KSR: Nashville Post Race NCWS East

Jamie Hayes - #52 J.L. Hendrick Management Chevrolet

Hayes Continues Upward Climb with 13th Place Finish at Nashville

Nashville, TN. (July 20, 2008):Jamie Hayes continued an upward trend this week by posting a 13th place finish in the Strutmasters.com 150 at Music City Motorplex. The finish marks his best finish since the NASCAR Camping World Series East opener at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. It also marks the third straight week that Hayes has improved over his previous finish.

“It looked like we were going to sneak in a top-10, but the car wasn’t good. We were tight and we were so free up off the corner,” said Hayes. “I’ve been running the same car every week for the last three weeks. The guys have been digging trying to fix the car we ran here last year, but it just wasn’t ready.”

Hayes, who led the most laps at this event last year, struggled through practice and posted a qualifying lap of 19.945 seconds (107.576 mph). The effort earned him a 17th place starting position.

Hayes maintained his position through the first 20 laps of the race, but came down pit road at lap 24 to make a chassis adjustment. He returned to the track at the tail end of the field for the restart at lap 27.

By the 50-lap mark, Hayes was running 17th once again, and Hayes was racing for position with Sterling Marlin. The two swapped positions several times before Hayes was able to leave him behind for good.

“I enjoyed racing with Sterling. He knows how to race. I let him go and he pulled me about a half a straightaway and we ran him down. I went by and went on. I got tight and he came back and caught me again. He dove under me and got the position. I really enjoyed racing with him.”

Hayes pitted again following a lap 80 caution for another adjustment. He re-entered the race in the 14th position for the restart at lap 84. Hayes made it up to 11th before the 100-lap mark and was still on the move towards the front. But trouble was lurking ahead.

At lap 132, Hayes followed Brian Ickler around turn four and the two spun.

“Ickler was tight as well. When you are tight in the center of the corner, the front end grips real good, but the back doesn’t. He lost it and smoked the tires. As soon as he turned sideways, the smoke just covers the front straightaway. I didn’t know where to go so I went in the middle. Right there I just locked it down and went sideways. After that it wouldn’t fire.”

Hayes did get his #52 J.L. Hendrick Auto Group Chevrolet back into the race for the restart at lap 136, but he had lost some ground. Hayes made up some of those positions before the checkers flew and finished the night with a 13th place finish.

“It’s disappointing,” Hayes said about his struggles this season. “I feel like we can’t catch any breaks. The guys work so hard, stay late, work weekends and holidays, and then we run mediocre. It’s hard.”

Hayes returns to action on Saturday night, July 26th at Adirondack International Speedway in upstate New York.

For more information, contact:

Penny Aicardi

(508) 234-8684

PennyBNS@aol.com