Cale Gale
Encyclopedia
Cale Gale is an American NASCAR
driver. He currently drives the #33 Rheem
Chevrolet Silverado
for Eddie Sharp Racing
in the NASCAR
Camping World Truck Series.
, winning five features in his first year. The following season, Cale raced a full schedule, winning 25 feature races and the track championship.
In 1991, Cale started competing at tracks other than Mobile Motorsports Park, racing at three different go-kart facilities winning a total of 12 feature races. From 1992 through 1994 he went on the road watching his father, Bubba Gale, compete in the NASCAR All-Pro touring series. After a three-year break, Cale resumed his go-kart career at Gulf Oaks Speedway in Saucier, Mississippi
, winning ten features, the track championship, and also capturing his first state championship. He won his second state championship the following year, and he won seven features at Gulf Oaks.
. He raced in the limited modified division (an adult class) at J & J Speedway the following year, 14-year-old Gale won three feature races and received the Hardcharger Award.
In 2000, he began his full bodied car racing career at Mobile International Speedway
in the pure stock division winning nine feature races, finishing third in the point standings, and capturing rookie of the year honors. Gale won 12 feature races and the super stock track championship in just his second year at the speedway. In his first late model race at MIS, he finished third in the 40-lap Lee Fields Memorial race. The same year, at the Snowball Derby
in Pensacola, Florida
, Cale was the fast qualifier in the super stock division in a field of 42 cars.
In the 2002 season, Gale competed in his first full year in the late model class. He was fast qualifier five times, winning four feature races. He is the only competitor in the 28 years of racing at MIS to ever capture rookie of the year honors and the late model track championship simultaneously. He competed in the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway
in Pensacola, Florida, Cale qualified 7th in the Snowflake Late Model event and finished 14th.
In Gale’s sophomore season, 2003, at MIS in the late model series, he won four feature races and finished second in the points race just 24 points out of another championship.
In 2004, competing in the Southern All Stars Supertruck Touring Series, Gale won two feature races and also broke two qualifying records at Sunny South Raceway in Grand Bay, Alabama
. and Lanier Speedway
(Gainesville, Georgia
). He also raced in the Snowflake 100 (Snowball Derby
), qualified eighth and finished fifth in a 28 car field in a brand new late model.
In 2005, Cale ventured down to Lakeland for speed week in his Chevy truck and sat on the pole. He started there and led every lap to win against Matt Martin, son of Mark Martin
, and Jamie Skinner, (son of Mike Skinner
) Two weeks later at New Smyrna Speedway
, Cale broke the track qualifying record, and also won again taking both Florida races against some very well known drivers. At Birmingham International Raceway
, Cale added another track qualifying record to his resume, breaking the old mark held by Jeff Wainwright. Also on April 23, Cale broke the three year old track record at Mobile Speedway in the super late model series with the time of 16.920 sec. Around July, Cale seized on the opportunity to move to Spartanburg, South Carolina
as 2005 Snowball Derby winner Eddie Mercer presented Cale with the chance to be the shock specialist for Phoenix Racing
, which is owned by James Finch
of Panama City, Florida
. Later in the year, Finch decided to give Cale a chance to do some testing in both his Busch and Nextel Cup
car.
race in April at Nashville Superspeedway
driving the No. 09 Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Dodge Charger
. He qualified ninth and finished sixth. In June, Finch decided to let Cale make his first NASCAR Busch Series debut at the same track as his ARCA race, Nashville Superspeedway. He qualified tenth and finished 20th in the No. 1 Miccosukee Charger. Cale’s next race was another Busch Series event at Chicagoland Speedway
in July. He had to compete against 21 Cup drivers. He qualified 39th and finished 37th with a faulty transmission. Cale had come in on lap 192, and he had worked his way up to sixth place. He went a lap down, only to get it back 67 laps later. When his transmission started giving him problems he was running ninth. Bobby Jones Racing decided to let Cale run his number in the Shop ‘n Save 150 ARCA race at Gateway International Raceway
. Cale started the No. 50 Miccosukee Charger in the fourth starting spot. He never went any further back. Finch made the call to take on two tires on lap 77. Cale took the lead on lap 90, and what looked like would be a victory was delayed by four green-white-checkered restarts. He held off Steve Wallace for the victory.
for the 2006,2007 and 2008 seasons he has appeared in both NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as well as a handful of ARCA events for the team. He has 24 career Nationwide starts, 3 top 10's with a best finish of 4th in the 2008 Food City 250
. He has made 6 truck starts with the best finish of 9th in the O'Reilly 200
in 2007. He currently drives the #33 Rheem
Chevrolet
Impala
for Kevin Harvick Incorporated
in the NASCAR Nationwide Series running selected stand alone events as well as the #13 Rheem
sponsored car in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
.
