By Kari Shear-Carlson
May 30, 2012 – While it is the first time the American Speed Association® Midwest Tour presented by SCAG Power Equipment and Lester Buildings is headed to Berlin Raceway, Jacob Goede is not new to the Marne, MI track. In fact, he recorded fast time at Berlin Raceway while racing there in an event in 2008.
That is a good thing because ECHO and ECHO Bear Cat Touring Star, Jacob Goede and the rest of the ASA Midwest Tour will be racing there on Saturday, June 2nd for the first time in the series’ history.
There is no denying that Berlin Raceway has a reputation of being a challenging race track to say the least. Even Goede was not quite sure what to expect the first time he visited the place. “I had heard horror stories about the track. It is definitely weird, but it was not as bad as I had been told,” said Goede.
Berlin Raceway has been described as having no straightaways, no wall on the backstretch and a track in which the drivers never stop turning. As Goede and his team started getting things ready for the upcoming event, they were talking about Goede’s experience there in 2008. “I remember the place. I remember turning a lot and always being in a circle but I’m just going to have to get back out there,” he said.
Things will be a little different for Goede when he returns on June 2nd. The ASA Midwest Tour cars are quite a bit different than the car he ran there in 2008. The ASAMT cars are going to have more power and the series is on a brand new tire. Goede is optimistic about the tires.
“I know the first time we were there we were scratching our heads a little bit because the place was pretty hard on tires. But I think this will be a really good test for our new tires,” added Goede.
Goede and the ASA Midwest Tour will be up against a tough group of local competitors. In fact, Jacob remembers the level of competition he was up against the first time and he knows that they are not going to make it easy on the Tour drivers.
“[local hotshoe] Brian Campbell and the other locals are going to make it a real challenge along with the entire group of ASA Midwest Tour guys. I remember the racing being really fun there with two-groove racing. In fact it is kind of like State Park Speedway, but blown up,” joked Goede.
If the race is anything like the one recently at State Park Speedway fans are going to be in for the night of their lives.
On Saturday, June 2nd, qualifying starts at 4:00PM followed by an autograph session at 6:00PM and racing at 7:00PM. More details will be available at asamidwesttour.com.
Be sure to follow the ASA Midwest Tour on Facebook (asamidwesttour) and Twitter (@asamidwesttour).
To learn more about the American Speed Association® Midwest Tour presented by SCAG Power Equipment and Lester Buildings, log on to asamidwesttour.com. For questions call the ASA Midwest Tour office at (630) 212-6022 or Tim Olson at (612) 327-5831 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.
To learn more about the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association® Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association®, visit www.asaracing.com.
