Tuesdays with TMAC – A Huset’s Return!
(Bill W) June 30, 2015 – Terry McCarl and the TMAC Motorsports #24 team registered a sixth place finish last Saturday night as the FVP National Sprint League kicked back into action at Knoxville Raceway. This weekend will be busy as the NSL has a $5,000 to win event at the Huset’s Speedway near Brandon, South Dakota Friday and returns to Knoxville Saturday. If everything goes well for the Altoona, Iowa driver, he will return to compete at Huset’s Sunday for another $5,000 to win event.
TMAC has been limited to two races the past two weeks, both at Knoxville. “This has been working out well for us while my back has been healing,” he says. “I’m probably the one driver that hasn’t minded the rainouts. Normally in my car I feel good. I have the Butlerbuilt seat and their seat insert. The seat fits me like a glove. Last week (June 20) at Knoxville, I was hurting bad.”
He fractured a vertebrae in his back in a crash at Knoxville on May 9. “It was the first time I’d felt that kind of pain in the car since the crash,” says TMAC. “It had me worried to be honest. It felt like it was getting worse. Last Wednesday, when I got up I felt 50% better. Last Saturday, I didn’t wear the back brace racing for the first time. It has been way better than it was.”
TMAC would qualify ninth quick in the 32-car field. “We were just off with it a little,” he says. “We put a different car together and it reacted different than what we’d been used to. I didn’t get a good feel for it in hot laps and I didn’t make the proper adjustments for qualifying. I just missed it.”
The top eight qualifiers who make it through their heat races redraw at Knoxville. TMAC needed just one not to transfer through their heat. “I’ve seen 13th and 14th quick make the redraw when the quick drivers didn’t make the redraw,” he says. “As luck would have it, the top eight all made it in on Saturday. We put ourselves in that position by qualifying ninth.”
As it was, he would start ninth in the feature. “We’ve been able to run forward from back there,” says TMAC. “I was able to pass a couple of good cars right away, and we were right there with Brian (Brown). I kind of found the rubber coming off of turn two before the guys in front of me. Unfortunately, for Ian (Madsen) more than me, he got into the fence. But it was unlucky for us too, because I think we would have gained a couple more spots. We had one more shot at Brian and then it was follow the leader.”
TMAC was in sixth and nothing would change the rest of the race. “We were in protect mode,” he says. “You can’t really pass when the rubber is laid low on the track like that. Sometimes, when it’s higher, you can make a move. There was a lot of the race left, and I had to save my tire the best I could. Sixth is about all we could do on that surface. The Dunkin’s (track preparers) normally do a great job. With all the rain they had last week, I’m sure they had the track beat down as hard as they could.”
TMAC is looking forward to competing twice at Huset’s this weekend. The eight-time track champ has only competed once there this season due to his back. “Of course, we’ll be at the NSL events on Friday and Saturday,” he says. “If all goes well, we’ll be back up to Huset’s for the Bolte $5,000 to win show on Sunday. We have a lot of fans up there. I’ve been standing there watching this year. There’s been no pressure, other than my son being out there. It’s fun to watch Austin and help him get better, but you also want to get out there and mix it up with those guys.”
Newly Designed Websites!
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 Week in TMAC History!
This week in 2001, TMAC was victorious at the Knoxville Raceway, besting Don Droud Jr., Kerry Madsen, Skip Jackson and Ricky Logan. The win at Mid-Season Championship night was $3,500. He won the track championship in a close battle with Droud that season on the strength of five wins.
"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, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, Berryhill Racing, Phil and Vivian, Justice Brothers/Gillund Enterprises, Vortex Racing, Mastell Brothers Trailer Sales, Hoosier Tire, Chris Spaulding – Attorney at Law, SuperFlow, 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, Octane Ink, Morgan Strawberry Farms, Dynasty Stucco, Aurora Rod Ends, Crow Safety, KSE Steering, Snyder Lawn & Landscaping, Strange Performance, Saldana Racing Products, Scribner Plastics, Waterman Fuel Pumps, Butlerbuilt and Mote Fasteners.
Photo: TMAC races with son Austin (17A) and Christopher Bell (67) at Knoxville (Rob Kocak Photo)
Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@hotmail.com
Twitter: @BillWMedia