PETERSEN MEDIA: Though Mother Nature played a part in an extended version of the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway, Tanner Carrick was able to handle the adverse conditions thrown at the field quite well, as he picked up Top-10 finishes in both the Keith Kunz Motorsports Midget as well as the Carrick Motorsports Sprint Car.
“First off, big kudos to USAC and everyone at Ventura Raceway for working so hard to get the show in,” Tanner Carrick said. “The weather made for quite the surface, and our Turkey Night ended up being pretty good in both cars when it was all said and done.”
Kicking off with Sprint Car action on Wednesday night, the Lincoln, CA driver would get his Turkey Night Grand Prix started by finishing third in his heat race before picking up a win in his qualifier.
Sitting inside the Top-10 in event points, Carrick would move into Wednesday night’s Dash, which would set the first five rows for Friday night’s 41-lap feature event.
After lining up fifth in the 15-lap Dash, Carrick would lose a couple of positions over the course of the race as he finished seventh, which would place him in the fourth row of the feature event.
With rain forcing officials to moved Thursday’s program to Friday night, a very heavy and rough surface would greet the field of Sprint Car and Midget drivers for the Turkey Night Grand Prix finale, creating some very interesting and entertaining action.
Lining up seventh in the feature event in Sprint Car action, passing would be tough as much of the field would use the low groove of the speedway with the top being extremely rough and rutted up.
Wrestling his CVC/Cemex backed machine around the tight Ventura Raceway confines, Carrick would close his 2019 Sprint Car season out with a ninth-place finish.
In Midget action, 68 drivers would check in for the prestigious event and Carrick would time the Craftsman/CVC/TRD backed No. 71K machine in 12th quickest in qualifying time trials.
With the Top-10 locking directly into the 98-lap feature event, Carrick would move into a qualifying race looking for one of four transfers into the feature.
Picking up the win, Carrick would occupy the 12th starting position on the grid on a surface that was still a bit treacherous after the Sprint Car feature.
Running a patient race, the Lincoln, CA driver would slowly work his way forward and into the Top-10. Able to keep his nose clean from a few tangles that took place around him, Carrick capped the 2019 USAC NOS Energy National Midget Series season out with an eighth-place finish.
“I have to thank both my teams for all of their hard work,” Tanner Carrick said. “It was a really tricky track on Friday, and it forced us all to work hard. Again, thanks to everyone who worked hard to allow the show to take place on Friday night.”
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-54, Wins-2, Top 5’s-13, Top 10’s-32
ON TAP: Carrick is now idle until the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals which takes place in Tulsa, OK January 13-18.
STAY CONNECTED: Stay up to speed with Tanner Carrick by following him on Twitter @Carrick_Tanner or @CarrickMotorsp1.