(Alan Messick Photo)
Bryan Hulbert - MESQUITE, Texas (March 21, 2018) Florida testing is paying off for Wayne Johnson with the Oil Medics/Outlaw Wings No. 2c parking on the front straightaway via a third-place finish on Friday night at the Devil's Bowl Spring Nationals with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by Sawblade.com.
"We had probably one of the best race cars on Friday night," commented Johnson.
"Going to Florida and running what we did, we learned a lot of what we feel like we need to be doing to the car and the Devil's Bowl is one of the tracks that's been pretty good to me and we actually changed the car to something different than I've ever done and if felt really good."
Drawing the pole of the second Heat Race, Johnson was able to win easily in order to transfer into the A-Feature. Making it into the redraw, Wayne came out with the seventh starting spot where two attempts at the start saw the No. 2c rocket to third on the first attempt, then second, before finally having to give chase on the third try.
"The way the track was in the Heat, I knew I had to get the jump on Matt [Covington] so I didn't lose any points and I thought the track was going to be heavy all night so I really didn't want to get buried in the back. Ended up in the redraw and got our normal seventh and on the first start, I came off of turn-two running third then that kid spun and brought out the yellow, and I moved up to fifth and I didn't think there was any way of getting that kind of start again but when we took the green, I had such a good run, I thought I was going to run over Harli, so I moved up and got a run on Travis and came out running second. I just thought man, this thing is mine until the red came out."
Racing with Harli White throughout most of the race, Wayne finally got the run to clear the No. 17w, and in doing so, tripped through the cushion just enough to allow Sam Hafertepe, Jr. a chance to get by.
"I got the run on her into turn-one, and just had to much speed and when I hit the cushion, that let Sam get by but once I got straightened out, I was able to run Sam down but by then the rubber started coming in and I was running the top and didn't realize it until Matt [Covington] passed me, but that late restart I was able to get back around him when he missed the rubber."
Wayne summed up the night by saying, "Honestly, the first night out with the series to come home with a third feels pretty good. Last year, we ended up crashing and that put us behind for quite a few races so it's a lot better start since we're not digging out of a hole right off the bat."
Wayne's next outing is slated to be the Air Capital Shootout at 81-Speedway in Park City, Kan. with NCRA on Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31. For continued updates on Wayne Johnson and TwoC Racing, you can follow them on Facebook (http://bit.ly/2o5zneX and http://bit.ly/2BsrIja) and Twitter (@wjr77x).
Recent Results:
Devi's Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, Texas) with Lucas Oil ASCS
Heat: 1st [1st]
A-Feature 3rd [7th]
Season To Date:
Races: 13; Wins: 1; Top-5: 6; Top-10: 9; Top-20: 10
Up Next:
March 30, 2018 - 81-Speedway in Park City, Kan. with NCRA
March 31, 2018 - 81-Speedway in Park City, Kan. with NCRA
Follow Wayne Johnson and TwoC Racing
Facebook (Wayne): http://bit.ly/2o5zneX
Facebook (TwoC Racing): http://bit.ly/2BsrIja
Twitter (Wayne): @wjr77x
Twitter (TwoC Racing): @TwoCRacing
Online: https://www.myracepass.com/profile/?r=15868&rt=driver
Sponsors:
Wayne would like to give special thanks to his sponsors who have helped keep him behind the wheel and on the road: Todd Carlile, Outlaw Wings, The Oil Medics, Sebastian Sandblasting & Powder Coating, DHR Suspension, Chalk Stix, Rod End Supply, Astro Titanium, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson, ButlerBuilt, Xtreme Accu-Tach, Weld Wheels, Kustom Sprint Car Supplies, Fisher Racing Engines, Speedway Graphics and Canyon Apparel.