PRE-SEASON PROFILES: Frank Deiny, Jr.
JW Martin

Frank Deiny, Jr. scored two victories at Motor Mile Speedway in 2009 as the driver of the No. 4 Toyota.

This season, Deiny will race for wins as an owner.

In his first full season at Motor Mile Speedway since his 2004 championship campaign, Deiny tallied a season-high division record of 15 top fives and 17 top tens en route to a runner up finish in the Late Model standings.

Adding to his 2009 resume, the patriarch of FDJ Motorsports piloted his flagship entry to third place honors in the Virginia State standings and a distinguished twelfth place finish in the WHELEN All-American Series national standings.

“That was the highlight; to be able to run that good on a consistent basis with our own equipment. We’re designing and building our own equipment--- we’re not just buying it off the shelf, we’re actually creating it,” Deiny explains. “To be able to win races and be as competitive as we were in our own chassis the first year that we were building them says a lot.”

But it appears as if Deiny’s first full season back was his last. Without substantial funding, Deiny will not return to racing full time in 2010.

“At this moment I’m searching for a sponsor,” Deiny says. “We’ve tried to get all our drivers comfortable here at the shop---they’re our primary concern.

“I got to race almost full-time last year. It really got the juices flowing again; it was a lot of fun. But I’ve got to look out for FDJ Motorsports more than Frank Deiny.”

2009 was a banner year for the organization, highlighted by Justin Johnson’s first career track championship at South Boston Speedway. Johnson will headline the fleet of racers competing out of the FDJ Motorsports stable in 2010, and Deiny confirms that Johnson could vie for the track title at Motor Mile Speedway this season.

Though no commitment has been made on whether Johnson will run the full schedule, Deiny will have at least two cars competing on a full time basis at the Radford oval in 2010, including Jeff Oleen, who will make a bid for Virginia Rookie of the Year at the Late Model level.

With a promising season on the horizon, Deiny is eyeing a potential run for the national championship in 2010.

“It will be a goal to win the national title this year, but not as a driver---as a car owner. Justin Johnson will take over the reigns and we’ll see if we can get a national title as a company. That’s our Number 1 goal,” Deiny reveals. “If there is another car owner or sponsor out there that wants to give FDJ Motorsports that other shot at the national title, then I would be willing to give it a shot. As of right now, with the way we’re structured, Justin gets to be the quarterback this year.”

The decision to forgo another season in the seat of the No. 4 comes contradictory to statements made by Deiny following the MMS season finale last September. From the outset of the 2009 season, the California native had an unvarnished goal: beat Philip Morris, on the track and in the standings. In fact, Morris was admittedly the sole reason for Deiny’s return to the .416-mile oval. Determined to end the orange-and-white era at MMS, Deiny was poised to unseat Morris atop the LMSC division with a two-point separation in the standings at the onset of the last event. Deiny vowed to renew the contention with a return to racing at MMS in 2010 after the season-long engagement ended in a controversial climax following the finale.

Deiny hasn’t repudiated the pledge. The question is whether he will battle Morris from the cockpit or as a crew chief. Regardless, the rivalry forged in 2009 is almost certain to continue; for Deiny, it’s a catalyst for constant improvement and a barometer of success.

“You can’t help but look at it as a rivalry,” Deiny says. “I didn’t test as much as him. We didn’t have the backing he had. And we were still able to compete on his level. We try to be the best at what we’re doing, and when you’re trying to be the best, you’re gonna end up going up against the guys that are spending the money he’s spending. That creates a rivalry.

“I enjoy battling against Philip. He won’t admit it, but he enjoys battling with me. If I can get what I need, I’ll be back. I’m sure that I’ll make at least one appearance at MMS this year.”

Deiny doesn’t like to lose. He tallied eight runner-up finishes at MMS last season; he finished second to Morris four times on the track as well as in the standings. But when it comes to his company, Deiny is an owner first, and a driver second.