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TMAC registered the quickest time of the night in time trials and drove from sixth to fourth, to lock down the pole position in the first fo the Twin Features at Knoxville. “Getting through the heats is nerve-wracking on Twin Features night,” he says. “Getting a transfer is as tough as it is all year on that night.” A unique situation happened when son Austin registered the second quick time of the night, setting up the father/son on the front row of the main event. TMAC led wire to wire, while Austin finished a strong fourth. “It was great,” says TMAC. “I will look more fondly on the fact that Austin started beside me and ran well than I will the win. That was pretty awesome that we were on the front row. He is doing a good job. I just wish he could race more. I think he’s showing people not only that he is a good driver, but a smart level-headed person.” Finding the tires needed to set up the TMAC Motorsports entries seems to be getting harder. “It’s frustrating going to the tire truck,” says the Altoona, Iowa driver. “They have gigantic sizes that we are expected to run, and nothing to go with it (left rear). It’s not just at Knoxville, but everywhere. You are stuck with tires you don’t want to run. I tried to make do with what they had.” The second feature started slow, and without many cautions, TMAC worked his way to eighth. “I had a horrible start and struggled through the first three or four laps,” he says. “We just needed a yellow there later on. We really weren’t that fast. We got to eighth, but we weren’t good.” TMAC is complimentary of the crew he has assembled in short order. “We’re doing the best we can,” he says. “Brandon Ikenberry is there, Tony Sposato is too. I really like having Ron Wignall back so soon after his mother (Judy) passed. Austin’s crew chief, Steve Fitzpatrick, even helps us out during the week.” The feature paid $5,000 to win on Sunday night at Huset’s Speedway near Brandon, South Dakota. That prompted TMAC to pilot the #17a. He led much of the way, before Shane Stewart was able to get by at the halfway point while utilizing rubber laid down on the track. “When you are out front on the cushion and catching lapped traffic, it’s hard to know there is rubber down,” says TMAC. “Shane was able to get by us there, and we had to fall in line a bit.” TMAC came home second. “Huset’s was a big test for me both mentally and physically,” he says. “It’s a very demanding racetrack. I was a little nervous coming in, but I think we came through with flying colors.” Things seem to be getting back into form on the track after the long layoff. “The arm is fine while I’m racing,” says TMAC. “I’m disappointed in second more that it paid $1,200 as compared to $5,000 for winning. I was glad Shane was there, because that is a good gauge for us. He and Paul Silva have a top notch team.” It looks like TMAC will have to miss out on one of his favorite races this weekend. “I wanted to go to the King’s Royal (Eldora Speedway in Ohio), but we just aren’t as organized as we need to be to run it right now,” says TMAC, who won the “Knight Before the King’s Royal” last year. “We’ve been a contender the last few years to win that, and I really want to do it, but it’s going to have to wait it looks like.” For now, TMAC will stay local this weekend with his racing as he continues to seek a quality ride. “We’re looking for opportunities,” he says. “I think people want to see if I can still drive before they make a change. I think that we’ve shown that now…that physically we can do it. We’ve put five solid finishes together coming back.”
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