The Wayne High School Power Drive team kicked off their 2023 race season at Raceway Park of the Midlands in Pacific Junction, Iowa on April 21.
"After being rained out the week before, the Blue Devils were eager to see what they could accomplish on the 1.4 mile road course," said Advisor Tony Cantrell.
Wayne competed with three cars — a newly built car S107, and two returning state champion cars, E22 and E39. Rookie drivers Braden Adams and Nina Hammer took turns driving the S107 maintaining seond place for the first half of the race, but took the lead at the halfway point and quickly put a one lap lead on the competition. Unfortunately, electrical issues stopped the S107 with 13 minutes left in the rally, but the car was still able to win the Standard class division by two laps, completing 12 laps.
In Exhibition class competition, car E22, driven by Brett Johnson, and E39, driven by Matthew Kufner-Rodriguez, battled back and forth trading positions with the competition.
With five minutes left in the race Wayne was in fourth place (E22) and second place (E39) but were showing strength. In the last two laps of the race, car E22 passed and finished for third place with 21 laps, and the E39 car passed and finished for first place while setting the EVERON track record with 22 laps.
Car E22 posted the fastest lap of the day at 2:27.4 while car E39 had the second fastest lap at 2:27.7.
Wayne competes next at Motorsports Park Hastings on Saturday April 29, and will host the Power Drive Championships on Saturday, May 6 at the First National Bank of Omaha Service Center at 1100 East 10th street. The public is encouraged to come out and watch the competition.
