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Tuesdays with TMAC – Solid Gold Cup!
(Bill W) September 10, 2007 – A return to a basic setup was the recipe that sprint car driver, Terry McCarl, and the Big Game Treestands #24 team needed. Two strong finishes in the prestigious Gold Cup Race of Champions at the Silver Dollar Speedway near Chico, California were put on the board, as the team heads home to race in TMAC's native state of Iowa this week.
The Harvest Classic was forgettable for TMAC, so he and Crew Chief, Tyler Swank, took a basic approach to Chico. "We were a little conservative this weekend, after not doing well at Calistoga, especially junking the car on the first night there," says TMAC. "It seems that when you don't try something…like a bigger left rear, to tighten the car up…then you're loose and you wish you would have done it. We have been too tight lately, and 'overmechanicking', so that's why we were conservative."
Though TMAC prefers a "tight" racecar, the "loose" conditions didn't hamper him too much in the Friday preliminary. With 56 cars competing, he registered the ninth quick time of the night and walked away with the heat win after starting on row one. After finishing seventh in the dash, he wrestled a respectable seventh place finish in the 30-lap main event, locking himself into Saturday's $50,000 to win finale.
Starting inside row seven, TMAC quickly moved past seven cars to sixth, but when track conditions changed, a mechanical malfunction plagued him. "We were actually pretty good," he says. "We should have probably finished up a spot or two at the end. After the red (on lap 21 of 40), it started to lay some rubber. I was trying to push the wing forward, after that, because we had it all the way back when it was slick. The wing got jammed back, and I kept trying to move it forward. I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't loosen up and get off the right rear. With the rubber down, it just got faster, and we got tighter. Meyers got by us and I could tell he wasn't nearly as tight as we were. After the checkers, I saw that the wing was still all the way back. We lost one spot to that, but it could have been a lot worse."
The seventh place finish in the finale was a good way to end the western swing. "We ended up with a couple of top tens (at the Gold Cup). Tyler and I did go a little conservative, and we're just trying to build our confidence a little bit. It was a great show and a great crowd all weekend. It was one of the four biggest races of the year, and we were hoping for a top five, but unfortunately, it didn't happen."
The Week Ahead
For the first time in WoO history, the series will race at the Clay County Fair in Spencer, Iowa, tomorrow (Wednesday) night. TMAC is happy to be a part of history and close to his sponsors. "Spencer is not far from Bosma Poultry, Big Game Treestands, and a lot of our sponsors, so I'm really hoping to have a great finish there!" he says.
The track has undergone a transformation from a big flat half-mile, to a 3/8 mile banked oval. "The Clay County Fair race has a lot of history to it," says TMAC. "I give them a lot of credit for changing that to a 3/8 from a half-mile. That configuration lends to some exciting racing, and I look forward to my first trip there!"
When TMAC says history, he means it. No less than eight drivers who won the Clay County Fair Race have been inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum in Knoxville. Bobby Grim, Jim Hurtubise, Pete Folse, Jerry Richert, Scratch Daniels, Don Mack, Ray Lee Goodwin and Doug Wolfgang have all ended up in victory lane in Spencer. Many more Hall of Famers, including Jan Opperman, tried but couldn't quite make it to the top of the podium. Earl Wagner, Gene Gennetten, Thad Dosher, Dick Forbrook, Randy Smith and Don Droud Jr. also have their names on the winners list, and this should be a good one!
On Friday, TMAC heads to Topeka, Kansas as the WoO tackles Heartland Park and its 3/8 mile oval. They'll head to another 3/8 mile facility on Sunday to compete at Charter Raceway Park near Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. That date was added to the schedule after an August rainout at the facility.
Austin Spins, Carson Wins!
Austin McCarl raced well, but it was his brother, Carson, who went away smiling! The brothers competed at English Creek Speedway last Saturday in the Micro-Sprint class. Austin set quick time in the class, while Carson won the heat over his brother.
The pair battled for much of the feature. Carson led until Austin got by. On the final lap, Austin spun in turn four, and Carson took advantage, registering the win! Austin ended up fourth after righting the ship. For pictures of Austin and Carson, visit the "Photos" link on www.TerryMcCarl.com, hit the scroll down button, and click "Austin and Carson".
In"Terry"gation
Terry from Lee's Summit, MO asks: Terry, Have you kept any of your racecars from years past?
TMAC Answers: Not too long ago, I actually purchased the first car that I ever drove (1985) from Daryl Arend. It was a 1976 McCarl chassis car. Right now, it is in immaculate condition, with everything but the engine. We might even run that down. It's up at his shop (Algona), and as soon as we get some room, I'll bring it down to my place.
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.
Did you know?
Terry's only other previous experience in feature action at Heartland Park, was in 2001 with the WoO Gumout series. He finished third behind Danny Lasoski and Johnny Herrera.
Website
John Meirhofer of John's Racing Photos has provided us with some West Coast TMAC action! Check it out in the Photo galleries!
Keep up to date with McCarl Motorsports at www.TerryMcCarl.com. We keep it fresh for TMAC fans!
Ultimate Challenge Tickets (Refund/Exchange)
Unfortunately, severe weather cancelled Tuesday night's 6th Annual Ultimate Challenge.
A refund or ticket exchange (for your same seats) for 2008 can be requested at:
McTwo Promotions
Box 185
Altoona, IA 50009
(Please include your tickets with your request)
"Tuesdays with TMAC"
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., AmeriCash Advance, and Ground Max Hunting Blinds.
TMAC at the Gold Cup (John's Racing Photos)
Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IAUSA
[email protected]
If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me!
@BillWMedia
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