Toledo Speedway

Trevor Berry didn’t even know he’d be in the 2022 version of the Glass City, getting the call to drive Bobby Blount’s second entry into the annual race at Toledo Speedway. It’s been said that you’re always supposed to be exactly where you are, and for Trevor that rings true as he was victorious in this year’s event. And what a race to win your first Outlaw Super Late Model race, but the Big One for the Late Models in the area. “I don't know how I ended up in the two-time defending winning car, and we struggled most of the day. I honestly thought we had a fifth-place car and Troy and Bob, and my dad never quit working … Chad Finley helped us over the phone too. We just kept working and working and working and got better qualifying. I knew if I get clean air might be pretty good, but I was just too tight behind people, and we got to clean air there. When we did … we won the Glass City, it’s crazy. On the last restart … yeah, I feel bad. I mean, I know he (Conner Zbozien) was trying. Every time I picked up the gas and just stumbled real hard. And you know, he was trying to wait for me, and I was wide open. I just couldn't go. Thankfully they didn't move me back or something and they just let it go green because I knew I could drive into one and they had a lot of grip. So, it worked out … lucky … I mean, it's crazy. I watched my dad from those grandstands, my whole childhood and wanted to stand here. I didn't get it done earlier in the year in the modified and got it done today. Won a race my dad never had a chance to win, so his name deserved to be on that trophy, and it's pretty cool in mine is. I also want to thank Larry Zent for his help, almost forgot him.” NOTE: In case you wonder, Dad Dennis got second in 2001.

JR Roahrig, finished second in the Roahrig Motorsports #25. “Well, when I backed out (of it), my earphones came unplugged and I'm trying to drive one handed and flip and plug them in and that is not easy around this high-speed track. So, I finally got them plugged back in and then we kind of caught back up. I don't know, with the sun out, the outside group was it was okay on a restart, where your tires could cool down, but it was really non-existent on any car that was fast. So, I don't know, I mean, they do drove a good race and had a better car at the end of the race. We kept thinking that, you know, eventually it (Trevor) would slow down and come back to us, but he had never did. If anything, he pulled away from us so we just battling for second.”

Steve Needles finished third in the Direct Detail/Needles Speed Solutions/Quickcar/All Star Performance/Hutter Engines/Bicknell Racing Products/Barnes Performance #14. “I don't think we rode around too long. Well, I guess it's a Catch 22 You know, if we got to get out and had clean air out front, it might have been a different race for us. So, from that aspect maybe we should’ve pushed a little harder, a little earlier when the tires were fresh and got out front in the (clean) air. But you know we had tire left at the end, it’s just car freed up a little too much, and these cars punch such a big hole in the air that when you tuck up behind somebody, the cars are gonna get wishy washy. The outside groove was really slick, you know, sometimes you can sail it off in there on the outside it’ll hold there. Yeah, but there just wasn't any grip up there tonight. So outside groove wasn’t much of an option. So, we just did what we could, you know, we picked off what we could, and we’ll load it in the trailer one piece. So, I want to thank all your fans for coming out and supporting us. We really appreciate it. I know it's tough sometimes to get out here. It costs a lot of money to come to these things. But without you guys, we can't do it. So, thank you all for coming out.”

Defending race champion, Cayden Lapcevich, finished fourth place in the GT Products #16. “We just we had a pretty good handling car there after we pitted, it just, you know, couldn’t really do anything on the top, and as soon as I would get within a car length of anybody in front of me, just took the air off the car and it was super loose. We're just pushing on the deck and the decking is about ready to fall out of the car, so I might have been part of a problem. Motor wasn't 100% But you know Dennis still builds the best motor, Jr Hanley builds a really great race car and Bobby (Blount) brings the best equipment so really happy for them. I knew I should have picked that car when we tested here last Sunday, and I'm gonna regret that for a while, but hats off to Trevor. Thank you to all fans for coming out. Wish we could’ve given you a better car count. I hope we gave you a pretty good show.”

Mike Mazzagatti, fifth place finisher in the City Scrap & Salvage/Holub Recycling/Needles Speed Solutions #87. “Yeah, the track was kind of slick. It was great racing, and it was great bunch of cars. I want to thank Short family, Needles family, and my wife and kids for letting me come. And thank you guys for having this race. It was a great time.”