.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver. He currently drives the #33 Rheem
Rheem
Rheem is a privately held manufacturing company that started in 1927 as a supplier of packagings to the petroleum industry.-Divisions:*Rheem Water Heating*Ruud Water Heating*Rheem Air conditioning*Ruud Air Conditioning Division*Solahart*Raypak...
Chevrolet Silverado
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
for Eddie Sharp Racing
Eddie Sharp Racing
Eddie Sharp Racing is a team based in Denver, North Carolina that currently competes in the ARCA Racing Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team currently fields the No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado for Justin Lofton and the No...
in the NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Camping World Truck Series.
Karting
His racing career began when his father placed him on a go-kart at age 4. In 1989 at five years old, he began racing competitively at Mobile Motorsports Park in Kushla, AlabamaKushla, Alabama
Kushla is an unincorporated community in Mobile County, Alabama, United States.-Geography:Kushla is located at . The elevation is ....
, winning five features in his first year. The following season, Cale raced a full schedule, winning 25 feature races and the track championship.
In 1991, Cale started competing at tracks other than Mobile Motorsports Park, racing at three different go-kart facilities winning a total of 12 feature races. From 1992 through 1994 he went on the road watching his father, Bubba Gale, compete in the NASCAR All-Pro touring series. After a three-year break, Cale resumed his go-kart career at Gulf Oaks Speedway in Saucier, Mississippi
Saucier, Mississippi
Saucier is a census-designated place in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, winning ten features, the track championship, and also capturing his first state championship. He won his second state championship the following year, and he won seven features at Gulf Oaks.
Modifieds, Late Models, & Supertruck
Gale spent 1997 and 1998 working on his Dad's crew at Mobile International SpeedwayMobile International Speedway
Mobile International Speedway is a 1/2 mile paved oval North American Auto racing track located in the Mobile County, Alabama community of Irvington, Alabama. The track is situated along U.S. Highway 90...
. He raced in the limited modified division (an adult class) at J & J Speedway the following year, 14-year-old Gale won three feature races and received the Hardcharger Award.
In 2000, he began his full bodied car racing career at Mobile International Speedway
Mobile International Speedway
Mobile International Speedway is a 1/2 mile paved oval North American Auto racing track located in the Mobile County, Alabama community of Irvington, Alabama. The track is situated along U.S. Highway 90...
in the pure stock division winning nine feature races, finishing third in the point standings, and capturing rookie of the year honors. Gale won 12 feature races and the super stock track championship in just his second year at the speedway. In his first late model race at MIS, he finished third in the 40-lap Lee Fields Memorial race. The same year, at the Snowball Derby
Snowball Derby
The Snowball Derby is a 300-lap super late model stock car automobile race held annually at the half-mile Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. The race has been contested every year since 1968 and is always run on the first weekend in December...
in Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, Cale was the fast qualifier in the super stock division in a field of 42 cars.
In the 2002 season, Gale competed in his first full year in the late model class. He was fast qualifier five times, winning four feature races. He is the only competitor in the 28 years of racing at MIS to ever capture rookie of the year honors and the late model track championship simultaneously. He competed in the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway
Five Flags Speedway
Five Flags Speedway is a paved ½-mile auto racing oval in Pensacola, Florida. It opened in 1953 and is located on Pine Forest Road. It is christened after the nickname of Pensacola—“City of Five Flags.”...
in Pensacola, Florida, Cale qualified 7th in the Snowflake Late Model event and finished 14th.
In Gale’s sophomore season, 2003, at MIS in the late model series, he won four feature races and finished second in the points race just 24 points out of another championship.
In 2004, competing in the Southern All Stars Supertruck Touring Series, Gale won two feature races and also broke two qualifying records at Sunny South Raceway in Grand Bay, Alabama
Grand Bay, Alabama
Grand Bay is a census-designated place in Mobile County, Alabama, United States. It is included in the Mobile metropolitan statistical area. The population was 3,918 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
. and Lanier Speedway
Lanier Speedway
Lanier National Speedway is a 0.375-mile paved oval racetrack just outside of Braselton, Georgia. The track opened in 1982 as a dirt track, and was paved in the mid-1980s. The track is under the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banner with Super Late Models, SuperTrucks, Junkyard Dogs, Outlaw...
