Long time friends go racing for charity; Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation to partner with new team

Marne, MI – Two very familiar voices of Berlin Raceway and one very familiar car builder made a huge announcement today.  Norm Jelsma and Jeff Striegle, who shared announcing duties at Berlin last season, revealed a brand new venture in the sport that they have been immersed in for over 30 years in a variety of capacities; the pair will now become race team owners joining forces with Mike Bursley, owner of Perfect Circle Race Cars.

The team, which is owned equally between Jelsma, Striegle and Bursley, will be racing their brand new Perfect Circle Race Cars Modified for more than just checkered flags. The newly formed RacingAwareness.com team will help raise awareness and money for their charitable organization of choice, the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation of West Michigan (HDCHF). Racingawareness.com is a non-profit charitable foundation formed by the three owners and managed by Korte Consulting of Grand Rapids.

The #97 Modified, powered by a Baker Engineering power plant, will compete on a regular basis at Berlin Raceway, situated just 10 minutes northeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The track will celebrate its 60th year of operation this summer, with the addition of the new Model Coverall Modified division.

Norm Jelsma has worked at Berlin Raceway as the public address announcer since 1996.  Jelsma’s first job at the track was when he started the raceway safety team before becoming the tracks announcer. He has also served as a Sales Account Manager with White Cap Racing Development. Norm will continue to serve as the voice of Berlin Raceway this summer. Jelsma works as a sales representative for Magnum Coffee when not at the track.

Gordon Food Service employee, Jeff Striegle, came up with the vision to raise funds for the hospital while working with HDCH kids at the Michigan International Speedway last summer.  Striegle plans to return to the driver’s seat of the new car on a limited basis, when not traveling with MRN Radio during NASCAR race weekends where he has worked as a broadcaster since 1998.

The final piece of the puzzle is Mike Bursley, owner, car builder and race car driver. Perfect Circle Race Cars will build and maintain the modified and Mike, a 17 time feature winner at Berlin in multiple divisions,  will act as the primary driver in 2010. The RacingAwareness.com team hopes to lead the way with a brand new chassis in 2010.  Perfect Circle Race Cars has been hard at work developing a new chassis design for the new Berlin division.

The team also announced they are working on a line up of special guest drivers including familiar names from NASCAR. While the complete list of drivers was not released the team did say that NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver AJ Allmendinger will be behind the wheel of the car in June. AJ currently drives for the King, Richard Petty in the famed number 43 Best Buy Ford. The California native who led 11 laps in this year’s Daytona 500, finished 6th at Atlanta the last time the Sprint Cup Series was in action.

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital was created in 1993 to fill a critical gap in West Michigan health care—the need for a hospital devoted to infants, children and adolescents. More than 15 years later, it has become a referral center and established leader dedicated to improving the health and lives of children and families. Their clinical teams of respected physicians, specially trained nurses and caring support staff also include the pediatricians of tomorrow—medical students and residents in physician training programs. To the communities and the region, they are a vital resource, providing exceptional care to every child who comes to them, regardless of ability to pay.

With more than 7,600 in-patient admissions annually of children of every age, from newborn through teen, in every size, shape and race, all have one common need and that is for the best care available.  Many of these children will be treated to an experience of a lifetime with involvement of the RacingAwareness.com team, providing a much needed diversion to the challenges they face.

Many prominent companies have already partnered with Jelsma, Striegle and Bursley. Holland based Request Foods, GFS Marketplace, Festida Foods, Boyne Machine and Baker Engineering were quick to be the first to sign onboard. The Screen Print Department and GVL Party Store have also joined the program.

A new division, a new team, with an exciting list of drivers will help make the 60th year of action one to remember.  Berlin Raceway has joined in on the efforts with the HDCHF, so look for a big announcement in the days to come.

The team’s Web site, www.racingawareness.com, is the home for the latest happenings both on the track and off. If you would like to make a donation to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation, simply visit their Website today.

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Lisa Walker
Berlin Raceway
616-662-2051