From Bill W
October 16, 2012 – Terry McCarl chalked up a win in his 18th different state and at his 59th different track last Friday night at the Lonestar Speedway near Kilgore, Texas. The win aboard the KJC Auto Title Loans/Eagle Motorsports #24 came on the second night of the Lonestar Nationals. This weekend, it will be like old times when the Altoona, Iowa driver competes in the Country Builders Construction #88 at the Trophy Cup at the Tulare (CA) Thunderbowl!
The Lonestar Nationals opened on Thursday, and despite a heat win, TMAC pulled off in the feature. “We were just too tight,” he admits. “The track was really rough and we were too tight. I made a corporate decision to pull in and race another day. I screwed up by not loosening it up enough.”
The track slicked off on Friday night and TMAC drove from seventh to second in his heat race. “It was still a little rough in three and four, but it slicked off quite a bit,” he says. “We had a great running car all night long. The car was really fast. It was my kind of track. When the track is slick like that, it’s great. It’s a lot easier to tighten the car up on a track like that for me than it is too loosen it on a heavy one.”
Starting sixth in the main event, he wasted little time in checking out on the field. “I drove right to the front,” says TMAC. “The car was really amazing to drive. I remember thinking that if anyone could pass me, they really deserved it, because the car was just awesome! I didn’t have to drive it hard at all. I just floated it into the corner and it practically drove itself.”
He made the car even better under a yellow flag condition. “The Eagle Motorsports car was working great,” says TMAC. “When I was able to move the wing back under caution, the car just took off. It was still rough in four which made it interesting, but the car was just awesome.”
TMAC drew a four to start outside row two for Saturday’s $13,000 to win finale. “We were just super-fast in hot laps,” he says. “The car was incredible. There were fast guys up front and we knew it would be tough, but we were excited. Shane (Stewart) was up front with Brady Bacon, and Justin Henderson was beside me.”
So far so good. “On the initial start, the car was just awesome,” says TMAC. “I was all over Brady’s back bumper. I got up beside him and dove underneath he and Shane for the lead. Unfortunately, Shane got into a rut and got upside down and we had to restart.”
Disaster would strike TMAC next. “On the next start, the car was incredible,” he says. “The result was disappointing. The fans and the event was a great one. Mr. Hafertepe gave out some great trophies too! I was able to get by Wayne (Johnson) and Blake (Hahn) and get back on Brady’s bumper. We were way better than him at that point. There was a red in three and four. I followed him into turn one and two on his bumper. He saw the red and I was right behind him. I couldn’t see. He jumped out of the gas pretty quick and I just didn’t have time to slow down. I drove over his right rear with both left side tires and bent a wheel up.”
TMAC salvaged what he could…a ninth place finish. “We were both out of contention at that point,” he says of Bacon and himself. “We were able to make repairs and get back up to ninth, but it was disappointing. It was still good as much as the car was bent up.”
He looks forward to Tulare and driving the Offill #88. “It’s going to be awesome to be back in the Country Builders Construction #88,” says TMAC. “Bonsai Bruns is coming out to help us this weekend. It was a good time in our lives driving that car. It’s going to be fun.”
To check out opportunities to partner with TMAC Motorsports on a nightly basis, visit www.TerryMcCarl.com or call 515 957-0020!
Websites for the McCarl Gang!
Driverwebsites.com develops the websites for the McCarl boys. Check out www.TerryMcCarl.com, as well as www.AustinMcCarl.com and www.CarsonMcCarl.com!
In”Terry”gation
Perry Johnson asks: What do you think of Knoxville’s decision to go with Hoosier Tires?
TMAC Answers: First of all, I have to preface this with the fact I’m a Hoosier guy. They’ve done a lot for me in my career. I’m obviously biased. Past that, I think it’s the best decision Knoxville could make. They make the best tires out there. The quality of them is great. I’m not saying they are perfect, but they are the best out there. With this economy, for the guys who are racing, it is ideal. Now a 360 guy can come to a 410 guy and get a quality used tire for $40 to $50. I think it’s great for the sport.
Got a question for TMAC? Send it to us at sprntcar@iowatelecom.net , and we may answer it in this section! Put “? for TMAC” in your subject line.
This Month in TMAC History!
On October 14, 2006, TMAC finished third in WoO action at the United Sports Arizona raceway in Tucson. He trailed Donny Schatz and Brooke Tatnell at the finish. He won three features with the WoO in 2006, and eleven overall. His WoO triumphs came at Huset’s Speedway (SD), Williams Grove Speedway (PA) and at the Nodak Speedway (ND). He also recorded $10,000 paydays at East Bay Raceway Park (FL) and Volusia Speedway (FL) that season. Though missing much of that season with a broken leg, he still managed a 9th place season standing with the WoO.
“Tuesdays with TMAC”!
“Tuesdays with TMAC” is an up close and personal look at colorful sprint car veteran Terry McCarl. To receive “Tuesdays with TMAC”, send an e-mail to sprntcar@iowatelecom.net with “TMAC” in the subject line.
TMAC Motorsports would like to thank sponsors “Lord I Apologize BBQ Sauce”, Deanfield Farms, Bosma Poultry, Eagle Motorsports, DeBerg Concrete, AmeriCashAdvance.com, RFG, Phil and Vivian, Ryan Yager Trucking, 212 The Boiling Point Bar & Grill, Vortex Racing, Hoosier Tire, Chris Spaulding – Attorney at Law, Schoenfeld Headers, K&N Filters, Don Ott Engines, HRP, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Bob and Beulah Elder, Country Builders Construction, Engler Injection, Superflow Technologies, T&P Brothers, Larry Fleck Trucking, Winters, DriverWebsites.com, CM Rock, Jocko’s Sprint Parts, Sander, Brown and Miller, Chase Graphics, Pro Shocks, Ben Cook, Bell Helmets, Burnett’s Rock and Landscaping, Fatheadz Eyewear, Van Der Brink Designs, Morgan Strawberry Farms, Bulldog Pest Control, Aurora Rod Ends, Crow Safety, Justice Brothers, KSE Steering, Strange Performance, Saldana Racing Products, Scribner Plastics, Waterman Fuel Pumps, Weiland Racing, Butlerbuilt, PBS Bushings.