ANTELOPE, California — Cameron Hayley, driver of the No. 24 Cabinets by Hayley Toyota Camry for Bill McAnally Racing was at the top of the speed chart during both practices and qualified the No. 24 on the outside of the front row. This was only Hayley’s second start in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.
"We’re a bullet."— Cameron Hayley
The 15-year old Canadian high school junior took the green flag to start the 200-lap race in second but would lose a couple of positions as the tightly packed field dove into the first turn. Hayley ran in fourth thru the first 25 laps. He moved back up at lap 67 to third when at lap 95, he was forced to bring the No. 24 Cabinets by Hayley Toyota to pit road. At first, the young driver thought he had a flat right front tire but the team from BMR quickly discovered that a bolt had broken in the upper control arm twisting the bracket. He would go down 12 laps while the team made the repair.
“We’ve got nothing to gain,” his spotter Chris Nelle told him. “Be on your toes!” There was a mandatory break at lap 102. Now restarting in 21st, Hayley continued to show he had one of the fastest Toyotas on the track. At lap 114, he was in the top-twenty. At lap 144, Hayley had moved into 19th. “We’re a bullet,” he reported to his crew after recording the fastest lap of the race. “All these restarts are frustrating.” He would gain one more position before taking the checkered flag.
“Our mechanical failure had an impact on me,” said Hayley. “It’s disappointing. We went too many laps down to make it work. We did what we could do. Overall it was a good night. I can’t thank this team from BMR enough. The guys with crew chief Rob Dixon did a great job. It showed we had the car to beat with where we were during practice and how we were able to qualify. It’s just one of those things.”
The next race for Cameron Hayley and the No. 24 Cabinets by Hayley Toyota team will be from the BMR team’s home track of All American Speedway on October 16th.
“I’m excited,” continued Hayley. “We tested there a while back and we ran a Late Model there last season. The test was good so we’ll see what happens. It would be great to get my first West Series victory at the team’s home track in front of the team’s friends and family.”
