KALISPELL, Mont. (August 9, 2011)-Leading the Kalispell Toyota Late Model Series rookie of the year points chase has been a good start to the season for Calgary’s Cameron Hayley. Sitting just five points behind championship leader, Brian Levant, is an incredible feeling that may get better once the Rumble in the Rockies wraps up this weekend.
Hayley, at just 15 years old, will be the youngest ever to start a NASCAR K&N Pro Series race in its 57-year history when he takes the green flag on Saturday night. The focus is on the NASCAR event while coupled with having a solid run in the Kalispell Toyota Late Model Series, according to the Alberta native.
“I am going into this event knowing how big it is for me but we need to stay focused on the fact we’re second in the (Kalispell Toyota) Late Model Series points, leading the rookie of the year chase and battling Brian Levant (the current championship leader) for the title. I will look to drive smart in the races and keep a clear head about me throughout the night.”
Having battled through adversity in last month’s 21st Annual Coors Light Montana 200, where Hayley became the youngest ever to qualify for the event may be helpful with plenty of the region’s best entered for the Best of the West Tundra 125 late model event and the Toyota/TTC 150 for the K&N Pro Series.
Transferring into the 200 finale from the last chance qualifiers race, bouncing back from a spin in the second-half and rolling onto a top-5 finish were all the motivation Hayley needs for this weekend, he noted.
“Our main focus is on what we know how to do each week and that is aiming for good finishes. Seeing a 16-year old (Dylan Kwasniewski) win the pole and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series race in Colorado last week along with myself being the youngest to qualify for the Montana 200 are records I am proud to be part of and to chase. I want to set the bar even younger for kids to try and beat me out of those records some day,” said the driver of the No. 24 Cabinets by Hayley Chevrolet.
“I know if we continue to run strong I may become the youngest to win rookie of the year at Montana Raceway Park and to be a champion there would be incredible. With NASCAR lowering their age limit to 15, I can think of no place I would rather debut in their series than at my hometrack. I look forward to showing them and continuing to show the fans what we can do.”
Choosing to make the trek each week from Alberta to Montana has been well thought out, Hayley added.
“Kalispell has the premier division for late model racing as far as we’re concerned. We have run a lot of tracks since last summer and the competition at Montana Raceway Park is some of the toughest I have found. On any given week you’ll have 20 cars separated by less than a second in qualifying and be there right to the end of a race. That shows the strength of the program and competition there is huge and I am proud to be a part of it.”
The Rumble in the Rockies features two great divisions of racing on Saturday, August 13 as the Kalispell Toyota Late Model Series will run their Best in the West Tundra 125 while the NASCAR K&N Pro Series will do battle in the Toyota/TTC 150. Two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip will be racing alongside the stars of the K&N Pro Series and four-time Montana 200 champion Gary Lewis has entered the Tundra 125 making this event one fans will not want to miss.