Track Schedules

Wednesdays with Wayne – No Spare!

(Bill W) April 20, 2011 – Wayne Johnson and the BDS Motorsports #38 team towed to Little Rock with high expectations.  Taking a fast car to a place where you have won multiple times and consistently finish up front will do that.  However, a motor failure turned a two-day Lucas Oil ASCS National Series event into a half of a night for the Knoxville, Iowa driver turned spectator on Saturday.  With a spare motor still on the way, they were forced to watch the finale. 

The car was a rocket from the beginning.  Wayne drew inside row four of his heat race on a tacky track that saw some cars struggle to pass.  He surged forward into second by the checkers and was running down the leader.  “The track was racy, and we were spot on,” he says.  “To be truthful, we may well have won it in another lap.  We were right there.  The car was that good.” 

The new combination of Wayne and owner/crew chief Bryan Sumby has jelled well.  Wayne has had plenty of success at I-30 Speedway, and there were plenty of notes to go off of.  “I just gave Bryan my book and told him ‘this is what I do’,” he says.  “We’ve been going off of that…especially at the racetracks that I have done well at in the past.” 

The shock package has proven to be a key in setup.  “Bryan built us some stuff for the Super Shox that was compatible with what I was already doing as far as valving the shocks,” says Wayne.  “I think we’re on the verge of winning some races…we just need some things to go our way.” 

Wayne has suffered in the redraw with ASCS this season, and Friday was no different.  “Of course, in the feature draw, I had to give the other guys a break by drawing seven,” he says.  “That redraw is just like an Outlaw dash anymore.  It’s just tough to start back in row four with the caliber of competition you have out here.” 

It turned out that Wayne could have drawn anywhere.  The race was short-lived.  “Everything was good for the first ten laps or so,” he says.  “We knocked the head off the valve, and that was it.” 

Unfortunately, that was it for the weekend as far as racing.  The team’s second motor is still not ready.  “It stunk that we were all the way down there without a spare,” says Wayne.  “Our other one is on the way.  We didn’t think there would be any problems there, but that’s racing.” 

Wayne and Sumby are mulling over options to race this weekend, but will definitely be in action April 29 and 30.  “We’ve not decided what we’re doing for sure this weekend,” says Wayne.  “It’s still up in the air.  We’ll definitely be at the Knoxville opener (April 30), and I’m pretty sure we’ll be at Jackson (Minnesota) that Friday (April 29) before Knoxville opens.”