DragChamp Racer Spotlight with Wesley Lockhart
True footbrake racer, Wesley Lockhart, describes his path to becoming one of the biggest bottom bulb threats in the Mid-South.
Mayfield, KY- One guy, one car, and countless wins is how the story goes with Kentucky native Wesley Lockhart. After starting in junior dragsters with his brother, Charlie, to turning on thousands of win lights over the last eighteen years in his 1980 Trans-Am, Lockhart has solidified himself as a force off the third yellow within the bracket racing community.
Click here to see Charlie’s Racer Spotlight!
Early Life
At 8 years old, Wesley Lockhart made his first pass down what is now Gleason Raceway Park in Gleason, Tennessee. Behind the wheel of his Jr. Dragster, a passion for drag racing developed. I’m sure when his father, Lindsey, bought a junior dragster for Wesley and Charlie, he never envisioned all the success they have had twenty five years later. At age 15, Wesley purchased an 1980 Trans-Am, and that is the only race car he has ever owned.
One Car, Endless Win Lights.
Remember that 1980 Pontiac bought by Wesley at age 15? It still terrorizes the Mid-South, and is better than ever! In 2016, Lockhart tore the Pontiac to a shell and rebuilt it with a tube chassis ladder-bar setup. Nowadays, it is equipped with a powerglide transmission, and a 430 cubic inch small block chevy built by Tom Mcalpin. After Wesley’s wreck in August of 2020 at Holly Springs Motorsports park, he rebuilt the car and made it better than ever. The most notable change is the loss of the “Down with the Sickness” wrap, which was replaced by the beautiful Hyper Blue Metallic paint job laid down by Lockhart’s lifelong friend, Kyle Rumley.
On-Track Obstacles
His most recent on-track obstacle was the concrete barrier at Holly Springs Motorsports Park. All joking aside, after the rebuild in 2020, Lockhart has been on a vengeance, winning seemingly every weekend. For Wesley, the hardest part of racing is not letting people get in your head, whether it be playing starting line games, or any other distraction to get you off your game. To combat this, he tries to always close his eyes and take a deep breath before staging. When asked about which end of the racetrack Lockhart is best at, he laughs and directs the question to Jake Hodge, who once stated at the World Footbrake Challenge, “If Wesley Lockhart ever figures out how to drive the finish line, EVERYONE is in trouble!” If Wesley had to pick an opponent to avoid at all costs, he highlights family members, Josh Green, and David Bell. He describes Bell as a humble racer, which in turn makes him intimidating, and Green as a driver which he always seems to make rookie mistakes beside.
Biggest Accomplishments
-2001 Junior Dragster Points Champion
-2002 Junior Dragster Points Champion
-2005 Sportsman Points Champion
-2012 Footbrake Points Champion
-2019 Motorcycle Points Champion
-Multiple $2500 & $5000 event wins.
-Numerous weekly event victories in both top and bottom bulb classes.
In Wesley’s eyes, his biggest accomplishment was winning the 2020 IHRA division 2 MOD Championship at Memphis International Raceway, which he followed by finishing fifth at the IHRA World Finals.
Next in his sights, Lockhart wants to win a ten-thousand dollar or bigger race, as well as clinch an IHRA World Championship!
Personal Life
Who do you look up to in the sport? “I have always looked up to Mike Peeler. His 69 road runner was always the coolest car to me. It was, and still is bright orange. He has always treated me like family, and still does.”
Tell us what you do for a living? “I am the maintenance technician for West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative”
How do you support your racing, in addition to your career? “Rebuilding transmissions, minor mechanic work, almost anything that I can make money doing. I reinvest my race winnings back into the hobby. I do also have help along the way from Hoosier Tires, GZ Motorsports, Tom Mcalpin race engines, Seibert Carbs, and I know I am forgetting a few.”
What motivates you to continue racing? “I enjoy the competition, and I especially love watching my son and family cheer me on.”
If money was no object, what would your racing operation look like? “I would have a similar setup, but I may have my car all fiberglass. I would definitely race more if money was not a factor.”
How often do you use a practice tree? “Only at a practice tree race.”
What is your daily driver? “2014 Chevrolet Silverado”
Name one thing most people don’t know about you? “I get travel anxiety, I don’t like to be away from home, which is why I don’t travel more racing”
In conclusion, who would you like to personally thank? “My wife Brittany and my son Maddox for sure. Hoosier tires, GZ Motorsports, Tom Mcalpin race engines, Seibert Carbs, and Kyle Rumley for transforming my car into this beautiful blue. I know I’m forgetting some. I would also like to thank my dad for getting me started, my brother for pushing me to go to bigger events, and all the “big name” racers who have helped and encouraged me throughout the years.”
Want to be like Wesley? Enroll in DragChamp Pro Today!
Caden Stites is an 19 year old drag racer from Ripley, Mississippi. He swaps feet in his ’87 S-10 every chance he gets. Stites supports his hobby by working as a freight broker for Big M Transportation. Stites’ reason for joining Team DragChamp is simple, “This is the closest thing I could find to making money at the racetrack!”
Message Caden at Caden@DragChamp.com or via his Facebook Page.
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