(Bill W) March 24, 2009 – It was another good weekend for the Big Game Treestands #24 team and its driver, Terry McCarl. A new track record and a second place finish highlighted two nights of World of Outlaws racing last weekend at the Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, California. Saturday, the WoO heads to Manzanita Speedway near Phoenix, Arizona. It will be the last visit for the WoO at Manzy, as the historic track will shutter for good in April.
Tulare has always been one of McCarl’s favorite tracks. He recorded a WoO feature there back in 2004, and on Friday he established a new track record in time trials with a circuit of 12.713 seconds on the 1/3 mile. “It’s great whenever we can set a record, and coming out third with the track still sloppy was even better,” says the Altoona, Iowa driver. “(Randy) Hannagan was second quick, and he came out last. Usually you want to draw late the first night at Tulare, and early the second there.”
After running third in his heat race, TMAC drew inside row four for the dash. He backed up to ninth. “The track made for a bit of a chess match,” he explains. “The bottom wasn’t the best place to be starting the dash. We lost some track position. Jason Meyers, that’s his home track and home crowd, and (Jac) Haud(enschild) both got by me.”
The feature went well, and TMAC moved forward, finishing seventh. “It’s usually heavy at Tulare on the first night, but it was a tricky track,” he says. “One and two was really heavy, and three and four slick. I was like a lot of guys…really good in one and two and loose in three and four. I knew right away we had a good car. We got by a few, and dropped a couple spots, and then did it again. I had a great race with Jason. I got by him, then he came back by me with two laps to go. I got by him late for sixth there. On the last lap, I went low to block him, and got tight, slammed on the brakes, and the motor stalled. I pushed a little bit and he got us back. It was a respectable night all around.”
For Saturday’s finale, the luck wasn’t there with the draw, as TMAC would come out dead last to time on a surface that went away quickly. Despite the adversity, he put himself on the pole of a heat with 13th quick. “Gary (Isom) and Brandon (Ikenberry) had the car working so nice and it proves how strong our team is right now,” says TMAC proudly. “In a way, that run was more impressive than the record on Friday. I was nervous to be honest. I was up in line way too early. It ended up being perfect, and we beat a lot of guys that were ahead of us, and ended up less than two tenths off quick time.”
After dominating his heat race, TMAC lined up beside Tim Kaeding in row two, and behind Sammy Swindell and Donny Schatz who comprised row one of the dash. “We had a great start,” he says. “We were able to drive between Tim and Donny on the start, and finish second there. I knew then we were strong.”
TMAC and the team analyzed the track for the feature. “It was a guessing game on whether the track would lay rubber,” he says. “Early on, I thought for sure it would. We had to get ready for both scenarios. The tire temperatures from the B main cars made me think it may lay rubber mid-race. It was a real guessing game on tires and setup.”
TMAC worked his way by Swindell to lead early on. “Sammy (Swindell) won the start on the bottom and we took off and got going finally,” he shares. “I moved my line up just a little bit, maybe six inches. Turn one was hairy, and you had to really ‘honk’ it around there. It was pretty crazy stuff. I think Joey (Saldana) and I were using the same line and Sammy didn’t know it. The race going non-stop is a testament to the talent of the drivers out there, because it was right on the fence.”
Saldana took the lead midrace, but TMAC never went away, and made a late race bid for the lead, only to fall short by a spot. “It was a great race with Joey,” he says. “From what I understand, third place was a ways behind us. He got us in traffic when I got bottled up. He had the same happen, and we got up beside him. I slid in front of him once, and he got back around. Even though we didn’t lead any laps after he got by us, we were right there the whole race. I think it was a great show for the fans that went non-stop, and that’s the important thing. I know we had a good time, so I think they did too.”
TMAC is feeling great about the way things are going on the Big Game Treestands team. “It feels so good to have (team owner) Tod (Quiring) in charge of everything,” he says. “I can concentrate on the driving aspect so much more. When I was driving away from Tulare, instead of thinking about a tire bill, I was thinking about our setup, and what else I could have done with Saldana. My mental attitude is better every time out.”
The closing of the historic Manzanita Speedway is not lost on TMAC, and next week we’ll talk about some of his memories. “I was able to win the last race held at San Jose (CA), and I’d like to win the last one at Manzy,” he shares.
Front Row Challenge/Ultimate Challenge Tickets On Sale!
Advanced ticket holders to the Front Row Challenge and/or Ultimate Challenge can order their tickets right now! Act soon, because all open seats become available April 2. Call McTwo Promotions Tuesday-Thursday beginning from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 515 957-0020 to renew your seats!
Infield Party Passes for the August 4 and 5 events will be $25!
For more information on the Challenges or on TMAC Motorsports, visit www.TerryMcCarl.com.
In"Terry"gation
Tom Hill asks: How many track records have you set including Tulare? What do those records mean to you?
TMAC Answers: I’m goofy when it comes to records. I’m a historian and I love this sport. The records and the trophies mean something to me. Some of the drivers laugh at me because I care about them, but it means a lot to me. A record that is away from Knoxville and Huset’s where I ran a lot…like at Tulare…means even more. I don’t know how many I still have, but at one point I held most of them in the Midwest before I went Outlaw racing. I had Knoxville at one time, and I still have Huset’s, Jackson and Cedar Lake…and I had US36 before (Paul) McMahan broke that one. I think I set a heat race record at Manzanita in 1997 that stood up for a long time.
Got a question for TMAC? Send it to us at sprntcar@iowatelecom.net, and we may answer it in this section! Put "? for TMAC" in your subject line.
This Day in TMAC History!
TMAC finished 10th with the World of Outlaws in his first ever appearance at the Battleground Speedway in Houston, Texas in 1995. Greg Hodnett drove the Two Winners #8TW to the win ahead of Danny Lasoski, Aaron Berryhill, Gary Wright and Dale Blaney. TMAC would return to Battleground with the WoO later in ’95 (DNF), and in the Holbrook #8h in ’96 (DNF) and ’97 (14th). The track ran its last sprint car race in 2000.
Website Updates
Check out the pictures from Chico and Tulare courtesy of John’s Racing Photos, Steve's Racing Photos and www.PushinTheCushin.com in the “Photos” section!
Keep up to date with McCarl Motorsports at www.TerryMcCarl.com. We keep it fresh for TMAC fans!
"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@iowatelecom.net with "TMAC" in the subject line.
TMAC Motorsports would like to thank sponsors Big Game Treestands, AmeriCashAdvance.com, DeBerg Concrete and Remington Treestands.
Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@iowatelecom.net