Burglary Puts Brakes On Green Country Racing Business

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

BIXBY, OK -- A burglary puts the brakes on a Green Country racing business.

Vision Racing got hit hard by thieves and now the company hopes you can help them get a lead in the case.

These burglars didn't just steal racing equipment; they stole the dreams of an entire team and two young drivers. It wasn't just a few car parts and tools; these burglars needed trailers and U-hauls to make off with the $80,000 worth of items they took.

Vision Racing is trying to help young drivers make it to Nascar in the next few years and have had great success.

Tanner Berryhill is just 19 points out of the championship on the Sunoco National tour. But, that dream slammed to stop when thieves pried open a door and cleaned out the team's shop.

They stole four-wheelers, pit bikes, custom wheels, welders and thousands in high end tools and parts.

"Temperature gauges, sensitive calibrating air pressure gauges, not your Wal-Mart air pressure gauges, but, expensive tools that also measure barometric readings for tires," said Adrian Berryhill, Vision Racing. "Very specific, pit guns like used at Nascar, very specific, no one in Oklahoma, well, maybe a couple of teams, but, very rare, pit jacks that are $5,000, double pressure pit jacks."

The thieves took nearly every single hand tool along with Holly 650 carburetors that had already been tuned.

The timing couldn't have been worse. It was right before an important race, so they feared being knocked out of the championship, but, got a little help from above.

"We had the whole Rhema Bible Church praying for us, because Ken Hagin's grandson Connor, races for Vision Racing and we loved having that power behind us," Berryhill said. "And the race was rained out, so we're still in the hunt."

Adrian believes the thieves will try to sell these items, so he's asking everyone to search websites likes Craigslist, eBay, or Racingjunk.com for anything asphalt racing related from nearby states.

The tools are not only expensive and took years to acquire, but, also have sentimental value.

"The sad thing is these are tools I want to pass down to my son when I retire from the sport someday," Berryhill said. "But they're gone."

Vision Racing was able to scrape together enough stuff to go to a small track in Missouri last weekend. They won and are hoping to repeat that in Indianapolis this weekend.

If you see any of the items or parts on Craigslist, eBay, Racingjunk.com or hear about someone selling them on the streets, call Vision Racing at 1-877-369-0505 or the Bixby Police at 918-366-8294.