This message was edited on
March 18, 2008 at
09:11:19 AM by Bill W
Tuesdays with TMAC – Austin's Orientation!
(Bill W) March 18, 2008 – A new sprint car career begins this month. Fifteen year old Austin McCarl will be hitting a dirt oval near you soon! Austin is the son of World of Outlaws driver, Terry McCarl, and he's armed and ready for the Ice Breaker Challenge at Eagle Raceway on Saturday and Sunday, March 29 and 30. He will be piloting the Janet Holbrook #17 360 machine in Midwest competition.
Austin, the 2007 English Creek Speedway Micro-Sprint champion, will be sponsored by Big Game Treestands, Bosma Poultry, DeBerg Concrete, Phil & Vivian and Burnett Rock and Landscaping. The team will be based out of the resurrected shop of his grandfather, Lenard McCarl.
"It's been a long time coming," says the Southeast Polk High School freshman. "I've looked forward to it for awhile. We'll be working hard here the next couple weeks in the garage to get ready. I adjusted well to the Micro from the go-kart, but I'm sure this will be different. We'll find out quick!" A practice night is scheduled at Eagle on Friday the 28th, so weather-pending that will provide a chance to get a little bit comfortable in the Kistler powered Eagle.
Terry has a word of advice for Austin in working with Lenard. "I will tell him to never say, 'My dad said to do this or that!'" In reality, TMAC has a lot of respect for his father. "Lenard is one of the smartest guys in the business, and hopefully, he can teach Austin the mechanical side," he says. "The best drivers are the ones who can set the car up themselves, and know the ins and outs of the car. I think he's the perfect guy to mentor Austin."
TMAC knows Austin is in good hands with the owner as well. "We've known Janet since I drove the Holbrook car in the '90's and we've always been good friends, and for the sponsors to do what they're doing is great too," he adds.
Austin says of Holbrook, "Janet created a great opportunity for me, and I want to do the best job I can for her." Janet is excited to help a young driver out. "Austin is a great kid," she says. "If we get his dad calmed down a little, things will be great! All drivers are different. He can't set the car up like his dad, because he's different. Right now, Austin is like a big lump of clay. We don't know what he's going to like yet as far as setup. Lenard is the right guy to start him out."
She adds, "I'm excited to be helping out a third generation McCarl. I've known Austin his whole life pretty much, so I'm excited for him. I don't know what to expect, but we're going to give it our best shot! I don't know for sure, but he may be the first sprint car rookie not to drive in a family car."
It was a surprise for some that Austin will not carry on one of the McCarl family numbers. "I wanted something different," Austin says of his choice of the #17. "Once I started, I just wanted something different from my grandpa and my dad a little."
Is this whole thing nerve-wracking from the parent perspective? "On one hand, Lori and I are excited for him, and I know Janet is too," says TMAC. "On the other hand, as a parent you are a little anxious as well. He's only 15, but he's also 6'2" and almost 200 pounds. At least, he won't be one of the little guys out there!"
A fairly ambitious schedule is planned this season. "We're looking at around a 30 race schedule for Austin," says dad. "That's contingent on him doing well and not tearing a bunch of stuff up. He'll still be racing the Micro when he isn't running the sprint, as will Carson. You can't buy experience, that's something you just have to get out and do. He needs to race as much as he possibly can."
Don't be surprised if you see Austin in something other than a 360 this year. "Hopefully, depending on how things go, I'll be in a 410 at Huset's," he says. "We'll just kind of see what happens, it'll depend on how much I tear up! We'll also run the Micro anytime we're off from the sprint car. I want to get as much time in the seat as possible."
Going to the Eagle Raceway high banked 1/3 mile track located 10 miles east of Lincoln, Nebraska doesn't intimidate the Altoona, Iowa teenager. "I think it's going to be a fun track. I've seen a few races there. High-banked and fast. It should be fun there."
Austin will have company on the track in the form of his father at the Eagle Ice Breaker. TMAC will pilot the Mark Burch Motorsports #1m, the same car he drove to victory in February at East Bay Raceway in Florida. "It will be exciting to be there with him," says TMAC. "We get to race, but I want to be there for his first one too!"
2008 FRC/UC Tickets!
Advanced ticket holders to the Front Row Challenge and/or Ultimate Challenge can order their tickets right now! All other seats become available April 1. 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 $20 in advance or $25 the day of the race!
For more information on the Challenges or on TMAC Motorsports, visit www.TerryMcCarl.com.
In"Terry"gation
Bob from near Chariton, IA asks: I believe Knoxville (and Iowa in general) have some of the friendliest people you'll find. In your travels coast to coast, where have you run into genuinely down-to-earth friendly people?
TMAC Answers: Canada is great. Going there creates a lot of problems and expenses for the teams, not just the rigs, but also the souvenir trailers as well. You have to inventory everything you carry over the border, and the permits you need are expensive, but the people are awesome! They are so happy to see us. It rained hard in Edmonton, and hours later, there were still people milling around the souvenir trailers.
The people at Skagit are great too. It kind of reminds me of the Nationals of the old days, with people sitting around the campfire and having fun.
Got a question for TMAC? Send it to us at [email protected], and we may answer it in this section! Put "? for TMAC" in your subject line.
Today in TMAC History!
It's hard to grab much history for the month of March for sprint car racing, but TMAC did have a top ten in the Devil's Bowl Spring Nationals on this day in 1995. TMAC was able to finish in the top ten in 75% of the features he ran that year. Ironically, Gary Wright won that World of Outlaws event, and despite his prowess at the Mesquite, Texas ½ mile, hadn't won the Spring Nationals again until just last Saturday.
Website Updates
Check out our "Photos" section for the latest shots of the TMAC Motorsports team.
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 [email protected] with "TMAC" in the subject line.
TMAC Motorsports would like to thank sponsors Big Game Treestands, Bosma Poultry, Inc., AmeriCashAdvance.com and Remington Treestands.
2007 shot of Austin in his Micro-Sprint at English Creek Speedway (Ryan Northcote)
Bill Wright
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