They call it The Big One for a reason.

The 2025 edition of Dominion Raceway’s annual The Big One was clearly defined by big tempers. 

On a race docket that featured nine races, it was again the Truckin’ Thunder America Racer Late Models that seized the headlines, when a physical battle for the lead turned into confrontation on the pitlane and in victory lane after the race. 

Traditionally a 150 lap event, this year’s Big One was split into two consecutive 75-lap races, and both winners were celebrated in Bugsy Auto Repair Victory Lane. The points leader, Chase Johnson, brought a hoodless late model with a missing front bumper to celebrate his race one win, while Conner Weddell also parked his clean #8c there after winning race two. 

Both had more visitors in victory lane than anticipated. 

Amidst the celebration, both drivers mentioned the aggressive driving demonstrated in the race during their victory lane interviews. 

“It was a great race,” said Johnson. “At least I don’t have to drive through people to win a race.”

“That was insane, and I’m so glad to come away with one,” said Weddell. “This division is so tough. You gotta race with a bunch of guys who are a little rough around the edges.” 

Davey Callihan led the first 50 laps in his #41 Papa Johns America Racer, but with 25 to-go in the first race, Fred Daniels spun out behind the big screen. 

The subsequent restart saw Callihan and Johnson line up on the front row and it was Callihan who ran the #57 up the race track to try and maintain the lead, but Johnson held on and led the remainder of the race, earning the first checkered flag. 

Their battle was just a harbinger of things to come.

A disagreement between the drivers of the #57 and #41 happened during the mid race break and it would carry over into race two. 

Johnson and Callihan would start seventh and eighth after the invert, but it took only 29 laps for Johnson to navigate the field. He passed Aaron Donnelly for the lead, and three laps later, Callihan passed Donelly for second. 

Johnson set sail and looked poised to win his fourth race in a row, but with 10 to-go, contact between Peyton Lee and Dan Rogers would bring out the yellow. 

The restart would happen with nine laps remaining, and it was electrifying.

 Johnson was on the inside and Callihan on the outside of row one, with Conner Weddell in P3. Any momentum Johnson got on the start and backstretch was nullified when Callihan delivered a shot to the rear in turn three. Callihan pushed him through turn four and the front stretch before getting him up the race track in turn one. While this happened, Weddell was racing hard with the #2 of Lee. The two leaders would be side-by-side through the middle of turns three and four when the #41 door-slammed Johnson. Callihan tried to push him up the track in turn four, which almost made it three-wide when Weddell tried to sneak in the inside lane.

The trio would think better of it and regrouped going into turn one. Callihan and Johnson didn't give each other an inch, and in turn three it appeared Callihan bobbled slightly and ran up into Johnson. Weddell swooped past with the lead at the finish line, while Johnson fell back. 

Callihan found himself in another side-by-side battle: this time it was with Weddell. Callihan drove an aggressive line on the outside and was able to lead the next lap, but Weddell was on the inside and rode him up the track coming out of turn two. Contact between the two on the backstretch gave C-Weed the lead and allowed Johnson to sneak back into second, past Callihan. 

With five to-go, Callihan delivered a shot to the rear of Johnson, but it was the second shot in turn four that spun the #57 down onto the front stretch. Johnson’s car would make significant contact with JD Eversole and Josh Blankenship, destroying the front of the car. 

With both Johnson and Callihan out of the picture, Weddell was able to manage the restart and lead the last few laps earning him the win. 

There were frustrations in the pits by team members from Johnson’s and Callihan’s teams. Meanwhile, a battle between Weddell and Lee carried over when a member of the #2 team confronted Weddell and company in victory lane. 

Afterwards, Johnson lamented the chance to close out the night.

“We had a great piece and got a restart with under 30 to-go, and we nailed the restart just perfect. We got up out front and we did not look back for the first one. The second one… was just racin’ I guess,” said Johnson. “If that is what you want to call it; it was more of a demolition derby.” 

“It is what it is. We had a really good shot to win both races, and we were going to. I want to congratulate Conner. I am glad he won. He has raced good this year, so I am proud of him.”  

Weddell on the other hand expressed he saw the writing on the wall between his two competitors. 

“It was pretty wild out there with the #41 and #57. I knew it was coming, I mean they were arguing after race one, so I knew it was coming,” said Weddell. “We played our cards right and at the end we pulled an ace.” 

For Weddell, it was a much-needed victory after he said he made a “rookie mistake” and lost a chance to win the Triple Memorial 200. The points earned moved him to third in the track standings, 18 points behind Johnson, who maintained his points lead despite the carnage. 

For the Fredericksburg native, Davey Callihan, it was a night where he went from hometown hero to heel, but he said it is a role he is happy to play if that is what the competition calls for. 

“It was action-filled, and we put on a good show for everyone here. Some people are not gonna like it, but it was definitely rough racing,” said Callihan. “The first one was pretty mellow, I thought. The #57 was a little better. He had some choice words for me after the first one.”

“If we are gonna talk like that and race like that, then we can do it all year. We will be back out here and we will beat and bang if that is what we gotta do.”