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Wednesdays with Wayne – Done Deal!
(Bill W) March 28, 2007 – Wayne Johnson doubled his pleasure last Saturday night! He won the $4,000 American Sprint Cars on Tour (ASCoT) main event in his hometown of Oklahoma City, and also closed on a big deal. Johnson, who is second in the ASCoT standings, will be running for the $50,000 that goes to the season champion, teaming with car owner, Tim Hammers, and his potent #94 Wesmar/Eagle. "Actually, we'd been discussing it since Florida. They said they may want to do the whole National tour, and they stepped up to the plate. They hired (crewman) Jeremy (Rankin) who's been with me a couple of years, full-time. We just made the deal official on Saturday," says Johnson. The car will be maintained out of the shop in Knoxville.
Johnson's enthusiasm for the 2007 season is evident. "They've got really good stuff, good equipment. We're using Wesmar (engines), and I'm really excited. It's where I came from (ASCS), and I hadn't really forgotten about that, you know. Racing is a crazy sport, and good car owners are few and far between. These guys gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. I thought, why not? ASCS got me to where I am now, so why not go back and do it?"
Even the veterans will see some new ovals in an ASCoT schedule that includes around 50 dates. Wayne is looking forward to the new venues. "They're going to Phoenix, and I've never run Phoenix. We're headed for New York and Pennsylvania and Virginia…I've been to those places, but the racetracks we're headed to, I've never seen. I don't feel like we're going to give up a lot, because a lot of the guys haven't been there."
The 2000 ASCS National Champion will be right at home in a lot of his old haunts though, and this time, the stakes are higher. "We're going back to Texarkana and Little Rock, Oklahoma City and Lawton, those are the tracks I grew up racin'. The pay is a lot better than when I did it before though. The points fund is amazing!"
Home Cookin'
Last Friday and Saturday saw the ASCoT bunch with a two-night tilt in Johnson's hometown of Oklahoma City. The configuration has changed from a ½ mile to a 3/8 mile since Wayne was a regular. "They all talked about me going back to my home track, but it's completely different than when I ran there. The only time I ran this track was the Sprint Bandit show a couple years ago. That was the first and last time I ever raced on that track."
The Homecoming got off to a rocky start on Friday. "We started sixth in the heat and ran fourth, then spun out in the feature with five laps to go. It was pretty one-lane, no passing all night long. It was heavy." After having to run the B, Wayne rebounded from his late main event spin to salvage 14th.
Saturday saw Wayne start back in his heat race, again, but tonight would be a different story. "It was real racy on Saturday. We started sixth in the heat race and ran second." In ASCoT two-night shows, the top four finishers from the preliminary night are locked into the Pole Dash. Johnson and Aaron Berryhill joined the four that were already locked in for a redraw as the two highest point-getters in the heats.
As luck would have it, Wayne was on the pole after the other five drivers drew. "They only take the top two in points on the second night, so I just got what was left." When asked if he could have drawn such a number, Wayne remembered his heat race draw. "Heck no, I couldn't have drawn it. The first night we drew 42, the second night it was 47, so we were in the back of the heat races. I hate drawin'! When we draw good, it's Jeremy. Last year at Nationals, he pulled good numbers for qualifying, so I don't want to use him up by letting him draw. We'll save him for the Nationals!"
Johnson beat Gary Wright to turn one and never looked back in the 30-lap feature event. He opened a large advantage until his distance between Berryhill and Wright was shaved in traffic. A late caution opened up the track, and he never looked back from there. Wayne was quick to credit the racecar and those who prepared it while in victory lane. "Beautiful car tonight guys, absolutely great race car. It wasn't that easy, but these guys gave me a car that made it look that way."
With time to reflect on the win, Wayne relates, "It was pretty cool, just to go back home, and win the race in front of the home crowd. I had a lot of family and friends there, it was pretty cool."
410 Action Next
With the next 360 event on the schedule still three weekends away, Wayne's fans will see him in a 410 next. Al Christoffer's familiar and potent #14AJ will be on the way to the shop in Knoxville this week, as Wayne plans on tackling the I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri with the World of Outlaws on April 7. Look for Wayne to make sporadic starts in the #14AJ when his ASCS schedule allows, especially at Knoxville where he will build toward the Knoxville Nationals, where he finished eighth a year ago.
The next 360 race on the schedule will be April 13 and 14 at I-80 Speedway at Nebraska Raceway Park near Greenwood, Nebraska for the ASCS-Midwest vs. ASCS-Northern Plains Shootout.
Wayne's World
Got a question for Wayne? Send it to us at [email protected], and we may answer it in this section! Put "? for Wayne" in your subject line. He'll try to keep it clean if you do!
Wayne's Fast Facts
Wayne's win at State Fair Speedway in Oklahoma City on Saturday was his 22nd career ASCS National win, which ranks fifth on the all-time list.
"Wednesday's with Wayne"
"Wednesday's With Wayne" is an up close look at the past, present and future of colorful and talented sprint car driver Wayne Johnson. You'll never know what to expect next with Wayne, so don't miss us on Wednesdays!
To receive "Wednesday's with Wayne", send an e-mail to [email protected] with "Wayne" in the subject line.
Wayne would like to thank H&H Enterprises, Pearson Farms, Eagle Chassis, Fast Wings, Hoosier Tire, Simpson, Weld and ButlerBuiltfor all their help!
 Wayne in Victory Lane at OKC (Doug Johnson)
Bill WrightBill W MediaMonroe, IA USA[email protected]
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