(Photo by Lisa Dynes Photography)
Inside Line Promotions – COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (July 18, 2017) – The Western Sprint Tour Speedweek was a week of what could have been for Austen Wheatley, whose night was hampered by a parts problem during three of four nights.
The best night for Wheatley, who was driving for Doug Rutz, was the first night he joined the Speedweek last Wednesday at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore. Wheatley qualified 13th quickest and advanced a position to finish second in a heat race. That missed a spot in the dash by only one position and lined him up seventh in the main event.
“I was running fifth, but we were too tight,” he said. “I got tight on the curb and half spun with two laps to go. Jared Ridge passed me and I finished sixth.”
The sixth-place result was Wheatley’s seventh top 10 of the season.
He made his debut at Sunset Speedway in Banks, Ore., the following night. Wheatley qualified ninth quickest, won a heat race after starting second and placed fifth in the dash to start the main event on the inside of the third row.
“We were running fourth about 10 laps in when the left front brake rotor broke and locked up the left front wheel,” he said. “We ended up spinning into the infield.”
The night ended early with a 14th-place finish.
Wheatley ventured to Cottage Grove Speedway on Friday for the first night of the two-day Speedweek finale at the quarter-mile oval. He timed in 11th quickest during qualifying and powered from third to win a heat race. That earned enough points to make the dash, in which a runner-up result started him second in the main event.
“We were running the top to start the race with Jason Solwold on the bottom,” he said. “I think I was in the preferred line. It started blowing smoke on Lap 2. I was pulling tear-offs because it was getting foggy. Then it started locking up the wheel. I went into the last corner and it locked up and threw me off the track.”
Wheatley was running second just as he and Solwold were about to enter traffic when the main power steering line got a hole in it. That ended the race early for Wheatley for the second straight night and he was credited with a 21st-place finish.
Speedweek concluded on Saturday at Cottage Grove Speedway, where Wheatley qualified 14th quickest and won a heat race – his third straight heat race victory – to rank ninth in points. That would have lined him up ninth in the main event, but the car wouldn’t stay in gear so Wheatley was forced to the work area prior to the start of the main event. The team manually locked the race car into gear and he started the feature last – 24th.
“I raced my rear off to stay on the lead lap,” he said. “I ended up getting lapped midway through the race, but I hung with the leaders the rest of the race. I think a top three would have been where we ended up if I was able to start in my original position.”
Wheatley, who rallied to post a 13th-place finish, will take this weekend off before competing in his family owned sprint car on July 28-29 at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash., for the Bob’s Burgers & Brew Summer Nationals.
QUICK RESULTS –
July 12 – Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore. – Qualifying: 13; Heat race: 2 (3); Feature: 6 (7).
July 13 – Sunset Speedway in Banks, Ore. – Qualifying: 9; Heat race: 1 (2); Dash: 5 (5); Feature: 14 (5).
July 14 – Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. – Qualifying: 11; Heat race: 1 (3); Dash: 2 (2); Feature: 21 (2).
July 15 – Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. – Qualifying: 14; Heat race: 1 (2); Feature: 13 (9).
SEASON STATS –
16 races, 2 wins, 3 top fives, 7 top 10s, 11 top 15s, 12 top 20s
UP NEXT –
July 28-29 at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash., for the Bob’s Burgers & Brew Summer Nationals
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.AustenWheatley.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AustenWheatley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DownForceDesigns?fref=ts
APPAREL –
Wheatley will have t-shirts and hoodies for sale at every race he competes at this season. For his schedule of races, visit http://www.AustenWheatley.com.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Redlined Welding & Construction
Redlined Welding & Construction performs welding and construction for fishing boats and processors. Based out of Lake Stevens, Wash., Redlined Welding & Construction is owned and operated by Austen’s father, Shannon Wheatley.
“Redlined Welding & Construction is a family business and we race with a family team so without Redlined Welding & Construction I wouldn’t be able to race,” Austen Wheatley said. “It is the heart and soul of this team.”
Wheatley would also like to thank Downforce Designs, Astro Titanium, Fire-Down Graphics, SpeedMart, Bell and King Racing Products for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.