Track Schedules

Carson McCarl – Twice as Sweet! 

(Bill W) June 22, 2011 – Sometimes nothing can live up to your first win.  For Carson McCarl, his second win at the Knoxville Raceway was hard fought and just as sweet.  After battling much of the race with Tasker Phillips and Jamie Ball, he settled into the lead late and won for the second time in the young season at Knoxville.  The sixteen year old will be back in action at Knoxville this Saturday night. 

Carson posted the third quick time of the night in the 22-car field and settled outside of row two for his heat race.  “I was moving around a lot, trying to find stuff,” he says of his heat run.  “I was going to the top in one and two, and driving off the bottom.  I should have gone around the top, but we were fast and ended up second.” 

A good track greeted drivers for the feature, and Carson would post outside of row three.  Soon he was in a battle with Phillips for second.  “The track was awesome and smooth,” he says.  “The feature was awesome.  Tasker and I were going at it really hard.  That’s the most fun I’ve ever had racing.  We were sliding each other every corner.” 

Officially, they exchanged the second spot on four occasions.  Was Carson nervous about the close racing at all?  “I really don’t worry about stuff like that,” he says.  “If you crash, you crash, I guess.” 

Instead, he was able to get by Ball for second after a restart.  “Jamie was pretty checked out before the red,” says Carson.  “On the restart, Tasker was able to get him in one and two, and I was able to get by him in three and four.” 

The next victim was Phillips with a move late in the race.  “I went to the bottom with two laps to go, and Tasker blocked my line,” says Carson.  “I was able to come back and slide in front in one and two and hold on for the win.” 

The victory came aboard the T-MAC Motorsports #97, in a ten-year old Eagle Chassis, and with a five-year old top wing.  “We were best on top, of course, but the bottom in turn two was good too when we had to get down there,” says Carson. 

The win was even more satisfying than his first.  “I thought it was cooler this time,” says Carson.  “Instead of starting up front and running on a one-lane track, we had to race hard for it.  Tasker and Jamie are two great young drivers, so it was definitely a lot of fun.” 

Carson is especially thankful for his marketing partners.  “Without Aaron Berryhill (AmericashAdvance.com) and Gary Dean (Deanfield Farms), I know I wouldn’t be able to do this,” he says.  “They are awesome, and so is my team.  Their hard work is paying off, and it’s just fun to drive the #97 right now.”