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Kaley Gharst – MASS Change in Plans!
(Bill W) – May 14, 2009 – Kaley Gharst has altered his racing plans slightly for 2009, deciding to go after the championship in the Midwest All Star Series (MASS). The Decatur, Illinois sprint car driver will still drive Randy Plath's #14P with the Sprint Invaders Association when the two series' schedules allow. The 20 year old is the current MASS point leader, and he grabbed victory at Lawrenceburg Speedway with the series in May. This Saturday, Kaley will tow to the Wilmot Speedway in Wisconsin to compete in the IRA/MASS North/South clash there.
Kaley wanted to assure that he is still the driver of the Plath Motorsports #14P. "We've decided we're going to hit the Midwest All Star Series and run for points with them," he says. "We'll also run Randy Plath's #14P with the Sprint Invaders when that doesn't conflict with us running the #51 with MASS."
The last two weeks have been a bit tough on Kaley. On May 22, he ran the CJ Raceway in Columbus Junction, Iowa with Plath and the Sprint Invaders. A draw back in row three of the heat didn't deter him, but a tire did. "We were up to second and cut a tire down," he says. That blew the muffler and stuff off. The Sprint Invaders rule is you can't change it, so that put us at the back of the feature."
Starting at the tail, Kaley again cruised forward in the #14P in the feature, but he was caught up in something unavoidable. "We were moving up through there pretty good," he says. "We were up to tenth when we had a restart. A couple guys got together, and slid sideways coming out of two. It was dusty and hard to see them, so I cut down at the last minute, and so did the guy beside me. I got into his left rear and went for a ride."
He was uninjured, but the car was done. It was a disappointment after the 2007 series champion came into the night leading the points. "It wasn't a hard hit, but it was hard enough to do some damage," he says. "I don't think the frame was bent, but it destroyed every bolt on piece including the rear-end, drive-shaft and torque tubes."
On Sunday May 24, the MASS was at Quincy and the Gharst family got the #51 prepped. Kaley struggled to 12th quick, a fourth place heat run, and a lackluster sixth place finish in the feature. "I was really asleep that week when I put the rear-end in," he says. "It wasn't put in the way it needed to be for Quincy."
Last Saturday, Kaley made his second trip ever to the Eldora Speedway in Ohio to compete with the All Star Circuit of Champions. After qualifying 29th, he failed to make the main event with a 40-car field on hand. "The rear-end was fine at Eldora, we just had something wrong with the fuel to the motor or something," says Kaley. "We couldn't get it over 7400 rpm'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 [email protected].
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.
Kaley in action at Quincy (Dennis Krieger Imagery)
Bill WrightBill W MediaMonroe, IAUSA[email protected]
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