Vinton’s Justin Wacha isn’t slowing down anytime soon

VINTON — Justin Wacha is starting to feel the effects of 15 years of weekly racing, but at the same time he’s considering purchasing a Hobby Stock racecar to run next season along with his current SportMod.

“I’m used to winning in a Hobby Stock, but I like the challenge of SportMods,” said Wacha, who finished sixth in points in the SportMod division at Benton County Speedway after finishing sixth in the final feature of the 2021 season at The Bullring.

The main motivation for the Vinton native to continue his driving career is the passion his three children — Rayna, 11, Carmen, 6, and Easton, 3 — have for both the sport and supporting their father.

“I’m sort of getting burned out,” Wacha said. “I keep going for my kids because they love the sport.”

Not only has Wacha become a championship-caliber driver after winning the Hobby Stock division at BCS in 2019, racing is where he met the love of his life and his family’s crew chief, Katelyn.

“We met in his uncle’s (Danny Dvorak) pit and we just hit it off,” said Katelyn. “We’ve been together ever since.”

Along with working on the car as a family at home during the week, Justin and Katelyn enjoy the inviting atmosphere they experience at the track each weekend.

“After work, this is all we do non-stop,” Justin said. “But when you are at the track, you’re having fun.”

Katelyn added, “Racing is one big family and we all come together in times of need.”

That’s why both parents are OK with one or more of the Wacha kids eventually taking over for their father once they are old enough.

“Racing is fun, I’ll tell you that right now,” Wacha said. “You get into a racecar and you won’t want to do anything else.”

Winning the final features at BCS Sunday night were: Modifieds, Troy Cordes of Dunkerton; SportMod, Joe Decekal of Dysart; Stock Car, Dallon Murty of Chelsea; Hobby Stock, Kaden Reynolds of Cedar Rapids; Sport Compact, Cristian Grady of Cedar Rapids.