Doug Pace: Brothers Larry Wheatley, Dan Wheatley take memorable trip in Camaro

Road racing has always caught the eye of brothers Larry and Dan Wheatley.

For them, any race offering machines that can handle the twists and turns of a tough road course – either closed circuit, similar to Spokane County Raceway, or a road rally from check point to check point – is something that peaks their interest.

Add in the fact that 23-year-old Dan Wheatley owns a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro capable of handling tough to tame courses and you have two Spokane natives always dialed in for a road racing show.

Last week the brothers jumped in the Camaro and traveled across the country to take part in Rally North America’s Hope for the Warriors charity race. The charity works with veterans and their families to help them reintegrate back into civilian life after leaving the military.

More than 70 teams took part in the race and raised $140,000 in donations. Beginning at Virginia International Raceway, the Wheatleys raced through the Southeast, winding up in Alabama at the famed Talladega Superspeedway road course.

Racing from checkpoint to checkpoint in cars that are made for road course action – yet at times find themselves on the highways and byways of America – does come with certain rules, including one that can get a competitor removed from the race, according to 31-year-old Larry Wheatley.

“If you get a ticket, you’re disqualified for the day’s racing,” he said. “Get another and you’re out of the entire event. The race is geared for fun and exploring rather than being reckless.”

They didn’t bring home the race’s top prize, but the Wheatleys competed against some top equipment and talent. Race organizers and teams lauded the brothers for the commitment to the event.

“The best part of the rally is the variety of people and cars you get to see,” Larry said. “We raced against everything from a Bentley to a 1967 Corvette – people from every corner of the United States. We did win the award for the farthest traveled to compete in the race.”

On the venture to VIR, the Wheatleys saw some of America’s great sights, including Mount Rushmore and Deadwood in the Blackhills National Forest.

The history and natural wonders of the United States also serve as some of the race’s checkpoints, Dan said.

“The (checkpoint) sites sometimes consist of historical or local points of interest along the way (which made the race more enjoyable),” he said. “The (race’s) goal is to get out and see things you wouldn’t normally see (during a road or rally event.)”

Keeping to the race theme, each day’s run starts with cars gridded in a particular area’s downtown core.

“You get gridded up each morning, they give you the route for the day and you’re sent on your way,” Larry said. “It’s a scramble to decipher the clues (in the route card that guides the team from checkpoint to checkpoint). Sometimes, we just followed other teams, hoping they knew the way. At the end of the day, everyone assembles at a local place and tells stories about their race until it’s time to get a few hours sleep and start all over the next morning.”

While the joys of getting to the checkpoints are part of the event, missing a few stops along the way was a low point, Larry said.

“We did miss Martinsville Speedway on our route and the Biltmore Estate, so that was a downer,” he said.

Not that the race didn’t provide plenty of highlights that will last a lifetime.

“We got to run laps on the Talladega Road Course at speeds over 100 mph in the 35-degree banking,” Dan said. “It actually felt dangerous to go slow through those corners at 65 mph.”

The Wheatleys covered more than 7,000 miles to take part in the race, crossing 26 states, six national parks and two national monuments. While they are settling back into their jobs and Spokane routines, plans for new race adventures are already underway.