Perhaps the most out of left field addition to a full-time short track touring roster during the off-season was Cale Gale to the Nelson Motorsports No. 22 in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour.
Its been a decade since Gale has raced for a championship, ending that 2012 NASCAR Truck Series season with an upset victory over Kyle Busch at Homestead Miami Speedway, and then only racing sporadically over the next 10 years.
He worked at Roush Fenway Racing as a shock and suspension specialist, operated the family business in Gale Force Suspension while only occasionally racing whatever ride was offered to him between NASCAR, ARCA, Late Models and Tour Type Modifieds.
He and his dad, legendary Mobile International Speedway track champion Bubba Gale, shared a Tour Type for a couple of seasons but nothing that remotely came close to a full-time championship chasing situation.
Certainly nothing like driving the No. 22 that Bobby McCarty took to three championships in five seasons so where in the world did that come from?
For one, Gale raced a Pro Late Model at the Snowball Derby in December for William Wambles and came away from that experience simply wanting to race with greater regularity and then came the supporters to make it happen.
“I just realized I needed to be racing,” Gale said. “I felt like I had started to lose my edge a little bit. This came together and it was a situation that doesn’t come every day and I’m grateful for it.
“I’ve won in a lot of different cars over the years, but never in a Late Model Stock and I want to add that to my bucket list.”
The effort comes with backing of longtime supporters Rheem, specifically JR and Brandon Jones, who have raced with Gale for years. Castrol is on board as well. With McCarty departing for R&S Race Cars this season, a season in which the No. 22 was not hitting on all cylinders, team owner Barry Nelson needed both a driver and an engineer and found the total package.
“We started talking through the connections with my shock stuff,” Gale said. “We started talking and it was just going to be a test or two and then we were able to put the sponsorship together to do the full season.
“I’m super excited for that. I would like to do this for a couple of years before I hang the helmet up. I feel like this could be my prime from an experience standpoint and if I can just race enough, we can be a threat.”
That sounds like someone who views this season as a second chance at a high-profile racing career, even if Gale doesn’t inherently look at it that way.
“I mean, dad and I built our Tour Type and won some races, but there is an extra recognition that comes with racing in this series,” Gale said. “And I haven’t raced in anything full time since 2012.
“So yeah, I kind of guess I am something of a hit or miss racer, and I really just wanted to take this opportunity and run with it. I haven’t known for years when my next race would be. That’s how you get better, racing every week, getting the feel you need to win. You hear Bubba Pollard talk about that all the time.”
Gale has only raced a Late Model Stock four or five times in his life, but these cars are also thematically similar to an ARCA car or Xfinity car, something he thinks will play to his favor.
“It’s got a truck arm, steering box and I have a lot of experience driving these kind of cars,” Gale said. “I have as much experience in these kind of cars than I do a straight rail.
“These are heavier cars, tire management races and with all my longer race experience, I really think we can be really good this season.”
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