CLYDE – Chase Berger, now at age 25, is often known by name from his youth. He was one of the first children diagnosed with cancer nearly 20 years ago in what became the Clyde Childhood Cancer Cluster.
“I am pretty sure I was fourth to be diagnosed,” he said about his childhood experience with cancer. He was afflicted with a Rhabdomyosarcoma. It was a soft tissue cancer under his right eye.
The Clyde Cancer Cluster grew to more than 40 children in Eastern Sandusky County after being investigated by the Ohio Department of Health over a decade ago. Seven children and young adults died from various forms of cancer in the Clyde area. An overall cause was never reported.
Berger had his own challenges as a child and his experience then affects how he tackles life, he said.
“I just got so much radiation,” he recalled. After treatments, he could no longer see out of his right eye due to damage and still does have use of that eye. As a child, his doctor determined his right eyelid should be sewn partially shut as the eye would not close when he slept.
“It never really helped,” he shared. “What’s the point of having my eye closed.”
In adulthood, Chase said he had the eyelid reopened. Now he wears sunglasses to protect his eyes.
Despite the disability he faced since childhood, Chase has been tackling one goal after another. As an adult, he opened his own business three years ago, Berger Landscaping and Construction. He said that business is still growing.
Berger reopens a dirt racetrack
Earlier this year, he tackled another challenge — reopening an area dirt track for Go Karts after it had been closed for nearly a decade.
Berger raced a few times in his youth but became re-interested again as an adult. Two years ago he bought his own Go Kart and started racing himself.
“I noticed the need for a Go Kart track in the area,” Berger said. He wanted to give people and youths the opportunity to race locally.
He and his father, Chad Berger, leased the former Great Lakes Speedway as Berger Enterprises LLC at 2936 CR 276, Bellevue, earlier this year.
The 2-to-3-acre field contained a muddy, cracked surface 1/10-mile track, which took weeks of reworking and an additional new base. Chase Berger developed a list of supporters for the rebirth of the raceway located between Clyde and Bellevue.
Several of his supporters not only monetarily supported the Bergers but actually helped to work on the track surface — The Hut Bellevue, OH Premier Planning, Great Lakes Garage Doors, D2 Excavating, KHL Fence, LCP Service and Carl’s Place to Race/The Chase for Carls Cup Racing Series.
Finally, after weeks and months of work, Great Lakes Speedway was ready for a Test and Tune on April 19 where both the Go Karts and the track were put through their paces.
Tune and Test started the season
“We had a total of 56 drivers between adults and kids,” Berger said about the Test and Tune. In addition, there were also 50 or more spectators.
Chase’s goal now is to have Sunday afternoon races — the first set for May 3 and have those run weekly through early October. Gates open at 10 a.m. with qualifying at 1 p.m. and racing at 2:30 p.m.
There will also be some Friday night shows with gates opening at 4 p.m., qualifying at 6:15 p.m. and racing at 7:30 p.m.
“Everyone really liked the racetrack,” he said about the first outing. “I have never seen so many smiles.”
“It was really awesome.”
Berger said Go Kart racing is different than what fans see at the Fremont Speedway. “Go Karts are an entry level to get to the big trucks,” he said, explaining youths have to learn to race. Having youths on the dirt tracks is preparing the next generation of up-and-coming racers.
He also pointed out that Go Karts on a dirt track have “mud” tires and are set up slightly different than karts that street race.
Berger said his role at Great Lakes Speedway is to be the promoter of the track, sell the tickets, maintain the grounds, and set up the insurance. Justin Colet of Carls Cup is running the racing classes for the track.
Entry to the track requires a pit pass
Everyone who attends a race at Great Lakes Speedway over age 6 must buy a $15 pit pass — even as a spectator or even to be on the grounds per the insurance policy. Those who are racing a Go Kart must pay an entry fee depending on which class they enter. At present, there is no class fee for children racing ages 6 to 9 Box Stock and ages 10 to 13 Sealed Spec Ghost Motor. Other classes range from $20 to $30 for entry fees.
Although Chase is a young man, his goal is to be involved in his community. “I feel the more I can get involved…the stronger it will make me as a person,” he shared.
As a youth he often had to relied on others and now he wants to be a reliable source in his community.
“They can call on me,” he said, noting he wants to fill a that role.
For more details on the track, classes and fees, visit Great Lakes Speedway on Facebook or for information on the track or Berger’s Landscaping and Construction business call 419-217-3996.
Contact Rebecca Brooks at 419-334-1059.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Berger tackles being Great Lake Speedway promoter
Reporting by Rebecca Brooks, Fremont News-Messenger / Fremont News-Messenger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
