When race fans talk about late models (or these days super late models) one name comes to the forefront. Fans either love him or hate him, but he is the one driver who stands at the top of the list of current pack of potential stars looking to hookup with a big time ride.
That driver is of course Wayne Anderson, the Wildwood, Florida racer who makes his living in a theater where most of the competition are enjoying their hobby only wishing they could be making a living at it.
Wayne Anderson wins races. Winning races is what gets you noticed. Thus when Mike Garvey went to the Peak Performance Motorsports Nextel Cup race team to drive the number 66, Wayne Anderson got the call from the Orlando based Rinaldi Air Conditioning Nextel Cup race team to come on board to replace Garvey.
Anderson makes his NASCAR Nextel Cup debut at Chicagoland Speedway on July 10, and the team has plans to also compete in the New England 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway on July 17.
Since 2001 Wayne Anderson has been the driver to beat in any late model race he has appeared in down in the Sunshine State. His schedule of races each year exceeds 50 and his winning percentage is torrid.
In 2003 Anderson appeared in 62 races winning 19 of them and was runner up in 15 more. We interviewed Wayne at the end of that year and in that interview he said, "I don't mind going and struggling, I go because sitting here is not going to make me better." He surely was referring to the several attempts that year to qualify for Busch Grand National events, all of which were unsuccessful.
He has won most all the big late model races in Florida, his name appearing twice on the Florida Governors Cup, multiple wins in the the Powell Memorial, winner of Florida's Triple Crown, winner of the Pete Orr Memorial in 2003 and 2004, and has back to back Sunbelt Super Late Model Championships, as well as dominating the now defunct Florida Pro Series.
Anderson has raced in the ASA, NASCAR ARCA ReMax Series, spent a full year on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and owns the record books in the NASCAR All Pro Series.
Contrary to some fans perception, Anderson can win under tough circumstances, an example being in 2003 when he came from the 22nd starting position in a 36 car field at New Smyrna Speedway to out duel Billy Bigley Jr. and David Rogers to notch his second Governors Cup victory.
Wayne Anderson is as dominant in Florida racing today as his famous father Dick Anderson was before he retired two years ago to the role of car owner/crew chief. Dick Anderson expressed pride in his son's chance at a big time ride, "If anybody has earned it, he has, you know he has paid his dues." But with a note of caution he added, "I really hope it works out for him, like I say if it's something good, nobody deserves it more than him."
Another veteran observer of Florida racing talent, Don Nerone put it this way, "The team they go to has total control over what happens to their career, now if Wayne goes and has a good race car and gets good equipment he'll do well." For Nerone's full comments listen to the brief interview: Don Nerone on Wayne Anderson.
Chicagoland this coming weekend has 38 Nextel Cup teams entered to vie for the 43 starting spots. Mike Garvey in three outings with the Rinaldi team earlier this year qualified 34th, 27th and 43rd. His best effort was to run 23 laps before the equipment broke.
In Garvey's two outings with the 66 car he finished both races. Must be that there is something to that equipment 'thing'. If the equipment is good at Chicago, and other racing gremlins stay away, Wayne Anderson may just surprise some people.
In any case, he plans to be at the Florida State Championship race on July 23rd at USA International Speedway, and regardless how the NASCAR cards unfold, that is not good news for the rest of the Super Late Model contenders out there.
When race fans talk about late models (or these days super late models) one name comes to the forefront. Fans either love him or hate him, but he is the one driver who stands at the top of the list of current pack of potential stars looking to hookup with a big time ride.
Don Nerone on Wayne Anderson
