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Tuesdays with TMAC – Finally!
(Bill W) June 19, 2007 – Over a month of frustrations were swept away when Terry McCarl was victorious at his home tracks of Knoxville Raceway and Huset's Speedway last weekend. The Altoona, Iowa native won in front of an ESPN2 national television audience when he beat the World of Outlaws on Saturday night at Knoxville. He didn't stick around long to celebrate, as he traveled to Brandon, South Dakota where he put on a driving clinic, winning in a back-up car from the tail of the Huset's event Sunday night.
Knoxville
In the WoO's last tune-up for the Knoxville Nationals, TMAC ran into some familiar territory when he drew a bad number for time trials on a track that was losing its battle to the sun and heat. "I was really worried about qualifying," he says. "I went back to square one on my setups instead of listening to other people or doing different things. I went back to what I know as a mechanic. It was a good test, because that's what can happen in the Nationals going out late. I seem to draw a late number every year, so that was a good test. To put it on the front row of the heat race was really big for us." Put it on the front row he did, qualifying 11th quick. Finishing second behind Craig Dollansky in the heat race set McCarl up for the dash.
Waiting in line to draw and be interviewed for the dash, TMAC struck up a conversation with the WoO point leader about the rubber-down racetrack that had developed after the heat races. "(Donny) Schatz was trying to egg me on about saying something about the track conditions and get the crowd behind me. I said, 'You know, I've been the bad guy a little too much this year, and it's time for you to be the bad guy.' He didn't want to do that, he thought Knoxville would be mad at him. I said, 'You're a Knoxville Nationals champion, what can they do to you? Your name is on the plaque out front, they can never take that away.' So when I went up to be interviewed, I told them that Donny had something to say about the track." After TMAC drew a three for a starting spot, Schatz appealed to the crowd for their opinion on the track surface. The crowd responded enthusiastically that something should be done, and after the dash and B main, Knoxville officials reworked the bottom of the track.
TMAC was happy with the officials' decision. "I was impressed. In all my years, I've never seen (Knoxville) do anything to the track during the night. I heard on the radio who was pushing to do it and it was (race director) Ralph (Capitani). Whatever reason it was done, I commend them for that. Regardless of whether we won, I was happy that they did it. It was what needed to be done for the fans. A lot of people at Knoxville don't realize that a lot of tracks do maintenance every night during intermission. The fans usually don't mind, it's a time to go to the restroom or get something to eat. They don't pay $25 to watch a follow-the-leader deal. This time of year, the heats are being run in daytime conditions, and maybe it's a time to start the program a little later too."
An impromptu opportunity developed to mingle with the fans during the track work. "Schatz, Dollansky and I got to come up into the crowd and sign autographs. We also got to throw out 30-40 Big Game T-shirts, so that was good too. That makes it fun for the fans. It's not about the racing all the time when you get to do that, and I think the fans love it."
A third place run in the rubber-down dash, had put TMAC inside row two for the 25-lap feature. Randy Hannagan took off like a rocket, leaving former track champions Kerry Madsen and McCarl in his wake. He was using the low reworked groove, while TMAC was one of the few drivers trying to hammer in the high side cushion. By lap seven, Hannagan's lead seemed insurmountable, but a caution bunched the field. On lap nine, Madsen's left rear exploded, putting TMAC on Hannagan's bumper for the first time since Haubstadt.
Hannagan refused to give in, and pulled away from McCarl and Dollansky, who briefly challenged the lead pair. On lap 19, Hannagan had trouble lapping Dennis Moore Jr. on the low side, while TMAC stayed true to the cushion, and took the lead for good. The $10,000 victory at his home track was a long time coming. When asked about his key to the Knoxville win, he simply stated, "No broken shocks or other parts, and no flats. That was the first step to success I think!"
"It's great to win at home anytime," he says. "We don't get to play in front of our family and friends, and especially our sponsors very often. It was really great, because they were all there. Some of my crew guys that aren't usually around like Ron Wignall, Tony Sposato and Pat Leo were all there with us too. Marty Barber even came down from Sioux Falls; he always used to help me there on Sundays. Having the race be on ESPN2 made it all the more special too."
Huset's
No grass grew under TMAC Motorsports feet after their big Saturday win. It was on to South Dakota, and Huset's Speedway for weekly racing action on Sunday night. Confidence was high, but the heat race ended up throwing in an unforeseen obstacle. "The car we had was brand new at Knoxville. I said to myself, 'Man, we've got a great car here that's working great.' Then someone spun out in front of me in the heat race, I spun to miss him, and Billy Alley had nowhere to go, and plowed me right in the side. So, we pretty much junked that car."
