Welcome to the “WildCats” jungle! - By: A.J. Payne

Posted Jody Shannon on April 17th, 2008 | Filed under A.J. Payne, Articles

This article on John TheWildCat Llewellyn of the # 90 Modern Chevrolet/Fastrak Late Model became an article, which I truly was not going to pass up writing for many reason, but simply it is the fact that John has not only taken equipment, with a smaller budget than most and has turn it into some truly great accomplishments from my view point. One of the first things that stuck me is the fact that he started with BMX bike racing, and was one of the first riders to get paid to ride and do tricks at a local fair as part of the entrainment for that fair in his younger days. Now this caught my attention, as at one point raced BMX bikes when I was younger, but I will say that I was not as good at the BMX racing as John was by no means. But I will say I could still relate with John when he bought it up to me when we talked.

Furthermore, another thing, which I was happily surprised to hear he went onto go-karts where he was able to win 10 out of 16 races of 100 laps or more, and finished second in the other 6 race events in one year in the go-kart ranks during his time racing go-karts. This from my point of view and experience with the friends that raced in go-karts and this is by no means an easy thing to do within the go-karts weather on dirt or pavement. But this along with the 500+ career wins from 1986-1997 along with the 1992 World Championship in the World Karting Association. This goes along with the 1997 National in the US All-Stars Limited Modified Division and 1995 State Championships in the go-kart ranks which John earned. This for me at least tells me that he cannot only make good setup decisions, but also says that John is capable of making decision on the track as well.

But another reason for me writing this article in addition to what I pointed out earlier was the fact that John is races with the Modern Chevrolet/Fastrak Late Model Touring Series. This is one of those crates racing series which is becoming very popular in many different areas of the country in the past few years. In addition, this series uses Goodyear tires to race on rather than another type racing tires, which from what I understood from John was not a bad tire at all, and seem to help even more put the racing back into the driver’s hands. Furthermore, the cars are much more depended on handling over the engine power or tire chooses which most folks in other series are left to make night in and night out. Another I would say that there is still enough decisions to be made by John and many others that race this series outside engines and tires, but the thing which came to mind that as I talked to John, this series just flat out work for him with having a business SIGNS UNLIMITED in Knoxville, TN and a young son by the name of Austin Race Llewellyn to have to focus on when not at the track.

In addition, as we talked more John point out that besides the 2007 Mideast and Southern regions Fastrak Late Model Touring Series championships, he was also the 1999 Southern All Star Topless Bandits Champion. Oh by the way from what I noticed from the good folks at National Dirt Digest in their series history, he won this championship with not even one A-feature win in the 1999 race season in the series. But this by no means kept him out of the winners circle twice that year outside the series. Furthermore, as I look over some more of what John has done from his website over the years I see in 1996 the wildcat was able to win 10 out of 32 races at two different tracks that year. Oh and yea I can hear those saying so big deal and I would come right back and say that is not easy at places like Laurel Mountain in Madisonville, TN or Atomic Speedway in his home town of Knoxville, TN. This I do know that this track is not the easiest place to even make the show, because of the level of competition in which runs there at least at that point in either of those two tracks history.

For me it is like this as I talked to and more importantly listen to what John had to say, I really was thinking to myself that he was my kind of racer indeed. Because the fact still remains those that truly know me know it is hard to win me over to say I am truly impressed about anyone or anything for that matter. And yes I was indeed with John Llewellyn and what the wildcat has done with the equipment and budget, which he has turned into what I think is truly an amazing career, because of the area and the different series he has run in the past as well as the series he runs these days. Oh yea and you know the “dirtracer insider” will be making a move to the jungle to check me out some fastrack’s racing here really soon in the 2008 race season because of guys like John Llewellyn racing with the Fastrak series.

John does not want to forget these fine partners with his racing team:

Magnumclean.com, Schaeffer’s Racing Oil, Powermaster, Bilstein, West Haven Speed Equipment, Simpson, UB Machine, Stealth Carburetors, Brinn Transmissions, Outlaw Racing Products, DeWayne’s Tree Service, Hawk Performance Brake Pads, K&N Filters, and A&D Floor Covering.

Now it is time to thank my fine partners on my articles: