HAMPTON, VA :: Langley Speedway, after a very successful 2012 race season, sure did think that there was going to be an off season around the track. Not so. what started as a rumor turned into a fact as the confines of Langley Speedway will feature a brand new racing surface in 2013. Heavily down played by most race teams are the speeds and lap times. Fact here is that lap times are near a half a second quicker than the current track record set by five-time Langley Late Model champion Danny Edwards, Jr. at 15.748.
So what can we expect in 2013 from the Late Model division? Well, the obvious thing is speed but with just 6 degrees of banking in the corners, I’m putting my money on some exciting door to door racing. But things can change very quickly in a lap around this track as tempers are all too well known to go off at any moment. Some say if, I say when. All thanks in part to the tracks configuration, a lap around Langley Speedway is like none other. Many drivers have admitted that, even though you’re constantly up on the wheel around the place, never do you get a chance to relax. But enough on the track, let’s talk about the drivers.
Who better to start talking about than the three-time champion and 2012 Late Model track champion Greg Edwards. Edwards will bring with him a ton of renewed confidence and motivation in 2013. Though credited with two wins last season from disqualifications, Edwards never raced his way into victory lane in 2012. V frustrated, Edwards never cracked with the pressure of winning and showed resilience in keeping his team motivated as they secured the 2012 track championship. Expect Greg Edwards in victory lane in 2013 and count on him not to go down without a fight to defend his track title as well.
Made mention earlier was Danny Edwards, Jr., a five-time track champion in his own right. On track success for Danny has been limited for far too long for this really talented champion. His last win at Langley goes back to April 23, 2011. Since then, he’s not been a major factor. Given a couple of decent runs, it’s far short of where Danny wants to be. Expect all that to change in 2013 as Danny brings a new ride along with one hungry desire to win. All I’m going to say is that you don’t win five track titles and stay down long. In fact, the current Langley champion and his biggest rival may have company in 2013.
Sporting a couple of Late Model track championships and what I believe to be the most enthusiastic racer is Mark Wertz. Victory lane hasn’t seen Wertz in some time as well. In fact, it’s been since April 10, 2010. Mark Wertz and his race team broke out a bit in 2012 scoring several top 5’s but still short of what Mark Wertz expects and that is to win. Wertz will admit that his program has been off and is not at all happy about it. In talking about it with him, you can sense the frustration but you can also see the intensity of getting back to championship form. Mark Wertz did very well with sponsorship in 2013, expect him to contend this year.
Finishing fourth in the points last season was Casey Wyatt who races for another one of the small family owned and operated race teams at Langley. Even Casey, who has spent his entire life around Langley Speedway, would admit that he too, since the jump to Late Models, thought he would have yielded some significant success by now. But look out, Casey Wyatt and his race team landed some really big sponsorship for 2013 that could be a game changer. With a brand new race car with a hot power plant an even hotter paint job, there’s no way you can miss Casey Wyatt in 2013.
Now, for the one who has given fits to the previous three mentioned and anyone who ever comes out to play, three time consecutive Late Model track champion CE Falk has had his way with the competition at Langley Speedway. In the last 4 years, Falk has scored 41 wins in 71 events held at the track. Ask anyone, the man to beat at Langley Speedway is CE Falk and there’s no reason to suspect otherwise in 2013. If not for some disqualifications because of some illegal trunk arm bushings and some loose body weights, CE Falk would have easily won a fourth consecutive title and everyone around the track knows it.
There’s a host of others looking to make some noise and just spoil everything for everyone in 2013. The younger brother whose race car is prepared from the same shop is Wesley Falk. Finishing second in points and scoring a win in 2012, Wes Falk performed consistently and, if not for some earlier in the season misfortunes, Wes Falk may have been within reach of Greg Edwards for the title. Shayne Lockhart scored some wins in 2012 as well. The solid, disciplined and poised veteran of the game will do well once again in 2013. Look for racers Jeff Shifflett, Duane Shreeves and a frequent visitor to victory lane named Nick Smith to do well in 2013.
Langley Speedways Late Model division will have a Rookie of the Year points battle in 2013. Brenden Queen, Brandon Atkinson, and Justin Carroll, son of Late Model driver Terry Carroll, all plan to race in 2013. Without question, 2013 is going to be big at Langley Speedway. With a new track surface, a much better potential car count and a staff running things well, everyone is pumped about the coming race season and it all begins this Saturday Night April 6th for 150 laps around this 4/10s mile low banked oval.
It’s prediction time and selecting a winner in 2013 at Langley Speedway is not that hard to figure. Let’s be honest, ask any of the drivers, somebody has to step it up in 2013 if they’re going to shut down CE Falk. The fact that Greg Edwards is the only racer that has even rocked Falk a time or two is not enough to upset the chemistry Falk has at Langley. Brother Danny Edwards, Wertz and Wyatt, just to name a few, has to raise the level of their game and they all know it. All winter long, these race teams have made some serious moves in making gains on Falk. Expect some to happen this Saturday night as the Late Model race season begins at Langley Speedway.
