Sunbelt Champ Oates Loses Engine

[tqj3]

Release: April 25, 2005

 

NASCAR Sunbelt Champ Oates Loses Engine in Affordable Trailers Chevy in First Late Model Race of 2005

 

San Antonio – 2004 NASCAR Sunbelt Champion Justin Oates skipped the first late model race of the season at San Antonio Speedway to attend his La Vernia High School prom, then came back last Saturday night to qualify his Affordable Trailers Chevrolet Monte Carlo fourth in the late model field and run as high as second before the engine blew. Joe Aramendia got the win.

 

"We were good in practice, but picked up a push in qualifying and only managed to qualify fourth," Justin said Monday. "They inverted the top six, so I started third and got into second pretty quickly, but the car started getting loose in turn one. I finally spun in turn four on about lap 22. Since we had to go to the back anyway for the spin, we pitted and made some adjustments, but the engine let go three laps later.

 

"The oil pickup broke off, so the engine stopped getting oil. Saturday night I was coming off the turn and looked down at the gauges and saw no oil pressure, so I kicked in the clutch and reached for the kill switch, but the engine was already gone and it stopped itself. We have a warning light that should have come on when the oil pressure dropped below 20 pounds per square inch (psi), but it didn't. We'll have to look at that, too." Asked how the prom went, the 18-year-old just grinned.

 

"It was fun, but not as much fun as racing. Going to the prom is one of those things you really have to do, though."

 

With the late model engine too damaged to fix by next weekend, Justin will be back in the Affordable Trailers Chevrolet Camaro Sportsman class car he drove last year for next Saturday's races at SAS. Oates started his third season of racing at SAS on April 2 by setting a new Sportsman class lap record in qualifying in the Camaro, then raced from sixth starting spot to win the non-points "American Classified Sportsman 25."

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Contact: T. Q. Jones, (512) 261-5236

[Definitive]

That's a shame,and a bad night to miss out on the late model race.I hope you get an engine back soon.You have outgrown the sportsman class.

[5StarRacing]

Hopefully we will be back in the Late Model in a few weeks. Looking at changing from Ford to Chevy, since the engine was totally destroyed.

 

We are also looking for sponsor's, so if you know anyone, send them our way!

 

Thanks

 

Cindy

[REBELRACER]

so you guys were running a ford engine in the monte carlo, why on earth would you want to do that.....just kidding, he was running good until he had the problems...i was wondering what happened..that sucks that he wont be able to race the spring fling race, im sure he was looking foward to it...........

[5StarRacing]

Well, when you got to make do... Ford, Chevy, Dodge.. I think we had the whole mix at one time.

 

There is a good possiblity that we will make the race with the help from some good friends. Aramendia Motorsport has offer to help us out

[PAPA]

Joe is a super guy. Helping the compitition get back on the track. Hes done alot for our sport.

[racerx]

I thought the exact same thing when I read that...Good for Justin and Joe is an awesome guy for racing.

[Definitive]

Pretty unselfish to help a young hot shoe with an engine.There is even a chance Justin could beat him that not.Maybe the SAS anouncer should credit the man that night.Hats off to you Joe.