CRA: Berlin: Race summary 2005-06-18

Eddie Van Meter Out of Gas and Fred Campbell Wins the Holland Motor Homes Renegade 125

Marne, MI (June 18, 2005) - Eddie Van Meter led 87 laps of the Holland Motor Homes Renegade 125 CRA Super Series event at Berlin Raceway Saturday night, but ran out of gas during a yellow flag with 14 laps to go putting Fred Campbell in the lead, a lead Campbell did not give up. Campbell started fifth in the car normally driven by CRA Super Series veteran Bull Baker, and hung around the Top 5 all evening, before mounting a charge late in the race to get into second and put himself in position to get the win.

"It's great to get this win, but it was Eddie Van Meter's misfortune that gave it to us," remarked Campbell. "I never knew he was that good of a racer, I don't know if we could have beat him on the track. I want to thank Bull Baker for giving me this great opportunity."

"I know Fred wins a lot so that is why I put him in my car, I feel bad for Van Meter and those guys, but it was going to be a race there at the end, Fred saved his tires and was ready to make a run at him," stated a jubilant Bull Baker, car owner for the Campbell piloted machine.

Van Meter has finished second twice this season, and had the car to beat all evening long, moving from his eighth starting position to take over first from pole sitter Scott Hantz on lap 24. In leading 84 laps of the event, Van Meter picked up the RaceTrailerSales.com Halfway Leader Award, and the Finishline Fabricating Lap Leader Award for leading the most laps. Van Meter finished thirteenth on the lead lap.

"We just miscalculated how much gas we would need to finish," stated a dejected Van Meter after the race. "We did not top off the tank before the race because we thought we had enough, but we were wrong."

Finishline Fabricating/Cometic Gasket Rookie Candidate Jason Setser set fast time in Bicycle Clay Poker Chips / Menards qualifying, drew a four for the invert to start fourth, and ran strong all day and was running third when a flat tire during a yellow flag on lap 45 put him to the tail. He then worked his way back to finish second by only .405 of a second, making many bold moves on his way through the field including passing Scott Hantz and Jeff Lane on the inside while they were racing side by side on the front stretch, that move earned Setser the Sweet Manufacturing Sweet move of the race. Setser was also the Cometic Gasket Rookie of the race award winner.

Ross Meeuwsen finished third after starting twelfth to earn a Hoosier Tire Performance Award, Kenny Tweedy finished tenth after starting twenty first to also earn a Hoosier Tire Performance Award, the ISKY Racing Cams/Lane Automotive Hard Charger Award and the Racing Electronics Most Improved Award. Scott Hantz started on the pole, and led the first part of the race eventually giving up the lead to Van Meter, before finishing fourth. Hantz and Van Meter are now tied for the CRA Super Series Drivers Points lead after seven series point's events. Jack Landis had another strong outing finishing fifth battling Hantz for the fourth position over the last part of the event.

Chris Gabehart moved from eleventh to finish sixth, Andy Ponstein finished seventh after making several pit stops to fix the handling on his car. Eddie Hoffman started fourteenth and finished eighth keeping TK Racing in the Owner's Points lead. Rookie Tommy St. John moved up 7 positions to finish ninth. Jeff Lane continued to find the hard luck that has followed him all year, starting seventeenth and moving up to fourth when contact with a car being lapped cut his tire on the 111th lap, which caused him to spin. Lane finished twelfth on the night.

ARCA Re/Max Series driver Ken Weaver was the Howe Performance Award winner by gaining 10 positions in Saturday's event. Weaver used Saturday's race to get some experience on the tricky Berlin Raceway oval before the July ARCA RE/Max Series event there. Tim Baker, Crew Chief for Campbell, earned the Marvel Mystery Oil Mechanic Of The Race Award.

The next CRA Super Series Presented By Spray Power event will be the 4th Annual Elmer Musgrave Memorial 100 Presented By Texas Corral this Saturday, June 25th at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, IN. More information is available at www.craracing.net.

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