(Bill W) April 14, 2009 – Misfortune found Terry McCarl and the Big Game Treestands #24 sprint car team in Texas last weekend. A pair of DNF’s in Kilgore and Houston put a damper on what could have been a very good weekend with the World of Outlaws. The team will be back at it this weekend in Paducah, Kentucky and Pevely, Missouri.
Things started on Friday night at the Lonestar Speedway in Kilgore. TMAC registered the ninth quick time of the night before finishing third in his heat race. “ I wasn’t super-impressed with our car all night long,” he says. “It was kind of a rough, fast racetrack. It was almost like a little Eldora. I just couldn’t get into (turn) three like I wanted to. I kept moving around and trying stuff. There were a couple of bad holes in three. I just never got comfortable on that end.”
Starting eleventh, TMAC quickly moved into the top ten before disaster struck. “I thought we were going to salvage a good seventh or eighth place finish,” he says. “We were up to ninth there and running up to the guys in front of us. We were definitely a solid top ten car. We were definitely good in one and two. I got into one of those holes in three with the left rear, and that sent us up into the wall. We smacked it pretty good with the rear-end, and caused about as much damage as you can do without flipping.”
The track, recently purchased and upgraded by the Hafertepe family, played to a packed house. “The crowd at Kilgore was just awesome,” says TMAC. “I think that shows that Texas is starving for some 410 racing. Maybe we can get more tracks down there on the schedule in the future.”
It was on to Houston Raceway Park for Saturday’s events, and TMAC felt much better in the car. “The car felt really good in hot laps, and with the track going away a little bit, we came out second to last with a good time (9th quick),” he says. “The car was great, and I felt great.”
TMAC went on to win his heat, and run seventh (started eighth) in the dash. “We were able to win the heat there,” he says. “The car was good. We got a super start in the dash, up to fifth, and the right rear was starting to wear a bit. That made us a little tight, and we dropped back to seventh.”
The Altoona, Iowa driver felt good about things as he started inside row four for the main event. “I was pretty optimistic going into the feature,” says TMAC. “We had a good start and were up to about fourth. Something happened in front of me, and Steve Kinser came down the track. To avoid him, I got into a puddle of water. That got me sideways and I lost a couple spots.”
TMAC ran a steady race, but about halfway through, discovered another problem with the car. “We ran a solid top ten for most of the race,” he remembers. “There was a caution in the middle of the race, and I could tell the right rear tire was going down. If we ran for an extended period of time, it felt better, because air was getting back into it.”
Unfortunately, the race never stayed green for long. “The cautions kept coming, and we were dropping further and further back,” says TMAC. “With three or four laps to go, the tire just went flat. I just pulled off. I didn’t want to cause a yellow, and ruin a good finish there. Plus, they have the rule that you are not guaranteed time to fix it the last half of the race, which is a rule I like. It was just part of the deal.”
Despite the bad luck, TMAC looks forward to this weekend’s outing. “I feel really good about the team. We had a solid top ten car both nights again; luck just wasn’t on our side. We’ve been pretty lucky so far this year, but that stuff happens once in awhile.”
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 or on TMAC Motorsports, visit www.TerryMcCarl.com.
In"Terry"gation
Greg Robertson of Des Moines asks: Terry, you are running well in WoO points…any plans to keep running with them to stay in the points race, or are you sticking with your original plan?
TMAC Answers: I will go wherever the car owner, Tod Quiring, wants to go. If he wants to run with the WoO, we’ll do it. I’m “workin’ for the man” now. I don’t care where we race, as long as we race. He’s the boss. He gives me a great car and a great crew, and I’m really enjoying it.
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!
On this date in 2006, TMAC topped an All Star Circuit of Champions field at Attica (OH) Raceway Park. Starting fifth, he won the 40-lap marathon over Chad Blonde, Mark Keegan, Mike Linder and Dale Blaney. Butch Schroeder set quick time. In 1995, TMAC won on this date on the high-banked ¼ mile Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Illinois. The win came ahead of Kim Mock, Larry Pinegar II, Jim Moughan Jr. and Jaymie Moyle.
Website Updates
Pictures from Texas courtesy of Ron Skinner are in the “Photos” gallery. Also check out IBRACN’s pictures of Austin from I-80 Speedway.
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