[i (Bill W)]
July 16, 2009 – It was back to an old familiar ride for Kaley Gharst last week when he reunited with car owner, Bruce Williams, and his #7K. Kaley drove that car for much of the 2008 season. The pair joined up to make the World of Outlaws show at Burlington before a strong fourth place run in the second feature at Knoxville’s Twin Feature Night. Kaley also teamed up with Randy Plath’s #14P for a pair of events that included a second place run at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson.
The WoO visited the 34 Raceway in West Burlington where Kaley found victory earlier this season. After qualifying 18th in the 32 car field, Kaley got a break in his heat before finishing the main event 17th after starting 21st in his first ride back in the 7K. “We had a little trouble getting the steering back to where I liked it,” he says. “It was a little quicker than I’m used to. We were lucky to get through in the heat. (Johnny) Herrera got up over the cushion, and that gave us the transfer spot. After that, we just got some laps in. We didn’t do too well, but it gave me a chance to get used to the car again.”
Thursday, Kaley was in Randy Plath’s #14P for Sprint Invaders action at the Cedar County Speedway in Tipton, Iowa. “As soon as we fired the car up, the steering was locked,” he says of his long night. “It wouldn’t turn left. We were changing gears and pumps, and anything we could think of, and we were still having problems. We decided to run the heat, and it was o.k. as long as we were wide open (finishing 3rd). When we were off the throttle, it would lock up again.”
Starting 9th, the car had had enough by the halfway point. “We had a pretty decent starting spot in the feature, but a little ways in, a line broke and we were covered in fluid,” says Kaley. “That put an end to Tipton. We ended up replacing every single line and replaced anything to do with the power steering before we headed to Donnellson.”
The Lee County Fair was commencing, and the Sprint Invaders were topping the card for Friday night’s action. Kaley started third and ended up fourth in his heat. “The motor stumbled a bit taking off in the heat race,” he says. “We got passed by about everybody. We ended up finishing fourth, and that put us farther back than what we would have liked in the feature.”
“Farther back” was inside row six. Immediately, he began picking off cars, and soon he was in the top three, battling with eventual winner, Bobby Mincer, and CJ Houseman. In the end, he would finish on three good tires in second. “I would have liked to have started further up to see if we could have had a shot at the front,” says Kaley. “We had a good race going on, and then our left front tire went flat for the last three laps. You can always say ‘woulda coulda shoulda’, and Bobby ran a good race to beat us, so we can’t make excuses.”
Twin Features Night at Knoxville was Saturday, and Kaley did well to get in a transfer spot in his heat after qualifying 25th out of the 32 cars assembled. “I still can’t seem to qualify at Knoxville,” he laments. “We started way back in the heat race, so I needed to get to a transfer or I would be way back in the B. I got to sixth pretty quick, but that’s where I thought I would finish. I was getting around the bottom pretty good, and I pulled beside (Terry) McCarl when the yellow came out. I thought for sure he’d go down there to block me on the restart, but he left it wide open and we were able to get by him for the transfer (fifth).”
Fortunately, a six-car melee on lap two of the first feature didn’t collect the 7K. He would finish 15th. “I saw some guys getting sideways when I was going down the frontstretch,” says the Decatur, Illinois driver. “I started so far back, that I was able to stay out of it. The steering was off-center, so I just kind of stayed out there and got used to Knoxville again.”
Kaley started outside of Josh Schneiderman in row one for the second feature. “I started outside, which wasn’t the best place to be as wide as it was,” he says. “We were in second, and running down Josh, and that’s when (eventual winner) Kerry (Madsen) got by me. It wasn’t too bad of a run (fourth). We could have had the car a little better, but fourth isn’t too bad your first night back out at Knoxville.”
This week, Kaley will be back at Knoxville on Saturday in the #7K, and Sunday will find him in at Quincy Raceways in Quincy, Illinois behind the wheel of the #14P with the Sprint Invaders.
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 car owner Randy Plath would like to thank Sebastian Powder Coating and Sandblasting, Scott Performance, Holtkamp's truck and trailer repair, Rockstar Graphics and all of their sponsors. The 7K team would like to thank Phillips Floors, Info2go, Wagner Excavating, Parker Signs, Redtail Painting, Rod End Supply, LWBJ, Community State Bank and Carlson Systems.
[u Photo -
Kaley at Knoxville Raceway (Dave Hill Racing Image)]
- Bill Wright on Jul 16, 2009
- Article Date: 7/16/2009