Seven Races, 7 Qualifying Honors At Caraway Speedway

[PressRoom-GFN]

ASHEBORO, N.C. (June 17, 2008) – No doubt about it, Cole Miktuk likes racing at Caraway Speedway.

In the track’s seven Late Model Super Truck races this year, Miktuk has registered the fastest qualifying time for every event. Combined with a pair of wins and a majority of top-five finishes, the teen now possesses the points lead over Gene Kepley.

Last Friday, Miktuk's Chevy truck once again recorded the quick time in qualifying, giving him a perfect record in time trials for the first seven races this year. As at many short tracks, the top six qualifiers draw for their starting positions and true to form, Miktuk drew the sixth starting slot, putting him outside on the third row for the start of race one.

“I was able to get behind a truck and follow him through,” Miktuk said. “I was trying to be patient and save my truck. The guy in front of me was running just the right line to keep me from getting under him so I just waited for him to make a mistake.”

That eventual mistake let Miktuk advance to second. Then, he tried to drive smoothly,
hit his marks and get within touch of the leader. He was “trying to get under him cleanly. I tried to get under him a couple of times but had to back off.”

Miktuk wound up settling for second in the first 35-lap race. Then the crew, led by his father, Mark, made adjustments on the truck for the second race.

The top seven finishers from the first race drew for starting positions in the second race and once again, Miktuk started sixth.

“Once I got in line, I was trying to be patient,” Miktuk said.

The young Rock Hill, S.C., resident used that patience to worked his way up to fourth.

“The guy in front of me was a good bit slower,” Miktuk commented. “He was running just the right line to keep me from being able to get under him. I tried to stay back and wait for him to make a mistake.”

Approaching the white flag, Miktuk’s opponent “tried something I’ve seen in Legends cars. He pulled down low and forced me to go outside of him,” Miktuk said. “I knew he was going to keep me on the outside. As soon as I got my nose outside of him, I stabbed the brakes and did a crossover and got inside him going down the front straight.
We went into turn 1 on the last lap and he was still outside of me.

Coming off the fourth turn, he spun me out, 150 feet from the finish line. He probably didn’t mean to, though. I still got fourth place out of the race. We’ll go back next week and do it all over again.”

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