Archive for category: Austin Berry

To get everyone primed for the upcoming racing season, Austin Berry Racing will hold its 2024 Season Kickoff Party on January 27th at the Port Royal Speedway commercial building.

It will be the second consecutive year for the event.  The 2023 edition was a win-win for everyone.  The event was very popular with fans and successful for the race team as well.

“It’s always cool to take advantage of chances to meet fans and supporters!  It’s always a really good time and it gives fans a chance to talk to the race team and myself out of race mode.”, Berry said.  “Fans get to see the personalities that all the guys have and we get to know them.  We enjoy connecting with fans so they can stop by and say hi anytime during the season and they are a familiar face to us.“

The evening begins at 5pm with a dinner of BBQ chicken, seasoned potatoes, and Texas beans.

At 7pm Chris Woodward and Shindiggin’ will take the stage to deliver live music.  The band promises it’s “always a rockin’ country party” when they show up!

Throughout the evening there will be cash giveaway drawings, 50/50 drawings, raffle baskets, and other games.  There will be something for everyone.

Just 300 tickets will be sold for the dinner and music evening, with prices discounted to $25/person until December 31st, 2023.  During January, prices will increase to $30/person.  If availability remains, tickets will be $35 at the door.

Earlier in the day from 11am-3pm, ABR will host their 2nd Annual Cornhole Tournament in the same facility at Port Royal Speedway.  The tournament is limited to 40 teams, with preregistration required.  Registration is $40/team and payouts to the top four teams are guaranteed.  The winning team will take home $300, with 2nd through 4th receiving $160, $80, and $40 respectively.  Concessions will be available during the tournament.

To obtain tickets for the evening event or to preregister for the cornhole tournament, fans can call 717-994-8451 or message the team via Facebook.

Tickets for the evening dinner and music event are also available at AustinBerryRacing.com in the merchandise store.  Tickets purchased via the website will be held at will-call to be picked up the day of the event.

Anyone who is interested in donating a basket for the raffle can contact the team via any of the same methods listed for tickets and registration.  The team will promote your business or cause on social media in exchange for the donation.

Berry’s blown engine during the Lucas Oil Late Model event weekend at Port Royal had cost him the chance to race the finale, and along with that he didn’t earn any show up points.  That was enough to drop Berry from 8th to 11th in the track’s season championship standings.

That might not seem important, but the top ten in points at the end of the season receive a complimentary season pit pass from the speedway for the following season.  It’s a gesture made by the track to show appreciation for the team’s season-long support and also an enticement for them to return the following season.

Berry’s decision came so late that the team missed the combined hot lap/group time trial session.  As a result, he would line up last (18th) for the 25-lap main event in The Tire Mart Tire Pros of Harrisburg, Juniata Veterinary Clinic, Berry’s Siding & Seamless Gutter, SRI Performance / Stock Car Steel & Aluminum, VP Racing Fuels, JDS Racing, Locust Hill Custom Butcher Shop, Nathan Berry Beef Farm, Addicted2DirtPR.com, GO Lithium, Valvoline Pro-V Racing, Super Clean, Rocket Chassis, Austin Berry Racing No.86.

The entire Austin Berry Racing team hoped that just showing up would be sufficient to move them into the top ten in points since they were underpowered racing the limited motor against the super late models.

Surprisingly, Berry was able to make the most of the power he had on the slick racing surface, which acted as a bit of an equalizer.  He methodically chipped away, moving up to 15th by lap four.  He reached 11th with ten laps remaining and broke into the top ten on lap twenty one.  He held on to that spot to log a 10th place finish he wasn’t sure was possible.

“We had no expectations for tonight.  It was such a spur of the moment decision solely aimed at earning enough points to put us back in the top ten, which we accomplished.  That gets us one season pit pass for 2024.  That may not seem like much, but for a team like ours that races on a tight budget…and given we have two motors to repair…every dollar counts.  We spent very little to race tonight and came out on the positive end of our decision.”, Berry said.

A large, quality field of 52 super late model teams signed in to compete on the preliminary night of the two day Rumble by the River Lucas Oil Late Model event at Port Royal Speedway on Friday, August 25th.

Berry’s night started off with a good pill draw which put him 3rd in the qualifying order.  Traditionally an early qualifying opportunity provides the best track conditions.  Unfortunately, the combination of a horsepower shortage and a missed setup landed Berry 22nd of the 26 cars in his group.

The Tire Mart Tire Pros of Harrisburg, Juniata Veterinary Clinic, Berry’s Siding & Seamless Gutter, SRI Performance / Stock Car Steel & Aluminum, VP Racing Fuels, JDS Racing, Locust Hill Custom Butcher Shop, Nathan Berry Beef Farm, Addicted2DirtPR.com, GO Lithium, Valvoline Pro-V Racing, Super Clean, Rocket Chassis, Austin Berry Racing No.86 lined up 8th for the heat race but couldn’t gain any track position and finished in the same spot.

Berry and the team continued to adjust and try to get better for the 25-lap main event.  Every position gained would improve their position for Saturday’s heat races and give them a shot at racing their way into the $50,000 to win finale.

Berry started 22nd in the A-main.  From the drop of the green he went right to work chipping his way forward and by lap seventeen he had moved into 14th.  The progress stalled there but it was a solid effort to recover from a poor qualifying run.

The sense of at least some relief was short-lived.  As Berry flashed under the checkered flag, his engine expired with a show of flames.

Instead of starting 5th in his heat race Saturday night, Berry was greeting fans and selling merchandise while his wounded race car sat 10 minutes away in his team’s race shop.