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Struggling Bartley turns cornerBy LOGAN NEILL
© St. Petersburg Times, INVERNESS -- Jimmy Bartley has had to suffer through the realities that come with getting your feet wet in the world of racing. To this point, his sophomore Mini Stock season has pretty much been one of frustration and disappointment. The driver has struggled with mechanical failures and just plain bad luck. Thankfully for Bartley, luck has a habit of turning on a dime. On Saturday, the 43-year-old from Bushnell finally got a whiff of the sweet success he's been waiting for after he handily beat a 23-car field to the checkered flag in the night's feature event. "You don't start winning until you start learning from your mistakes," Bartley said. "I've been trying to do that all year, and it looks like it's starting to pay off." For all the woes he's had this year, Bartley's Ron-Don's Family Restaurant/Main Street Auto Sales-sponsored machine virtually was untouchable in his flag-to-flag victory. Starting from the pole, he quickly focused on his mission to stay out front the rest of the way. "I stopped looking in my mirror because I didn't want to get distracted," Bartley said. "Somebody told me that Rob (Wheatley) was moving in on me near the end, but I never knew it." Bartley was quick to credit the work of his brother and racing partner, Ron, as well as fellow Mini Stock driver Mark Sowell and his father, Calvin, for help in setting up the new race engine Bartley recently installed in his car. The added horsepower enabled him to set the quick pace he needed to stay out front. "It's definitely the best motor I've had in this car," Bartley said. Blown motors had been a major source of his frustrations since the season began, so his first win offered something special. Bartley contributes his entire proceeds to Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Bushnell where he attends. "Some of the money gets used to help maintain the cemetery where my father is buried," he said. "It gives me a good feeling that my racing helps to support that." VELTMAN IS DISQUALIFIED: Sportsman points leader Mike Veltman was black-flagged for rough driving after an incident involving division rival Rex Struble. Track officials determined that Veltman intentionally blocked Struble as he tried to pass in Turn 2 on the eighth lap of the 20-lap feature. Stuble's car was severely damaged when it made contact with a retaining wall, and he did not return to action. Veltman owns a 99-point advantage over Struble in the standings.
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