Mark Wertz backed up the three mock-up laps he posted on Friday with the fastest lap in time trials for the Hampton Heat 200, stage two of the Virginia Late Model Stock Triple Crown.
Wertz, a five time track champion and veteran, put his No. 55 on the pole with a 15.863 lap around the flat bullring down the road from Langley AFB in Hampton, Virginia.
“I didn’t know if I had that in me,” Wertz said. “I’m getting to the tail end of my career as a driver and we’re still trying to build each week to get better. I have a lot of people to thank.
He thanked them all too.
“It’s bittersweet,” Wertz said.
So what does he think about his chances to stay there after 200 laps?
“I try not to think,” Wertz said. “We still have to run 200 laps here. There are a lot of really good cars here, My biggest problem is me. We have to maintain pace and maintain tires. I want to thank the team here a t Langley Speedway for getting this race in too.”
Wertz will be joined on the front row by defending race winner Brenden Queen, who didn’t expect to qualify well when asked about time trials on Friday.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start P11 in the race. The race airs live on FloRacing. Due to thunderstorms earlier in the day, the race will start just before 11:30 p.m. ET.
The starting lineup can be found below.
- Mark Wertz
- Brenden Queen
- Chase Burrow
- Matt Waltz
- Connor Hall
- Bobby McCarty
- Ryan Matthews
- Sam Yarbrough
- Peyton Sellers
- Kaden Honeycutt
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Cody Bryant
- Casey Wyatt
- Ryley Music
- Kade Brown
- Woody Howard
- Carter Langley
- Trey Williams
- Landon Pembleton
- Trevor Ward
- Gavan Boschele
- Cole Bruce
- Craig Easetp
- Jacob Derrick
- Logan Clark
- Ayden Millette
- Dean Shiflett
- Brandon Pierce
- Thomas Scott
- Justin S Carroll
- Terry Caroll
- Michael Rogers
- GR Waldrop
- Danny Harrell
- Atley Wiese
