Tuesdays with TMAC – Providing the Thunder!
(Bill W) August 4, 2009 – Terry McCarl provided the thunder to the lightning surrounding Huset’s Speedway Sunday night. He topped an All Star Circuit of Champions field for $10,000. A win at Knoxville on Saturday made two for a weekend that also included a new half-mile sprint car speed record at the Belleville High Banks in Kansas. This week, he will aim for his third 360 Nationals title at Knoxville.
TMAC and Gary Wright logged identical 11.000 second laps in qualifying at Huset’s. “I was disappointed we didn’t come up with a little better time,” says the Altoona, Iowa driver. “The motor we had in didn’t hit 100%. I don’t know if it was the bad air or what. We changed it after the heat race.”
After getting though the head in fourth, TMAC drew the two to start outside row one for the 30-lap main event. “I actually drew for myself,” he says. “That worked out well, because the track stayed pretty heavy. There were a lot of cautions, and we were getting tighter. We lost a pound and a half of air pressure in the right rear.”
A series of cautions and red flags kept fans on their toes, and their eyes toward the skies filled with lightning. In the cockpit, TMAC was battling himself, and held off Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Tim Shaffer at the line. “There was water standing on the bottom of three and four which makes for a dangerous situation,” he says. “It may be fine one lap, but somebody runs through it behind you and throws it across the track, and it’s like running on ice. When I came up to lap Daron Clayton there late, I went low in one and two and went to slide him in three and four. I almost got into him, so I kind of rode around there. I knew those guys would be coming, but I knew they weren’t going to pass me on the bottom of turn three.”
Defending the home turf is important for TMAC. “It was a big win for us with the outsiders coming to our stomping grounds,” he says. “We like to show them that the local guys are fast. $10,000 is a big win for us and a good way to cap off a good week. I think we’re headed in the right direction.”
Knoxville’s victory started with the fifth quick time of the night. “We used our Nationals car and motor on Saturday,” says TMAC. “I thought we qualified pretty well for when we went out. I probably could have done better. We had brand new brakes on, and I use them a lot. Brand new brakes tend to want to lock up a little more for me especially on the left front until they get worked in.”
A heat race win followed. “It was unfortunate for Rager Phillips to not be able to start, but it was lucky for us in that we got to move up a row,” he says. “We had a good battle with Wayne (Johnson) and we were able to get by. We haven’t been making through the heats lately, so that was good.”
Quick timer Brian Brown drew a six for the feature invert, putting TMAC outside row one. “I have a new appreciation for Brian’s drawing skills,” he jokes. “It was weird to start in front for a change at Knoxville and Huset’s. Things went my way in the feature, and we had a great car. I was able to get by Johnny (Herrera) on the start, and we got out to a good lead.”
A late yellow bunched the field, and Brown, who assumed second from Herrera was within striking distance. In the end, TMAC would keep all at bay for his second Knoxville tally of the year and 45th in his career there. “You always hate to see the yellow come out when you’re out front like that, and we were able to drive anywhere before that,” he says. “We’ve had real trouble getting the Knoxville tire to take off after yellows. I tried to stay on the bottom a couple of laps and keep them behind me, and once we got our tires heated up again, we were o.k. Johnny had some bad luck, and Brian’s been strong lately, so it was a good win. It was good to see Billy Alley in the top three too, we park next to him, and he’s had a rough year.”
Wednesday night’s show with the All Stars at US36 Raceway near Osborn, Missouri was one frustration after another. A seventh place finish would be the final result. “We cut a tire (in the heat), so that put us back in row six,” says TMAC. “The track was awesome. Mike Franks has really figured out the track prep at that place since the Outlaw show. It was really fun driving the car, and I know if I’m having fun, the fans are too. I tried to roll around the outside of Tim Kaeding and got into the back of him and spun us both out. It was 100% my fault. He was mad afterwards, and rightfully so. I felt bad about it.”
Thursday and Friday plans saw the team towing to the North Central Kansas Fair in Belleville. The ½ mile high banks circle is the fastest in sprint car racing, and has never been run faster than the 14.329 seconds that TMAC covered it Thursday. “Things like that really mean a lot to me, probably more than anyone else,” he says. “I think it’s cool to be the fastest to ever go around there. We ended up not winning the feature (finished 2nd). Kerry (Madsen) did a great job. The track blew off a little faster than I thought it would. When you get beat fair and square, you’re not too disappointed.”
TMAC will qualify on Friday for the 360 Nationals. On Saturday, it will be double duty time in both the 410’s and 360’s.
Websites for the McCarl Gang!
Driverwebsites.com has developed websites for the McCarl boys. Check out the new look of www.TerryMcCarl.com, and check out the newly developed www.AustinMcCarl.com and www.CarsonMcCarl.com!
Front Row Challenge/Ultimate Challenge Tickets On Sale!
Order your tickets now for the $10,000 to win Front Row Challenge, and $15,000 to win Ultimate Challenge at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. 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 10 and 11 events will be $25!
For more information on the Challenges, visit www.OskyChallenges.com!
In"Terry"gation
Bill W asks: Do you like your chances heading into the 360 Nationals?
TMAC Answers: We’ve been fortunate enough to win it a couple times, and we get around Knoxville well. My only concern is that we’ve only run one 360 show this year (winning the Jackson Spring Nationals). We ran well that night, but we haven’t run it at all since then. Hopefully, the motor is running well. When you go from 410 to 360, it seems like your motor isn’t running. It takes a little different driving style.
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.
360 Nationals in TMAC History!
TMAC has qualified for seven 360 Nationals finales (tied for sixth all-time) and raced in six. He is one of five drivers to win the event twice (Dave Hesmer, Garry Lee Maier, Dennis Moore Jr., Billy Alley and Wayne Johnson are the others), has led 42 feature laps (fourth all-time), and has four top five finishes (tied for third all-time with Don Droud Jr. and Brian Brown).
Website Updates
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