Sometimes, real life is better than a country song.

That was the case in the Limited Late Model race at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville on Saturday night when Andy Johnson, driving Daniel Pope II’s old Late Model, picked up a victory just days after Daniel’s mother, Thelma, passed away at the age of 64.

Andy Johnson, the Pope family and crew chief Randy Weaver have been close for years.  When Pope decided to hang up his helmet and firesuit, he sold his car to Johnson so his son, Chase Johnson, could race it.  Weaver, who was Pope’s crew chief, joined Johnson.

“We bought everything Pope had probably three or four weeks ago,” Andy Johnson said.  “They were done racing.  And, we decided Monday or Tuesday to run at Nashville this weekend.  This past week, Daniel’s mom died.  That whole deal, Randy Weaver was Daniel’s crew chief.  Me and him have been buddies for a long time.  To win in Daniel’s car, the same week his mom died, that was pretty awesome.”

Johnson and Weaver were like a team that just decided to show up.   Johnson got virtually no track time in the car prior to the drop of the green flag.  He was unable to rent the track to practice ahead of Saturday night’s race but qualified third right off the truck, started on the outside of the front row after an invert and went on to score the win.

“It was a pretty neat deal,” Weaver explained.  “Everything that went on this week, it kind of, you know, I’m not an emotional kind of guy but it’s neat the way it all worked out with no practice and how it came together.  It makes you think there’s more to it than just us.  Andy had never driven the car.  Just, it worked out.  To be in Daniel’s car and as much as his mom loved racing, she loved it.  It was, like I said, it was more about his mom than me or Andy or Daniel or anybody.  Everybody liked his mom.  Just, the whole deal came together.”

Pope was not at the track but he was able to watch Johnson win in his old car through the video streaming service (and RACE22.com partner) RACEFEEDX.com.  He says his mother would have been proud to see Johnson win.

“You know, mama always loved the racecars we had,” Pope said.  “That was the car we ran the last couple years and we won Kingsport quite a bit with it.  I decided to stop racing a couple years ago.  I kept it in case I felt the need and mama loved it.  Decided I wasn’t going to drive anymore so we sold it to Andy.  Mom was excited because she always liked Andy and Weaver’s like family to us too.  If anybody could have it, I’d love to see Andy have it.  He bought it for Chase.  Mama went up there when he bought the car.  She told me she hated to let it go but to see the excitement on Chase’s face, it made her feel like it was going to a good home.

“She wanted to watch it run when Chase or Andy drove it.  I heard they were getting it ready to run this weekend and, they put it together and won the race.  Me and dad watched it.  To see it run it, I’m proud of it and how it ran and I’m proud of Randy.  Any time you’ve got something invested into something like that car, to see it win makes you happy no matter who’s driving it.  My mama would’ve loved to have watched it.  She was proud of Andy and she’ll be proud of Chase when he runs it.”

Johnson talked about his friendship with the Pope family as well and what Thelma Pope and her friendship with him and his son Chase meant to him.

“Their mama and wife, she was an amazing woman, she was, I don’t know how to put it into words,” Johnson remarked.  “I never met another woman like her other than my mama.  She was sweet and laid back.  She loved to watch Daniel race.  She was a super great woman.  When we bought all that stuff, I had my boy with me and she told Chase the whole deal from when Daniel first started racing to them selling out and how much they enjoyed it.  He’s racing now, started running quarter midgets.  He’s nine now.  He listened and it was cool to him too.”

For Andy Johnson, Randy Weaver and the Pope family, Saturday night was a night they certainly will not forget

“This win was for that whole Pope family without a doubt,” Johnson commented.  “They’re the best people you’ll ever meet.”