Tuesdays with TMAC – Huset’s All Star!
(Bill W) August 2, 2011 – A last minute decision prompted by a friend resulted in victory with the All Stars at the Huset’s Speedway last Sunday night for Terry McCarl. He had not planned on running until friend, Lynton Jeffrey, insisted he drive his back-up car. The results couldn’t have been better. The Altoona, Iowa driver will try to win his fourth Knoxville 360 Nationals this weekend.
Originally, TMAC had planned to be a crew chief for his son on Sunday night. “Lynton is one of the best friends you can have on Earth,” he says. “He’s a great mechanic and an awesome manufacturer. He literally forced me to drive his car. I didn’t want to do it. I wanted to focus on Austin. It was kind of a last minute deal.”
There was plenty of help in the crew department too. “Without Glen Saville, it wouldn’t have happened,” says TMAC. “He got the car ready for me at the last minute. Brad Goebel is an awesome mechanic, and he was working on my car and Austin’s car. Then we called Justin Boese out of retirement again up there, and he’s a good help. He may be the key, because the week he helped Austin he won up there too. Without those guys, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Monday marked one year since TMAC’s devastating leg injury at Huset’s. “It was eerily similar to last year at this time,” he says. “I was in Lynton’s back-up car last year for this race and set quick time, and the same happened Sunday. Everything was repeating itself, except of course, the injury.”
Things were a bit rushed, but went smoothly. “We were a little late to the track,” says TMAC. “It wasn’t my seat or pedals, but I felt comfortable from the word ‘go’. It had a new Charlie Fisher racing engine in the Eagle Chassis. We went out and set quick time, and ended up winning the feature. It’s a great story. It was almost a year to the day since I broke my leg and it was really a special night.”
Starting third, TMAC settled into the main event. “(Tim) Shaffer got me on the start,” he says. “I was running third for awhile, just stalking he and Cap Henry. It was really a great race for the fans and they had to be going crazy. Those two were going at it, and I tried to wait for the right spot.”
And it came. “We got in lapped traffic with about a lap and a half to go,” he says. “I was able to stick the bottom of turn two and get by them. It was a great night.”
Last Thursday, TMAC and the VerMeer Motorsports #55 team ventured to the MOWA race at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Illinois. “We had fun there,” he says. “We went over to get some laps in, and having Hoosier Tires on again felt awesome. We were able to win the heat going away…it really felt good.”
After winning the dash, TMAC was ready for the feature. “It’s a great track, and Kevin (Gundaker) and his wife are great promoters, but I wish they would dig it up and water more when we’re running down there,” he says. “I know it’s a stock car track, but you hate to see the thing rubber up.”
The hard surface would cost TMAC. “We got out to the lead early, but we just didn’t have a hard enough tire on,” he says. The track rubbered up, and Danny Smith got by us. He had a hard D25 on and I had a D15. I started shaking about the fourth lap, and I had to be smooth.”
He would settle for second. “Danny did a heck of a job and he deserved to win,” he says. “We had fun. I think we were good all night, and the car felt good. We like to support as many MOWA races as we can. That organization is going to keep growing.”
Saturday night at Knoxville, things started well. “I’m perplexed about Knoxville,” says TMAC. “We changed the car a bunch last Saturday, and we were really good hot lapping and qualifying. To come out last and lay down fourth quick after all those cars (360’s took two laps of qualifying) were out there is good heading into the Nationals.”
He would finish third in the heat after starting on the tail. “The car was rolling well in the heat too,” he says. “We were able to move up there, and I felt really good.”
Starting tenth in the main event, TMAC would struggle to an eleventh place finish. “I tried to go a little ‘Old School’ with the gear in the feature and it was a big mistake,” he says. “I struggled to get going, and when I did, there were a couple of guys blocking pretty badly.”
Still, TMAC is confident heading into the busy weekend at Knoxville. “All in all the car was decent,” he says. “Sometimes when you’re struggling a little bit, you try to make so many changes that you feel like you’re digging the hole deeper. It could be just one simple thing. We’ll figure it out. I knew starting this team in April that we’d have some growing pains. I’d still like to think we can contend for the Championship, but Danny about has it wrapped up. I’m hoping this will be a great team as we finish this season and go into next.”
