Great Interview with Cameron Hayley with our very own Chris Paavola.
Q: “Getting into racing at such a young age – Was someone else in the family into racing?”
A: “My God father Jason was the one that got me started into it as he was always a NASCAR fan. I started racing Go Karts, which is kind of how he and my dad got me into Go Karting at the age of 4. They got me my 1st Go kart.”
Q: ”What track was that the Race City track?”
A: “ Yeah it was the Calgary Kart Racing Club right beside Race City.”
Q: “Talking to your father he said he is able to make all your races. It must be nice having family at the track with you.”
A: “It’s awesome. I mean racing as you probably know is a pretty gruelling sport, and sometimes it can get almost too much to handle at times and it is nice to have that family member always there at the track with you so if anything were to happen you at least have that person to go & talk to. And besides that, it’s the moral support & he is his toughest critic.”
Q: “You had a great year last year what was your favourite part?”
A: “There was a lot of favourite parts; obviously winning UNOH, ‘Battle at the Beach’ was a definitely a highlight of the year for sure. But I guess my first points win at Roseville, last year was an awesome win because I not only got the win but finally got that weight lifted off my shoulders of getting my first win . . .that was a big sigh of relief.”
Q: “NASCAR Next – Was last year the year you got into that?”
A: ” Last year. It was called the ‘NASCAR The Next 9 Program’ and I was inducted into that last year, and this year they converted over to ‘NASCAR Next Program’ which is composed of 13 drivers instead of 9. I have been in that now for 2 years now and its a great program; it teaches you so much about talking to the media, how to engage with the media. The biggest part for us as young drivers move up through the ranks, is talking to media as you become more and more prominent they teach you about that and how to present yourself on and off the track. “
Q: ” So the big news is you are racing Turner Scott Motorsports Car 98 this year?”
A: “Yeah I am going to be racing ‘Cabinets by Hayley’, Car # 98 Chevy Impala, for Turner Scott.
Q: ” So it’s a different team this year?”
A: “It’s a different team this year, last year we ran the ‘K&N Pro Series West’ and we are going to be running the K&N Pro Series East this year. It’s a new team this year, which is always tough to adapt to just because it hard to go to a new team and get that connection needed to win races right off that bat. I think in pre-season testing I really connected with my new crew chief and everything is going really well, so looking forward changing over to a new team this year.”
Q: ” So where did you test so far?’
A: “We tested at New Smyrna Speedway which is going to be the first race of the year and I am going to be running the ‘World Series of Racing’ in the ‘Super Late Model’ down there at the beginning of the year.
Q: “So that is the other Series you will be running?”
A: “The World Series of Racing is a Series at New Smyrna Speedway. It is seven nights of racing, so it’s seven nights in a row of racing as well as two ‘K&N’ in between those events so it will be nine nights in total for me.
Q: “That sounds like fun exhausting but fun.”
A: “It’s gonna’ be good to be able to knock the dust off a little and also to sharpen my skills. I mean nine nights of racing: that’s almost a full season before the season gets started.”
Q: “With the ‘NASCAR K&N Pro Series East’ this year, any particular races or tracks you are looking forward to race on?”
A: “Well as soon as the schedule came out I had my eye out for ‘Watkins Glen’. I have been fortunate enough in the West Series to really do a ton of road course racing and I love road course racing and I am pretty good at. So I can not wait to go to ‘Watkins Glen’. I have been watching races there ever since I was old enough to walk. To be able to race on it is gonna be real cool.”
Q: “Besides ‘Cabinets by Hayley’ any other new sponsors for 2014?”
A: “Cabinets by Hayley obviously is our main sponsor, but we have ‘Curb Records’ that is also going to be on our car as well this year. Mike Curb is going to be our car owner so that’s kind of our only other sponsor. We are really looking for sponsors to take me to that next level. The biggest thing right now is its just so expensive to move up the ranks. I am very fortunate to have ‘Cabinets by Hayley’ and ‘Curb Records’ on the car this year.”
Q: “Goals for 2014 win some races and set yourself up for next year?”
A: “Yeah for sure. I really have high hopes for this year. I think I am with the right team, I have the right equipment, I think I have the driving ability. I believe we are going to win a ton of races & ton of poles and win the championship at the end of the year and hopefully that sets me up for a Truck or Nationwide ride next year and hopefully some sponsorship rolls in to help us do that. Big plans for 2014 and hopefully bigger plans for 2015.
Q: “Where is the best place for information on your current status?”
A: http://www.cameronhayley.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cameronhayleymotorsports
Tweet to: @CameronNHayley