SUMMERTOWN, Tenn. (July 31) — Hohenwald, Tenn., driver Oakley Johns started the 2021 racing season with his eyes firmly focused on winning the Crate Racin’ USA Weekly Racing Series championship in the 604 Late Model division, and although his advantage isn’t a big one, he’s currently leading the standings in the season-long chase for the $10,000 title, and 462 different drivers have accumulated points towards the crown.
Through July 31, Johns has accumulated 15 victories in 31 starts in Weekly Racing Series activities during his quest for the title, and has a remarkable 29 top-10 finishes. Along the path he’s also started two events on the Eastaboga, Ala-based organization’s regular touring series. A driver is allowed to choose where to apply points when competing in a touring series event, and Johns has been focused on his weekly racing exploits. He’s never previously won a main event on the traveling series, but the 24-year-old driver changed that Saturday night in the annual King of the Hill event that was held at Thunderhill Raceway Park.
He considers the track to be one of his home facilities, and Johns led every circuit in the 40-lap event that was originally scheduled to be a 60-lapper paying $10,000 to win, until rain washed out the first night. Series and track officials met and agreed to run a one-day show for $3,000 to win, rather than to lose the entire weekend, or be forced to run a Saturday/Sunday format.
Although he paced every trip around the steeply-banked oval, the win wasn’t easy and Johns had to fend off efforts from several different drivers en route to the victory, and crossed the stripe ahead of Brad Skinner, 14th-place starter Pearson Lee Williams, Jake Knowles and Tyler Wood.
“We ran the touring series more in 2018 and 2019, but we never won a race during those two years, so tonight is a huge deal for us,” Johns said. “The most I’ve ever been paid for a win before this one was $1,500, and this was $3,000. This year that $10,000 that’s offered for the Weekly Racing Series championship has been my main focus. Tonight we get a chance to apply those points toward that title, and that really helps a lot.”
Johns admitted struggles in lapped traffic, but repeated caution flags helped his cause during the 40-lap event, including the seventh and final one that eliminated a charging Jadon Frame as Johns’s top challenger when the Decherd, Tenn., driver retired from the event on a lap-34 restart. Frame had previously been able to challenge Johns, but his sudden exit cleared Johns to finish off the job he’d started, and he led every lap from the pole starting slot.
“I was judging by my daddy, who was giving me signals, but a couple times I felt like we were about to get drove past on both sides out there tonight,” Johns said. “We couldn’t maneuver through lapped traffic the way we needed, so I was glad to see all those cautions. We could get away a little bit on the restarts.
Earlier in the race, Trynt Lloyd was putting one of his better career performances on the series together, running a close second to Johns and closely chasing the local favorite through slower cars. He ducked low at one point to issue his strongest challenge, but soon retired from competition and finished a disappointing 21st in a 24-car field.
“As soon as I started getting under him [Johns], the motor started locking up,” Lloyd said. “We’re not sure yet, but maybe the inside bearings. The car was really coming around when that happened.”
That sent the first of Johns’ most persistent challengers to an early exit, leaving Skinner to take up the chase. When Brock Hall spun to bring out the race’s fourth yellow flag, Frame slipped past Skinner and looked to the high side with a stout challenge for the lead.
His issuance of a threat was perhaps the strongest of any competitor on the list of those with a legitimate shot for victory, but his car pulled up lame on a restart with 34 laps completed, and his absence left Johns with another threat to repel from Skinner on the final restart with five laps remaining.
“We had two or three guys give us a pretty good challenge, including Brad [Skinner],” Johns said. “It helped us a lot to start from the pole, and that was probably key to winning the race. It also helps to know the racetrack, and we’ve run here a lot over the years, so we kinda know a little bit about what the surface is gonna do. I didn’t expect it to clean up the way it did, but having a lot of experience here certainly helped. Any time you can win a race in front of your home crowd, it means a lot to your team.”
Johns completed the distance in a car sponsored by Tammy Hinson Bail Bonds, Johns Timber, Olive Hill Hardwoods, Randle Chupp Consulting and Stewart Farms.
Eighteen points separate the top four drivers in the championship battle, and a dozen races remain on the schedule. Jake Knowles took over the series points lead with his fourth-place finish, and currently leads both Jimmy Thomas and Jason Welshan, who are tied for second. The margin is four points [754-750], while Tanner Collins [736] and Mike Combs [620] round out the top five in the standings.
Next Event
The touring series will head to North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia on Aug. 26-28 for the King of Crate event featuring two main events over the three-day weekend, which will kick off with a practice session on Thursday, Aug. 26.
A 30-lapper slated Friday, Aug. 27, will pay $2,000 to the winner, and a 40-lapper on Sat., Aug. 28, will award $2,500 to the first driver across the stripe.
About Crate Racin’ USA
The economical Chevrolet Performance 602 and 604 Circle Track Engine is utilized by competitors in the various divisions presented by Crate Racin’ USA. It’s in stock and available for free, next-day delivery from Newsome Raceway Parts in Hartsville, S.C.
Each engine is built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. To place an order, call 1-877-497-3624.
For more information and rules, visit the organization’s website at www.crateracinusa.com, or follow our extensive social media programs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Newsome Raceway Parts, a division of Raceway Chevrolet in Hartsville, S.C., is the title sponsor of Crate Racin’ USA. E-Z-GO Golf Carts is the title sponsor of the newly-established E-Z-GO $100,000+ Challenge.
Chevrolet Performance is an official sponsor of the organization, along with Advanced Laser & Machine, Cruise with the Champions, Hoosier Racing Tire, KRC Power Steering, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, My Race Pass, VP Racing Fuels and Lubricants and Willy’s Carburetors.
Official chassis sponsors include Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis and CVR Race Cars.
King of the Hill: 1. Oakley Johns, 2. Brad Skinner, 3. Pearson Lee Williams, 4. Jake Knowles, 5. Tyler Wood, 6. Tanner Collins, 7. Jimmy Thomas, 8. Cody Ballard, 9. Matt Cooper, 10. Oakley Gillespie, 11. Jesse Lowe, 12. David Seibers, 13. Steven Holcomb, 14. Jason Welshan, 15. Mark Whitener, 16. Jadon Frame, 17. Corey Posey, 18. Brock Hall, 19. Troy Dixon, 20. Mike Combs, 21. Trynt Lloyd, 22. Eric Hickerson, 23. Cody Martin, 24. Mark Fields.
Current points standings (thru July 31, 2021):
- Jake Knowles, 754; 2. (tie) Jimmy Thomas and Jason Welshan, 750; 4. Tanner Collins, 736; 5. Mike Combs, 620; 6. Troy Dixon, 570; 7. Colton Leyendecker, 450; 8. T.J. Brittain, 384; 9. Christian Hanger, 281; 10. Jake Rainey, 270; 11. Mark Whitener, 260; 12. Austin Horton, 256; 13. Pearson Lee Williams, 240; 14. Wil Herrington, 230; 15. Cody Martin, 228; 16. Heath Carr, 224; 17. Jimmy Elliott, 220; 18. Ty Ellis, 204; 19. Trynt Lloyd, 196; 20. Jake Traylor, 194.
Total entries: 36
Boyd-Bilt Fabrication Fast Qualifier: Oakley Johns, 13.050 seconds
Lap leaders: Oakley Johns 1-40
Margin of victory: 1.727 seconds
Cautions: 7
B-mains: Oakley Gillespie, Jake Knowles