MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Defending monitor champion Troy Wagaman Jr. will start his 2026 Williams Grove Speedway marketing campaign on the season opener on March 22.
The occasion may even mark the beginning of his third full season behind the wheel of Mike Heffner’s No. 27 on the half-mile oval.
And he says whereas he solely picked off one win on the Grove in 2025, he has at all times felt quick there.
“We’ve at all times had the general velocity there ever since I obtained in Mike’s automotive. It was kinda’ shocking actually,” he says. oval level standings.
“After which we thought if we simply cleaned up our outlaws exhibits (for final 12 months) then we’ll in all probability be alright (to win the factors). We solely gained as soon as however I really feel like I ran second or third like a trillion occasions,” he says of his 2025 Williams Grove season efficiency.
The staff completed inside the highest 5 on eight events other than their lone victory.
“I knew we had been actually constant,” Wagaman mentioned. “Consistency allow us to fall in. I want we’d’ve gained some extra however the guys by no means let me have a mechanical failure and it was only a good 12 months.”
He credit his crew and automotive proprietor Heffner for making all of it come collectively.
“The fellows obtained every little thing thought out – it could possibly be any factor all the way down to an O ring for a bleeder. They’ve spares for every little thing,” Wagaman mentioned. “Stuff you wouldn’t consider. Stuff I by no means would of considered some occasions,” he says of his staff’s preparedness after they pull into the monitor.
“Mike provides us every little thing we want. And it makes it simple on me and I can deal with driving and on the racetrack, to not have to fret. It’s enormous, enormous, on my psychological state and with the ability to keep constant.”
And a few nights, if he’s not feelin’ the W, that’s OK, too.
“There’s just a few nights it’s what it’s,” Wagaman mentioned. “And there’s simply no cause to junk it while you’re only a fourth-place automotive.”
Wagaman, who simply turned 29 in mid- February, says he and the Heffner staff count on to be at Williams Grove each Friday through the season forward until he feels collectively all of them want a break from what’s shaping as much as be a stacked total schedule for 2026.
“It might be cool to win 10 races, from a private standpoint. I’ve by no means finished that. However it’s actually laborious to do,” he mentioned. “We simply wanna’ be ready and able to go. It’s been a nonstop low season on the brink of go. We wanna’ get these first draw exhibits out of the best way after which do time trials and see the place we stack up.”
Wagaman says automotive proprietor Heffner is a one-in-a-million sort of man.
“He’s a really beneficiant man. He’s at all times been tremendous beneficiant, at all times ensuring I’ve every little thing I want and the fellows and I can’t admire him sufficient,” Wagaman mentioned. “He simply cares a lot in regards to the sport usually. I don’t suppose folks perceive what he’s to Central Pa racing.”
“He means a lot to me. I can’t ask for greater than Mike.”
Wagaman shall be seeking to rating his first Williams Grove opening day win when the vehicles hit the monitor on March 22 at 2 pm.
The Williams Grove season lidlifter will function the Lawrence Chevrolet 410 sprints in a “sprints solely” racing program.
Introduced by Hoosier, the 25-lap essential can pay $6,000 to the winner as a part of the 2026 Pa Posse Racing Sequence within the area.
