Wayne finished third in the 360 Nationals and qualified for the 410 finale (Danny Howk Photos)
(Bill W) August 16, 2017 – Wayne Johnson and the Two-C Racing #2c team had a successful Sprintweek in Iowa. After racking up a podium finish in the 360 Nationals at Knoxville Raceway, the Oklahoma City driver backed that up by qualifying for the finale of the 410 Knoxville Nationals. Unfortunately, a back issue that arose that morning sidelined the veteran after just a dozen laps. This Sunday, the Lucas Oil ASCS National Series will race at the Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia.
In Wayne’s prelim at the 360 Nationals, he timed in second quick, ran third in his heat and eighth in the feature. “The 360 car was really good,” he says. “I made some mistakes on the prelim night. I fell back there, and just didn’t have the car tight enough.”
He scored enough points to start outside Clint Garner for Saturday’s finale. “I felt we had the best car on Saturday,” says Wayne. “Clint just drove the perfect race. He did everything he needed to do to win. I got under him a couple of times. The start was a big thing. I knew I needed to beat him on the start. I beat him on the first one, but (Greg) Hodnett spun out. Of all people to spin out, you’d never think it would be Hodnett. Clint beat me on the next start, and it was a game of chase the rest of the race.”
Wayne kept his pursuit of the leader on. “I thought if we got to lapped traffic, I may have something for him,” he says. “He looked one-dimensional on the top. We were really good on the bottom. I felt we were running the same speed. I felt lapped traffic was our chance. We got to one lapped car after 13 laps and the caution came out. With twelve to go, it was going to be a long race. I got a good restart on the bottom and he pinched me like he needed to do. That got me messed up and we lost a few car lengths…but we closed it back down.”
He would take a late shot at the win. “With six to go, desperation kind of set in,” says Wayne. “I abandoned the bottom and went to the top to see if I could run him down up there. When I did, I jumped the curb in one and about knocked the fence down. That let (Brian) Brown get a run on us and get by us. There at the end, I felt better than Brown, but the race was over. We were third. I wanted to win at the time and took a chance. That’s what we go there for is to win.”
Although he timed in 13th quick, made it through his heat and finished sixth in the preliminary feature at the 410 Nationals, Wayne didn’t feel good in the car. “Looking at the videos of the 410, it just looks like I’m spinning more than anyone else,” he says. “I look like I’m on top of the racetrack. I just feel like I’m spinning and not operating like they are. I feel like I’m erratic.”
Nonetheless, he locked himself into Saturday’s finale outside row eight. “Getting in was all we cared about,” says Wayne. “The car just wasn’t driving well…if it was, how good would we be? That’s really a positive that we can look at. If we can get that car driving well, we can do a lot.”
A rough night in the motor home Friday night cost Wayne at the worst time. “I woke up Saturday morning with some disc and nerve issues in my back,” he says. “After we did hot laps, we talked about doing one lap and pulling in. It hurt all day, but when I hot-lapped, it felt like needles poking me in the back, but I thought I could go out there and do it.”
He was wrong. “I was racing with Rico (Abreu) there, and he finished ninth,” says Wayne. “I think we’d have been alright, but it just hurt too bad. Twelve or thirteen laps was all I could stand. I didn’t want to be a quitter, but that pain eventually made me a quitter. It’s feeling a little better now. We’ll just do what we can at Sedalia Sunday.”
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Outlaw Wings – “The Wing with an Attitude”
Check out the new “recessed rivet” design put out by Outlaw Wings. Talk to Wayne about purchasing Outlaw Wings for your car! Outlaw Wings – "The Wing with an Attitude"!
Wayne's Fast Facts
Saturday marked Wayne’s eighth career Knoxville Nationals finale. His highest finish was eighth place run in 2006 in the FattFro #14AJ.
Partner of the Week – Canyon Apparel
With over sixteen years of experience in the screen printing industry, Canyon Apparel’s work is of the highest quality you will find anywhere in the country. Although their primary focus is custom racing shirts (sprint cars, midgets, late models and modifieds), they are more than capable of handling other jobs for businesses, events or race track designs. If you would like a quote or just need more information, call them at 866-799-6966 or visit them on the web at www.CanyonApparelPrinting.com!
"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!
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Wayne Johnson Racing would like to thank partners, Todd Carlile, Outlaw Wings, City Vending and product sponsors The Oil Medics, Sebastian Sandblasting & Powdercoating, Rod End Supply, Astro Titanium, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson, Butlerbuilt, Xtreme Accu-Tach, Weld Wheels, Slade Shocks, Kustom Sprint Car Supplies, Fisher Racing Engines, Speedway Graphics and Canyon Apparel.
Photo: Wayne finished third in the 360 Nationals and qualified for the 410 finale (Danny Howk Photos)
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