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Ohio driver grabs first win at Berlin Raceway during second Supermodified night

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Ohio driver grabs first win at Berlin Raceway during second Supermodified night


MARNE — In the second half of the third annual ISMA/MSS Great Lakes Classic at Berlin Raceway, a patient driver who bought his time was rewarded.

After a decent finish in the first night of action, Mike McVetta needed a late-race maneuver to get out in front and snag the win to cap off the Supermodified weekend.

Similar to what happened in the 40-lap feature on Friday night, there were a couple of incidents early on in the 60-lap main event on Saturday. Another malfunction with Tyler Shullick, who was the fast qualifier for the second night in a row, came just a few laps in.. Then, just a couple of laps after the green flag dropped again, Rich Reid spun out coming out of Turn 4.

As a rhythm came to fruition for the remainder of the race, the attention was turned toward the battle for the lead, as Otto Sitterly, who didn’t even finish the race on Friday night, was in front of McVetta for most of the feature. Sitterly started on pole, and stayed in first place, with the No. 22 of McVetta right behind him. A caution on Lap 31 gave McVetta a chance to get around Sitterly, and though the driver out of Medina, Ohio fell behind briefly, McVetta would get around Sitterly with 17 laps to go, and would go on to cruise for his first win at Berlin in his career, doing so by nearly half a lap.

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McVetta, who finished eighth in Friday night’s race. has been coming to Berlin for years, both in supermodifieds and winged sprint cars, but has never touched victory lane following a feature.

  • Maine driver rockets to the top in the first night of Supermodified weekend at Berlin Raceway

“I’m speechless,” McVetta said in victory lane. “We’ve been so good here, just had no results to show for it, but we finally put it together. The driver drove the full race without hitting anything…I saw that it was 18 [laps] to go when I got the lead. I just hoped the tires would last that long, and they sure did.”

McVetta’s father, Roger, was emotional following the win. Mike admitted that his work in the supermodified is a family deal, and that it means a little more winning with his dad working with his crew.

“My dad got me started in quarter-midgets at [age] nine. Here we are winning supermodified races. My father-in-law is my tire guy, and they were staggered special tonight perfect.”

BUSH DOMINATES THE SUPERS

In the TEKTON Super Late Model’s return to the track, it was one of Berlin’s top veterans who stole the show. Hasting’s own Joe Bush set the tone by setting the tone as the night’s fast qualifier. Then, he went out and beat Andrew Scheid with just a few laps to steal the victory in the first 35-lap race, his first checkered flag of the season. In the second race, he jumped out in front after an early caution, and won in a landslide, making him the first driver this season to sweep a double feature this season.

BOUMA AND SIMPSON BATTLE AGAIN

The Auto Value 4-Cylinders saw a great battle cap off their night of action, featuring the two drivers duking it out for the championship.

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Luke Bouma and Dave Simpson had a great finish during last Saturday’s slate of action, with Simpson getting the better of the younger Bouma. However, the two speed demons battled early on in the second feature on this night, with Bouma getting the early edge. Though there was a caution with just a few laps to go, Bouma sped ahead of Simpson to grab his series-leading fifth win of the season.

Nathan McNabb won the first feature of the night, giving him two wins in 2024.

LOOKING AHEAD

Next week has a whole mix of series running in Berlin. The Model Coverall Limited Late Models lead a show featuring the return of the MCR Dwarf Cars, the National Compact Touring Series, the VROA Vintage Modifieds and Good Humor Mini-Wedges.

Racing begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, and can be streamed on FloRacing.

FINAL RESULTS FOR JULY 13

Supermodified Feature (60 laps)

1, Mike McVetta

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2. Otto Sitterly

3. Mike Ordway Jr.

4. AJ Lisiecki

5. Moe Lilje

6. Trent Stephens

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7. Dave Helliwell

8. Johnny Benson Jr.

9. Mark Sammut

10. Larry Lehnert

11. Mike Lichty (DNF)

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12. Kenny Sharp (DNF)

13. Kyle Edwards (DNF)

14. Josh Sokolic (DNF)

15. Tyler Shullick (DNF)

16. Rich Reid (DNF)

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17, Kenyon Zitzka (DNF)

18. Jeff Bloom (DNF)

Super Late Model Feature #1 (35 laps)

1. Joe Bush (1)

2. Andrew Scheid

3. Austin Hull

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4. Brian Campbell

5. Levie Jones

6. Chase Pinsonneault

7. Chris Shannon

8. Tyler Rycenga

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9. Keith Herp

10. Brian Tillema

11. Ken Wobma

12. Nathan Koester

13. Todd Cowan

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14. Lee Vandyk

15. Scott Thomas

Super Late Model Feature #2 (35 laps)

1. Joe Bush (2)

2. Austin Hull

3. Brian Campbell

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4. Chris Shannon

5. Tyler Rycenga

6. Levie Jones

7. Andrew Scheid

8. Chase Pinsonneault

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9. Keith Herp

10. Scott Thomas

11. Ken Wobma

12. Brian Tillema

13. Nathan Koester

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14. Lee Vandyk

15. Todd Cowan

4-Cylinder Feature #1 (15 laps)

