|
Wednesdays with Wayne – 2008 in the Rearview Mirror!
(Bill W) November 19, 2008 – 2008 was arguably the best in Wayne Johnson's career. With some prestigious wins, strong finishes and dominating performances, it certainly was memorable. The Knoxville, Iowa sprint car driver looks forward to some midget racing in December and January, and is still seeking opportunities for Australia, and for 2009.
Wayne split time between 360 and 410 racing again in 2008. The #94 360 machine is owned by Mississippi's Mike and Tim Hammers and Robbie Forbes. Chicago's Al Christoffer owns the FattFro #14AJ 410 sprint. "First and foremost, I'd like to thank Mike and Tim Hammers and Robbie Forbes for the two great years we spent together. You couldn't ask much more from car owners like them. Al is always there for me. I'd like to thank him for another good year with the #14AJ too."
The season started in Florida, where disappointment greeted him with the American Sprint Cars on Tour at East Bay. Disappointment turned to joy at Volusia when he beat a combination All Stars/World of Outlaws field. "We went to East Bay to start the season, and left disappointed, because our car wasn't driving very well at all," he remembers. "We changed some stuff, and went to Volusia with one motor. We pulled in the first night with a vibration and changed the driveshaft and u-joint. The next night everything went well for us, from qualifying to the heat. We started ninth in the feature, and got it done. More than anything, that night, I stayed out of the rubber for awhile and saved my tires more than anyone else."
There were high hopes after beating the best in the business, but Wayne saw a swoon early in the season, as he and crew chief, Jeremy Rankin tried to iron out some new components. "We struggled for awhile to get the car going," he explains. "We had changed a lot from the previous year. We had different cars, wings and shocks from the previous year, so we had to find our way. We stumbled across some things that worked with the car, and that boosted my confidence. When we switched to the Charlie Fisher motors with the 360, that's when we started hauling the mail! After that change, we were one of the fastest cars every night at the racetrack."
Wayne ripped off four wins in a row in May and June in the 360, and was leading at Knoxville with the ASCoT on June 20 when he burnt a piston. Bad luck in the ASCS Speedweek followed. After three top fives to start the week, disaster struck again. "We broke a motor at Dallas and crashed at Lawton, and dropped out at Little Rock," he remembers. "That killed us in the (ASCoT) points deal. We were definitely on a roll for awhile. We switched cars after that, and everyone figured we'd have trouble without that old car that won all the races. They were wrong."
The switch in cars came at Knoxville, and Wayne proceeded to mow over the competition winning the 360 Nationals prelim and taking home his second Championship in the event. His greatest effort may have come in Sunday's Tournament of Champions. After getting hit in the head, he restarted at the back of the 30-car field and stormed back to fourth. "We were awesome that whole weekend with the #94, there's no doubt about that," says Wayne. "We had some bad luck in the Tournament of Champions, but that may have been the most fun I had all week! Either that, or I got hit in the head so hard from a rock by (Brian) Brown, it knocked some sense into me!"
Wayne cemented himself as "Mr. Sprintcar" for the Southern Iowa Speedweek for the second year in a row, by taking home the win in his prelim night in the SuperClean Knoxville Nationals. He puts that win on top of any other in a great career. "Obviously, that one is bigger than the 360 Nationals wins we've got," he says. "To run ahead of Danny Lasoski and Steve Kinser, and have them on the podium was definitely a highlight for me. More than anything, it was great because we stunk at Knoxville this year with the 410, and we've run way more 360 shows the last two years than the 410's. I proved to myself and hopefully others that I can run with anyone."
The performance put him in Saturday's Championship finale for the sixth straight time. The other drivers to accomplish that feat in the last six years are Donny Schatz, Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, Terry McCarl and Shane Stewart. "I think all the guys get so hyped up and wound up about that race," says Wayne of his secret to success at sprint car's Super Bowl. "I don't really let my emotions get to me. I'm regular Wayne on prelim night. When it comes to Saturday, it's changed a bit the last few years. I've got to figure that side of it out, because I've found it hard to focus on the car."
