By Bill W
May 23, 2012 – Kaley Gharst had a busy weekend , but it will get quite a bit busier this week. A pair of fourth place finishes highlighted last weekend’s racing action in both 410 and 360 competition. Five nights in a row will make things interesting for the Jeremy Scadden #6 team this week.
Last Friday night, the team towed to the 410 special at the Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa. It was Kaley’s first visit to Rocky. “I don’t think I’ve ever raced with the wind blowing that hard before,” says Kaley. “You could really tell the difference in the wind going down the backstretch. It was trying to take the right front out. Then, coming out of four, it’s trying to take the left front out. Unfortunately, with the heat and wind, the track was taking rubber in the heats.”
Kaley had to work hard in the heat. “I started on the pole, but I came out of turn two and mistook the rubber,” he says. “I spun out and had to go to the back. I come back up and got in a redraw spot (4th).”
The Decatur, Illinois driver started seventh in the feature. “We were able to move up to fourth,” says Kaley. “So that wasn’t too bad on a rubber-down track, moving up three spots.”
After switching to the 360 car, the team moved up to the Fairmont Raceway in Fairmont, Minnesota for Saturday’s JSTS event. “It was the first time there too,” says Kaley. “It was a fun track. It was tricky running the top. We got the car moved up a spot in the heat (2nd) and were able to get in the redraw.”
The redraw would do no good. “We had an issue with the fuel cap,” he says. “We had to pull in before the feature and get that sorted out. I was soaked in fuel. We had to restart in the back.”
Kaley took to the track in fine fashion and charged from 18th to 4th. “We ended up getting up through there to fourth,” he says. “It was a decent finish after going to the back to start with. That made it tougher.”
For the second week in a row, the team competed at Huset’s Speedway near Brandon, South Dakota Sunday night. “We brought a different car than last week,” says Kaley. “We were off a little on the gearing for time trials. The car was a little too tight for the heat. The track was a little tackier and rougher than what we thought it was.”
After hurting a motor the week before, it was good to run the main event, and Kaley ran sixth. “We got it freed up for the feature,” he says. “We weren’t too bad. We moved up a couple spots and got some laps in there. Hopefully, this week we can get qualified better.”
The busy week will start Thursday night with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Series at the I-80 Speedway near Greenwood, Nebraska. Friday night, the ASCS-Midwest Series will sanction their event at Junction Motor Speedway near McCool Junction, Nebraska. Saturday night will see the team at the weekly show at Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Nebraska. Sunday and Monday will see two nights of 410 racing back at Huset’s.
Keep an eye on Kaley’s progress this week and beyond at www.KaleyGharst.com!
If you would like to receive Kaley’s weekly releases, send an e-mail with the subject line “Kaley” to sprntcar@iowatelecom.net.
Kaley and the Jeremy Scadden #6 team would like to thank: Scadden Construction, CNS Homes, Adrenaline Sports Bar & Grill, LEV Wings, Singer Engines, J&J Auto Racing , DMI Components, Keizer Wheels , Schure Built Suspension Systems, Hoosier Tire North , Butlerbuilt Seating and Bell Helmets.