Tuesdays with TMAC – Win #299 Comes at Badlands!
(Bill W) September 13, 2016 – Terry McCarl notched win #299 in his storied career last Sunday night, leading every lap at Badlands Motor Speedway near Brandon, South Dakota. That win came in 360 action, but the Altoona, Iowa driver also notched a fifth place finish in the season 410 point standings at Badlands. That fifth place finish came despite missing a points night as well as a double-points night at the facility. Friday night, TMAC plans to tackle the World of Outlaws at the Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer, Iowa. Be sure to stop by the Justice Brothers Booth at the Clay County Fair between 2-4 p.m. on Friday to visit with Terry and the team.
TMAC drew a late pill to qualify Saturday at Badlands with the 410’s. “The top was a little bit slick underneath,” he says. “It’s just so tough when you haven’t been qualifying well to go to the middle or try a different line than everybody else…and you only get one lap. Generally, you have to follow what everyone else is doing, and it definitely slowed down towards the end.”
Eleventh quick meant starting on the front row of his heat. “There was definitely some competition in the heat,” says TMAC. “Dusty (Zomer) and I were in the front row, and Austin (McCarl) and Ian (Madsen) were in the second row. I always seem to end up in the same heat as my kids, which drives me crazy. We were able to run second and make the redraw, and we drew the six.”
The track would prove to be a tester. “The track was a guessing game,” says TMAC. “It had some rough spots in it. They were coming back with the stock cars and 305’s. Most of the season, the track hasn’t gone away much. You’re afraid to really hook the car up. But it went back to where it had been. The top was slick, and it was better to go right through the rough stuff in the middle.”
TMAC found the line out the hard way. “We got a good start and got up to fourth or fifth,” he says. “I thought we had a shot at. I was running up on the fence, and it was getting slick up there. Justin (Henderson) showed us the line and went past us just running through the middle. He left us sitting there, and after that we drove through the rough stuff in the middle. We ended with a solid top five finish, which was good on a tricky, fun, racetrack.”
On Sunday, he would win his 360 heat from fourth. “With that Moyle engine in, it’s just fun to drive that racecar,” says TMAC. “It was cool to have Clint Garner there. He’s such a good driver. He drew number one and we started fourth. Carson (McCarl) starting sixth. It was a fun racetrack and it was on the fence in both corners. There was a little moisture on the bottom. We had a really good car and we were able to beat Clint and win it. That was big for us, coming from fourth. Carson was able to get to third, so that was good too.”
The feature draw went well, probably because the driver was nowhere to be found. “I was absent for the draw, so my crewman, Mike Sweeter, drew for us,” says TMAC. “He drew the pole, so we have him to thank. The track was good. We ran up by the fence, and the car was just great. It sounded like there was a good bottom too, and the racing from second to tenth was good behind us. It was fun. It was a slick track and it didn’t really touch the tires.”
The McCarl family has a streak going with season enders at Badlands. “It was a good win for us,” says TMAC. “We won the last race there last year too, and Austin won the year before. There’s a little McCarl streak going.”
TMAC is looking forward to Spencer Friday. “If anyone is coming up to Spencer, we’ll be at the Justice Brothers booth in the fair from 2-4 p.m.,” he says. “It’s always fun to be up there. It’s a great fair and a great event. It’s the biggest county fair in the world I think.”
Price Chopper/Hiland Dairy Join the Team!
Price Chopper and Hiland Dairy on the newest partners of the TMAC Motorsports #24 team. They were also the title sponsor for the 21st Annual Front Row Challenge at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. Terry and the team will be doing some car shows for the Des Moines area Price Chopper stores in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned!
McCarl Family 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 Month in TMAC History!
On September 5, 1999, TMAC drove to Victory at Huset’s in Guy Forbrook’s #5 and clinched the track title. He also won the Knoxville Raceway track championship that season. His win at Huset’s came over Craig Dollansky, Kenny Hansen, Gregg Bakker and Gary DeWall.
"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 SnowPlow Snow Pushers – www.TheSnowPlow.com, Country Builders Construction, Rossie Feed and Grain, Bosma Poultry, Destiny Motorsports, Price Chopper, Hiland Dairy, Searsboro Telephone Company, Elk Grove Ford, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, Berryhill Racing, Phil and Vivian, Justice Brothers/Gillund Enterprises, Vortex Racing, Hoosier Tire, Chris Spaulding – Attorney at Law, SuperFlow, Schoenfeld Headers, Rens Trucking, NutriShop – Maple Grove, MN, HRP, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Maxim Chassis, Bob and Beulah Elder, Engler Injection, Snap On Tools, Sposato Paint, Winters, Kilani Fender, Inc., DriverWebsites.com, CM Rock, 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 and the team celebrate in Victory Lane at Badlands (Jeff Bylsma Photo)
Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@hotmail.com
Twitter: @BillWMedia
Website: www.OpenWheel101.com