August 24, 2013 – By Jacob Seelman for Speed 77 Radio and RaceChaser Online – Marne, MI – JoJo Helberg has to be wondering what might have been, following a stinging end to his 2013 season Saturday night at Berlin Raceway.
Helberg, who was looking to repeat as champion of the Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series (MSRXSS), encountered misfortune in the final two weeks of the regular season that ended his bid for the 2013 title. After blowing a right rear tire while leading last week at Winchester Speedway, Helberg was again leading the championship finale at Berlin Saturday night when his brand-new rear suspension broke on Lap 17, forcing him to the pits and ending his championship hopes.
The beneficiary of Helberg’s misfortune? That was the driver of the Mopar-powered number 50M of Brian Gerster, who finished third after coming into the championship A-main tied in points with Helberg to seal up his first-career TRUFUEL MSRXSS National Championship.
At the start of the “Engine Pro Fast Car Slash” A-Feature, Helberg got away from the field and paced the first seventeen circuits before the broken rear end on the #7 handed two-time MSRXSS Champion Troy DeCaire the race lead. DeCaire and Jacob Wilson then staged war for the top spot, trading the lead three times over the final three laps in a thrilling duel for the ages.
Ultimately, Wilson would shock the Berlin fans with a last-lap pass going down the backstretch, holding off DeCaire to score his second career MSRXSS victory. His first career win came earlier in the 2013 season at Anderson Speedway.
DeCaire held on to second with Gerster, Jimmy McCune, and Canadian Ryan Litt completing the top five.
Brian Gerster set quick time to tie up the points race at the beginning of the night. Heat race wins went to Jimmy Kite, Helberg, and Gerster. Helberg then won the ‘Fast Car Slash’, earning the feature pole.
With the championship portion of the 2013 season in the history books, the MSRXSS now heads to Kenly, NC on November 23rd for a special non-points feature event as part of the Mason-Dixon Meltdown at Southern National Motorsports Park.
RESULTS – Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series at Berlin Raceway
1. (07w) Jacob Wilson
2. (40:1) Troy DeCaire
3. (50m) Brian Gerster
4. (88) Jimmy McCune
5. (07L) Ryan Litt
6. ((26p) Aaron Pierce
7. (71) Brian Olson
8. (26b) Jeff Bloom
9. (50:1) Mike Larrison
10. (60:1) Davey Hamilton Jr.
11. (45) Ryan Gillenwater
12. (81) Jimmy Kite
13. (6) Sondi Eden
14. (75c) Jerry Caryer
15. (44) Teddy Alberts
16. (56r) Ryan Meyers
17. (6b) Kevin Blue
18. (7) Jo Jo Helberg
19. (2t) Tom Tolbert
20. (7s) Joe Swanson
PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Seelman Photography
