Practice revved up at noon on Thursday in the hills of WGI. The REDCOM, Battery Tender, Hillside Children’s Center GTO-R was ready to go but new driver John Weisberg was starting off slow on a steep learning curve. Steady progress was being made but time was cut short due to yellow flags on coarse. Co driver Deago Alessie got in the car next and using his experience with the car, set the pace and showed the potential of the car, running in the top five in class. John's turn in the car again and with only a lap or two a tire blow out sent him into a 100mph spin ending with the car safe but a very close call. Damage repairs ate away at valuable track time and qualifying was looming. In a decision to get some more seat time, Weisberg got in the car and as time clicked away. The MCM crew thrashed on the car but John was only able to get one lap in qualifying on cold tires. Needless to say the car will be starting down in the field but hopes are high, and the potential is there.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to Watkins Glen International in 2009. The weekend action kicks off as the Daytona Prototypes and GT's of the Grand-Am Rolex Series make their second appearance at The Glen for the Crown Royal 200 on August 7.

Thanks to John Weisberg, of  Berg Racing, 20 children from Hillside Children’s Center will travel to Watkins Glen to see this race.  John , with support from REDCOM Laboratories Inc. and Battery Tender Inc. has been giving an opportunity to drive a Pontiac GTO-R in Friday’s race. The GTO has great following with fans worldwide and will take the fight to the Porsches and Mazdas of the Rolex GT field . And to top it off, the Hillside Logo will be placed on the car for all to see.  What an exciting opportunity for all involved!

This effort will provide a lasting experience for the kids who attend, tremendous exposure, as well as garner donations, to Hillside Children’s Center. Members of the community can support this endeavor by pledging a monetary amount for each lap (the race should be about 75 laps, so a pledge of $1 per lap would be a $75 donation to the children) or by making a one-time donation. Donations will directly benefit Hillside Children’s Center. Call (585) 256-7660 or click here to make a donation online.

Please support this effort in any way that you can. Every dollar counts and could ensure the future of a child in need.

Donations can also be made in support of the team through Paypal Use This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or mail to our shop

BERG Racing

799 Holt Rd,

Webster, NY 14580

MILLVILLE, N.J. June 13 – In one of the most exciting races of the year, championship
leader Matt Downs won his third IMSA Lites presented by Frisby Performance Tire race
at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J.
Downs ran a consistent race, never actually leading on track. At the end of the
day he was announced the winner after on-track race winner Kyle Marcelli was
penalized for blocking.
“I was quicker through the first part of the track. I just got killed coming onto the
straightaway every time,” Marcelli explained. “I saw him getting the run and I moved to
the middle of the track. He was right on the inside.”
In a race filled with cars going off track, Marcelli ran second to Lucas Downs for a
while before spinning, allowing Matt and brother Antonio to slip by him. For a few laps it
looked like it would be an all Downs podium, then Marcelli took advantage of small
mistakes to move back into second place. That is when Lucas, who led the first 25 laps,
went off track.
“I had an eventful race. I got run into before the green,” Lucas said. “I spun after
leading and just held on.”
The Lites Two class was just as exciting at the start with Eric Vassian and John
Weisberg swapping the lead. Weisberg managed to get past Vassian for good on lap three.

  “The L1 cars didn’t accelerate like we talked about in the driver’s meeting. They really bunched up
and we all kind of got into each other,” Weisberg said. “On the third lap I was able to draft by
Eric going into one and hold the lead.”

Tomorrow’sround six at New Jersey Motorsports Park will also be a 45-minute race. The green flag will
fall on round six at 12:05 p.m.

 

races in support of the American LeMans Series, but this weekend the racers will be on their own at
New Jersey Motorsports Park’s Formula X event.

Part of the appeal to racing in the series is being able to showcase driver talent in front of the
American LeMans Series crowd, but without the other series, IMSA Lites drivers will have more track
time on the 2.17-mile, 12-turn Thunderbolt course. Joel Feinberg, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., is one
driver looking forward to the extra track time.

“In the 30-minute races there isn’t enough time to make any mistakes. The 45-minute race will
definitely change the situation,” Feinberg said. “We usually have four Lites cars and the ALMS
Viper, so this weekend will be better. I usually do much better when I focus on one or the other. ”

Feinberg will need to focus if he’s going to make up ground on points leader Matt Downs,
Butterfield, Minn., and his brother Lucas, who is second in the point standings. Matt leads Lucas
by 10 points, with Joel another nine points behind.

In the Lites II class John  Weisberg of BERG Racing will be fighting hard to take over the points lead from Robby card and team mate Mike Hill.

Round five of the IMSA Lites presented by Frisby Performance Tire takes place Saturday, June 13 at
12:05 p.m. The green flag will fall again at 12:05 p.m. for Round six Sunday, June 14.
###

Well it's been a long time since the site was updated and I apologize for that but we've been busy racing! The 07 season ended with a very successful showing at the 13hrs of VIR where BERG entered 3 Miatas in the ITS class. Competition was fierce and they had us on speed but our Redcom Laboratories, Kumho tires Miatas were sipping the fuel and  the plan was to play tortis to their hare. The stratigy paid of and BERG cars were 1st and third on the podium. The win was enough to clinch the overall drivers championship for BERG drivers John Weisberg and Richard Picut.

Berg Racing finishes 1st and 3rd place in the 24 hours Longest Day at Nelson Ledges event!

Photos of the event are available here!

The Summit Point photos are up for those interested. 

 July 14-15 marked the 60th Watkins Glen SCCA National event. It was also the return of BERG Racing to national competition. Drivers John Weisberg and Richard Picut competed in the highly competitive Spec Miata class along with 23 other drivers. It had been 3 years since the team had competed nationally and with new Rebello motors installed just days before, hopes were high going in.

 The weekend started off well with both drivers posting low times in the first of two qualifying sessions, but hopes were dashed when the times were disallowed due to both cars being less the ten pounds under weight. The second qualifying session was a bit slower then the first but Picut and Weisberg posted times that put them in 8th (Weisberg) and 10th (Picut) for the race.

 In the race both drivers made it through a hectic start to finish the first lap in 7th for Weisberg and Picut dropping back to 13th. By lap three John had gotten to 6th and Richard had climbed back to 8th. The next lap saw Richard improve again to 7th and then John and Richard started working together to make up a 6 second gap to the 3rd,4th and 5th place cars. By lap 12 they had caught the pack and the retirement of the second place car promoted everyone up one place. Last lap "GAME ON"! Mark Ceffelo led the pack in second overall. Giving chase were Charlie Campbell, Mike "Meathead" Collins, Weisberg then Picut. It was side by side going into turn 8. Charlie went wide and Mike and John were able to slide by. Charlie stuck with it into turn nine and dove under John as Mike got out of shape. Through turn ten Mark led with Charlie and John in tow then Mike with Richard filling his mirrors. Across the line they finished in that order with a margin of victory of less then a second for 2nd -6th.

Overall a great return to National racing for BERG Racing. Next race will be the "50 YEARS at LIME ROCK PARK" July 27. Wish us luck and tune in shortly there after for a report.