Persberichten - Wheeler Responds to Striver's Indy Jr. Comments

Wheeler Responds to Striver's Indy Jr. Comments

Ray Striver, a driver who has a significant amount of experience in MRC racing, noted the comments from American young gun, Nick Wheeler in recent Indy Jr. post-race interview, today.

Wheeler had just finished qualifying P2 in the HamrHedz Cup, and as he gleefully jumped out of his machine he was mobbed by reporters shouting inaudible questions. Wheeler, thinking he was being mobbed as a result of calling his shot at Pan Jr. and Villanova after the Cleveland stage, started to speak before he really heard any questions.

"It feels good! I love racing in Denver. Earlier today I finished P5 in the RAGE Cutsom Series leg here, and now I'm walking away from this run with Jr. behind me, Staruhin with 3 machines between us, and Schmidt and Audet all the way down in 10 and 11. A pole would have been nice, but we'll take .2 off Villano..."

Wheeler was interrupted before he could finish his sentence by a reporter shouting out "what do you think of what Striver said in France, today!?"

Wheeler, completely baffled, stared blankly at the reporter, who handed him a piece of paper.

"Ha." He looked up, "well I knew I liked Ray, but this is icing on the cake. High speed bingo, it is. I'll tell you what. Why don't you guys go mob Pan Jr. and ask him these questions. He's the one that's been qualifying in front of me all season, but all of a sudden sits behind me. Or how about Audet? Schmidt hasn't shown up to a practice in 2 weeks and Audet is still stuck behind him outside the points after qualifying.

I said my piece last season. I gave you all my reasons for staying. It certainly has nothing to do with me believing I'm more skilled than anyone else. I stayed because I realized it isn't about me. It's about the fans. It's about the guys and gals in the machines on either side of me, fighting the same fight. The organization has made it clear that when it's time for someone else to win, the rest of us will suffer, and I've made my peace with it. Ladies and gentlemen, I will speak with you the next time something significant happens in this championship, but I am done speaking to this topic. It's a dead horse."

With that, Wheeler turned to his crew, tossed his helmet, and jumped into a pile to kick off the celebration for a top 3 qualifying run.