By Bill W
May 16, 2013 – Driver Kaley Gharst and the Jeremy Scadden #6 team got their season underway last weekend in South Dakota. The Decatur, Illinois driver finished 8th in the Loren Barstad Memorial after going to the tail at the I-90 Speedway in Hartford on Saturday. He registered a third place finish at Huset’s Speedway near Brandon on Sunday.
Kaley started in row two of his heat at Hartford Friday. “We were able to get to second,” he says. “We were racing for the lead with (Robby) Wolfgang there, but he ended up getting us at the line.”
Starting ninth in the feature, he charged forward until making a mistake. “We had a decent start,” says Kaley. “We were up to fifth or sixth there early on. A couple laps in, I tagged the wall and bent the front end. We had a flat tire too, and we changed it.”
The team got Kaley back on the track and he would checker eighth. “We were able to get back up there a ways,” he says. “It was rubber-down, so it was really hard to pass any cars. The car was good, unfortunately, there was a little driver error the first night out.”
Starting fifth in his heat Sunday night at Huset’s, Kaley would register fourth. “The car was really decent, but about the second lap, we had something come up and break the spark plug there,” he says. “We did what we could to stay in the top four in a redraw spot. Fortunately, we were able to.”
With the spark plug replaced, Kaley drew well. “We got the car ready for the feature, and the redraw went in our favor drawing the pole,” he says. “We missed the setup a little bit. We had some air build up in the right rear. I was running the top, and we got passed on the bottom right away.”
He was able to regain the lead, before rubber developed late, and he was hung out to dry. “We had a restart about eight or so laps in, and were able to get back by (Ryan Bickett) for the lead, and we went to the bottom,” says Kaley. “It ended up taking rubber through the middle of the track, and I got passed by a couple of cars before I could get back up there. After that, I just rode in line right there.”
Kaley and the team will be back in action this weekend. “We really aren’t sure of our schedule this week,” he says. “Cameron (Missouri with ASCS), Knoxville and Huset’s are all possibilities, but we’re not sure yet.”
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, DMI Components, Keizer Wheels , Schure Built Suspension Systems, Hoosier Tire North , Butlerbuilt Seating and Bell Helmets.