Tuesdays with TMAC – Helping Hands in Cali!
(Bill W) October 21, 2014 – There were plenty of thanks to dish out for Terry McCarl after last weekend’s Trophy Cup. After a strong run on his prelim night at the Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, California, a freak incident saw the Country Builders Construction #88 in need of a motor. Long-time car owner, Clyde Lamar, came through with an engine to aid the team backed by the Weldon Offill family and Taco Bravo’s Dennis Woullett. In the end, TMAC would finish third and eighth in his features, and tallied eighth in the final point rundown.
The draw didn’t go as planned in Thursday’s prelim. “We drew 98 out of 100 pills,” says TMAC. “It wasn’t what we were looking for, but we ended up being 15th quick in our group. We had two groups of forty or so. We had a legal ASCS engine, and with open 360’s legal out there, we were about 50 horses shy of what a lot of teams have.”
The Altoona, Iowa driver would run second in his heat. “We had a great heat race,” says TMAC. “We were all over (Dominic) Scelzi for the win. The top two locked into the feature, which was good. It was tough for a lot of guys though.”
TMAC would start the prelim from the pole. “It looked in the B like it was going to lay rubber,” he says. “I don’t know the track that well, or the track prep guy does. We went back and loosened the car up for more of a rubber racetrack.”
It proved to be too much. “We led for a few laps at the beginning, but we were loose,” says TMAC. “We did a good job. I pulled the wing back and drove it as straight as I could. (Kyle) Hirst started right behind us, and he was a rocket ship. We dropped back to third, and we were up to second at one time.”
TMAC would checker third. “I was feeling some rubber in three and four, but I really wasn’t in one and two,” he says. “Hirst was still running the top, so I went back up there. Tim Kaeding ended up getting us on the bottom. It was starting to lay rubber. I was kind of doing the right thing at the wrong time. We finished third and that was a solid run. If you had told me we were going to end up on the podium after drawing 98, I would have taken it.”
It was enough to garner the sixth place spot in point standings after night one. Unfortunately, a freak incident sidetracked the team the following day. “Somehow the fuel shut-off got left on all night after the first night,” says TMAC. “The oil pan filled up with fuel. I’ve never seen it, but after talking to a few people, I know it does happen. Anyway, I started the car, and it blew up! It was too bad, because we were going to be the third car out for time trials.”
It was a big explosion. “The whole side of the oil pan blew off,” says TMAC. “I’ve never seen anything like it. You could put your foot in where the crank is. It blew it off the block. I really don’t think the motor itself is hurt. We were thinking about just putting an oil pan on and going. It may have been fine, but we’re going to send it back to Rider to make sure.”
Luckily, Lamar stepped in. “Clyde Lamar was nice enough to loan us an engine for Saturday,” says TMAC. “I got to drive for him last fall, and I’ve known him for years and years. He’s a great guy. It was just a crazy thing that happened.”
TMAC would register twelfth in points after his heat race on Saturday. “They totally invert the heats, so we started on the inside of the last row of our heat,” he says. “We gained a couple spots there. We were still sitting pretty good points-wise.”
He would start the finale in row seven. “We took off really well,” says TMAC. “At one point, we passed (Carmen) Macedo for sixth, and I was thinking we were a top five car. Then the yellow came out and we had to go back. That happened a couple times, and we lost some momentum. The car really took off around halfway. I think we had a shot at running in the top three in points, but the track took rubber and we ran eighth.”
The team was happy with their run considering the obstacles thrown at them. “Overall, we came out pretty well, with a third, an eighth, and an eighth in points,” says TMAC. “It was great hanging out with the Offill’s again. It’s great to hang with them in the Spring and Fall. I have to thank Dennis Woullett too from Taco Bravo. Dennis was a big help to us, and of course, we wouldn’t have even been able to race Saturday without Clyde Lamar.”
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!
This Month in TMAC History!
TMAC holds two wins on October 27. Both occurred at Volusia Speedway Park in Volusia, Florida. Both were also 360 USCS shows. In 2000, he won aboard the Mulligan #3 machine ahead of Kenny Adams, Mike Woodring, Sport Allen and Terry Witherspoon. In 2001, he drove the #24 to victory ahead of Terry Gray, Adams, Jim Raptis and Allen.
"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@hotmail.com with "TMAC" in the subject line.
TMAC Motorsports would like to thank sponsors Country Builders Construction, Rossie Feed and Grain, Bosma Poultry, SnowPlow Snow Pushers – www.TheSnowPlow.com, DeBerg Concrete, Colin Bulmer, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, Berryhill Racing, Phil and Vivian, Justice Brothers/Gillund Enterprises, Ryan Yager Trucking, Vortex Racing, Hoosier Tire, Chris Spaulding – Attorney at Law, Superflo, Schoenfeld Headers, K&N Filters, Rens Trucking, NutriShop – Maple Grove, MN, HRP, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Bob and Beulah Elder, Engler Injection, Snap On Tools, Sposato Paint, Winters, Kilani Fender, Inc., DriverWebsites.com, CM Rock, Taco Bravo, Brown and Miller, Pro Shocks, Ben Cook, Bell Helmets, Burnett's Rock and Landscaping, Van Der Brink Trucking, Van Der Brink Designs, Morgan Strawberry Farms, Buttman BBQ, Aurora Rod Ends, Crow Safety, KSE Steering, Snyder Lawn & Landscaping, Strange Performance, Saldana Racing Products, Scribner Plastics, Waterman Fuel Pumps, Butlerbuilt, PBS Bushings and Mote Fasteners.
Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@hotmail.com
Twitter: @BillWMedia