Tuesdays with TMAC – “Mr. 300” After Fall Brawl Triumph!
(Bill W) October 4, 2016 – Terry McCarl added a feather in his storied career last Saturday night, winning his 300th career feature in the ASCS National Series “Fall Brawl” at I-80 Speedway near Greenwood, Nebraska. The Altoona, Iowa native has won his 300 feature events at 65 different tracks in 21 states and two provinces in Australia, and with nineteen different sanctioning bodies. He was paid $6,000 for his win Saturday, along with $1,750 in lap money.
Last Friday, the team spent the afternoon at one of the Price Chopper locations in Des Moines. “Our event at the Price Chopper in Des Moines went really well,” says TMAC. “We were there for four hours, and brought the Lenard McCarl, Price Chopper/Hiland Dairy #7x tribute car there. We had the #24 there as well. It worked out really well. You never know the type of feedback you’ll get, but we had a great time.”
It was an opportunity for many of the local residents to become acquainted with the race team. “There were a lot of kids sitting in the car, and they sold out of hot dogs for a while, so we know we did our job there,” says TMAC. “The turnout was amazing, and it started the weekend out right. The Price Chopper and Hiland Dairy people were there, and AnnaBelle the cow. They were happy and she was ‘udder-ly’ delighted. I really enjoy doing those things, and hopefully, we can do that again. They have four locations in Des Moines.”
The track was in great condition on Saturday according to TMAC. “I can’t say enough about I-80 Speedway. Obviously, you’re going to be positive about the tracks you win at, but Joe and Ed Kosiski do a great job there. Ed has a handle on the sprint cars there when he preps the track. There’s always been a top and a bottom there to work with. You can’t ask for anything more. He’s hit it pretty perfect lately.”
Starting fifth in his heat, he chased his son to the checkers. “Carson was fast,” says TMAC. “I think his fastest lap was two-tenths better than ours, and ours was two-tenths faster than the guys behind us. He has twenty-something nights on his Moyle engine, so Carson and Jeremy (Scadden) had it dialed in. I was trying to run with them and they pulled away from us.”
TMAC went on to win a second heat and the Dash. “We were able to start fourth and get a win in the second set of heats,” he says. “We were second in points heading into the Dash with Josh Baughman on the pole. We were able to get by him, and I think he had a rear-end break. We were able to win that, and we were fast all night with our new Jaymie Moyle engine thanks to Don Long and Searsboro Telephone Company. It was flawless. It’s an honor to drive for Don Long. We had Jaymie there to help get it tuned in. It was nice to have him there fueling it and fine-tuning it before we head to the Trophy Cup at the end of the month.”
Starting on the pole, he would lead every lap of the feature. “It was tough out in the lead to know where the fastest place to be was,” says TMAC. “I felt better on the top. Like I said, the engine was perfect though, Doug (Rankin) had the car right and we were able to hang on and win one.”
TMAC is proud of his landmark achievement of 300 wins. “It’s pretty big for us,” he says. “I don’t know if it means we’ve done a good job, or we’re just getting old. Most of them have come with us owning our own team, and that is really gratifying. It’s a lot more difficult doing it that way. We’re really proud of that, and those who have done it know how difficult that is.”
It’s also hard to fathom the number of people who have helped along the way. “There’s so many people I’d have to thank along the way that I don’t dare list them all,” says TMAC. “But without Daryl and Gloria Arend giving me my first chance, I don’t know that I could have done it. They had some good drivers in their car, and they let some nineteen or twenty-year-old kid drive it. They took a pretty big chance.”
Without them, TMAC may have had a very different career. “I had raced go-karts for a year,” he says. “Honestly, I was saving my money to buy an IMCA Modified. There were a lot of places to race them back then. If Daryl hadn’t hired me, that may have been the direction I went.”
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.
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 October 30, 2004, TMAC stormed to the World of Outlaws feature win at the Tulare Thunderbowl in Tulare, California. He started deep in the field and passed Daryn Pittman, who lost a tire in the final corner. Craig Dollansky was third, ahead of Danny Lasoski and Jason Solwold.
"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 celebrates his 300th win while crew chief Doug Rankin looks to the horizon for some perspective (Jeff Bylsma Photo)
Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@hotmail.com
Twitter: @BillWMedia
Website: www.OpenWheel101.com