Second through fourth represented five win in the Glass City 200. JR Roahrig won in 2014 and 2017; Cayden Lapcevich, 2019 and 2021 and Steve Needles 2020. Although it was the smallest field in the modern era (since 1999), besides these drivers past winners Harold Fair Jr (2008, 2010) and Dennis Strickland (2013) were also in the field.

Prior to the race Dennis Strickland, the driver with the most starts in the Glass City with announced it was his last race. Although the Bailey Racing team tried to keep his car running, but after multiple pit stops, the car was finally parked, with a 10th place finish. Dennis started racing in 1984 (and old time fans might remember the bumper sticker on his street stock “When I grow up I want to be a Late Model”. The Street Stock grew up and became a Late Model. He ends with four championships at Toledo (1999, 2001, 2005-a tie with Greg Studt, and 2011), two at Flat Rock (2007 and 2013) and also Gold Cup championship and won the Glass City in 2013. I and all your fans will miss you next season and wish you a happy retirement!

Glass City Statistics

Trevor Berry is the 25th different winner of the Glass City since it’s inception in 1968.  Trevor Berry is one of only four drivers to win the Glass City in their first try since 1999: Tim Felver, 1999, Brian Campbell, 2007; Augie Grill, 2011. It’s been 11 years since it happened with Berry, 2022.

• Winners of the race (since 1968): 1-Bob Senneker, Steve Sauve, 3; 3-Cayden Lapcevich, Harold Fair Jr, Joe Ruttman, J.R. Roahrig, Tyler Roahrig, 2; 8-Dave Kuhlman, Dennis Strickland, Ed Cooper, Harold Fair, Jr., JR Roahrig, Jack Landis, Jim Bickerstaff, Joe Ruttman, John Anderson, John Doering, Jr., Joy Fair, Junior Hanley, Steve Needles, Terry Senneker, Jr., Tim Felver, Tim Ice, Trevor Berry, Tyler Roahrig, 1
• 80 drivers since 1968 has had a Top 5 finish
• Top 10 drivers by Top 5 finishes (since 1968): 1-Scott Hantz, Steve Sauve, 7; 3-Dennis Strickland, Harold Fair Jr, JR Roahrig, 6; 6-Cayden Lapcevich, John Doering Jr, 5; 8-Bob Senneker, Dakota Carlson, Dave Kuhlman, Joe Ruttman, Johnny Belott III, Joy Fair, Mike Root, 4
• Top 10 drivers by Top 10 finishes: 1-Dennis Strickland, 12; 2-Scott Hantz, 11; 3-Harold Fair Jr; Steve Sauve, 10; 5-Brent Jack; Johnny Belott; JR Roahrig, Nick Bailey, 7; 10-Dave Kuhlman; Ron Allen, 6
• Top 10 drivers by starts (from 1999): 1-Dennis Strickland, 24; 2-Harold Fair Jr, 21; 3-Ron Allen, Scott Hantz, 16; 5-Brent Jack, Johnny Belott, 15; 7-Joe Hawes, Steve Sauve, 14; 9-Paul Pelletier, 13; 10-Chris Benson, Dave Kuhlman, Jack Varney Jr, 12
  • Note, Dennis Strickland is the only driver who has competed in every race since 1999

Data from 1968-1977 from TheThirdTurn website: thethirdturn.com/wiki/Glass_City_200

And one last odd stat. Both the Outlaw Super Late Models and ARCA/CRA Super Series both had 14 cars in the pits. The Outlaws started all 14, the CRA’s had one car that didn’t start (TJ Duke). Both divisions had eight cars finish their individual 100 lap feature. Both eighth place finishers, Joe Hawes (OSLMs) and Eddie VanMeter (CRA) both were five laps down at the end.

 I lied, one more stat. There were six teams with two cars each between the two divisions: Steve Needles and Mike Mazzagatti; Trevor Berry and Cayden Lapcevich; Conner Zbozien and Scott Hantz and Joe and Steve Hawes in the Outlaws Eddie and Billy VanMeter and William Sawalich and Jesse Love in the CRAs.