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Cale Gale
GALE FORCE WINDS: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (DIS) is best known for drafting. Cars slip through the air stream in distinct lines as they punch large holes in the air. Cale Gale proved to be particularly good at finding the proper spot to align his No. 77 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in preseason testing at DIS. Gale smoked the field as he paced the fastest laps during the morning sessions for two consecutive days during January testing.
RACIN’ ROOKIE: Last season Gale competed in seven Nationwide Series races, just few enough to make him eligible to compete for the 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year award. Gale joins a 2008 class that includes Landon Cassill driving for JR Motorsports and Bryan Clauson competing for Chip Ganassi Racing. Gale has a distinct advantage over his competition as he ran a limited NASCAR Truck and Nationwide Series schedule during the 2007 season, allowing him to return to some of the same tracks in a Nationwide car.
CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 77 Rheem team will begin the 2008 season with an oldie, but goodie, as they will run a newly constructed No. 30 chassis. The car competed last year in both Daytona events and was completely refurbished during the winter. No. 30 is the same car Gale drove during preseason Daytona testing, laying down the fastest lap on day four of testing.
“SHOCK”INGLY GOOD: Drivers play many roles throughout the garage area; some serve as mentors, public speakers or just drivers. Not Cale Gale. He is at Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) on a daily basis serving as a shock specialist, building shocks for both the No. 33 and No. 2 trucks driven by veterans Ron Hornaday and Jack Sprague. Around the garage, when Gale is not in the driver’s seat he is under the hood, hard at work trying to make his car and his teammates’ trucks go faster.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: KHI driver Cale Gale and front-tire carrier Jeff Roth took time out of their busy schedules on Saturday, February 2, 2008, to join Cub Scout Troop 400 of Pinnacle, N.C. for the annual Pine Wood Derby. Both Gale and Roth joined in with boys, ages five to 10, as they competed against each other for the opportunity to go to regional competition to represent their troop. Gale was given the task of releasing the cars onto the track and Roth officiated, calling the winner of each race. In between the races, Gale and Roth took the opportunity to get back to their racing roots, by helping with tires and weights on the cars. Prior to the races, Gale and Roth spoke to the troop about safety and their jobs. “I had a lot of fun today,” commented Gale after the competition ended. “To be able to race cars for a living and then come out and be a part of this (pine wood) derby, it’s pretty awesome. These kids are so competitive; it’s just racing and so much fun.”
MENTOR PROGRAM: As a 2008 Rookie of the Year contender, Gale has spent a lot of time leaning on the veterans at KHI. Gale has found a mentor in KHI co-owner and CEO Kevin Harvick, as well as Ron Hornaday. During preseason testing at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Gale paid special attention to Harvick’s instruction on lines to drive and guidance in moving in the draft. “Kevin has been doing this for a long time,” Gale commented. “Hornaday helped get Kevin to where he is, so I really lean on those guys a lot. I hold their advice in high regard. I try to apply as much information as I can to the situation I’m in. It also helped me to be able to spot for Kevin. Listening to the things he paid attention to is really going to help me in the future.”
WELCOME RHEEM TO THE TEAM: In 2008, KHI is proud to welcome Rheem Manufacturing Company to the team. Rheem manufactures a full-line of high-quality residential and commercial heating, cooling, water heaters, swimming pool heaters and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. Rheem joins the KHI team as primary sponsor for drivers Cale Gale and Kevin Harvick for four races during the 2008 Nationwide season.
DAYTONA APPEARANCES: Gale will be appearing at the Camping World store in the infield on Friday, February 15 from 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Cale Gale Quotes:
YOU’VE DRIVEN AT BOTH RESTRICTOR PLATE TRACKS, WHAT MAKES DAYTONA UNIQUE? “Daytona you really have to drive. I remember asking Rick Carelli about tips the first time I came here last year driving a KHI truck. The one thing he told me was at Daytona, you really have to drive. Daytona is rougher and bumpier and handling really comes more into play. At Talladega it’s really more of a mental game; can I make it through the race and avoid the wreck? Daytona gets more spread out and gives you the opportunity to work on the car to improve it, where at Talladega you really have what you have.”
THIS YEAR YOU WILL BE COMPETING FOR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, WHAT WOULD THAT TITLE MEAN TO YOU? “It would mean a lot. I have been driving for a long time and I am in a class that includes Landon Cassill and Bryan Clauson, two guys who have a good amount of experience and are in Cup team equipment. I’m really looking forward to running with Kevin and helping KHI look for a win in the Owner’s Point standings. When Kevin gets in the car, you know he will put it up front and I look forward to helping him when I have the chance to sit in the seat.”
QUICK NOTES
Race length: 120 laps/300 miles
Pre-Race Schedule
TV: The Camping World 300 can be seen live on ESPN2 at 12 p.m., ET.
No. 77 Rheem Chevrolet Monte Carlo
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