Benson upgraded to fair condition

NASCAR driver and Grand Rapids native Johnny Benson Jr. was hospitalized after crashing his ISMA supermodified car Saturday night at Berlin Raceway.

Benson originally was in serious condition at Spectrum Hospital, but as of 4:30 p.m. Sunday, he is in fair condition. There is no word on when he will be released.

Berlin Raceway officials say No. 21 Johnny Benson and other racers were coming around to take their second lap when Benson got into a wreck between turns three and four with No. 92 Larry Lehnert. This resulted in a crash, causing Benson's car to catch on fire.

Benson was extracted from the vehicle and the fire was quickly extinguished. Racing was delayed about an hour as crews cleaned up the track. Lehnert was not injured.

His sister, Barbara Benson, was at Berlin Raceway to witness the collision.

"It was a horrific crash," she said. "The safety crew got there as fast as they could to put the fire out. And I was sitting there at the fourth turn, so I had a first-hand view of all of it."

But despite Johnny Benson's injuries, he is awake and alert, Barbara Benson said. He might have a broken rib, but is keeping his spirits high and his humor intact, she added.

"This is a little bump in the road, and he's always - no matter what comes his way -optimistic," she said.

Despite countless wins across the country, Barbara Benson said her brother will never forget where his career and passion began.

"He has built (his career) from the ground up," she said. "We grew up at Berlin Raceway, watching my dad race, and that's what we did on Saturday nights. So, he feels close to the heritage of Berlin, and he's made every effort to come back here."

Johnny Benson has won the 1995 Busch Series championship and the 2008 Craftsman Truck series championship, among many others.

A message board is set up at Benson's Web site.