Wayne followed the Nationals up by winning from the 18th starting spot in the Jackson (MN) Nationals prelim. He spent the last two months traveling around, driving different cars in different events at unique locations. "In the latter part of the year, my wife and daughters (Hunter and Paige) had to suffer a lot," says Wayne who mentioned his family first when talking about his travel. "The last nine weeks of the season, I traveled to Canada, then Washington, then back to Canada, to California, to Texas for two weeks, to Little Rock, to Charlotte and then to Maryland."
Wayne scored a win at the Canadian Nationals at Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario in his first time at the track. "I've got to thank Glenn and Curt Styres and Miles Hill for giving me the opportunity to race their car at a wonderful facility," says Wayne. "I'd never even been to Canada in the first place, so to win the Canadian Nationals, and get the opportunity to be qualified for the World Challenge at Knoxville next year, it was great. I'd also like to thank them for the great weekend at the World Finals in Charlotte. I hope we can do it again in the future."
In Washington, the venue was Gray's Harbor Raceway in Elma. "I have to thank Mike and Shaylen Anderson for bringing me out to Washington too," he says. "I'd never been there either, so for us to run third together in the Fred Brownfield Memorial was special. I also have to thank Ben Curtis and Brady Dart for their help on that trip."
Wayne is thankful for partnerships with owners in California and Pennsylvania too. "It was great to get the opportunity to drive for Harold Main at Chico, and Pete Postupak at Hagerstown too," he adds. "I look forward to continuing a relationship with those guys as well."
One late season highlight could have been a big payday at the Short Track Nationals in Little Rock, but it didn't fall that way. Wayne took the challenge though. "I have to thank (Promoter) Tracey Clay for the opportunity to win $25,000, but I also need to thank her for drawing a 'ten' for the invert!" he jokes.
As far as what is ahead for Wayne, we know he'll be driving a midget this winter, but little is solidified beyond that. "I'm looking forward to some midget action this winter, driving for Scott Benic and Glenn Styres in Kansas City, and at the Chili Bowl," he says. "I'm still looking for any opportunities to go to Australia, too. So, if anyone knows of any, let me know! Nothing is confirmed as of today for next year, so we're still weighing our options there as well!"
Wayne's Website
To learn more about Wayne and the team, log on to www.WayneJohnsonRacing.com!
Wayne's World
Ryan Reicks asks: What do you consider your favorite tracks to race at?
Wayne answers: I actually have acquired a new favorite, and that's the Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario, Canada. It's really a fun racetrack to race at. My other favorites have always been Knoxville and Devil's Bowl.
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
2008 will undoubtedly go down as Wayne's finest all-around. Though he matched his 2007 win total with 11, the wins in 2008 topped the previous year in prestige and purse. During the Southern Iowa Sprintweek, his wins alone totaled $24,000. Add $7,000 for his All Stars win at Volusia, $8,000 for his Canadian Nationals win, and a $7,800 score for running 16th in the Knoxville Nationals. Wayne's 2008 win summaries can be found at www.OpenWheelTimes.com:
http://www.openwheeltimes.com/owt_driverreporttest.php?txtFromDate=11%2F19%2F2007&txtToDate=11%2F19%2F2008&cboSanction=0&cboRegion=0&txtSpeedway=&hidSpeedway=&cboState=xxx&txtFirstName=wayne&txtLastName=johnson&rdoRace=A&txt1stplace=1&txtCar=&txtOwner=&btnSubmit=Submit+Query
"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, Stone Mountain Access, Deberg Concrete, www.RacingThreads.com, CnB Mushroom Farms, Maxim Chassis, ARP Wings, Hoosier Tire, Simpson, Weld and ButlerBuiltfor all their help!
(Jason Walls/WRT Web Designs Photo)
Bill W MediaMonroe, IAUSA[email protected]
If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me!
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com
|
