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01/25/2011 |
BERKLEY AUTO
RACING AND BERNDT RACING JOIN FORCES
FOR 2011 NASCAR WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR SCHEDULE |
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Car
Owner Bob Katon Jr. is pleased to announce that Eric
Berndt will pilot the teams #46 Chevrolets for the
2011 racing season. After having run a limited
schedule since 2004, this will be the 31 year old
Berndt’s first full year on the tour. In 40 career
NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour starts, he has 1 Coors
Light Pole Award (Stafford Aug. 2009), 1 Top-5, and
5 Top-10 finishes. In 2010, he ran 8 races scoring a
career best 4th place finish at the Monadnock
Speedway. Eric was the 2003 Thompson Speedway Sunoco
Modified Track Champion and has won over 30 career
Modified features combined at the Stafford,
Thompson, and Waterford Speedways.
“My guys and I are excited about the opportunity
that Bob has presented to us to run the entire tour
schedule and race at some tracks that we have never
been to. We can’t wait for the season to begin at
Thompson,” stated Berndt. In addition to the tour
schedule Eric plans on running the full Stafford
Motor Speedway SK Modified division schedule in the
familiar family owned # 54.
Katon, who is entering his 8th season as a car owner
on the tour, offered “after talking and meeting with
Eric, I knew that this would be a great opportunity
for everyone involved. My guys have been busy
preparing the cars during the off-season and are
looking forward to working with Eric and his guys.
The tentative plans call for Eric to be in our car
for 10 races and the remaining 6 races in a car
prepared at the Berndt Racing shop.”
For this joint effort, Berndt Racing’s Ricky Rotondo
and Berkley Auto Racing’s Don Adams will be working
closely as Crew Chief and Car Chief. Both teams will
utilize Troyer Chassis’ with Jim Mikkel’s
Performance Technology supplying the power for
Katon’s cars’ and Bob Bruneau Engine Research
supplying the power for Berndt’s. Support for the
2011 season will come from longtime corporate
partners Cape Cod Aggregates Corp., North End Auto
Parts, Inc., J & R Pre-Cast, and Viveiros Insurance.
Along with additional support from New England
Racing Fuels supplying Sunoco Race Fuel, Pro Systems
Brakes, Pro Shocks, the Joie of Seating, Dur-A-Flex
Race Car Bodies, and Ayers Racing Images.
Eric and his wife Lianna reside in Cromwell, CT with
their children Brooke and Parker. He is employed at
the family business North End Auto Parts, Inc. in
Meriden, CT. The 2011 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
season begins the weekend of April 9 and 10 at the
Thompson Speedway with the “Icebreaker 150”. |
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Source: Jim Lumi /
Berkley Auto Racing
Posted: January
25, 2011 |
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