M&Ms lover gets kick out of his first victory

After starting fourth, Wayne Heater moves up to earn a win in the Thunder Stock class.

By DAWN REISS
Published July 6, 2004

HOMOSASSA - With his trusty stuffed blue M&M by his side, Homosassa's Wayne Heater took the track at Citrus County Speedway June 26 like he does almost every Saturday night.

His blue and gray 1979 Camaro sat on the outside of the second row. He had never won a race, but maybe this would be his night.

No. 15, Ray White, took the lead as Heater held on to fourth in the Thunder Stock division, easing to third then second. Heater trailed Tampa's D.J. Macklin, 14, who took the lead on Lap 2 and held it until Lap 7, when his oil fending unit vibrated loose, causing smoke and an oil leak and forcing him off the track. Heather took the lead and held on for 13 more laps and his first feature win.

"It was just unreal," Heater said. "I didn't even drink the water (they handed me after the race). I just threw it to the crowd like NASCAR drivers do. I was hot and sweaty and could have used a drink. But I was so excited. I just wanted everybody to get a taste of victory, too."

Heater, in his second season of racing, said he has been out for a win this year.

"Last year, I was driving for experience. I just wanted to do it for the fun of it," Heater said. "I didn't care, win or lose. I just wanted to try it out."

This year is different.

Heater's goal is to finish in the top five in points. He currently sits 12th with 1,575 points. But for now, he is happy with a win. Heater knew he had to start somewhere, and what better place than Thunder Stock's beginner class?

"You can't really do much to your car," Heater said. "I wanted to start where I can start at the bottom and work my way up."

His No. 71 represents the old football jersey of his son, Wayne Jr., and his wife Candy's birth year. When he's not racing, Heater works as a roofer. His love for NASCAR brought on his passion for M&Ms, which sponsored the car of Ernie Irvan, his favorite driver, until he retired in 1999. Heater continues to follow the M&Ms car, now driven by Elliott Sadler. Last year, Heater started well, but his brother-in-law, Harold Buskirk, accidentally broke his blue plastic dashboard M&M.

"That race, he finished eighth or ninth and blamed me because I broke his M&M," Buskirk said. "Now that he's replaced it with his stuffed M&M, he's started doing well again."

[Last modified July 5, 2004, 20:21:05]