04/05/2002

FEOLA TO LEAVE LI AND MOVE DOWN TO FLORIDA

Wheel Racing officially confirms the Florida relocation for Neal Feola Jr. and family. We were hoping to say goodbye to everybody in person, but Neal’s job transfer to Clearwater , Florida came upon us real fast. We are going to miss our racing family immensely and this will be the first opening day in 29 years that Neal Jr. will be missing as either a fan or driver at a Long Island Racetrack (Islip, Freeport, Riverhead). The rising costs of living on Long Island and the desire to take a chance before the kids are old enough to have to be pulled out of school have made this move our first priority. Although we are looking forward to our new challenges ahead, we will never be able to put our Long Island racing roots aside. Neal always says that “driving a racecar is not WHAT he does, but rather WHO he is.”

 We want to take this time to not only say goodbye, but to thank everybody who have supported us. In an attempt to not leave out any important influences we will not thank everybody in this letter, that would just take too long. We will be in contact individually to say thank you ,but we do have to mention a few. Starting with the entire Cromarty family for giving us a place to become “somebody” and then to Bob Finan who took an interest in a then 16 year old kid. Bob Finan we thank you for helping to make Neal that “somebody “, your words of encouragement will never be forgotten. Joe Larsen and Bill Denniston , we thank you for taking us seriously and making racing fun again . Now , before this gets too long, we want to thank the following supporters of our team for the last few years. Bobby Gardner-for building the first legitimate contender in our stable of many. Your friendship and subsequent guidance gave us the confidence to win every time out. Thank you Bobby , you are still under-rated as a fabricator. Lars and Scorpion Race Engines for giving us the power and consistency week in and week out to race without worry. Thanks Lars , you are THE MAN. Sims Steel was a sponsor for the last 8 years through good times and bad , without ever a blink . The folks at Sims Steel are special and will be remembered forever. Neal Sr. made this whole Wheel Racing thing happen and kept it strong for years, we thank you for giving Neal Jr. the chance to make memories that we as a family will cherish forever. Mike Fields , Ricky Miller and J.A. Ackley , we thank you for giving us a forum and a place to thank our supporters. Lastly, we want to thank our friends and fans. We have met some really special people over the years and you will all be missed.

So long for now. You never know, after this two year trial is over we may even be back, stranger things have happened........

 

Neal Jr., Christy, Cody and Austin.

Sources:  Wheel Racing PR
Posted:  April 5, 2002