By T.J. Buffenbarger
(July 15, 2021) — Dan McCarron is the lone driver representative of the Great Lakes State during the 2021 Kings Royal Weekend at Eldora Speedway. McCarron’s Kings Royal effort this year is made possible with assistance from another Michigan sprint car driver, Joe Conway
Conway is from Jenison, Michigan, which is on the opposite side of the state as McCarron’s hometown of Dundee, Michigan. Conway started racing 360 sprint cars in the mid-90’s and moved into the 410 sprint car class before stepping out of the drivers seat. Earlier this year Conway decided to jump back into sprint car racing with both feet driving a 360 and 410 sprint car entry, starting the season with the World of Outlaws at Volusia Speedway Park.
After brief stint in the 360 sprint car class, McCarron moved from the Ohio 305 sprint car class into weekly 410 sprint car competition in Ohio. McCarron has now settled into a mix of 410 and 360 sprint car races throughout his racing season.
McCarron has found success at Eldora in the past with a sixth-place finish with the All Stars at Eldora during the 2017 4-Crown Nationals. While Conway and McCarron were competing with the Great Lakes Super Sprints at Crystal Motor Speedway earlier in the year Conway asked McCarron if he was going to Eldora. When McCarron answered no, Conway hatched the idea for McCarron to use his 410 engine during Kings Royal weekend.
“I’ve been struggling with my car too much to race at Eldora and I’m waiting for a new chassis to arrive,” said Conway. “McCarron didn’t feel his motor was well suited for qualifying at Eldora, so I suggested for him to put my motor in the car and see what happens.”
McCarron is coming off a second-place finish with the Great Lakes Super Sprints at Merritt Speedway and shook down his car with Conway’s engine the previous Friday at Attica Raceway Park. McCarron was excited about the prospect of returning to Eldora
“For whatever reason I’m not uncomfortable here,” McCaron said about Eldora’s high banked, half-mile oval, “I’ve known Joe from back when he worked with Kevin Bloomstran, so its fun to team up for his big weekend.”
McCarron’s previous finishes at the Kings Royal are 19th and 22nd in the B-Main in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
The weekend started with McCarron transferring through the second non-qualifiers race. After a spin McCarron rallied back to finish eighth in the C-Main.