D.J. keeps playing that song
Weltmeyer makes sure his head, heart are ‘in the right spot’ at Grundy County
D.J. Weltmeyer had plans to “take a really big swing” at the 2021 racing season at Grundy County Speedway.
“I wanted to be competitive in the local races,” Weltmeyer said. “Then from there we were going to decide whether to fan out a little bit and maybe do some traveling.”
Early season motor problems put everything on hold. Over the past month, however, the Kouts, Indiana driver has made some serious noise.
On July 23, Weltmeyer posted what was then a season-best third in the 30-lap feature.
On July 30, he led virtually the entire race before being passed by Eddie Hoffman and then spinning just three laps from the finish.
“We got a good start early, passed a couple of cars and Eddie followed us through,” Weltmeyer said. “Eddie got a good corner when we had a bad corner. We made a little contact and I wheelhopped a little bit. I tried to save it, but I wasn’t able to.”
The end result was better on Aug. 7, when Weltmeyer set fast qualifying time and finished second in one of the Frank Welch Memorial twin 25-lap main events.
Weltmeyer had another strong run Friday night, coming from the middle of the pack to finish on Hoffman’s bumper in the 30-lap feature.
When Hoffman was disqualified for a rules infraction after the race, Weltmeyer was declared the winner.
“I definitely want to get one the right way, but we’re playing by the rules here, so I’ll take it,” Weltmeyer said. “I don’t think it takes away anything from the performance we had tonight.”
Weltmeyer, 28, is continuing the legacy of a racing family that included his grandfather, Norm, his father, David, and his uncles Bob, Jim and Dan.
David Weltmeyer, who won titles at Grundy, Illiana Speedway and Raceway Park, is his crew chief.
The youngest Weltmeyer began his racing career in 2010 and won his first late model feature in 2012 at Illiana. He went on to win a handful of races at the speedway in Schererville before it closed in 2015. He has two feature victories at Grundy, including one in 2020.
Success hasn’t come easily. At least not in the volume that it did for his legendary father.
David Weltmeyer, however, uses a different measuring stick than most.
“A lot of people don’t know that when I started I struggled for a while, too,” David said. “People only remember the wins. They don’t remember all of the losses. I tell him those stories when we’re sitting around the house.
“D.J. still has a lot of years ahead of him. He’s still got the heart, and his head is in the right spot. So as long as he’s got the heart, I’m with him.”
Together, they’re turning a big corner.
Closing in: Even with the DQ, Hoffman still has a large points lead in the division over second place Anthony Danta.
Hoffman is taking aim at his seventh late model title, which
would move him past his father for the most championships in track history.
“That’s good,” Hoffman said. “We try every pretty much every year, and if we can do it this year, it would be great.”
Hoffman struggled at the beginning of the season, but he has come on with a fury over the past several weeks.
“The car has gotten better,” Hoffman said. “There is still room for improvement.”
Pushing ahead: Scott Gardner increased his points lead in the street stock class with a strong run
in the 25-lap feature. He defeated Randy Weese and Scotty Gardner, his son.
Should Scott Gardner win it all, it would be his first track championship since he won in Raceway Park’s final season of 2000.
“Exactly 21 years and that’s exactly how old my son is,” Gardner said. “I would love it. Either way, this is 100% guaranteed my last season. My career will be to help out my son and make him a champion.”
David Einhaus beat Blake Brown in the Mid-American feature. Kyle Brick won the 4-cylinder feature, while Landon Hocking prevailed in the Super Cups.