HAMPTON, VA :: No doubt about it, late July Virginia humidity and sizzling temps are hot. Only two things hotter around Langley Speedway in Hampton VA, that’s the fierce competition and The Hampton Heat 200. This year will be no exception as Track Owner Bill Mullis and Track Promoter Chuck Hall have done another excellent job preparing for the community the best 10 dollar ticket in Hampton Roads this Saturday Night at Langley Speedway. The event also marks the second of three races in the 2013 Virginia Triple Crown Series that hosts South Boston Speedway, Langley Speedway and Martinsville Speedway to the winner with the most points.
Drivers Matt Bowling, Timothy Peters and Eddie Johnson, who participated in the first leg of the Virginia Triple Crown, are heavily expected to race in this year’s Hampton Heat. But the one who leads that race series Lee Pulliam will not be making the trip even after promoter Chuck Hall was willing to $500 of his own money if he could win The Hampton Heat 200 on top of the $10,000 in prize money. But Pulliam, who is in a tight National points battle, will run Motor Mile Speedway in their Twin events scheduled for that same night. Though you never know who will show up, the race is guaranteed to thrill and someone will win $10,000!
Also making the trip from the K&N East series is Ben Rhodes who has reportedly received some expert advice from CE Falk. But anyways, its prediction time and who better to make these bold calls other than me after covering Langley Speedway for RACE22.com for almost three race seasons and a fan since I was a little boy? This year will be the most difficult to predict as the competition has proven, there are as many as six to seven race teams that could win on any given night. I’ve said it before, Langley Speedway’s Late Model race division could arguably be the best in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
So far with the list of known outsider race teams coming this year, I still like local guys winning this event. Yeah I know, Timothy Peters can easily be identified as the most talented of them all but Langley Speedway is no joke. Experience and laps will be the key in winning this race as the new track surface is tricky and changes like the wind. Let’s start with the drivers who could win, these are the teams that have had strong finishes but are just short of winning races. I’m talking about guys like Mark Wertz, Casey Wyatt, Wesley Falk, Brenden Queen and Dude Gibbs. If any of these guys are great in practice and have strong qualifying runs. These race teams have nothing to lose by digging hard every lap and could be huge players at the end of the Hampton Heat.
Out of this group, I like Wesley Falk for two reasons. Fact is that he won here twice before and his cars are prepared out of the same shop as his brother CE Falk.
But like I said, just keep a close eye on these guys. Mark Wertz and Casey Wyatt have been making gains lately and Brenden Queen has got championship help coming from Phil Warren. Now it gets much harder from here on out to predict because these next four in line, two of them are easily identifiable, the other two are making a name for themselves and have changed the competition level in Langley’s Late Model division.
Greg Edwards, in my opinion, is currently the best long race driver just like his brother, Danny Edwards, Jr., has always been Langley Speedway. Greg Edwards’ first win in 2013 came in a 150 lap feature where he may not have had the best car but making timely choices and quick decisions. But Greg has never won a Hampton Heat and with all of the misfortunes this season, if this car doesn’t feel right, can Edwards make it work and win? He did just a few weeks ago and if his car is dead on, this #97 team could easily be the ones celebrating in Victory Lane.
My next pick is another veteran of Langley Speedway in CE Falk, a two time winner of this very event. Falk probably has the best expertise for this race. Numerous times, Falk credits the many laps around this .396 oval as the reason for his success as in recent years. It’s not uncommon for Falk to post up double digit wins each year. But if CE Falk is to do it again this year, now’s the time to turn it up and start doing it in this year’s Hampton Heat. With six wins already, Falk knows the importance of track position and clean air. Therefore he has got to qualify up front and lead laps. CE Falk is at his best when he’s out front showing the way.
This next talent is one that nothing is going to hold him back, that’s Matt Waltz, a recent college graduate full of raw talent with his best yet to come. Waltz’s side by side, door to door battles have attracted much attention and the fanfare proves it. Already with three wins this season, sporting several pole runs and proving to be one of Langley’s fastest easily defines Matt Waltz as a serious contender. For Matt to win the grand event, he’ll have to carefully pick and choose his battles at the right times, discipline himself that this is a 200 lap event and set himself up at the end. There’s a really good chance Matt can make this happen, he’s that good!
But right now, the hottest driver coming into Saturday night’s feature for the Hampton Heat 200 is the event’s inaugural winner in 2008 and that’s Nick Smith. Smith has made it very clear that this season never was about winning a championship; he’s here to win races. Smith has five wins already to his credit and numerous pole runs boasting Langley Speedways Late Model track record in qualifying. If not for a blown engine and a torn up race car and missing a race because of it, Nick Smith could very well be changing his tune about a track championship. But since then, he’s lit it up out here at Langley Speedway. Giving this race team its’ due in qualifying on the pole, leading laps and winning races, Nick Smith coming in has to be labeled as the man to beat.
In conclusion, in so many words, this race called The Hampton Heat is going to be a thriller with Langley’s regulars and a fine list so far of out of town drivers, who mind you now could play spoiler, just ask Matt Bowling who showed them all last year. This year’s Hampton Heat is going to be special and RACE22.com is all over it. We’ve been pumping out story after story in prelude to this grand event in Late Model racing. We’re not stopping there either. RACE22.com will have Five Star RaceCar Bodies Live Coverage presented by JRi Shocks during the entire day at Langley Speedway as only we can do it. Race fans, if you can’t be there, then be there with us for the 2013 Hampton Heat 200.