(Gainesville, Georgia
Gainesville, Georgia
-Severe Weather:Gainesville sits on the very fringe of Tornado Alley, a region of the United States where severe weather is common. Supercell thunderstorms can sweep through any time between March and November, but are concentrated most in the spring...
). He also raced in the Snowflake 100 (Snowball Derby
Snowball Derby
The Snowball Derby is a 300-lap super late model stock car automobile race held annually at the half-mile Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. The race has been contested every year since 1968 and is always run on the first weekend in December...
), qualified eighth and finished fifth in a 28 car field in a brand new late model.
In 2005, Cale ventured down to Lakeland for speed week in his Chevy truck and sat on the pole. He started there and led every lap to win against Matt Martin, son of Mark Martin
Mark Martin (NASCAR)
Mark Anthony Martin is an American stock car driver currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. As of 2012, Martin will drive for Michael Waltrip Racing, moving on from successful organizations such as Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing. He has the second most wins in the NASCAR...
, and Jamie Skinner, (son of Mike Skinner
Mike Skinner (NASCAR)
Mike Skinner is an American driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is the primary driver of the #60 Big Red Soda Toyota Camry for Germain Racing. He is the father of former NASCAR drivers Jamie and Dustin Skinner...
) Two weeks later at New Smyrna Speedway
New Smyrna Speedway
New Smyrna Speedway is an asphalt track that is 0.48 of a mile in length, located near New Smyrna Beach, Florida, that races Florida Association of Stock Car Automobile Racing stock cars every Saturday night. It also has a smaller track, known as "Little New Smyrna Speedway" in the infield...
, Cale broke the track qualifying record, and also won again taking both Florida races against some very well known drivers. At Birmingham International Raceway
Birmingham International Raceway
Birmingham International Raceway, was a 5/8-mile oval paved racetrack located at the Alabama State Fairgrounds in the Five Points West neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama...
, Cale added another track qualifying record to his resume, breaking the old mark held by Jeff Wainwright. Also on April 23, Cale broke the three year old track record at Mobile Speedway in the super late model series with the time of 16.920 sec. Around July, Cale seized on the opportunity to move to Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
as 2005 Snowball Derby winner Eddie Mercer presented Cale with the chance to be the shock specialist for Phoenix Racing
Phoenix Racing
Phoenix Racing is a NASCAR team owned by James Finch. It currently fields the #51 Chevrolet Impala in the Sprint Cup Series driven by Landon Cassill and the #1 Chevrolet Impala in the Nationwide Series driven by Landon Cassill and Jamie McMurray....
, which is owned by James Finch
James Finch
James Finch is a Panama City, Florida-born businessman. He is the owner of Phoenix Construction, a construction company that specializes in airport construction, and the Phoenix Racing team in NASCAR. They field the #1 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill and Jamie McMurray in the Nationwide Series...
of Panama City, Florida
Panama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
. Later in the year, Finch decided to give Cale a chance to do some testing in both his Busch and Nextel Cup
NEXTEL Cup
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . The series was originally known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series . While leasing its naming rights to R. J...
car.
ARCA & Busch Debut
The 2006 racing season started out the same way as 2005, Cale and his dad going to Lakeland in the truck and getting the same results. They made the trip to New Smyrna as well and produced the same results, a track record and a win two weeks later. Cale competed in his first ARCA/REMAX SeriesAutomobile Racing Club of America
Automobile Racing Club of America is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager. The ARCA RE/MAX Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars...
race in April at Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...
driving the No. 09 Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Dodge Charger
Dodge Charger (LX)
The Dodge Charger LX is a rear-wheel drive four-door automobile introduced in February 2005. Built by Chrysler for its North American Dodge brand, the car was created to continue the Dodge Charger line, and replaced the Dodge Intrepid as Dodge's full-size sedan...
