Tough night at Bristol for Cameron Hayley results in Top-20 finish

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In: NASCAR Truck Series News
Heading to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (BMS) for his 12th different NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) track debut, Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate, Cameron Hayley, adapted quickly to the high banks of the 0.533-mile concrete oval. Posting the seventh and eighth fastest times, respectively, in both practice sessions at BMS, Hayley kept his success going, by qualifying ninth for Wednesday night’s UNOH 200.
 
With weather threatening BMS throughout the day Wednesday, intensity was high from the drop of the green flag. Racing alongside the No. 51 of Daniel Suarez on lap 33, the two drivers got together, bringing out the first caution of the night. However, able to keep it off the wall, the 19-year-old driver suffered minimal damage on his No. 13 Carolina Nut Co. Toyota Tundra, but was relinquished one lap down to the leaders.
 
Going a second lap down under a long green flag run, Hayley caught a break when the caution flag waved on lap 81. Crew chief, Jeff Hensley, made the call for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender to stay on the track and take the “wave around” to get one of his two laps back. Just 14 laps later, the caution flag flew again, allowing Hayley to be the beneficiary of getting his lap back. Back on the lead lap, Hensley made the call to bring the ThorSport Racing driver down pit road for four tires, fuel and an adjustment to aid in an “extremely tight” Toyota Tundra.
 
Running lap times comparable to the leaders, and trying to make up ground as quickly as possible, the Canadian-native had to use evasive action to try to avoid the No. 23 of Spencer Gallagher spinning directly in front of him. Unfortunately, Hayley clipped the nose of his Toyota Tundra as he drove by. Just as Hensley called the No. 13 down pit road for repairs, a rainstorm hit the track allowing Hayley to maintain his position.
 
After a short 45 minutes of track drying, Hayley climbed back into his Carolina Nut Co. Toyota Tundra, and brought it to the attention of his ThorSport Racing team who had a plan formulated to fix the nose of his No. 13 machine for the remaining 24 laps of the 200-lap event. Eventually going a lap down to the leaders, due to extensive damage, Hayley crossed the finish line in the 18th position behind UNOH 200 race winner, Ryan Blaney.
 
Quote:
“It was a tough night for our Carolina Nut Co. team. That spin at the beginning of the race got us behind early on, but we were able to battle back from two laps down. At one point we were running lap times as fast as the leaders. Unfortunately, we were right behind Spencer Gallagher when he spun. I tried to duck low to avoid him, but clipped his nose. The guys worked hard to fix it up as best as they could so we could finish the race. All-in-all, it was a long day, but it’s Bristol, it happens. I’m already looking ahead and can’t wait to head to my hometown track next week.”

Thorsport PR

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