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Wheeler Tosses Machine Parts Into Crowd

19.06.2015 - Mexico city marked a first for a number of aspects of the Wheeler camp. The first Season Series race with the Gulf machine, the first F2 race for Wheeler, and the first week of a brand new season. It also marked the first time in history that the crowd received free F2 parts as a door prize for purchasing paddock tickets.

All was going well for Wheeler through the first half of the race. He'd steadily advanced from P8 to P6 with conservative tactics, capitalizing on a mid-race DNF from Spain's Enrique Moralesgarcia, and a strong overtake of Russia's Timofy Schvedko.

In fact, as people walked through the Wheeler pit area, there was a sense of jubilation. He'd driven himself to within 2 spots of American rival Matt Fields, whose marked machine is a goal for Wheeler this season. He was in clean air, he'd pushed a small gap back to Schvedko, and he was clipping off consistent lap times.

Then, with 4 to go, the machine stopped. It was Wheeler's 5th DNF this week. We all knew what was coming. Wheeler got to the pit box and started ripping the machine apart before he was completely out of the cockpit. Among the souvenirs sent into the crowd, Wheeler threw his steering wheel, half of the rear engine coverings, rear wing, and several engine pieces, still hot from the race.

Wheeler added a punctuation mark to his day, leaving a permanent mark on the Mexico City paddock as he threw his helmet through the pit box wall on his way to the trailer. As he walked away, an AP reporter mentioned hearing him mutter "set it up perfect. Perfect! Every time! Change nothing. Engine stops."

Unless something changes fast, Season 14 is heading down the path of season that nearly led to Wheeler's early exit from the sport. Even the season that inspired Wheeler's "High Speed Bingo" movement didn't start off this poorly.