Press Releases - Wheeler: "Love the Duels This Style of Racing Creates"

Wheeler: "Love the Duels This Style of Racing Creates"

As Quick Races have become a normal part of active drivers' schedules, a pattern has emerged among the top tier of the MRC's driving core: dueling.

Thanks to the scattered nature of available talent during quick singles, many grids will only include 2-3 1k+ rated drivers, and even more sparingly the 2k+ and beyond drivers. Jason Anderson approached Nick Wheeler as he stepped down from his 4th consecutive podium of the day on the quick race circuit to ask him about the drive, and what quick racing is like.

Anderson: "Fantastic race, Nick. 4 in a row today, including a win in Bosnia and a 14-position drive up the field for a podium in Indonesia. Seems like you're settling into quick singles pretty well?"

Wheeler: "Yeah, I'm kicking myself for this one. Fomenko, Baralair, and I were back and forth all race long after Pan Jr. went out. It was great racing. I sat back in P3 and watched those 2 go at it until the pit window, and my crew put me right out on Fomenko's wing for an easy overtake. I'd finally settled in and gotten away from them and with 5 to go I just missed the exit of a turn and gave the race away. Would've loved to take win number 3 on this track. Long Beach has been good to me."

Anderson: "That it has. Still a podium despite the mistake. So what are your thoughts on Quick Races, now that you've run a handful?"

Wheeler: "I love them. I love the rivalries that are starting to form as the regulars battle with each other. I had a session the other day involving Maclom Reid and myself off the front of a couple races. I got him on the last lap to win one, and he held me off to win the next one. This race against Fomenko was very similar once we both got in front of Baralair. I love the duels that this style of racing creates off the front of the field."

Anderson: "Any negatives that you've seen while in the cockpit of these races?"

Wheeler: "Quick singles have been good to me. Most of my wins this season have come from duel racing in relatively shallow fields on the quick race circuit. The only negative I can see is that disparity that naturally happens in shallow fields. Where the top 3-4 are so far ahead in skill and experience that the rest of the field never had a chance from the start. Now, that stuff happens in the regular singles too, so I guess it's not really a quick singles issue, so much as a skill brackets thing. I mean, when I run against a top-10 Italian in these things, my eyes are focused on someone else in the field, because I know he's going to put me down a lap by the end anyways. So, I guess between quick and regular singles I have no real difference of opinion on the negatives."

Anderson: "Thank you for your time, good luck the rest of this season, and congratulations on the current streak."