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Wheatley Sets Quick Time and Wins Summer Thunder Sprint Series Heat Before Violent Crash

(Photo by DB3 Imaging)

Inside Line Promotions – YAKIMA, Wash. (April 4, 2016) – Austen Wheatley is still sore following a violent crash last Friday at Central Washington State Fair Raceway.

Wheatley had been working on his best performance of the season during the opening Summer Thunder Sprint Series race when another competitor forced him into the backstretch wall, which prompted a series of flips midway through the main event.

“It destroyed the car,” he said. “I’m still pretty sore and banged up.”

The event began with Wheatley setting quick time during qualifying. He then won his heat race after lining up on the outside of the second row. That locked him into the feature redraw, where he pulled the No. 6 during the random draw to start the main event on the outside of the third row.

“About seven laps in I was trying to pass Cam Smith for third or fourth,” he said. “He chopped me and I did a half spin and stalled it. I had to go to the back, but I quickly got up to eighth or ninth.”

Wheatley rebounded from the early miscue and was battling in the top 10 around the midpoint of the feature when a fellow competitor made disastrous contact.

“I was right alongside of him on the middle of the backstretch and he turned hard right,” he said. “There was nothing I could do. I would say we were the fastest car there, but it just didn’t work out.”

Wheatley was unable to finish the race and he was credited with a 15th-place result.

QUICK RESULTS –

April 1 – Central Washington State Fair Raceway in Yakima, Wash. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (4); Feature: 15 (6).

SEASON STATS –

5 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, 2 top 15s, 2 top 20s

UP NEXT –

TBD

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, 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.

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