. He qualified ninth and finished sixth. In June, Finch decided to let Cale make his first NASCAR Busch Series debut at the same track as his ARCA race, Nashville Superspeedway. He qualified tenth and finished 20th in the No. 1 Miccosukee Charger. Cale’s next race was another Busch Series event at Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR racing including the opening event in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IZOD IndyCar Series, recording...
in July. He had to compete against 21 Cup drivers. He qualified 39th and finished 37th with a faulty transmission. Cale had come in on lap 192, and he had worked his way up to sixth place. He went a lap down, only to get it back 67 laps later. When his transmission started giving him problems he was running ninth. Bobby Jones Racing decided to let Cale run his number in the Shop ‘n Save 150 ARCA race at Gateway International Raceway
Gateway International Raceway
Gateway Motorsports Park is a race track in Madison, Illinois, USA, just east of St. Louis, Missouri. After being shuttered by former owner Dover Motorsports Inc., on Nov. 3, 2010, it was announced Sept. 8, 2011, that the facility would re-open and host an NHRA Full Throttle Series event Oct. 5-7,...
. Cale started the No. 50 Miccosukee Charger in the fourth starting spot. He never went any further back. Finch made the call to take on two tires on lap 77. Cale took the lead on lap 90, and what looked like would be a victory was delayed by four green-white-checkered restarts. He held off Steve Wallace for the victory.
Kevin Harvick Inc. Era
Cale was signed to Kevin Harvick Incorporated's driver development programDriver development program
A Driver development program is a program used by racing teams to develop younger drivers. It is widely used in both Formula One and NASCAR, usually consisting of a team signing a driver to a multi-year contract in which they run in minor-league racing divisions A Driver development program is a...
for the 2006,2007 and 2008 seasons he has appeared in both NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as well as a handful of ARCA events for the team. He has 24 career Nationwide starts, 3 top 10's with a best finish of 4th in the 2008 Food City 250
Food City 250
The Food City 250 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series stock car race that takes place each August under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. It is held the night before the Sprint Cup Series Sharpie 500...
. He has made 6 truck starts with the best finish of 9th in the O'Reilly 200
O'Reilly 200
The MemphisTravel.com 200 was a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race that takes place at Memphis Motorsports Park.* 2009 Ron Hornaday* 2008 Ron Hornaday* 2007 Travis Kvapil* 2006 Jack Sprague...
in 2007. He currently drives the #33 Rheem
Rheem
Rheem is a privately held manufacturing company that started in 1927 as a supplier of packagings to the petroleum industry.-Divisions:*Rheem Water Heating*Ruud Water Heating*Rheem Air conditioning*Ruud Air Conditioning Division*Solahart*Raypak...
Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
Impala
Impala
An impala is a medium-sized African antelope. The name impala comes from the Zulu language meaning "gazelle"...
for Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick Incorporated was a NASCAR team owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana, who herself is the daughter of a former Busch Series driver, John Linville...
in the NASCAR Nationwide Series running selected stand alone events as well as the #13 Rheem
Rheem
Rheem is a privately held manufacturing company that started in 1927 as a supplier of packagings to the petroleum industry.-Divisions:*Rheem Water Heating*Ruud Water Heating*Rheem Air conditioning*Ruud Air Conditioning Division*Solahart*Raypak...
sponsored car in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series , commonly abbreviated as NCATS, is a national NASCAR racing series in Canada that is based from the old CASCAR Super Series which was founded in 1981.-History:...
.
Cale Gale 2010
Gale is still actively involved in NASCAR. He is building shocks and consulting for different teams. He is also driving Super Late Models around the southeast. Gale has not given up on continuing his career in the big leagues of Stock Car racing. With the economy in the dumps and sponsors harder than ever to come by, Gale is still optimistic about the possibilities of climbing back behind the wheel in one of NASCAR's three top tier series. He is still looking and talking to different teams about different options. For the meantime he is enjoying being involved from a consulting standpoint. The 25 year old phenom owns his own Racing Shock and Consulting Company called Velocity Racing Suspensions. Gale will return to KHI's Truck Series team in 2011, driving the #2 Chevrolet for six races with RheemRheem
Rheem is a privately held manufacturing company that started in 1927 as a supplier of packagings to the petroleum industry.-Divisions:*Rheem Water Heating*Ruud Water Heating*Rheem Air conditioning*Ruud Air Conditioning Division*Solahart*Raypak...
.
External links
- http://www.calegale.com
- http://www.velocityshocks.com
- http://www.galeforcesuspension.com
- Driver's statistics; racing-reference, Retrieved March 24, 2008