Mark Wertz picked up his first win since April 2010 in the first of two Late Model Stock Car features at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia on Saturday night.
Wertz, a two-time champion at Langley Speedway, has not scored a win since the season opening race in the 2010 season at Langley Speedway. Since that last win, the track has seen the dominance of CE Falk, Greg Edwards and Matt Waltz lock the 46-year-old veteran out of victory lane. Wertz returned to victory lane after driving his way up to the lead from the seventh starting position on Saturday.
Leading into the race, Wertz had plenty of confidence that he could finally snap his longer than five year winless drought.
“We were pretty good in practice on Thursday and we were setting pace with Greg [Edwards] all day in practice,” Wertz told RACE22.com’s Mark Rogers, Jr. after the race. “I think I was a little too overconfident in qualifying and killed the car. Started seventh and, as soon as the race started, we were able to run right to the front. It was a good race. When I took the lead, I was like ‘wow, here we go’. It was like old times.”
The win was special for Wertz not just because it was his first since 2010 but also because it feel two years after Phyllis Robinson, wife of car owner Raymond Robinson passed away. Wertz dedicated his win to her.
“I’ve got to dedicate the win to my car owner’s wife, Phyllis Robinson. She passed away two years ago this weekend. Good feeling. Haven’t gotten one of these in a long time … It was a good night overall.”
Wertz started on the pole in the second race and led the first 25 laps before fading to fourth. Tyler Hughes scored the victory in that race.
RACE22.com’s Mark Rogers, Jr. contributed to this report.
