Wayne County Speedway
Gentry eyes second title, but aiming for victory in Saturday’s Season Championship at Wayne County Speedway
Written By: Randy Worrell (Ranger)
ORRVILLE – The local racing season is indeed winding down, but the points battle in the O’Reilly Auto Parts’ Race for the Championship at Wayne County Speedway rages on.
And the Malcuit Tavern Super Late Models take center stage on Saturday.
Although 2020 WCS track champion JR Gentry holds a commanding lead (583 points) over Ryan Markham (541) and Larry Bellman (519) entering this weekend’s Season Championship, it’s also double points night as well.
“It’s important to our team to win the championship, but more so because of the tradition and the fans and all the support we do get at (Wayne County Speedway),” said Gentry. “My father (WCS great Jim Gentry) won six track championships (1985, 88, 92,93,94,97). About five years ago, we mapped out what we wanted to do with our racing program, as far as traveling and what championships we wanted to win, whether it be at Hilltop or Wayne County or whatever we have decided to do, and this year winning the (WCS) championship was our goal.
“But it’s not easy, it’s as tough each and every week at the speedway as it’s ever been, and we probably have the best equipment we’ve ever had.”
To make it even tougher, Saturday’s program has also been slated for the second of three Best Western Wooster Motel and Conference Center’s King of the County Series events and a $3,000-to-win top prize.
Last week’s winner Doug Drown and runner-up Todd Brennan have both indicated their intentions to be at WCS on Saturday along with Ryan Missler and Eric Wilson. Gentry topped the first K of C event and leads that series with 50 points followed by Markham (45), Bellman 44), Missler (43), and Tyler Evans (41). Wilson set fast time and won his heat before mechanical problems ended a top-5 run in the feature in the opening event on August 5.
“It’s so tough already (at WCS), then you add the guys who join us part-time and it’s like the caliber of a traveling series,” added Gentry. “Ryan (Markham) will you run you as hard as anyone and if you’re lucky enough to get around him, he’s right back at you the next lap. You take all the guys we have, then you add Kyle Moore in there too, it’s just tough. Everyone is so fast.”
WCS historian and long-time announcer Mike Swanger calculated the scenarios for Gentry to secure his second title on Saturday; A 14th place finish coupled with a heat race win, or 11th or better without a heat win regardless of Markham’s finish clinches his second title.
Points racing, however, won’t be on Gentry’s crosshairs come feature time. The 43-year-old will be gunning for his sixth win of the season.
“Absolutely we are racing to win,” he said. “If we are running third with three laps to go and have a chance for a victory, we’re going for it. The only exception would be if we are not running well enough to be in contention by like lap 15 or something, that would change things.
“But our car felt as good last week as it has in a long time, and we’ll be racing to win.”
Gates open at 3 p.m. on Saturday with hot laps at 6 and racing at 7:15.
