Tyler Lupton hopes to proudly represent Berlin locals in ARCA Menards Series debut

One of the newest members of Berlin Raceway’s Super Late Model class is getting his chance to shine on the ARCA Menards Series platform this weekend.

Tyler Lupton, a 15-year-old competitor from Clarkston, Michigan, will take part in Saturday’s Herr’s Snacks 200 (6:30 p.m. ET on FS2) a few weeks after finishing 11^th in one of Berlin’s crown jewels; the Money in the Bank 150. Lupton is piloting the No. 28 Chevrolet fielded by Pinnacle Racing Group, which is a year removed from a championship with Brenden Queen.

Debuting in the ARCA Menards Series with a strong team like PRG brings with it plenty of expectations, but Lupton is eager to take the next step in his motorsports journey with a strong performance.

“I’m feeling really good,” Lupton said. “We got the call that there was a spot open to race and [we wanted] to go for it. I’m grateful for the opportunity that Pinnacle Racing Group gave me and I’m really excited to get going on the weekend.”

Like many other drivers before him, Lupton’s motorsports career began in quarter midgets, which he took up at the age of six.

Doing so was convenient for Lupton’s family, as the go-kart track that hosted quarter midgets was 20 minutes from their house. After spending a couple of years developing his craft, Lupton progressed into Legends and Micro Sprints, which saw him make regular trips to North Carolina for events.

The 2025 season would see Lupton transition into full-bodied stock cars, his schedule including a handful of Pro Late Model events along with Super Late Model races at Berlin Raceway. Lupton’s first season at Berlin was a success after he tallied two victories and finished fourth in the Super Late Model standings.

Across his brief racing career, nothing has challenged Lupton more than being a part of Berlin’s Super Late Model division. While Berlin’s layout offers plenty of challenges, Lupton credited the seasoned track regulars for pushing him to stay sharp and keep improving behind the wheel.

“I would say [Berlin] has some of the best [local] drivers in the country,” Lupton said. “The list goes on and on of drivers that could win any given night. There’s Austin Hull, there’s Brian Campbell, Evan Shotko, Andrew Scheid. There’s more I haven’t listed that are just really good and could win any given night.”

Lupton anticipates a similar competitive environment when the ARCA Menards Series visits Berlin for the Herr’s Snacks 200 on Saturday night. He has taken notice of how dominant the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota has been but also believes Nitro Motorsports will be a threat on Saturday after they led every lap last year with Treyten Lapcevich.

With so many great cars entered, Lupton intends to rely on his own experience to navigate Berlin. The heavier ARCA Menards Series chassis is going to handle differently than a Super Late Model, but Lupton knows many of the same fundamentals he has employed in Berlin’s local events will be essential on Saturday.

“Both corners are so different,” Lupton said. “[Turns] one and two are more of a traditional corner you race at, but [turns] three and four is like no other track that I’ve raced at. You don’t really cut the apron at any other track that I know of. [Berlin] has a really bumpy surface, but it’s a really fun track to race on and I think it’ll put on a great show.”

Lupton is optimistic the knowledge he possesses about Berlin will translate into a solid first outing with PRG, which has scored two national ARCA Menards Series victories this year with Carson Brown and Tristan McKee. Between those two races, Brown and McKee led a combined 351 laps.

Replicating those performances is not the objective for Lupton; his goals are to find a comfort zone with the No. 28 Chevrolet and lean on the input of crew chief Steven Dawson. Lupton believes a victory is possible Saturday, a scenario that would be equal parts enthralling and immeasurable to him.

Berlin regulars have fared well in past ARCA Menards Series events at the track. The most notable example is Fred Campbell, a 10-time Berlin track champion who won an ARCA Menards Series race there in 2002 in a field that included legends like Frank Kimmel and Tim Steele.

Even though Lupton is only in his second year of full-bodied stock car racing, he enjoys the idea of representing Berlin’s proud tradition of local racing on the national level. All he wants is to put together a weekend that properly reflects that history.

“I want to improve every time I get on track,” Lupton said. “We have a decently long practice, qualifying and a 200-lap race to improve. [A win] would be insane. I couldn’t believe I even got the call to be able to race this [weekend]. If I won that, it would be a dream come true.”