1. Nathan McNabb (2)

2. Luke Bouma

3. Don McNabb

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4. Chase Roelofs

5. Dave Simpson

6. Justin Roelofs

7. Charlie DeJong

8. Robert Greene

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9. Dave Avink

10. Steven LaRoche

11. Hunter Wiersma

12. Blake Huitema

13. Craig Wood

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14. Kyle Steele

4-Cylinder Feature #2 (15 laps)

1. Luke Bouma (5)

2. Dave Simpson

3. Justin Roelofs

4. Nathan McNabb

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5. Don McNabb

6. Chase Roelofs

7. Dave Avink

8. Robert Greene

9. Hunter Wiersma

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10. Blake Huitema

11. Kyle Steele

12. Steven LaRoche

13. Craig Wood

14. Charlie DeJong

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Check out the full Berlin Raceway schedule of events here



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Remains of Ohio airmen killed in Iraq will be brought back March 29

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Remains of Ohio airmen killed in Iraq will be brought back March 29


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The remains of three Ohio airmen who were killed in the crash of their KC-135 refueling plane in Iraq earlier this month will be returned this weekend, according to a family member of one of the deceased.

The airmen, identified as Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, of Wilmington, and Capt. Seth Koval, 38, of Stoutsville, will be brought back March 29 to Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base near Columbus, said Charles Simmons, Tyler’s father.

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“Tyler will have a hero’s welcome, because he is a hero,” said Charles.

The Columbus Division of Police will be involved in the funeral procession when the airmen’s remains are transferred from the airport to funeral homes, said Columbus police Sgt. James Fuqua. That will take place between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. March 29, said Fuqua.

The airmen’s remains first arrived back in the U.S. on March 18 with a dignified transfer taking place at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

Curtis, Angst, and Simmons were members of the 166th Air Refueling Squadron connected to the 121st Air Refueling Wing based at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus.

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The airmen, as well as three other servicemembers, died on March 12 when their KC-135 tanker crashed in western Iraq during a mission in support of Operation Epic Fury in Iran. The cause of the crash, which occurred in friendly airspace, has not been publicly identified. U.S. Central Command has said the incident did not involve hostile or friendly fire, and military experts have theorized the crash may have been the result of a collision with a second KC-135 that sustained heavy damage to its tail fin but landed safely at an airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@dispatch.com.

Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky. 



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Thousands head to Columbus for 23rd annual Home Improvement Show at Ohio Expo Center

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Thousands head to Columbus for 23rd annual Home Improvement Show at Ohio Expo Center


Thousands of people are expected to head to downtown Columbus for the 23rd annual Home Improvement Show this weekend.

Organizers say visitors can find ideas for everything from small interior design projects to major renovations.

The event is being held at the Ohio Expo Center and includes seminars, exhibits and demonstrations from local and national companies.

The show begins at noon Friday and runs until 6 p.m.

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It continues Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Adult tickets cost $5 at the door.



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Matt Patricia sought stability in return as Ohio State football defensive coordinator

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Matt Patricia sought stability in return as Ohio State football defensive coordinator


Matt Patricia’s contract extension earlier this offseason included a pay raise that figures to make him the highest-paid assistant coach in college football this year.

But Patricia, who will make $3.75 million in guaranteed compensation as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator in 2026, also held an appreciation for his situation.

“Ohio State is such a special place, not only just the history, the tradition, the football program, the school, but the people here,” Patricia said. “Having a chance to have a little stability with my family, it’s hard when you have to move your family around, your kids and the new school and all that.”

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Before he joined Ryan Day’s staff last year, the 51-year-old Patricia had bounced around as an assistant in the NFL for much of the decade.

He spent 2021 and 2022 in a variety of roles with the New England Patriots, then a year as a defensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles. He took off from coaching in 2024. The frequent relocation gave him perspective.

“We had an unbelievable experience settling into Columbus,” Patricia said. “Everybody’s been so nice and welcoming. It feels like home. It’s a big deal for us to be in a place where everybody’s happy. That’s really important.”

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Patricia had a significant impact on the Buckeyes in his first year replacing Jim Knowles. Despite heavy roster attrition following their national championship season, he kept the defense atop the Football Bowl Subdivision. For the second straight season, no one allowed fewer points than Ohio State.

The 9.3 points per game allowed by the Buckeyes were the fewest by any defense since Alabama in 2011.

The success made Patricia a hot commodity on the coaching market, rebuilding his reputation as a sharp and creative football mind only a decade removed from his tenure as a Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator for the Patriots. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant.

Patricia said he heard about opportunities in the NFL and elsewhere across the college football landscape, though none of them would pry him away from Ohio State.

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“It wasn’t necessarily something where you’re looking to leave,” Patricia said, “but you do have to listen when those things come up. I’m just glad everything worked out.”

His challenge in his second season mirrors his previous one, as the Buckeyes are again managing the loss of eight starters on defense.

But unlike 2025, they have fewer returning pieces, relying on a larger class of transfers to help fill the holes on the depth chart.

“With as much coming into the program for the first time, not only are you trying to catch them up on the football scheme, but you’re also trying to catch them up on everything else,” Patricia said. “This is how we work, this is how we do things, this is the standard we’re looking for, this is how we practice, this is how we prepare, this is how we go to school. That has to be also taught. It becomes a lot, but that’s why you bring in the right guys that have the mental makeup to do all that.”

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.

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