McKee Bests Field for $40K to win Battle at Berlin 250

📸RJ Gill

Marne, MI - Wednesday night, 27 of the best and brightest Super Late Model drivers and teams from around the country descended upon Berlin Raceway, located just to the west of Grand Rapids, MI for the “Tekton 250”. Spire Motorsports development driver Tristan McKee sat atop of the speed charts, earning him the pole position with a fast lap of 16.205 around the famed 7/16-mile semi-banked Marne, MI oval. Among the hopefuls for the $40,000 top prize were local-boy-done-good NASCAR star Carson Hocevar and social media mega-star “Cleetus McFarland.”

At the green, local competitor Chris Shannon took the early lead. Shannon continued to lead the first 50 laps of the 250-lap affair. 2-Time Berlin Raceway champion Evan Shotko and young phenom Tyler Lupton gave chase running 2nd and 3rd respectively. Multi-time race winner Bubba Pollard settled into 4th. Hocevar, who started 14th, methodically picked his way thru the field. McKee, who recently celebrated his 16th birthday hung around the top-5 silently, keeping the leaders in sight.

Upon the restart of the second 50-lap segment, Boris Jurkovic, spun down the front stretch coming to the green as Ty Majeski tried to make a move to pass underneath him. Joe Doiron, Keith Herp and Cleetus McFarland also spun to avoid wrecking each other. All cars continued with no damage. The field reset, took the green and Shotko took the point. McKee made his charge to the front riding behind in 2nd. By the end of this 50-lap segment, Hocevar was in position to sniff the top-5 while finally passing Lupton for 6th. McKee passed Shotko for the lead just before the 100-lap mark. Everyone pitted for tires among other adjustments.

Restarting the next 50-lap segment, McKee, Shotko, Pollard, Hocevar and Shannon paced the top-5. McFarland was scored 21st. On lap 115, Shotko returned to the head of the field. Pollard maneuvered to 2nd, Dylan Stovall, Brian Campbell and Ty Majeski made top-10 appearances. As laps counted down, Shotko and Pollard made a sizeable breakaway from the rest of the field, seemingly in their own ZIP code. Hocevar settled into 3rd.

With about 80 to go, Joe Doiron, Michael Atwell and Hocevar battled for 3rd. Hocevar finally gave up the position to Doiron and fell back to 5th.with 75 laps to go.

The last 50-lap shootout was setting up. Shotko, Pollard, Doiron, Atwell, Hocevar, Stovall, Lupton, Majeski, McKee and Terry Senneker, Jr. rounded out the top-10. On lap 204, Brian Campbell backed into the turn 1 wall wrecking hard. Justin Thomas climbed over the right side and up over the roof of Scott Thomas and brought out the red flag. Campbell and Scott Thomas both sustained heavy damage. None of the cars involved in the wreckage returned to the race. When the race resumed, many of the competitors running in the top-10 were dicing for position. Majeski finally made his first appearance into the top-5 running 4th. McKee began his charge back to the front. Hocevar steady in 3rd while Shotko and Pollard broke away from the pack once again running 1st and 2nd. McKee and Hocevar battled for 3rd with 35 to go with Majeski on his tail. Hocevar fell to 5th with 30 to go while McKee and Majeski battled for 3rd. McFarland, well out of contention, got loose in turn 4 and collects Herp in the process, bringing out the caution with 20 to go. As the race resumed, Pollard grabs the lead. McKee and Majeski wage a torrid battle for 3rd. With 10 to go, Shotko starts to fall back… sparks flying from underneath the right side of the car. His right front tire is going down and unfortunately ends his night with 9 to go with a spin in turn 4. Pollard and McKee raced side by side on the restart for 3 laps until Pollard got a little tight going into turn 4. McKee takes advantage and passes for the lead with 5 to go and never looked back.

#5 Tristan McKee Finish 1 Start 1

#26 Bubba Pollard Finish 2 Start 2

#71 Carson Hocevar Finish 3 Start 14

#91 Ty Majeski Finish 4 Start 9

#53 Boris Jurkovic Finish 5 Start 3

#32 Chris Shannon Finish 6 Start 8

#24 Dylan Stovall Finish 7 Start 17

#22 Kyle Steckly Finish 8 Start 11

#20 Austin Hull Finish 9 Start 13

#7 Joey Doiron Finish 10 Start 15

#24 Terry Senneker Finish 11 Start 6

#76 Cole Raz Finish 12 Start 27

#33 Daniel Webster Finish 13 Start 10

#30 Treyton Lapcevich Finish 14 Start 19

#24 Chase Pinnsonneault Finish 15 Start 23

#22 Evan Shotko Finish 16 Start 5

#14 Michael Atwell Finish 17 Start 4

#18 Keith Herp Finish 18 Start 16

#33 Cleetus McFarland Finish 19 Start 22

#4 Tyler Lupton Finish 20 Start 7

#47 Brian Campbell Finish 21 Start 12

#28 Scott Thomas Finish 22 Start 18

#57 Justin Thomas Finish 23 Start 26

#48 Seth Moody Finish 24 Start 21

#46 Buddy Head Finish 25 Start 24

#6 Chet Monaweck Finish 26 Start 25

#88 Andrew Scheid Finish 27 Start 20