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Wednesdays with Wayne – Southern Comforts!
(Bill W) April 25, 2007 – As Wayne Johnson headed South last weekend, the weather got warmer, and his talents on the track continued to impress. Wayne picked off some United Sprint Car Series cash with a feature win at Malden Speedway on Friday, before moving on to American Sprint Cars on Tour action at Magnolia Motor Speedway and charging from a starting spot in row four to a podium finish.
Wayne's first trip ever to Malden Speedway near Malden, Missouri proved to be a charm, as he led all 30 laps, holding off Marshall Skinner, to garner his second USCS victory of the year. "It was SLICK…one of the hardest race tracks I've ever had to get a hold of. That thing was like ice with snot on top of it," says Wayne of the track surface.
His winning effort came by running the high side of the 3/8 mile oval. "I was kind of out there riding around the top…if no one was coming, I wasn't going to change my line. I was up on the cushion, and he (Skinner) started picking up on me when he found some rubber in the middle of the track. Everybody said my exit to the corners was so good, and I was pulling away, and that I was carrying more MPH. I was way on the top, and where he was running was a lot shorter around. The top got really slick and the cushion got blown off. The track was flatter around the bottom, so I could carry more MPH around the top though."
For obvious reasons, Johnson was complimentary of Malden Speedway. "It was a nice place. The fella that owned the place came down to see us. It was cool."
After a Saturday trip to another 3/8 mile oval he had never seen, Magnolia Motor Speedway near Columbus, Mississippi, Wayne continued to turn heads in ASCoT action. Starting sixth in his heat race, he put the Mike and Tim Hammers/Robbie Forbes #94 into third to put himself outside row four for the feature event.
Moving forward immediately, Wayne had the leaders in his sights. "We ran those guys (leaders Jason Johnson and Gary Wright) down early. Jason started third and Wright started on the pole. We were all in one corner, I was on the bottom and they were on top. My car was nice, and I really had the bottom workin'. About the time I got to 'em, the rubber got down. They took off, and Travis Rilat got by me with about five to go, when I got caught up in some lapped traffic."
He was able to get back past Rilat after a lap 28 restart, to gain the show position at the checkers, behind Gary Wright and Jason Johnson. The action remained fast and furious throughout the 30 lap event. "There were only five cars on the lead lap. *&%$, we were lapping cars left and right!"
Wayne remains 49 points behind Wright in the season ASCoT standings heading into this weekend.
The "NaturalState" Awaits
Wayne will head to a pair of Arkansas bullrings this weekend with the ASCoT. As opposed to last weekend's venues, Johnson has visited both of this week's tracks on more than one occasion. Friday, 67 Speedway near Texarkana will host the traveling band, while the troupe will head up the interstate to I-30 Speedway near Little Rock on Saturday.
Though he hasn't won at Texarkana, he was close once a few years back. "We were in the F&J Construction car (#29). We were leading and ran into a lapped car that spun in front of us," laments Wayne.
Johnson says the tight ¼ mile at Texarkana lends to some wheel-banging action. "If you lined up five pick-up trucks, bumper to bumper, they would reach across the infield. It has really tight corners and longer straightaways than Little Rock."
No stranger to victory lane at Little Rock's I-30 Speedway, he looks forward to kicking up the red clay of the high-banked ¼ mile on Saturday night.
Coming Home
On Monday, Wayne and wife Erin will visit the doctor back in Iowa for an ultrasound that may determine the sex of their child, due in September. "We're really excited to get home," says Johnson. "If it's a boy, we're going to see a racer in about five years!" No word from Erin on that. Stay tuned.
Wayne and company are also excited to bring out the FattFro #14AJ 410 to play for a pair of dates the weekend of May 5-6. They will be at Knoxville Raceway on May 5, and at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa for the IRA show on Sunday, May 6.
A Look Ahead
Johnson will be heading back to his home state of Oklahoma on Friday, May 11, as the ASCoT tackles the State Fairgrounds Speedway in Oklahoma City. The tour then heads to the Devil's Bowl in Mesquite, Texas on May 12.
New Sponsor
The team is proud to welcome "Chubby" from CnB Mushroom Farms out of Avondale, Pennsylvania as a sponsor. Thanks Chubby!
Wayne's World
Bobby in Little Rock, AR asks: What is your key to getting around I-30 Speedway?
Wayne answers: It depends on the surface. It's a different track almost every time you hit it. It can be really heavy, or really slick. I would say the main key is patience. You've got to have patience there, because there is a lot of activity, and you have to pick your spots. Sometimes there are a lot of wrecks, so you need to be patient.
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 won the prestigious Short Track Nationals in 1997, at I-30 Speedway. He piloted the Bobby Sparks #91 to victory over Steve Gennetten, Mike Ward, Pete Butler and Gary Wright.
"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, CnB Mushroom Farms, Eagle Chassis, Fast Wings, Hoosier Tire, Simpson, Weld and ButlerBuiltfor all their help!
Wayne at Magnolia (ASCS)
Bill WrightBill W MediaMonroe, IA USA[email protected]
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