It may not have been in the cards on 41 particular nights for the 31-year-old Canadian, but that doesn’t mean the racing gods didn’t look his way at all in 2019.
Two victories to kick the year off all the way back in January at Arizona Speedway’s Wild West Shootout, two regional series victories at Tennessee’s Smoky Mountain Speedway and even a trophy at Knoxville Speedway played a nice supporting cast to the two brightest stars of his season — a win for Team Outlaws in Eldora Speedway’s Dirt Late Model Dream Thursday night preliminary Feature and another the Sunday before the 49th annual World 100 in the Baltes Classic.
“People strive their whole career to try and win at Eldora Speedway. Even if it’s the Sunday before at the Baltes Classic, to win that it’s pretty special. But to win during one of the preliminary nights of the big one and be in contention in the top three or top five, or even to lead laps in the big races, it’s pretty humbling for our team. Just to know we’re in the hunt with the best of the best in the world,” Weiss said.
It’s often been said that nobody knows their way around Eldora better than the 12-time crown jewel winner at the facility, Scott Bloomquist. Throughout 2019, Weiss had as much help from the Hall-of-Famer as he’s ever had, especially at the one place he knows the best. That, and his new Sweet-Bloomquist chassis seemed to make quite the difference, both in his Eldora runs and throughout the year on the Outlaws tour.
The 2004 World of Outlaws champion has been much more than just a racing resource and a host shop to Weiss this year. Bloomquist became a personal friend and mentor for life around the race track, and Weiss turned that knowledge into some of the best results he’s had in his career.
“We’ve been here pretty much 80% of the season, and we’ve gained a true friend,” Weiss said. “He respects me as a racer, I respect him as a racer. Even when we’re not talking racing, we’re sitting on the couch, having a drink or hanging out and just talking about life.
“Any time Scott touches something, it’s for the better. We see that, and our eyes and ears are always open to making things better, just as he did in his career. We’re just trying to take that legacy and put it into our team, and it definitely showed throughout the season.”
Another slice of Weiss’ success this season goes to a man who’s been around the Bloomquist shop for quite some time as well – Weiss Racing crew chief Shawn Gage. He’s been around Southeast Dirt Late Model racing for several years, having previously crewed for Team Zero and built engines for fellow Tennessean Vic Hill. This driver-chief combination displays some of the most dedicated work ethics on the circuit, and since their pairing just a few seasons ago, Gage still marvels at the effort Weiss puts into his operation.
“The determination, the work ethic… this isn’t his second job, this isn’t what he does for fun, this is his life,” Gage said. “Basically, you’re looking at the next Scott Bloomquist on work ethic. The knowledge that he retains and puts into his program, I saw that right away with him, he never ceases to amaze me on making stuff better and better.
“To make a long story short, he’s got the talent behind the wheel, in the shop, on the phone… I really don’t know that there’s a higher-caliber 31-year-old out there or will be out there for some time.”
Until that time has come where another rookie team comes along and proves themselves more worthy of a third-place finish in their first year aboard a national tour, Weiss and the Sweet-Bloomquist gang stand atop the rookie ranks of the Dirt Late Model world. 2019 was great, but in 2020, the gloves are off. Weiss will get more shots at reaching World of Outlaws victory lane.
“Right now, I’d say we’re one of the most prepared teams for 2020 and one of the teams most looking forward to it,” Weiss said.