---

Wheatley Ready to Return Home After Challenging Week in the Midwest

Inside Line Promotions - MINOT, N.D. (Aug. 20, 2013) - It's been a long couple of weeks for Austen Wheatley, who is set to return to his home in Washington on Tuesday.

"It was a difficult week," he said. "If you can't qualify well with the Outlaws you're in trouble. And I didn't qualify well all week."

His trio of World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series events kicked off a week ago Tuesday at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb., for the NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown. Wheatley qualified 24th quickest and finished eighth in his heat race. He then pulled off a couple of laps into the feature on the hooked-up track, registering a 24th-place result.

"Junction was real, real fast and wide open the whole night," he said. "I only ran a couple of laps and pulled in. You couldn't pass so you're putting needless laps on your engine. I don't know if there was a pass all night."

The team ventured to River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., on Friday. However, a 27th-place qualifying effort put the team behind the eight ball.

"Those bullrings are normally my bread and butter," he said. "I couldn't get anything going in the heat race. In the B Main we were just out to lunch. The car was really, really tight."

After placing sixth in his heat race to miss a lock-in spot to the feature by one position, Wheatley finished eighth in the Last Chance Showdown.

He ended the weekend on Sunday at Nodak Speedway, where Wheatley powered from seventh to fourth place in his heat race to overcome a 24th-place qualifying result. That locked him into the feature.

"The heat race went really good," he said. "I was pretty quick there."

However, the car lacked forward bite and side bite in the main event as Wheatley placed 21st.

"It was like we were skating on ice the entire A Main," he said.

Wheatley is slated to take this weekend off before returning to action with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30-31, at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash.

"I should be good at Skagit," he said. "It's very familiar and we know what to expect. It should be a weekend to redeem some confidence."

QUICK RESULTS -

Aug. 13 - Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb. - Qualifying: 24; Heat race: 8 (8); Feature: 24 (24).

Aug. 16 - River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D. - Qualifying: 27; Heat race: 6 (7); B Main: 8 (7).

Aug. 18 - Nodak Speedway in Minot, N.D. - Qualifying: 27; Heat race: 4 (7); Feature: 21 (24).

SEASON STATS -

20 races, 0 wins, 1 top five, 1 top 10, 2 top 15s, 5 top 20s

UP NEXT -

Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30-31, at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash., with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS -

Website: http://www.AustenWheatley.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiniWheats44w

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DownForceDesigns?fref=ts

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 shirts 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, BR Motorsports, The Oil Medics, Fire-Down Graphics, Astro Titanium, Bell and King Racing Products for their continued support.

INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS -

Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations, media management and merchandising services for sprint car teams. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and your sponsors' return on investment.

To meet the media relations needs of your team, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or sprintcarreporter@yahoo.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.insidelinepromotions.com.

---

Back to News