Track Schedules

DECATUR, IL (August 28) – Kaley Gharst will compete in three 410 sprint car races this weekend. That’s a big change from most of 2008. Unfortunately, the 20 year old talent hasn’t had as much action on the track this year as in the past, but that’s about to change. He plans on running the family car in two Wisconsin IRA shows, and Marty Johnson’s #81 on Saturday at Knoxville. One visit to victory lane isn’t cutting it for the young man who had twelve trips there in 2007.
Kaley has continued to pick up speed in the #81, but a mechanical gremlin slowed the team in qualifying last Saturday at Knoxville, resulting in a 22nd quick effort. “We had a vibration in practice, and we were making changes,” the Decatur, Illinois driver explains. “We had to throw on a set of tires that we hadn’t planned on qualifying with. We figured out that we were low on fuel in practice, and that sent some air up and detonated some. We think that was the case, because it vibrated a bit to start qualifying, but went away.”

Starting eighth in his heat race, Kaley used a good start to transfer from outside the invert like he has done so many times the last two years. “We got up into a transfer (time spot) there in the heat race. We had a good start and were lucky to get there.”

Starting outside row nine, the stage was set for another hard-charging effort from Kaley in the 20 lapper. “We had a good start, and we were moving up through there,” he says. “There were cars on the top and bottom…the track was fast, we were stuck in a group, so that was holding us up a little bit…there were cars in both grooves.”

Kaley showed the poise of a veteran in traffic by making an adjusment, as he approached the top ten. “We started off running the bottom in one and two, and the top of three and four,” he remembers. “Unfortunately, that’s where most people were running. I pulled the wing back the last few laps to try and run the bottom of three and four, and the middle of one and two. That worked, but it was still tough to pass anybody. We got up into eleventh, but Dion Hindi got by us there late when I missed the bottom in three and four and we settled for twelfth. Knoxville seems to get tougher and tougher every single week.”

Still, he was moving forward and will try to get his first Knoxville win of the season at this Saturday’s Season Championship. Also on the weekend schedule are some shows with the Interstate Racing Association. The family car has been put together for the occasion and will sport the letter “G”. “We’ve got a busy week planned,” says Kaley. “Our car is ready to go, and we’ll race it with the IRA at Beaver Dam (Dodge County Speedway) on Friday, and Seymour (Seymour Speedway) on Sunday. My dad’s made all this possible, and I’d like to thank him. Of course, we’ll run Marty’s #81 car at Knoxville on Saturday too. This would be a good week to get our first win together.”

Keep an eye on Kaley's progress this week and beyond at www.KaleyGharst.com !