PETERSEN MEDIA: A grueling week of action saw Tanner Carrick in action at the Inaugural Hangtown 100 at Placerville Speedway on Tuesday and Wednesday before taking part in the November Classic at Bakersfield Speedway on Saturday night.
“It is always great getting to run the Midget back in California,” Tanner Carrick said. “This year it was a little more fun getting to Placerville Speedway with the KKM team and really having a strong run during the 100-lapper.”
No stranger to Placerville Speedway over the course of his young career, Carrick headed into the Inaugural Hangtown 100 with confidence, and it showed as he timed the Craftsman/CVC/TRD backed No. 71K machine in 2ndfastest in qualifying on Tuesday night.
Running third in his heat race, the Lincoln, CA would transfer directly into the opening night 30-lap feature event where he rolled off from the sixth starting position after the points inversion.
Keeping his machine in the Top-5 for much of the opening night feature event, a torrid battle between himself, Kyle Larson, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr in the race’s closing laps saw the youngster slip back to eighth where he would finish.
Sitting seventh in Hangtown100 points after night 1, Carrick returned on Wednesday night just as strong as he got his night kicked off by finishing fifth in his heat race and locking into the 100-lap feature event.
Finding himself sixth in event points heading into the feature event, Carrick would line up sixth on the grid following the inversion for the 100-lap Hangtown 100 feature event.
Getting off to a great start, Carrick would quickly find himself up on the cushion and in the third position as he chased after Aaron Reutzle and Brady Bacon. Making his way up to second, Carrick would fall back to third on the 30thlap, before re claiming second on the 44thlap as Stenhouse pulled off.
Amidst a torrid 43-lap lap green flag run, Carrick would find himself in second when the yellow flew on the 47thlap and ultimately went red for fuel on the 50thlap.
With six lapped cars between himself and race leader, Kyle Larson, all eyes would turn to the battle for second as Carrick would go toe to toe with Christopher Bell as Larson ran away and hid.
Swapping the position numerous times over the final half of the race, Carrick would finish the most grueling race of the schedule with a third place finish in front of his family and friends.
Off of the third place finish, Carrick and company would head south to Bakersfield Speedway to take part in the November Classic.
With 54 cars on hand, split qualifying would be in place on Saturday and Carrick would time in 9thfastest in his qualifying group before posting a second place finish in heat race competition.
Moving into the feature event, Carrick would be mired back in 16thto start the raced based on his qualifying time, putting him in a bit of an early hole.
Having a good car underneath him, Carrick would work is way forward on the Central CA surface. Working his way through the field, Carrick would close a very strong week in CA out with a 10thplace finish.
“Saturday night I felt like we were good and had good speed, I just didn’t get our night started to great in time trials,” Tanner Carrick said. “Thanks to all the guys on this team who make this all possible.”
Tanner Carrick and the Keith Kunz Motorsports team would like to thank Craftsman, CVC, TRD, Spike Chassis, Cemex, Arai, and Shell Shock for their support.
2019 BY THE NUMBERS- Starts-53, Wins-2, Top 5’s-13, Top 10’s-31
ON TAP: Carrick heads South this Wednesday and Thursday as he takes part in the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway. Carrick will compete aboard the Carrick Motorsports No. 83T non wing sprint car, as well as the KKM midget.
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