To check out opportunities to partner with TMAC Motorsports on a nightly basis, visit www.TerryMcCarl.com or call 515 957-0020!
Phillips’ Floors
Phillip’s Floors is now a part of Terry’s team and the T-MAC Motorsports stable. Phillips’ Floors offers access to over 150 flooring manufacturers, and has nationally negotiated price agreements using the purchasing power of over 800 locations. Visit them today at www.PhillipsFloors.com!
Superflow Technologies
T-MAC Motorsports welcomes Superflow onboard for the 360 Nationals! Superflow has offices in Des Moines, Colorado and Europe. The Des Moines office provides Transmission Dynamometers, Transmission Testers, Torque Converter Rebuilding Systems, Driveshaft Rebuilding Equipment, Brake Dynamometers, Data Acquisition and Control, and TranX 2000, Zoom. Call them today at 1-888-442-5546 or visit them on the web at www.Superflow.com!
Front Row Challenge/Ultimate Challenge
The 16th Annual Front Row Challenge and the 10th Annual Ultimate Challenge will be held Monday and Tuesday, August 8 and 9, 2010 at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Order your seats NOW by calling McTwo Promotions, Inc. at 515 957-0020. Visit www.OskyChallenges.com for further details!
Websites for the McCarl Gang!
Driverwebsites.com develops the websites for the McCarl boys. Check out www.TerryMcCarl.com, as well as www.AustinMcCarl.com and www.CarsonMcCarl.com!
In"Terry"gation
Bill W asks: How do you like your chances in the 360 Nationals?
TMAC Answers: I borrowed a motor from a sponsor of ours, and if it runs well, we should be good. We’re the only three-time winner, so we can go into this with confidence. I know we’ll have the Hoosier Tires on, which is always a good feeling.
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 Month in TMAC History!
In 2009, TMAC became the first driver ever to win the 360 Nationals three times. His other titles came in 1996 and 2001. In 2009, he bested Wayne Johnson and Billy Alley, leading from start to finish. He holds the 360 Nationals record for most feature laps led with 67, and is tied for fourth all-time for A main appearances (8 in 9 tries) with David Hesmer, Larry Neighbors and Wayne Johnson.
"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.
VerMeer Motorsports would like to thank TK Concrete, Maxim Trucking & Concrete Pumping, Tulip City Agency, Logan Contractors Supply, Van Maanen Electric, Tony’s Auto Parts, Monarch’s Restaurant & Lounge, Skyline Ready Mix, QTC (Quality Traffic Control), DPLM (Dennis Parking Lot Maintenance), Van Gorp Construction, Don Ott Racing Engines and Ulrich Motor.
TMAC Motorsports would like to thank sponsors Deanfield Farms, Eagle Chassis, DeBerg Concrete, AmeriCashAdvance.com, RFG, Phil and Vivian, Mark Burch Motorsports, Ryan Yager Trucking, 212 The Boiling Point Bar & Grill, Vortex Racing, Hoosier Tire, Chris Spaulding – Attorney at Law, Schoenfeld Headers, K&N Filters, Don Ott Engines, HRP, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Bob and Beulah Elder, Country Builders Construction, Engler Injection, Superflow Technologies, Phillips’ Floors, T&P Brothers, Winters, DriverWebsites.com, CM Rock, Jocko's Sprint Parts, Sander, Brown and Miller, Morris Automotive, Chase Graphics, Pro Shocks, Mac Tools, Ben Cook, Bell Helmets, Burnettt's Rock and Landscaping, Morgan Strawberry Farms, Bulldog Pest Control, Aurora Rod Ends, Crow Safety, Justice Brothers, KSE Steering, CIP Racing Hoods, Strange Performance, Saldana Racing Products, Scribner Plastics, Waterman Fuel Pumps, Weiland Racing, Butlerbuilt, PBS Bushings.
Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@iowatelecom.net