5/5/2019
Lucas Oil Speedway Spotlight: Young Tanner Carrick returns to scene of first POWRi Midget League victory
WHEATLAND, Missouri - Tanner Carrick makes no bones about it. The 17-year-old open-wheel rising star wants to someday become a standout in pavement racing.
"That's been a dream of mine since I was a little kid," the California native said.
But for now, patience has to be a big part of Carrick's game. He continues to hone his craft and build his resume in the dirt midget and sprint-car world, with the next step Saturday night's 8th annual Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps Open Wheel Showdown at Lucas Oil Speedway.
For Carrick, who drives for the powerhouse Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports team in the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League, it's a return to the site of his first national-series midget victory. One year ago at Lucas Oil Speedway, he dominated the field in the Open Wheel Showdown main event.
"I'm really looking forward to getting back there. I'm super excited," Carrick said. "I'm ready to get there and try to make it two wins."
Carrick said past success can be a big help, especially at a track that he thinks suits his driving skills.
"It definitely helps my confidence coming into the weekend," Carrick said. "Especially since I got my first national midget win there, not only winning by a little bit but winning by a pretty big stretch. That helps me out a ton coming into the weekend.
"I kind of like the bigger tracks, getting up on top and running around there."
Carrick is following a similar racing path as guys like Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson, among others, as having started at a young age racing Outlaw Karts and working his way up through the ranks. In 2017, Carrick got a call from Kunz with an offer to drive for the legendary, Indiana-based team.
While he still drives his family owned Sprint car on occasion - with a recent win back home in California - the focus now is on the Midget for Kunz's team in the POWRi and USAC series.
Carrick said Kunz is an "amazing" mentor that he learns from constantly.
"He's a great guy. He's been around forever in racing and he knows what he's talking about," Carrick said. "Just listening to his advice, it helps you a ton. If you listen, he will guide you in the right direction."
Goals for the 2019 are to win points championships in both the POWRi and USAC divisions. Short of that, he wants to finish in the top three with as many wins as he can get.
Carrick knows that production on the track will speed up the process of reaching his ultimate goal of pavement success that guys like Larson and Bell already have reached.
The RacinBoys ASCS Warrior Region Winged Sprint Cars Presented by Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps will be on the program along with the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region Presented by Smiley's Racing Products for a combined winged program. Non-winged divisions will find the POWRi Lucas Oil WAR Sprints and the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League.
Last year's event saw Mitchell Moore capture the POWRi WAR Sprints feature win. Other feature winners on the program, which saw 108 open-wheel cars check into the pits, were Logan Seavey (ASCS Winged Sprints) and Carrick (POWRi National Midget League). Seavey nearly pulled off a double, finishing second to Carrick.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. Saturday with hot laps at 6:30 and racing at 7:05.
Admission Prices:
Adults (16 and over) $25
Seniors (62 and over)/Military $22
Youth (ages 6-15) $10
Kids (5 and under) FREE
Family pass $60
Pit pass $40
Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps is located in Sedalia and Columbia and is a full-service provider of signs, awnings, and wraps. The company has served clients since 1997 and President/Owner David Goodson is a long-time enthusiast of open-wheel racing. For more information about Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps visit impact4800.com or call 855-829-4800.
To inquire about tickets, VIP suites or camping, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or via email at Nichole@LucasOilSpeedway.com.
Complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived race recaps, previews and driver features, along with ticket information and 2019 schedule can be found by visiting LucasOilSpeedway.com.
Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With its entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks.
Click LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984.
In addition, fans can get social with Lucas Oil Speedway by following @LucasSpeedway on Twitter, clicking "Like" at www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway
About Lucas Oil Speedway
Lucas Oil Speedway is considered by fans, drivers and industry insiders to be one of the top five racing facilities in the nation. Located in Wheatland, Missouri, approximately an hour from Springfield, Missouri, and just an hour and a half from the Kansas City metro area, the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" lives up to its title.
Twenty-One VIP Luxury Suites, HD Jumbo-Tron Screen, Stadium Style Musco Sports Lighting, a Bose Sound System, Go-Kart Slick Track, The Diamond Bar, Track Treasures Gift Shop, the best track food in the country and paved pits are a few of the spectacular amenities setting the Diamond of Dirt apart. This year marks the ninth season for the Liquid Quarter Mile Drag Racing Lake, "Lake Lucas." New for 2017 was all-purpose built Off Road facility featuring the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series as well as a host of other regional events.
Lucas Oil Speedway's dirt oval track plays host to some of the largest and most-popular events in the Midwest with national and regional touring series appearing frequently including: The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, POWRi Midget National Series, Lucas Oil Pro-Pulling League, United States Modified Touring Series, ASCS Sprint Cars and the Lucas Oil MLRA.
In addition to the special events, the Lucas Oil Speedway Big Adventure RV Weekly Racing Series features the Warsaw Auto Marine & RV ULMA Late Models, Pitts Homes USRA Modifieds, O'Reilly Auto Parts Street Stocks and the Ozark Golf Cars USRA B-Mods.
Article Credit: Lyndal Scranton
