Popular 4-Cylinder division debuts Saturday
(aka "How to build an affordable race car")

May 7, 2008

MARNE, MI -- The 2008 Berlin Raceway season presented by Comerica Bank welcomes its newest points division this Saturday, May 10,with the debut of the Burnips Equipment 4-Cylinder division. This low-budget division allows race fans to become racers without breaking the bank and has proven to be an exciting series, both for racers and fans in the stands.

The 4-Cylinder division will qualify, compete in heat races and duke it out in a 15-lap feature race on Saturday. It is the first of 12 points races for the entry-level series, which will crown a champion on Championship Night (Sept. 20) and receive points fund bonuses for its top 12 drivers at the annual Berlin Raceway Drivers Banquet on Nov. 7.

The 4-Cylinders raced several times last season on an exhibition basis and the popularity of the division, both from the fans and from the drivers (proven by ever-increasing car counts), convinced Berlin Raceway management to promote the series to full-time points status beginning this season. A 4-Cylinder race car can be purchased and modified for racing for around $1200 to $1500, much less than the other four racing divisions, which range in price tags from $6,000 for the most basic Sportsman car to more than $75,000 for the top-end Late Model machine. The lightweight cars can reach speeds of 75 mph on Berlin's .438-mile semi-banked oval track.

Berlin Raceway lists 49 4-Cylinder cars registered for the 2008 season, and car counts are expected to grow even more as the season progresses. It will be Berlin's largest division, with twice as many cars as any other division. Pre-season favorites for the division are Jason DeVos of Allendale (nephew of Late Model past champion Tim DeVos), Hudsonville's Chad Wittingen (crew member for reigning Pro Stock champion Brian Tillema), Grand Rapids' Robin Maley (part-time Berlin safety crew member and Walker policeman), Ryan Hamm of Norton Shores (former Sportsman division competitor) and Sparta's Chris McKinley (crew member for Pro Stock driver Scott Root).

4-Cylinder cars must be front-wheel drive cars that fire on, as the name suggests, four cylinders. They race on a stock street tire. Some of the makes and models of 4-Cylinders that are registered to race this season are Chevy Cavalier, Ford Escort, Geo Prism and Metro, Honda Civic and CRX, Dodge Neon and Daytona, Hyundai Tiburon, Pontiac Sunfire, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Kia Sephia, Toyota Tercel and Pontiac Grand Am.

Berlin Raceway Director of Race Operations Mike Strevel said he's excited to see the 4-cylinders take the track for their debut.

"After our experience last year with creating the division and watching it grow from 13 or so cars in the first exhibition race to more than 30 by the last exhibition race in 2007, I'm really looking forward to seeing the 4-Cylinder division prosper as a full-fledged points series," Strevel said. "They've been a very popular division to watch, also - we had a lot of positive feedback from the fans last year. I can't wait to see the first 4-Cylinder race fire off the starting grid this Saturday!"

Safety is the main concern in preparing a 4-cylinder for racing. In order to prepare a car to be race legal, one must pull the interior liners, door panels, dash panel, trunk liner, all carpeting and any other flammable interior part. Installing a racing seat (approx. $160) is recommended with the required 5-point harness seat belt. The side and back windows must be removed; a window net must be added on the drivers door. Roll bars made of 1 1/2-inch tubing must be added to reinforce the drivers cockpit along the roof, rocker panels, doors and floor; a steel plate must be added over the driver door. Wheels must be 14" to 15" rims and 70-series or larger tires with improved 1" wheel studs. Cars race on standard unleaded fuel. Complete rules can be found at www.berlinraceway.com.

Tickets for Saturday night are $13 for adults, half price for kids 6 to 12 and free for kids 5 and under. A special Ladies Night promotion offers $5 tickets for all ladies, plus half off drinks for ladies. Tickets for any 2008 Berlin Raceway event may be purchased in advance online at www.berlinraceway.com or by phone to Berlin Raceway at (616) 677-5000. Tickets are also available in person at the Fifth Third Ballpark box office (4500 West River Drive, Comstock Park) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, or at the Berlin Raceway administrative office Monday through Friday. On racedays, tickets are available at the Berlin Raceway box office beginning at 11:15.