Inside Line Promotions - TULARE, Calif. (Oct. 20, 2014) - This season didn't end as well as Austen Wheatley hoped.
Wheatley had a frustrating outing during his debut at the Trophy Cup last weekend at Thunderbowl Raceway, which hosted the 21st edition of the marquee 360ci sprint car event.
"You get points every time you hit the track at that race so you have to be aggressive the whole time," he said. "I was too aggressive at the wrong times and it got us in some trouble. But overall I was pretty proud of my qualifying because that's where I seem to struggle the most."
Wheatley qualified seventh quickest and 19th quickest on Thursday and Friday, respectively. Unfortunately, he was relegated to the C Main following difficult heat races both nights.
On Thursday, Wheatley was running fifth in the early stage of the C Main when another driver nearly ran into him entering turn one. Wheatley got on the brakes hard and spun around, which sent him to the back of the pack. He then rallied from 22nd to finish ninth.
However, on Friday Wheatley used the cushion to drive from 10th to third place in the late stage of the C Main. That earned him a transfer into the back of the B Main and he advanced from 23rd to 16th in that race.
"That was the best I felt all weekend in that C Main," he said. "Then the top went away so fast and the bottom came in. I couldn't make up as much ground in the B Main."
The weekend concluded on Saturday. Wheatley finished second in a D Main, which lined him up on the inside of the fifth row of the C Main.
"I just stepped on it," he said. "I went to slide Trey (Starks) on the first lap. I didn't think he'd get back in the gas. He drove around the outside and I didn't want to hit him so I spun."
Wheatley restarted at the back, but he was caught up in another incident several laps later and was unable to finish the race.
"You can learn from it," he said. "I think I left a lot on the table. Hopefully if we go back next year I can take that experience, we'll catch a couple of breaks and I can end with better results."
Wheatley will kick off 2015 at the inaugural Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown Jan. 2-3, Jan. 6 and Jan. 9-10 at Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz.
QUICK RESULTS -
Oct. 16 - Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif. - Qualifying: 7; Heat race: 6 (5); C Main: 9 (6).
Oct. 17 - Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif. - Qualifying: 19; Heat race: 5 (3); C Main: 3 (10); B Main: 16 (23).
Oct. 18 - Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif. - D Main: 2 (1); C Main: DNF (9).
SEASON STATS -
51 races, 1 win, 8 top fives, 9 top 10s, 13 top 15s, 22 top 20s
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 - Downforce Designs
Downforce Designs is an apparel company established and operated by Austen Wheatley. For information on apparel options, prices, clientele and more, visit http://www.DownforceDesigns.com.
"It's good to have a fresh take on apparel in the sport," Wheatley said. "My goal is to provide something unique and diverse, and I think I know what a driver wants to see on his or her apparel. It's a racer helping racers."
Wheatley would also like to thank Redlined Welding & Construction, Astro Titanium, The Oil Medics, Fire-Down Graphics, SpeedMart, Bell and King Racing Products for their continued support.
Wheatley had a frustrating outing during his debut at the Trophy Cup last weekend at Thunderbowl Raceway, which hosted the 21st edition of the marquee 360ci sprint car event.
"You get points every time you hit the track at that race so you have to be aggressive the whole time," he said. "I was too aggressive at the wrong times and it got us in some trouble. But overall I was pretty proud of my qualifying because that's where I seem to struggle the most."
On Thursday, Wheatley was running fifth in the early stage of the C Main when another driver nearly ran into him entering turn one. Wheatley got on the brakes hard and spun around, which sent him to the back of the pack. He then rallied from 22nd to finish ninth.
However, on Friday Wheatley used the cushion to drive from 10th to third place in the late stage of the C Main. That earned him a transfer into the back of the B Main and he advanced from 23rd to 16th in that race.
"That was the best I felt all weekend in that C Main," he said. "Then the top went away so fast and the bottom came in. I couldn't make up as much ground in the B Main."
The weekend concluded on Saturday. Wheatley finished second in a D Main, which lined him up on the inside of the fifth row of the C Main.
"I just stepped on it," he said. "I went to slide Trey (Starks) on the first lap. I didn't think he'd get back in the gas. He drove around the outside and I didn't want to hit him so I spun."
Wheatley restarted at the back, but he was caught up in another incident several laps later and was unable to finish the race.
"You can learn from it," he said. "I think I left a lot on the table. Hopefully if we go back next year I can take that experience, we'll catch a couple of breaks and I can end with better results."
Wheatley will kick off 2015 at the inaugural Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown Jan. 2-3, Jan. 6 and Jan. 9-10 at Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz.
QUICK RESULTS -
Oct. 16 - Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif. - Qualifying: 7; Heat race: 6 (5); C Main: 9 (6).
Oct. 17 - Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif. - Qualifying: 19; Heat race: 5 (3); C Main: 3 (10); B Main: 16 (23).
Oct. 18 - Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif. - D Main: 2 (1); C Main: DNF (9).
SEASON STATS -
51 races, 1 win, 8 top fives, 9 top 10s, 13 top 15s, 22 top 20s
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 - Downforce Designs
Downforce Designs is an apparel company established and operated by Austen Wheatley. For information on apparel options, prices, clientele and more, visit http://www.DownforceDesigns.com.
"It's good to have a fresh take on apparel in the sport," Wheatley said. "My goal is to provide something unique and diverse, and I think I know what a driver wants to see on his or her apparel. It's a racer helping racers."
Wheatley would also like to thank Redlined Welding & Construction, Astro Titanium, The Oil Medics, Fire-Down Graphics, SpeedMart, Bell and King Racing Products for their continued support.
