D.J. ready to take a drive
As the 2022 racing season begins at Grundy, Weltmeyer eager to join family legacy
Ready for some racing? Grab your coat and head out to Grundy County Speedway in Morris on Saturday, when the first race of the 2022 season is scheduled to go green at 6 p.m.
Ready for a new late model champion? I’ve got an excellent preseason candidate.
But first, a history lesson. We’ve had some pretty successful racing families in these parts.
One that immediately comes to mind are the Schulers, with father Lee and sons Larry and Tracy all winning late model track championships at Grundy County Speedway.
Another are the Hoffmans, Ed Sr. and his son Eddie. Last season, Eddie passed his dad for all-time late model track titles at Grundy by winning his seventh.
But when it comes to family racing shoes to fill, I don’t think any local competitor has a bigger challenge than D.J. Weltmeyer.
I mean, consider the lineage.
His grandfather, Norm, didn’t win any track titles, but was universally known as one of the greatest local racing ambassadors who ever lived.
His dad, David, is one of only three drivers in Chicagoland history — Ray Young and Mike White being the others — to win late model championships at Raceway Park, Illiana Speedway and Grundy.
David won three at Raceway, two at Grundy and one at Illiana.
His uncle, Bob, won two championships at Raceway and one at Illiana.
Another uncle, Dan, won a hobby stock title at Raceway.
A third uncle, John Brolick, won two late model championships each at Raceway and Grundy.
And you can put a fourth uncle in there too. Jim Weltmeyer was a top late model runner on the local circuit in the 1970s and 80s. Ready? Set?
When I talked to D.J. on
Tuesday, he said he’s in “go” mode for Saturday night’s season opener.
The Kouts, Indiana driver has early, eager eyes on joining the family in Titletown.
“It would be awesome,” Weltmeyer said. “I know last year’s champ, Eddie, he’s done it a few times after his dad was done. To fall into that category and be recognized as someone in my family who was dominant for a year, it would be awesome. It would definitely be a check in the box.
“Yeah, it’s amazing to look back at my dad and my uncles being champions in late models and other divisions. If we can add another one of us to the list many years later, it would be really cool.”
The youngest Weltmeyer began his racing career in 2010 and won his first late model feature in 2012 at Illiana. He won a handful of races in Schererville before the speedway closed in 2015.
Since then, Weltmeyer has raced on and off at Grundy with his legendary father as his crew chief.
In 2021, D.J. had intentions of giving it a full go, but early season motor problems set him back.
Then in mid-July, he caught fire. The good kind, I mean. Over the final seven or eight nights, Weltmeyer ran consistently in the top six in features. He posted wins on Aug. 13 and Sept. 3 and finished second in the Bettenhausen Classic.
He finished sixth in points, but by the end of the season, Weltmeyer had probably the fastest car at Grundy.
“We all worked really hard at the shop,” Weltmeyer said. “That’s kind of where it all started. We decided we were going to throw all of our eggs in one basket and really try some things and be aggressive with changes.
“The more aggressive we went with changes, the faster we got. Realistically, we didn’t have a lot of races on this car, so once we got back into the swing of things and started being creative, things started clicking.”
There’s no reason to stop now.
Saturday’s opener has a 5 p.m. Sunday rain date. The following weekend will be a double dip, with a regular stock car show at 8 p.m. Friday and a “Spring Fling 200” enduro race at 3 p.m. Saturday.