T-MAC NEWS

Terry McCarl and Big Game Treestands Continue Partnership!

(Jason McConnell)
10/29/2007 - Terry McCarl and Big Game Treestands Continue Partnership!

(Bill W) October 29, 2007 - The long-time relationship between sprint car driver Terry McCarl and Big Game Treestands was recently solidified by a new two-year agreement. The partnership has been a great one for both parties, and one of the most identifiable companies in the sport will again be on board with the popular Altoona, Iowa chauffer in 2008 and beyond.

The black, orange and camouflage colors of the Big Game Treestands sprinter have become a familiar sight to sprint car fans as the #24 has raced across the United States and Canada the past several years. McCarl and Tod Quiring, the President of Big Game Treestands, have been partners on the track in one form or another since Big Game came on to the team as an associate sponsor in 1998. Plans are to again run for a World of Outlaws championship in 2008. Crew leaders for next season will be Tyler Swank and Troy Renfro.

"I have the utmost respect for Tod Quiring," says McCarl. "He has taught me so much about business, and how I can get better at it. From being accurate with things, to keeping the books straight, he's taught all of that to me. He has a great product that I believe in, but most importantly, he is a great person. We've been able to do some great promotions with Big Game's products, and that's a testament to Tod. He's an ideal sponsor who knows how to market his product and our race team, and I'm proud to be associated with him."

McCarl knows that race fans lean towards the products they see on the track, because he is a fan himself. "Race fans are more loyal to advertisers than in any other sport. They support the folks that support racing. Whether they like Terry McCarl or not, I feel they will support Big Game when given the choice, because Big Game supports sprint car racing. There is a lot of brand loyalty with race fans because of that. They feel like they are a friend or a part of the family, and that's the unique thing about racing."

Quiring, as a businessman, knows the advantage of being a part of sprint car racing, its fans and the World of Outlaws. "It's our customer base," he says. "We're very pleased with what Dirt Motorsports has done with the product. The TV package and some of the other steps they've made have been very good for the sport. I very much think they're on the right track. I look forward to the advertising package they have put together with ESPN and Speed. That really helps our company."

He's equally excited about the team. "We're looking forward to next season, and with Tyler Swank and Troy Renfro on board, we feel we are stronger than ever. I believe Terry is one of the best sprint car drivers in the country. We believe in him, and we look forward to going ahead with him for the next two years and beyond."

Big Game Treestands offers many products to the hunter including treestands, ladderstands, hunting blinds, climbing systems, platform systems, apparel and many more accessories. Headquartered in Windom, Minnesota, Big Game Treestands was established in 1977 and is held in high regard by their customers and the entire hunting industry. To learn more or order their great products, visit www.BigGameTreestands.com.



Tuesdays with TMAC – Western Sting!

(Jason McConnell Photo)
10/23/2007 - Tuesdays with TMAC – Western Sting!

(Bill W) October 23, 2007 – Racing has its peaks and valleys. Right now, Terry McCarl seems to be in the latter. A World of Outlaws western swing became a “western sting”, with a pair of uneventful finishes. The WoO will take this weekend off, and that could be what the doctor order for the TMAC Motorsports team.

A trip to the ½ mile Manzanita Speedway last Friday night resulted in a fifteenth place finish. After registering the 18th quick time of the night, TMAC transferred through his heat to start outside row nine for the main event. TMAC held his own in the 30-lapper, while trying to learn some things for 2008. “We’re so out of the points that we’re doing some testing for next year,” he says. “That seems like a great idea, until you do it and don’t do well. Then you ask yourself why you’re doing it.”

The Perris Auto Speedway near Los Angeles was on the docket for Saturday. After qualifying 16th, TMAC started on the pole of his heat. “We had a great starting spot and did a big wheelie on the start,” he says. “That pretty much put the kibosh on our evening.” The wheelie allowed several cars by, and though he held onto the fifth and final transfer, the chance at registering a top two and a trip to the dash was…dashed.

The feature was more of the same, with TMAC finishing 19th. “We’re just kind of off right now,” he laments while reflecting on the season a bit. “We just need to go home and regroup after the season. We need to put this season behind us and start working towards next year. We shined in a lot of the big races this year, but we’ve changed our crew a bunch, changed cars and motors around, and had a lot of different combinations. It’s been a learning process.”

Putting your finger on one or two things when things aren’t going well is difficult. “It hasn’t been any one thing, just all of the above,” says TMAC. “Confidence has been down in the driver, and the switching of cars around. It’ll be nice to have a week off to go back and regroup a bit. We can get pumped up and get everything ready for the finale at Charlotte, and come back after the Winter with a great attitude. When you’re winning, it’s not just the driver, it’s the whole team. It’s the same when you’re not going well. We just need to go home and get everything ready to go like we have the last few years and get strong.”
Banquet Time

The weekend off will provide an opportunity to celebrate Austin McCarl’s track championship at English Creek Speedway in the Micro-Sprint class. English Creek’s banquet will be this Saturday at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum. While Austin won the championship, Carson was fourth in the points while competing in fewer shows.

In"Terry"gation

Terry in Missouri asks: I’ve heard you’re considering moving Austin up to 360's next year. If so, what tracks would he be able to run at his age, and what are your thoughts and concerns about it?

