Tuesdays with TMAC – Notes from Burlington and Huset’s!
(Bill W) September 10, 2013 – A pair of top five finishes with the MOWA series in West Burlington, Iowa and a third place finish in the season finale at Huset’s Speedway near Brandon, South Dakota highlighted the weekend for Terry McCarl and the TMAC Motorsports #24 team. This weekend, the Altoona, Iowa driver will take on the World of Outlaws at the Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer, Iowa and the Deer Creek Speedway near Spring Valley, Minnesota.
The two-night MOWA event at 34 Raceway paid $4,000 and $5,000 to win. “There were some great cars and some great competition,” says TMAC. “We were really appreciative of the big purse. It was a chance at making some good money. We’ve been really good in qualifying, but doggone Austin out-qualified me (3rd to 4th). That caused me to miss the Dash too.”
Finishing fourth in his heat, TMAC would start the feature in row five. “To be honest, I didn’t feel great all night from hot laps,” he says. “Burlington is usually one of my favorite tracks. I started ninth in the feature, and we got up to fifth. It was a nice solid finish, but we were off with the car all night.”
In Saturday’s finale, TMAC posted quick time. “I got up early Saturday morning and went through the whole thing,” he says of the car. “I really felt great Saturday. I actually screwed up a little on my second qualifying lap, and we were still quicker than the field.”
TMAC went on to win his heat in commanding fashion. “I started fourth in the heat, and we were able to run Jason Johnson down,” he says. “I really feel he’s one of the best drivers in the country. We were able to pass him and pull away from him. The car was just awesome. I got a bad start in the Dash (after starting sixth) and was back to seventh. I was able to get back up to fourth and I was on Brian Brown’s tail at the checkers.”
Starting outside row two, TMAC may have outthought himself a little heading into the main event. “I make my own decisions on the car, so I can’t be mad at anyone but myself,” he says. “I thought the track may lay rubber. It was black slick. I’ve never seen it lay rubber there, but I was sure it would. I had the car loosened up too much and put too hard a tire on. It never laid a bit of rubber. The crew chief screwed up. That’s me, so I can’t fire myself.”
Still, the night resulted in a fifth place finish. “We were able to get a couple of top fives with a great field of cars,” says TMAC. “I credit the MOWA people and the great purse that was put together. I wish we could have run a little better, but we put it back in one piece…and Austin did well too.”
The $10,000 to win Huset’s finale was Sunday night, and for the fourth consecutive time, TMAC set quick time there. “The motors are running good,” he says. “We haven’t had a lot of cars at Huset’s, but the cars we’re getting are strong. That was a super purse they put together. I think Mark Tassler put it together…$10,000 for first, $5,000 for second and $2,500 for third. It was a great deal for all the guys.”
Starting tenth has been the norm for TMAC lately. “The past few weeks at Huset’s, we’ve had the fastest car by far,” he says. “We started tenth two weeks ago, and with no yellows caught Jody (Rosenboom) at the end and just didn’t get the job done. Last week, we had a mag box problem, had to restart at the back, and came back up to fourth.”
A fast track greeted competitors in Sunday’s feature, and it ended up being a little too fast for the drivers starting up front. “We started tenth, and I was able to get by Mark (Dobmeier) early in the race,” says TMAC. “The top was too fast. We were battling in traffic there. I don’t think I missed the setup, I think I just started too far back for how the track was. Austin led the race for fifteen laps. He couldn’t quite get through traffic like Ian (Madsen) did, but that’s just experience. He held onto second until the end, and with two laps to go, he got in the fence. He broke his steering and crashed everything. We were able to hang onto third, and we were just happy he was o.k.”
TMAC is ready for the WoO shows this weekend. “We were hoping to get one of the big paying races up there (Huset’s), but there are some big shows left,” he says. “It will be good to get to Spencer. Rossie Feed and Grain is from there, and Kevin DeBerg (DeBerg Concrete) is from Spirit Lake. The SCE Gaskets people are going to be there, along with Rens Trucking, Yager Trucking and Bosma Poultry, of course. The bulk of my sponsors are from that area, and the Clay County Fair is always fun. It’s the biggest county fair anywhere. Hopefully, we can get an Outlaw win. We’d like to finish the season with one after starting the season with one.”
To check out opportunities to partner with TMAC Motorsports on a nightly basis, visit www.TerryMcCarl.com or call 515 957-0020!
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!
This Month in TMAC History!
On September 9, TMAC won at the 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa in 1995. TMAC also won in July of that year at 34, besting Dennis Moore Jr., Skip Jackson, Johnny Herrera and Brent Antill. In 2004, he beat the Sprint Invaders on the same 3/8 mile oval, driving Mark Burch’s #1m to finish ahead of Ryan Jamison, John Schulz, Bobby Hawks and Bobby Mincer.
"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 Country Builders Construction, Rossie Feed and Grain, “Lord I Apologize BBQ Sauce”, Deanfield Farms, Bosma Poultry, SnowPlow Snow Pushers – www.TheSnowPlow.com, DeBerg Concrete, Colin Bulmer – Bayaire Industries, Berryhill Racing, Phil and Vivian, SCE Gaskets, Justice Brothers, 212 The Boiling Point Bar & Grill, Vortex Racing, Hoosier Tire, Chris Spaulding – Attorney at Law, Schoenfeld Headers, K&N Filters, Rens Trucking, Pick Farms, NutriShop – Maple Grove, MN, HRP, All Pro Cylinder Heads, Bob and Beulah Elder, Engler Injection, Superflow Technologies, T&P Brothers, Mediacom, Larry Fleck Trucking, Winters, DriverWebsites.com, CM Rock, Jocko's Sprint Parts, Sander, Brown and Miller, Pro Shocks, Ben Cook, Bell Helmets, Burnett's Rock and Landscaping, Van Der Brink Designs, Morgan Strawberry Farms, Aurora Rod Ends, Crow Safety, Justice Brothers, KSE Steering, Strange Performance, Saldana Racing Products, Scribner Plastics, Waterman Fuel Pumps, Weiland Racing, Butlerbuilt, PBS Bushings and Mote Fasteners.
Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@hotmail.com
Twitter: @BillWMedia
- administrator on Sep 10, 2013
- Article Date: 9/10/2013