CALGARY, Alberta — With a third place run in the Dakota Dunes Late Model Series championship race held last Saturday at Auto Clearing Speedway, Cameron Hayley secured the 2011 championship and made history in the process. The 15-year old Canadian phenom is the youngest to achieve that distinction in either the Pacific Northwest or Western Canada.
"Over the years racing the Baby Grands that was the case (for Hayley) but moving to the late model that strategy changed."— Cameron Hayley
Hayley added to the Dakota Dunes title with the 2011 Rookie of the Year honor at Montana Raceway Park giving the teen prestigious awards on both sides of the international border.
Patience learned in the Canadian Baby Grand Series has been a big part of earning the honors, according to Hayley.
?Many drivers go out to every race with one thing in their mind and that is to win the race and get to the front at any cost,? he said.
?Over the years racing the Baby Grands that was the case (for Hayley) but moving to the late model that strategy changed.?
Becoming a quick study in the late model came at a fast pace, Hayley added.
?I?ve learned to try and look beyond what the race is and am thinking about what to do next or how to use and when to use the car. Every decision is made in a split second but I have every decision planned out before it happens. I am constantly assessing every situation and every car in front of me to find the best way to pass or thinking of an escape route if something were to happen. I think that knowing what to do and thinking through the race beforehand is what led to the Dakota Dunes and Montana awards.?
Having jumped into late model racing just 14 months ago, Hayley has been humbled by the achievements his Cabinets by Haley team has earned in that short time span.
?After our first full-season racing the super late model the honors are just amazing. Finally all of the hard work we?ve put in paid off.
Being 15, the championship and the rookie of the year award gives me huge recognition by the other teams not only in late models but divisions higher up such as the K&N Pro Series,? he noted.
With Bill McAnally Racing giving Hayley the opportunity to race the final NASCAR K&N Pro Series events on the current schedule, notice has been taken of his talent and where it may go. Melding with the #24 NASCAR team has been similar to the adjustments made with his own crew, Hayley noted.
?Ask any driver around and they will tell you that without a good car a good driver is useless and without a good driver the car is useless.
The two things have to co-exist and that has been one of the strengths of our race team. Grant (Edwards) has been instrumental in the development of our (late model) team and making us competitive each week. Rob Dixon is our crew chief on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and we?ve had some good runs in our first two races and we?ll continue that in the final two.
?(Dixon) and I have already made a great bond that started from day one and he has kept the team and me in order. He fills our pit area with a calm and cool environment.?
Edwards has guided Hayley since his days in the Baby Grands series.
That tutelage has been helpful over the last year and helped to be adaptable with Dixon, Hayley added.
?Grant has given me the cars on the late model level to do the things we?ve been able to accomplish. He?s a natural talent and we?re lucky to have him.?
All of that luck has led Dixon and Hayley to set strong goals for the remainder of the year.
?I think our previous success in Montana (runner-up finish in Hayley?s first career start) and Spokane (runner-up qualifying effort) with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series car have changed our goals. As a race team we now know what we can accomplish and what?s achievable if we work together,? Hayley said.
?As a team our goal is to get out there and win some races and show what we can do.?
Showing people what he can do is nothing new for Hayley, as he plans on continuing that in the 2012 race season, with a few specific targets in mind.
?With the success we?ve had so far, we wish to continue that and run the NASCAR K&N Pro Series full-time next season. We really would like to seek out any new sponsorship partners that would be excited about jumping on board with us as we try and win the Rookie of the Year in 2012.?
However, the excitement for next season does not overshadow the important final few races of this year for the young Canadian driver.
The team plans to compete in Yakima Speedway?s Fall Classic (Oct. 1-2) in the late model division then close the year out with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series events in Roseville, CA (Oct. 15) and Phoenix (Nov.12)
