Terry McCarl & son Austin to run Eagle Icebreaker

Eagle show is debut for third generation driver

From TerryMcCarl.com

March 18, 2008 – A new sprint car career begins this month. Fifteen year old Austin McCarl will be hitting a dirt oval near you soon! Austin is the son of World of Outlaws driver, Terry McCarl, and he’s armed and ready for the Ice Breaker Challenge at Eagle Raceway on Saturday and Sunday, March 29 and 30. He will be piloting the Janet Holbrook #17 360 machine in Midwest competition.

Austin, the 2007 English Creek Speedway Micro-Sprint champion, will be sponsored by Big Game Treestands, Bosma Poultry, DeBerg Concrete, Phil & Vivian and Burnett Rock and Landscaping. The team will be based out of the resurrected shop of his grandfather, Lenard McCarl.

“It’s been a long time coming,” says the Southeast Polk High School freshman. “I’ve looked forward to it for awhile. We’ll be working hard here the next couple weeks in the garage to get ready. I adjusted well to the Micro from the go-kart, but I’m sure this will be different. We’ll find out quick!” A practice night is scheduled at Eagle on Friday the 28th, so weather-pending that will provide a chance to get a little bit comfortable in the Kistler powered Eagle.

Terry has a word of advice for Austin in working with Lenard. “I will tell him to never say, ‘My dad said to do this or that!’” In reality, TMAC has a lot of respect for his father. “Lenard is one of the smartest guys in the business, and hopefully, he can teach Austin the mechanical side,” he says. “The best drivers are the ones who can set the car up themselves, and know the ins and outs of the car. I think he’s the perfect guy to mentor Austin.”

TMAC knows Austin is in good hands with the owner as well. “We’ve known Janet since I drove the Holbrook car in the ‘90’s and we’ve always been good friends, and for the sponsors to do what they’re doing is great too,” he adds.

Austin says of Holbrook, “Janet created a great opportunity for me, and I want to do the best job I can for her.” Janet is excited to help a young driver out. “Austin is a great kid,” she says. “If we get his dad calmed down a little, things will be great! All drivers are different. He can’t set the car up like his dad, because he’s different. Right now, Austin is like a big lump of clay. We don’t know what he’s going to like yet as far as setup. Lenard is the right guy to start him out.”

She adds, “I’m excited to be helping out a third generation McCarl. I’ve known Austin his whole life pretty much, so I’m excited for him. I don’t know what to expect, but we’re going to give it our best shot! I don’t know for sure, but he may be the first sprint car rookie not to drive in a family car.”

It was a surprise for some that Austin will not carry on one of the McCarl family numbers. “I wanted something different,” Austin says of his choice of the #17. “Once I started, I just wanted something different from my grandpa and my dad a little.”

Is this whole thing nerve-wracking from the parent perspective? “On one hand, Lori and I are excited for him, and I know Janet is too,” says TMAC. “On the other hand, as a parent you are a little anxious as well. He’s only 15, but he’s also 6’2” and almost 200 pounds. At least, he won’t be one of the little guys out there!”

A fairly ambitious schedule is planned this season. “We’re looking at around a 30 race schedule for Austin,” says dad. “That’s contingent on him doing well and not tearing a bunch of stuff up. He’ll still be racing the Micro when he isn’t running the sprint, as will Carson. You can’t buy experience, that’s something you just have to get out and do. He needs to race as much as he possibly can.”

Don’t be surprised if you see Austin in something other than a 360 this year. “Hopefully, depending on how things go, I’ll be in a 410 at Huset’s,” he says. “We’ll just kind of see what happens, it’ll depend on how much I tear up! We’ll also run the Micro anytime we’re off from the sprint car. I want to get as much time in the seat as possible.”

Going to the Eagle Raceway high banked 1/3 mile track located 10 miles east of Lincoln, Nebraska doesn’t intimidate the Altoona, Iowa teenager. “I think it’s going to be a fun track. I’ve seen a few races there. High-banked and fast. It should be fun there.”

Austin will have company on the track in the form of his father at the Eagle Ice Breaker. TMAC will pilot the Mark Burch Motorsports #1m, the same car he drove to victory in February at East Bay Raceway in Florida. “It will be exciting to be there with him,” says TMAC. “We get to race, but I want to be there for his first one too!”