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Wednesdays with Wayne – Big Bully!
(Bill W) May 23, 2007 – Wayne Johnson's weekend was a successful one as solid runs in the Bully Hill Nationals were followed up by a win in his first ever visit to Susquehanna Speedway in Pennsylvania. Three more American Sprint Cars on Tour events await this weekend, and the team will stop in Tennessee on the way home to race with the United Sprint Car Series.
Last Friday and Saturday, the Black Rock Speedway near Dundee, New York, was the host for the 9th Annual Bully Hill Vineyards New York Sprint Nationals. Some of the best in the Northeast challenged the boys from the ASCoT. Practice was scheduled for Thursday, and Wayne struggled to get a handle on the 4/10 mile oval. "We went out there for practice, and I had the slowest car there the first couple sets. We were horrible. I couldn't pass anybody. We changed a lot of stuff around, and the last set, Jason Johnson and I were about the same speed, so I thought we were alright."
If the ASCoT boys thought they were going to come in and be "Bullies" on Friday night, they were sadly mistaken. With the top four locked into Saturday's main event, Wayne started in the third row, and was up to third by the halfway point. Gary Wright managed to get by him, but Wayne held down the final transfer to Saturday's big show. Up front, Ontario, New York's "Cobra" Chuck Hebing, was making the ASCoT boys look silly. "We were decent, but not great. The guy that won (Hebing) whooped our $*%#@! It was amazing to me how he could drive everywhere. That made us go back to work for Saturday."
Starting in the front row for the 30-lap, $4,000 to win event, Wayne looked like a strong choice to bring home the bacon as he pulled away from the field leading the ASCoT drivers who were getting accustomed to Black Rock. "Saturday morning, we changed the whole setup and we were bad fast! I could go high, low and through the middle. I actually ran the bottom most of the race, and Travis (Rilat) showed his hand a little before the caution came out and I started running right through the middle."
Rilat had moved in on Johnson, and a caution late "sealed" Wayne's fate. Rilat rode the cushion around the middle running leader on lap 27 of 30. "We should have won," says Wayne. "I had 'em daylighted, I was gone. Then we had a caution with three laps left, we were driving around for awhile under yellow and I let the tires seal up. On the restart, it wouldn't go…it just spun and I let Travis get by me." Nonetheless, the runner-up finish was a positive. "You can't win 'em all!" says Wayne.
Sunday offered an opportunity to run at Susquehanna Speedway, the venue the ASCoT will tackle this Thursday. Wayne took full advantage by leading from green to checker over Rilat to take home the trophy. Going in, he saw it as a way to get some laps in at a track he had never seen. "It was a good practice session for us. I've paid to practice many times; I figured I'd get paid to practice this time!"
The 4/10 mile oval reminded the native Oklahoman of another track. "It reminds me a lot of Tulsa Speedway, with the long straightaways and tight corners. We were tight to start the night, but we kept freeing the thing up and finally got to where it would roll in the corner, and we were fast. I think something was happening in the motor, so we switched it out for our race there this Thursday. I wanted to get a feel for the place, because in New York, it took a couple of days just to get a handle on that track."
Virginia
After the ASCoT action at Susquehanna Speedway on Thursday, they will trek down to Saluda, Virginia on Friday and Saturday. The ½ mile Virginia Motor Speedway will play host to the East Coast Nationals both nights.
One of the car owners of the H&H Farms #94, Mike Hammers, will be in attendance in Virginia. Brother Tim will make it to Clayhill Motorsports near Atwood, Tennessee when the team takes on the USCS series. The last USCS start resulted in a win at Malden, Missouri. "It will be good to have those guys around," says Wayne. "They are the best car owners a driver could ask for."
A Look Ahead
With a break in ASCoT action, Wayne will return to Knoxville 410 action on June 2 and June 9.
The ASCoT Northern Tour will begin on Saturday, June 16 at the Crawford County Speedway in Denison, Iowa.
T-shirts
T-shirts can now be ordered at www.Racingthreads.com. Wayne would like to thank Racingthreads.com and FattFro for all their help with this!
Website
Wayne's website is being constructed as we speak, stay tuned!
Wayne's World
Ron from Tulsa, OK asks: What are the differences in the tracks out East compared to here in the Midwest?
Wayne answers: Seems to me that the surface is just harder to get ahold of. The New York track seemed like it was more slick than usual. It was definitely more dusty. Susquehanna reminds me a lot of Tulsa Speedway - it's just got more bank in the corners.
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
In six career USCS starts, Wayne has finished in the top five all six times. He has two wins to his credit, both were earlier this year at North Florida Speedway and Malden, Missouri.
"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, R&A Farms, FattFro, www.RacingThreads.com, CnB Mushroom Farms, Eagle Chassis, Fast Wings, Hoosier Tire, Simpson, Weld and ButlerBuiltfor all their help!
Wayne in Victory Lane at Susquehanna Speedway on Sunday (Marty Gordner Photo)
Wayne at Susquehanna on Sunday (Dave Zortman Photo)
Bill W MediaMonroe, IA USA[email protected]
If this post isn't results, stories or something c
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