The Truckin Thunder VA Racer division had 5 different winners entering Prince William County Schools Night at the Races, but it was the two high-schoolers of Chase Johnson and Conner Weddell that again showed why they’re currently top of the class.
Last week, after a broken shock led to a “disappointing” 4th place finish, Chase Johnson’s two
point lead in the track championship standings became a two point deficit to Dan Rogers. That
has been the standard the youngster has been racing at this season: top-5’s just are not good
enough. Or perhaps, it’s an indicator of how tight the VA Racer class is; it’s a reality for the
championship contenders that 4th or 5th could be considered a bad points day.
Meanwhile for Weddell, he entered Saturday coming off a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finish in his
last three starts, as he has surged into the top-5 of the championship points after an accident
derailed the start of his points season.
Both drivers would qualify exactly 0.155 off the pole, and due to the redraw they both started on the front row in Race 1 of twin 35s.
Peyton Lee was supposed to start in P1, but his car was being serviced by his team on the final
pace lap. Lee’s #2 hauled it off pit road and around the high banks to catch the field as the
green flag waved in Thornburg. Lee would quickly catch the pack and even pass some of his
competitors, but the story was Weddell who assumed the lead due to his pre-race misfortune.
While C-Weed led, Rogers passed Johnson for 2nd, but Johnson would get him back with JD
Eversole in tow. When a caution came out on Lap 10, Weddell and Eversole would restart on
the front row. Weddell would again assume the lead, but the battle between the #98 of Eversole and the #57 of Johnson would go on for multiple laps. Eversole’s tires would smoke speeding out of Turn 4, but the #98 would concede to Johnson’s faster late model four laps in. Johnson’s hunt for Weddell would begin.
With 12 to-go Johnson would catch the leader. With 7 to-go Johnson would get inside
positioning in Turn 3 and cross the stripe as the leader. Weddell wouldn’t let him get away and
instead went from hunted to hunter. On the backstretch Weddell would trade some paint with the rear quarter panel of Johnson and he would enter Turn 3 in the middle of a three-wide scenario with the lapped car of Richard Storm on the inside and Johnson on the outside.
Weddell would maintain that inside position and they were side-by-side for four laps until
Johnson rode the momentum to eek ahead again for the lead. Coming to the white flag, Weddell would push the #57 out of Turn 4 with the light blue late model of Johnson almost sideways.
Entering Turn 1 on the last lap, C-Weed would again provide a tap to the leader and this caused
a small bobble out of Johnson. The two would drag race down the backstretch and through the
turn. In Turn 4 to the checkered flag it was Weddell who lifted less because he was nearly
sideways out of 4, but it was the speed he needed to edge Johnson at the line.
Weddell’s second victory of the season came at a margin of 0.045 over Johnson in what was
the best battle between the two so far. What was even cooler than the finish was Johnson
coming up to the window net of the #8 in Bugsy Auto Repair Victory Lane to shake hands.
“I knew if I could keep him there [on the outside] I could beat him,” said Weddell. “I’m glad he
wasn’t mad; I used him up a little bit.”
In Race 2, Weddell would draw an 8 meaning the two young racers would start in row 4 and
would need to navigate the field. Fredericksburg native Willie Mullins would start Race 2, but it
was Peyton Lee making a move for the lead early. Lee’s whirlwind day of starting last to having
the lead was just getting started, as the #2 maintained P1 position and actually pulled away.
Rogers would be in 2nd while Johnson carved his way to 3rd past Mullins.
Johnson and Rogers would be alongside each other for a lap until Johnson got him bringing
Weddell with him. Now the two top finishers were 2nd and 3rd while Lee continued to lead.
Johnson began to pressure the #2 and even looked to make a pass for the lead when with four
laps remaining Mike DIaz spun in Turn 4 to bring out the yellow flag. Another caution featuring
Diaz would come out with two to-go, but this wreck would also collect Eversole and Storm.
Lee would survive a restart violation and on his second crack at the restart, he would get started cleanly. Johnson and Weddell would settle into 2nd and 3rd, but it was Lee holding on to see the white and checkered flag for his first win of the year. With the victory Lee became the sixth different winner in the VA Racer class.
“I’ve been close so many times. I thought this too would be a time where I came up just short,”
said Lee. “It’s good to get the first one, and I hope they keep flowing in.”
While Richard Storm had misfortune in both VA Racer events, his night was salvaged in the 8
Cyl Any Cars. He kicked off the night in a new silver and gold 87 instead of his usual maroon
Trans-Am and christened the new ride with his fifth win in five races for the Any Cars.
“I built this car in December, and it was supposed to be my primary car,” said Storm. “I’m glad I
got Goldfinger in Victory Lane.”
For the second 8 Cyl Any Car event Storm was back in Ol’ Reliable and the Trans Am went from
last to first in a few laps. The defending champ wouldn’t lose the lead and he would win race
number six of the year.
“This car is a beast,” said Storm. “It’s great to win in the Trans-Am. This is the highlight of my
night- I needed this”
In the 4/6 Cyl Ant Cars John Andrews swept both events in the K9, while Allen Marshall got his
first win of the 2020’s in the VA Modifieds.
“It’s been 2016 since I parked one here,” said Marshall. “These two kids here haven’t seen me
win here in their lifetime.”
The UCARs ran a special 29 lap race in memory of Mark Miller, a former DR racer who passed
last Saturday night. Carter Weedon got the lead after starting sixth. The lapped car of Wendi
Kelly spun in front of the leaders and championship contenders Jimmy Parker and James
Garrett got taken out in the wreck. Weedon would go on to finish the race, which was his second of the year.
“I got aggressive early on and made my passes count,” said Weedon. “I probably need a
change of underwear, as I think my left rear was about two inches from the #15 when they
spun.”
Next week Dominion Raceway takes the week off to celebrate July 4th weekend, but racing will resume July 13 with a 40 lap Dominion Stock race, VA Racers, VA Modifieds, UCARs and Mini Stocks along with a thrilling Showdown from the Crazy Blazer Spectator Drag Crew. https://drevents.ticketstobuy.com/event/209
