The resume is growing for the 2023 Dominion Raceway Carlisle III Home Inspections INEX Legends Champion. Conner Weddell, as he has added 2024 Virginia Racer race winner and, perhaps, part-time psychic to it.
“I looked at Tyler about mid-day today and I said ‘I’ve got a good feeling about tonight,’” said
Weddell.
Whether this was a premonition or was a sign to things to come for the young Tyler Hughes
Motorsports driver is hard to distinguish; however it is hard to argue that the finale of Race N
Rock Night at DR could get any better for all involved on the #8 team.
Entering the night 12th in the Truckin Thunder VA Racer standings, Weddell’s quest for
redemption arguably started on April 13, when in his season debut in the late model he cut a tire in a three-wide battle for the win with Chase Johnson and Reid Murphy. The contact sent him off into the Turn 1 wall ending his night before he could even strap in for the second race on the twin slate.
A 14th place finish and a DNS that weekend was followed up with a 4th place finish a week
later. What followed was a month of rainouts and off weekends that kept Weddell out of the Truckin Thunder Virginia Racer late model at the High-Banked Ring of Fire.
In the meantime, Weddell kept moonlighting in his Legend car adding two more wins to his
season total of 4. However, those trips to Bugsy’s Auto Repair Victory Lane were not the true
prize.
Weddell qualified 5th for the first of Twin 35 lap races on June 8th’s Race N Rock Night. Carson
Higgs had a right-rear tire go down on the first lap, but when the green flag racing resumed,
Mike Ganoe would lead Peyton Lee. Weddell would gain a spot by passing JD Eversole and
then follow points-leader Chase Johnson past Lee for third.
With 29 to-go, David Blankenship would also have tire troubles to bring out a caution. Ganoe
jumped out to a huge lead on the restart and Weddell was able to settle into second place.
On lap 20, calamity would strike the #57 of Johnson, who from the top-5, would blow an engine.
Johnson’s displeasure was apparent as he exited his smoking blue and orange late model
smacking the roof after a short night.
Ganoe would again lead the restart, but it was the white #33 of Dan Rogers who came out in
second over Weddell. With four to-go, Weddell would pull alongside Rogers and a lap later he
would prevail to finish second, while Ganoe crossed the stripe when the checkered-flag flew.
Weddell would then be at attention as a spectator for the Carlisle III Home Inspections and
Consulting INEX Legends. Tyler Hughes Motorsports teammates Miles Murray, Kaitlyn Stradley would be in the lineup alongside Hughes himself who piloted the orange #20 machine.
David Polenz and Alec Andrecs would start on row two, but would be first and second when the first lap ended, while Hughes moved up to third. On lap 2 Andrecs and Hughes would get a run and move past Polenz. On lap 4 Hughes would move to the outside of Andrecs and they would be side-by-side, but Andrecs would maintain position.
Hughes’ loss of momentum brought him to defend against Polenz until he got another run at the lead. On lap 10, Hughes would again load up for an outside assault of Andrecs, and this time
they would make contact when Andrecs came up the track coming out of Turn 4. Hughes would
take the lead while Andrecs plummeted down the running order.
Polenz would close the gap, but time worked against the #33 as Hughes was able to hold on
until the finish and capture his first checkered flag of the season. Hughes is a part of Dominion
Raceway’s colorful late model history, but this was his first Legends win at the track.
“This was a really good night,” said Hughes. “Mike Weddell always makes me drive his car
because he says I always win in it. It is good to come out here and get a win every year.”
Conner Weddell was a part of The Boss’ victory celebration and playfully teased Hughes that he was “lucky I wasn’t in the [Legends] field, because I would have beat him.” It was big talk from
C-Weed, but when the youngster strapped into his late model for the night's finale, he too was
motivated to join the victory party.
The second race saw Richard Storm jump out to the lead over Kyle Terczak with Weddell in
third. On lap 7 Weddell would pass Terczak for second before Rogers’ car went up in flames on
the frontstretch. A brief red flag came out to put out the fire and clean up the track. Rogers
walked away safely, but his night was over.
Weddell would restart on the outside of row 1, and while Storm beat him to the lead, it wouldn’t be for long. Three laps later Storm would bobble coming out of Turn 2, and Weddell would pounce at the opportunity. For the first time in the evening, the blue and gold First Choice Garage Doors machine was the leader.
After getting the lead, Weddell would run away with the show en route to his first VA Racer
checkered flag. A Tyler Hughes Legends win and a first and second place finish for himself
meant that Conner’s prediction came true: it was in fact a good night.
“I don’t know what to say,” said Weddell from Victory Lane. “We have been in arms reach [of a
win] for a couple weeks now, and it feels great to do it.”
The other racing divisions saw great action as well. Michael Frayser got his second win of the
season for the UCARs, Tommy Jackson Jr. broke through for a Virginia Modified win after an intense battle with #6 Shannon Marano who then had some pressure from the #99 of Allen Marshall.
Tuggie Case would dominate and score his first win and then pulled out the broom in the Twin 15 Bando races. The previous almost famous driver, now practically famous, Tuggie Case was nearly speechless in victory lane as the emotions of finally tasting a checkered flag set in.
Ed Kenny who set a new track record of 19.096 in practifying won the 4/6 Cylinder
Any Cars contest, while Kris Kurtz won the 25 lap Mini Stocks feature. Both divisions seeing great challenges for the lead.
Next week is a huge night for Dominion Raceway, as the CARS Tour comes to Thornburg. Last
year the premier late model touring series had their “Race of the Year” when Bobby McCarty
beat Carson Kvapil and Brenden Queen on the last lap at DR. UCARs, 8 Cylinder Any Cars,
a huge field of Legends, and Bandos will also be running.
While all the racing action will figuratively provide fireworks on track, Dominion Raceway will put on a fireworks display after the conclusion of the Minis Mission 125 CARS Tour feature.
You can watch the action live or watch the replays on DominionRaceway.tv
Grab your tickets below