Danny Edwards shines as Langley drops flag
HAMPTON — An Air Force flyover notwithstanding, the night skies were quiet amid a full moon as the late start to the season prompted Langley Speedway to postpone its annual fireworks show until September. Thunder on the track Saturday on Opening Night will nevertheless reverberate well past then.
The Performance Food Late Model 50-lap twin features were so calamitous for division favorites Greg Edwards and Connor Hall that they immediately have been relegated to championship long shots. The role of title favorites quickly shifted to Danny Edwards Jr. — second in the first race before winning the second — and Brenden “Butterbean” Queen, second in the nightcap after posting a fourth to open.
Here are some of the highlights from Langley Speedway’s Opening Night:
Kudos to the fans
Rather than bunching up, the 1,000 fans allowed in spread out into groups of family and friends, just as track management asked, and some wore masks. They also socially distanced nicely at the concession stands and elsewhere throughout the facility, so any blowback faced by other weekly tracks that opened recently while ignoring such safety precautions is unlikely.
Danny Edwards’ big night
Danny Edwards expressed quiet confidence recently that his car was ready for the season, which
for him is akin to a Joe Namath-like declaration he’d be good. He was from the get-go Saturday, qualifying second to regional powerhouse Bobby McCarty for the first 50lapper, then finishing just behind him in the first race.
Because of the invert, Edwards started seventh for the second 50-lapper but was in the top three by lap 10, second by lap 18 and in the lead by lap 24. Shut out of Victory Lane in 2019 after winning his sixth division title a year earlier, he held off the hard-charging Queen on two late restarts to win a thrilling side-byside duel over the final three laps.
“We got behind early last year, so it’s nice to get out and not have to be chasing (the setup),” Edwards said. “We spent the winter working on it, trying new things and revamping, and it’s worked so far.
“I appreciate Butterbean racing me clean at the end.”
Queen, Wyatt surprise
Queen has been a topfive driver for years, but, one win aside, has not been a serious Late Model Division title contender. But he showed good one-lap speed by qualifying third and finishing fourth in the first race.
Queen was impressive again in surging from his fifth-place start to lead a lap late in the second race.
Title contention would be no surprise.
Casey Wyatt hasn’t run consistently up front in the Late Model Division since his impressive 2006 season, when he won often. But he qualified sixth among 18 drivers Saturday and, after finishing seventh in the first race, led 23 laps in the second on his way to a third-place finish.
Title contention would be a stretch for Wyatt, but a trip to Victory Lane this season appears realistic.
Hall, Greg Edwards struggle
After a dominant run to the Late Model title a year ago, Greg Edwards qualified seventh and finished 11th in the opening race. Caught up in a wreck at the drop of the green flag in the second race, he retired to the pits with significant body damage and an 18thplace finish.
Hall was 18th and last in the first race after losing four laps in the pits because of a faulty oil gauge. Hopeful that his fresher tires would help him move through the field in the second race, a significant surge never materialized and he finished 13th after a last-lap wreck.
Both will win races this season but won’t contend for the title minus much bad luck for Danny Edwards and Queen.
Hampton Heat outlook
Hall and Greg Edwards will have lots of body work to do before the Hampton Heat 200 on July 18 as they simultaneously search for better speed or handling. Hall is the defending champion, but 2017 winner McCarty joins Danny Edwards as an early favorite.
McCarty led every lap in winning the first 50-lapper Saturday despite pressure from Danny Edwards throughout. Not a Langley regular — and thus unconcerned about racing for points at the track — McCarty exited the second race early after incurring body damage when another car checked up.
Wreck of the night
Legends pole winner Tommy Jackson Jr. and defending division champ Ryan Matthews were poised for a tight duel after running 1-2 for the first 20 of 25 laps. But Matthews got under Jackson in turn 3 of lap 21, flipping him side over side three times and hard into the wall.
Jackson’s badly damaged car settled on its roof, and fans held their breath for several minutes before he exited it, seemingly unhurt, and walked unaided to the safety vehicle. With Matthews’ car also damaged, Trevor Thacker went on to win the race.
Other winners
Ryley Music (Bandolero), Bill Rice (Virginia Sprint Cars) and Michael Waters (UCAR) all won, leading every lap. Louie Pasderetz was first in a 14-vehicle field that was the largest for the Super Truck Division in years.