TMAC Answers: I go back and forth on it. On one hand, I’d like to see him race, on the other, I’m his father, and I just wish he’d be a doctor or a lawyer. Unfortunately, I don’t think Carson or Austin is headed in that direction. There seem to be more and more young guys racing, and the rules a bit more lax as far as insurance. I know Knoxville has never allowed anyone under 16 to race (Austin will be 15). Austin is 6’3” and weighs 200 pounds. I’m not too crazy about some of these guys who are 13, 14 and 15 years old racing…and some of them don’t even weigh 100 pounds. I think it’s a bit ridiculous that they’re racing a sprint car against the World of Outlaws. We’re working on some things for Austin. Maybe he can run some with the ASCS or Sprint Invaders. If their grades are good, we’ve talked about letting both of them hot lap the car next Spring. It depends on how they do in school, and they both do pretty well. It’s not a top priority for us, just if they want to. The biggest thing is finding someone I can trust to work with him, especially in keeping him safe. Glenn Freeland and my brother Kenny helped him with the Micro, and they both have busy schedules, so it just depends how much they can get off. To answer the question, there’s a chance you could see him in a 360 or maybe even a 410 if we can find a place to run. If you’re a potential sponsor, give us a call!

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?

Austin finished with ten wins, and Carson garnered three at the English Creek Speedway.

Website

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 the 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 raincheck and a SASE with your request)

"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.


Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@iowatelecom.net



Tuesdays with TMAC – A Game of Inches!

TMAC at Tulare (John''s Racing Photos)

10/16/2007 - Tuesdays with TMAC – A Game of Inches!

(Bill W) October 16, 2007 – Racing with the World of Outlaws, like most other sports can be a game of inches. One spot can mean the difference between a spot on the pole for the big cash, or a spot in the back of the pack. Sprint car driver, Terry McCarl, found himself on the wrong end of that equation last Saturday night at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, California.

After a deluge of rain in Northern California made for a wet surface, an early time trial was not the preferred spot for TMAC. “We drew a two for qualifying, and it was extremely greasy,” he says. “That was not the place to be in qualifying. We only had one lap to get it done with the new rule, which is the same for everyone. We did the best we could, and ended up 16th, which ended up just about perfect considering everything.”

Knowing that the top two would make the dash, and knowing that the hottest driver on the planet Earth was lining up behind him, TMAC knew that a good start from the pole was his only hope. “The way Tulare is, the guy on the pole is at a disadvantage. I tried to take a slow approach to the start, and mess with Jason (Sides) as much as I could, but he did a good job of getting me on the start. We were in the fourth heat and I had to deal with (Donny) Schatz as well. Obviously, he’s tough right now. I ran the bottom in one and two, and it was still pretty greasy. I thought by that point (heat four), it would be a little tackier. The car was loose for the conditions and wasn’t driving forward well at all. We were able to hold Donny off for quite awhile, but he got us with a lap and a half to go. That made his night, and hurt ours to be sure. When he went to draw, he was last, so he didn’t have to draw and it was a one (pole for the dash). Our night would have been a lot different if we could have held him off there in the heat.”

Instead, TMAC found himself starting outside of row eight, and a shot at a different setup didn’t work so well. “It was extremely tacky, and we should have known better,” he says in retrospect. “We were off a bit. I watched (Jac) Haudenschild run the top in the B main above the cushion, passing people, so I figured we needed to make something happen, starting 16th. We set up to run above the cushion, and I kept trying it, but it didn’t work. It just got really, really tacky, and I don’t think anybody passed anybody after awhile.”

“On top of everything else, we had a low tire again,” he continues. “I pulled in and had the guys pump it up. It was down to six pounds. That’s the kind of year we’ve been having. The number of tires we’ve had go down is kind of uncalled for. I probably screwed up on the setup and that’s what caused it.” The result was a 22nd place finish.

TMAC has no choice but to look ahead after Tulare. “I don’t want to say anything bad about the track,” he says. “They had a tremendous amount of rain, and the guys there did a nice job of even getting the event off. We’re just trying to finish this season out strong, and get ready for next year.”

Manzy/Perris

A pair of events in the Southwest await the WoO this weekend. Manzanita Speedway is a place that TMAC was able to finish in the top five on two occasions last year. The famous ½ mile facility in suburban Phoenix has been good to the Altoona, Iowa native in the past.

The WoO will make their first appearance at the PAS (Perris Auto Speedway) since 2004. “I’ve had quick time there in the past, and ran second to Craig Dollansky, when he got his first win (October 30, 1999),” says TMAC. “I remember one year (1998), we were running Hoosiers, and not many were. We started on the pole and we were running seventh. We didn’t have a harder tire back then, and the 12 (compound) wasn’t that good. We were coming to the finish battling for seventh and Jeff Swindell just hammered me. I flipped and pieces and parts were everywhere. It ripped the motor out of the car and everything. (Competition Director) Bobby Jackson came to the car to see if I was alright. I asked him if I crossed the finish line. He told me I was about fifteen feet away, so I asked if any of my parts had crossed! I’ve always liked Perris.”

In"Terry"gation

Larry in Sedalia, MO asks: What was your favorite TV show when you were young?

TMAC Answers: I was usually into the stuff that was on after school. Gilligan’s Island was big for me. Mary Ann and Ginger kept me going. They both had their place. You’d like to marry Mary Ann, but take Ginger out once in awhile. I probably even would have taken Mrs. Howell out once in awhile. She had the bucks!

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?

In the WoO race at Perris in 1999, TMAC set quick time at 15.619 seconds, and was third in the dash. Following Dollansky and TMAC across the line were Tim Shaffer (Helm 11H), Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell.

Website

Check out some photos from Tulare by John Meirhofer in the “Photos” section.

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 the 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 raincheck and a SASE with your request)

"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.


Bill Wright
Bill W Media
Monroe, IA USA
sprntcar@iowatelecom.net

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