Wheatley tries to get on another run

INVERNESS -- Rob Wheatley knows a thing or two about luck.

In his 17 years of driving at Citrus County Speedway, he has been blessed and bitten by it.

These days, as the 46-year-old veteran chases longtime rival Robbie Yoakam for the Mini Stock title, Wheatley is hoping for a little more good fortune.

"Overall, it's been a pretty good season except a couple of bad weeks," Wheatley said. "But in racing, sometimes it's those bad weeks that'll kill you."

With two feature wins, the Inverness racer trails Yoakam by 260 points.

For Wheatley, it is a far sight better than last season when he posted five DNFs before the schedule was half over.

"That's why I'm concentrating on getting to the finish line every week," he said. "And if I don't have to take too many chances, I'll be in good shape in the end."

Wheatley returns to the track Saturday night with what essentially is a new engine in his No. 88 machine. Two weeks ago, while trying to capture his third victory, he suddenly snapped a crankshaft -- a fairly rare occurance in Mini Stock racing.

"The weird thing was that the motor only had 17 weeks on it," Wheatley said. "Luckily, it didn't destroy anything else inside, otherwise I might be sitting out a while."

Though he never has claimed a division championship, Wheatley has come close more times than he can count.

He began running Mini Stocks in 1985, a year after the class was introduced at Citrus. And though he has competed in the Sportsman and Late Model divisions, Wheatley always thought the smaller cars gave more bang for the buck.

"Everything I do comes out of my pocket," he said.

"One of the reasons why my car's stayed competitive is because it pretty much pays its own way," Wheatley said. "If it was anymore expensive, I'd probably have to quit."

Wheatley has attempted to put more emphasis on his driving skills. His mission to finish more events means a more measured attitude behind the wheel.

"I'm like everybody in that I get excited when I race," Wheatley said. "I'll run hard with guys I know that'll run me clean. But I'm going to be a little more cautious around the ones who don't.

"It's a long season, and I just want to have something left when I know I'm going to need it."

CITRUS COUNTY SPEEDWAY

WHAT: All classes, plus a 40-lap Street Stock event ($600 for first).

WHEN: Saturday. Pit gates open at 2 p.m., grandstand gates at 4. The first heat race is scheduled for 6 p.m.

WHERE: Two miles south of Inverness on U.S. 41.

ADMISSION: Adult general, $12; seniors and students to age 17, $8; children 6-12, $6; children under 42 inches, $2; pits, $20.

INFORMATION: Call (352) 726-9339 or go online to www.citruscountyspeedway.com.

POINTS STANDINGS

LATE MODEL: 1. Rex Struble, 552; 2. Raymond Lovelady, 536; 3. Mike Bresnahan, 504; 4. Jim Smith, 472; 5. Teddy Nelson, 462.

SPORTSMAN: 1. Mike Veltman, 944; 2. Bill Oesterreicher, 746; 3. Mark Dominique, 652; 4. George Neumann, 644; 5. Terry Cater, 584.

STREET STOCK: 1. Travis Nicholes, 704; 2. James Green, 684; 3. Mike Bell, 682; 4. Danny Cretty, 618; 5. Ernie Reed, 518.

MINI STOCK: 1. Robbie Yoakam, 894; 2. Rob Wheatley, 634; 3. Kevin Harrod, 566; 4. Jay McKenzie, 456; 5. Phillip Joyner Jr., 388.

HOBBY STOCK: 1. Tommy Smith, 954; 2. Richie Smith, 808; 3. Brandon Johnson, 558; 4. Daniel Webster, 550; 5. Roy Perkins, 532.

THUNDER STOCK: 1. Stuart Madison, 846; 2. Josh Teague, 826; 3. Robert Jordan, 798; 4. Lee Keller, 666; 5. Todd Downs, 634.

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