Quick action was called for. "We called (sponsor) Big Game Treestands (Tod Quering) up in the grandstand, as well as Bosma Poultry and Deberg Concrete and left it up to them if we were going to pull another car down in the trailer. They probably had a couple of six packs underneath them, and they were willing to pay the price if we junked another one! They made the call, so we pulled another one out!"
"We were in the last heat race, and Huset's runs the show off pretty quick. We didn't have a whole lot of time to get ready, and actually I think my crew may have been a little ticked off to have to do all that work. It ended up working out good." With hard work from crewmen Greg McCormick, Rodney Tiner Jr. and others, the car was made ready to start on the tail of the feature.
"We ended up winning the feature from the back, and it was a great show for the fans and my sponsors…they were really happy," says TMAC. The 25-lap event only saw two cautions, but a late one allowed the #24 to reel in Mark Dobmeier, who has been hard to beat at Huset's this season.
Kiss and Tell
TMAC is known for puckering up in victory lane and no one is safe. On Saturday night, flagman Doug Clark found himself the closest victim. "It was good stuff," says TMAC. "He's the first and only black man I've ever kissed! Saturday wasn't the first time I've kissed him though!"
Clark was close again on Sunday night at Huset's, but things went a different way. "I asked him right off the bat, and he really wasn't going for it, so I found (American Dirt Network proprietor and Huset's announcer) 'Hot' Rod Pattison since Clark was being a little reluctant! Hey, when I win, I'm excited!"
TMAC plants one on flagman Doug Clark after winning at Knoxville (Dennis Krieger Imagery)
Four More
Four more shows are lined up this week for the WoO. The ½ mile Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia awaits on Wednesday night, before the boys head for Dodge City Raceway Park in Kansas on Friday and Saturday. On Monday, the venue will be the Black Hills Speedway near Rapid City, South Dakota.
Saturday's Boothill Showdown at Dodge City will be televised on ESPN2 the following morning at 12:30 p.m. EST. TMAC is complimentary of the 3/8 mile oval. "Dodge City has a great facility. They've done a great job with it! Anymore, there are no tracks we don't like. The guys we race with are tough every night. We have a diverse group of tracks coming up. That's what makes racing with the Outlaws so interesting."
A-MAC and C-MAC
Austin McCarl finished second and Carson McCarl finished fifth and set quick time at English Creek Speedway south of Knoxville in Saturday afternoon Micro-Sprint action. "It was a good learning experience on a day-time track," says dad.
In"Terry"gation
Eric in Newton, IA asks: Congratulations on your win this weekend and reaching 43 wins to be tied with Earl Wagner for all time wins at Knoxville. Wolfie passed that number in 1986 and it was a real big deal then for that record to fall. I know he is the King, but It's still hard to believe Steve Kinser passed that mark by only winning WoO shows. Lasoski has more than doubled Earl's total. But here you are with 43 wins, standing next to Earl. It has to be a big achievement in your career. Can you describe that feeling or put it into perspective what that number and record means to a track historian like you? Also thanks for doing your best to entertain the Knoxville fans during the grader races.
TMAC answers: To be in the top five with such elite drivers is an honor in itself. Maybe we can get enough to at least catch Steve or Doug someday. I've been going to Knoxville since I was about four years old, and a lot of the guys that I've passed on the list have been my heroes. It's a great honor.
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.
Did you know?
Terry's win at Huset's Speedway was his 79th career trip to victory lane there, which dwarfs all others on the all-time list. Danny Lasoski is second in the record books with 38.
Website
Check out Knoxville Photos from Dave Hill and Dennis Krieger, as well as the Huset's Victory Lane shot from Todd Hoffman.
Keep up to date with McCarl Motorsports at www.TerryMcCarl.com. We keep it fresh for TMAC fans!
Front Row/Ultimate Challenge Update
Order your tickets for the Musco Lighting Front Row Challenge and Searsboro Telephone Ultimate Challenge today! Call McTwo Promotions Tuesday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 515 957-0020 to order!
Infield Party Passes are $20 in advance or $25 the day of the race!
For more information on the Challenges or on TMAC Motorsports, visit www.TerryMcCarl.com.
"Tuesdays with TMAC"
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, Bosma Poultry, Inc., AmeriCash Advance, and Ground Max Hunting Blinds.
Huset's Victory Lane 6-17-07 (Todd Hoffman)
Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@iowatelecom.net
www.hoseheads.com/billw.html
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