Austin at Knoxville (Chuck Stowe Images)
(Bill W) June 28, 2017 – Saturday, the TKS Motorsports #2KS team and Austin McCarl turned in another solid point night at Knoxville Raceway. The Altoona, Iowa driver finished sixth in a feature that saw an atypical one-lane racetrack. The team remains third in the points race at Knoxville, heading into another big Saturday night.
Things started with Austin setting the third quick time of the night. “It was definitely a different track than we’ve seen this year,” he says. “I think Brooke (Tatnell) was the only one to break the sixteen second mark. The team really had the car tightened up where it needed to be.”
Austin started sixth in his heat, and moved up to fourth. The track implemented a one-tire rule, meaning the team had to use the same right rear tire all night long. With the abrasive surface, it presented some issues. “I’m not against the one-tire rule,” says team owner and crew chief Troy Renfro. “The one thing I don’t agree with is changing the rules in the middle of the year. You have pros and cons to the one-tire rule. I can see both sides of it. Without changing the heat race points, now you have to change your strategy for the heats. You can’t wear out your tire.”
Troy spent many years with the World of Outlaws and saw times when the rules were changed along the way. “I just never liked changing rules in the middle of the year,” he says. “At the end of the year at the owners meeting, I would probably vote for the one-tire rule, but to change rules in the middle of the year because drivers or owners are complaining isn’t right in my opinion. I say that even though it’s no secret that the rule we had and voted for, was tough for us. We weren’t one of the teams that could bolt on new tires for the heat every week.”
Troy says Austin did well in the heat race. “Austin did a good job of not killing the tire in the heat. He got to where he could and then just saved the tire the rest of the way. The racetrack was abrasive Saturday. It was just one of those nights. He really used his head.”
The team kept an eye on the track as the 25-lap feature approached. “We knew it was going to lay rubber, but we didn’t know when,” says Troy. “We were really proud of Austin. We started sixth and ran sixth, but he did a nice job with the tire. We didn’t have another lap in that tire. The cords were hanging out of it. We may have been faster than a couple of the cars ahead of us, but those positions weren’t there on that track. DNF’s are the worst thing you can have. When you are racing for a points title, you simply can’t have DNF’s. That was true with the Outlaws and it’s true at Knoxville. Austin and I talk a lot about things like that. In the end, he did a good job, and it was a good points night for us.”
Austin avoided the DNF and finished sixth. “There was a time when I thought I may be able to get around Lynton (Jeffrey) on the restart, but that wouldn’t have been the smart thing to do with our tire,” he says. “Sometimes you have to just take what you can get, and that’s what we did Saturday.”
The TKS Motorsports team is excited moving forward to the second half of the season at Knoxville. “The team couldn’t be happier with the way things are going, and so are our partners,” says Troy. “I believe Austin is one of the best young talents out there.”
Sponsor the Front Wing with TKS Motorsports!
TKS Motorsports is always open to new perspective partners! Looking for an affordable way to be a part of a sprint car team? Whether you’d like to partner with the team for the full season, or put your company’s name on the nose wing for a night of your choice, contact Troy at tsrenfro8725@gmail.com!
TKS Motorsports would like to thank Casey's General Stores, Des Moines Industrial Products (DMIP), 1 Way Technologies, AL Driveline, AO Designs, All Star Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Fibreworks Composites, Hoosier, Indy Race Parts, KSE Racing Products, Mag Tech Ignition, Maxim Racing Chassis, Schoenfeld Headers, Tony Moro Collision Center, Tony Moro Powdercoating & Sandblasting, Butlerbuilt, Aurora Rod Ends, HRP, Volcano Joe’s Coffee, Walker Filtration Systems, Snyder Landscaping & Lawn Care, Justice Brothers, Webb Family Farms, Wilwood, Winters Performance Products and Gail Dielman.
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Photo: Austin at Knoxville (Chuck Stowe Images)
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