SPARTA, Ky. (October 3, 2011) – Cale Gale joined the No. 33 Rheem team this weekend as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series made their way to Kentucky Speedway for the Kentucky 225 Saturday night. The 150-lap event was the Mobile, Ala., native’s first Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile track. Gale started the race from the 24th position before moving up through the field to as high as 12th before crossing the finish line in the 15th position.
As the green flag waved bringing the field to life, Gale was quick to advance in the field taking over the 22nd position on the first lap. Just as the driver settled in to position, the yellow flag waved for the first time for a single-truck accident in turn two. Being early in the race, the team opted to stay off of pit road, restarting the race in the 21st position on lap 12. During the restart the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet was shuffled back into the 24th spot.
The second caution of the night fell for an accident in turn three on lap 22. During the caution, the crew brought the No. 33 Chevrolet down pit road for fuel and a chassis adjustment. The crew’s quick stop put their driver back on track in the 19th position for the lap 25 restart. Back under green-flag conditions, the young driver moved into the 15th spot by lap 26 and remained in the top 15 until lap 42 when the third caution came for an accident in turn two. The No. 33 team called their driver to pit road for a second time putting on two tires and filling the truck with fuel.
Gale lined up in the 21st position for the lap 46 restart and maintained his position until lap 51 when a multi-truck accident broke out in turn four on lap 51. Under caution for the fourth time, Gale visited pit road for two tires and fuel and lined the Rheem Chevrolet up in the 22nd position for the restart on lap 58.
Back under green-flag conditions the Alabama native worked his way into the 20th position where he remained until the caution flag was displayed for a fifth time on lap 67 as a truck spun across the track. Gale made the trip to pit road for his KHI crew to fill the truck with fuel and make a spring rubber adjustment to combat a tight-handling condition the truck was developing. The visit to pit road positioned Gale to restart the race 21st on lap 70.
The field raced only 10 green-flag laps before the sixth caution of the night for a spin on the frontstretch. Visiting pit road shortly before the caution, the 33 Rheem team opted to stay on track allowing their driver to restart in the 12th position on lap 83. The young driver was running in the top 15 when the seventh and final caution flag waved on lap 87 for a spinning truck in turn two. Again the team remained on track and restarted the race in 12th on lap 89.
As green-flag racing resumed, Gale fought to maintain track position in the top 20 and on the lead lap, but fell one lap down by lap 115. Teams began to cycle through green-flag pit stops with 30 laps remaining in the race. The Rheem crew brought their driver to pit road for one final stop on lap 124, taking two right-side tires and fuel. While on pit road, the No. 33 went down a second lap to the leader. Back on track, Gale continued to fight his way around the 1.5-mile track as the end of the race approached. The driver came to the checkered flag running in the 15th position.
Gale and the No. 33 Rheem team will head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the Truck Series on October 15 for the Smith’s 350. Tune in SPEED at 3:30 p.m. ET and listen to MRN at 3:00 p.m. ET.
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