfortune?

With only two weeks to prepare after the conclusion of the Little 500, traditional front runners for the Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Part Stores 500 Sprint Car Tour will have their work cut out for them going into Berlin. Kyle O’Gara and Bobby Santos III both exited the Little 500 after getting caught up in accidents. Dakoda Armstrong and Billy Wease also had a rough go during the 500 lap race being taken out of the event with overheating issues and a broken rocker arm respectively. Although three-time Little 500 champion Kody Swanson finished on the podium, he was without power steering for the majority of the event. The team will look to remedy this issue for the reigning series champion and return him to championship form. The heavy favorite heading into Berlin, Tyler Roahrig, was not without issues during his Little 500 campaign. Having had issues with a right front lug nut, the team will look for a flawless effort in Berlin to maintain his dominance over the race track.

Rookie Alert!

The rookie of the year competition is starting to heat up as the 500 Sprint Car Tour heads into its second points earning event of the 2023 season. Jackson Macenko and Nick Marcott will continue their battle to see who will be top rookie by the end of the summer. With Macenko starting the year off with a strong finish at Anderson Speedway, he will look to maintain his points lead over Marcott. Meanwhile, Marcott heads into Berlin with a sense of comfort as it is his home track. Having raced at Berlin numerous times as a Michigan native, he surely has the edge over Macenko in terms of experience as this will be Macenko’s first trip to Berlin Raceway.

Little Brother follows Sprint Cars to Berlin

For the first time in its history, the USSA Kenyon Midget Series will run at Berlin Raceway. The series has become a feeding system to non wing pavement sprint car racing and the 500 Sprint Car Tour over the past year. In 2023, the two series will travel to multiple events together as companion series’ to continue the growth of both non wing pavement sprint car racing and the growth of multi discipline midget racing. Competing on both dirt and pavement surfaces, the Kenyon Midget Series offers drivers the opportunity to gain experience in multiple disciplines of racing.

South African Moves Stateside

South African native, Quintin Saayman, has made the permanent move to Michigan to further his racing career. Coming to the states in the summer of 2022 to attempt to qualify for the Little 500, Saayman stayed until early August and competed in a number of 500 Sprint Car Tour events. Finishing outside the top-15 only once, Saayman showed great consistency and gained more pace each time his non wing pavement sprint car hit the track. In 2023, Saayman will continue to run a number of 500 Sprint Car Tour events including the first event at his new home track on June 10th. He will also be competing in a winged sprint car on several occasions over the course of this racing season.

Race Details

The 500 Sprint Car Tour will be joined at Berlin Raceway by the USSA Kenyon Midget Series, the Auto Value 4 Cylinders, the Model Coveralls Limited Late Models, and Scrappers. General Admission gates open at 4:00pm and rotating practice subsequently begins at 4:00pm. Qualifying for the 500 Sprint Car Tour is set to begin at 6:00pm with racing beginning at 6:30pm. The 500 Sprint Car Tour feature is the final feature of the night and will be featured on FloRacing. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased here for a special price.