CHICO, Calif. — Following last Saturday’s Gold Cup Race of Champions finale at Silver Dollar Speedway, a dejected Tanner Carrick sat in his hauler with his face cupped in his hands.
Family and crew members attempted to console the 19-year-old who had just seen the prospect of his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series victory pried from his grasp.
Carrick drove from his fourth starting position and took the lead from Kasey Kahne before 10 laps were complete. He then fended off a charge from the reigning and two-time series titlist Brad Sweet and appeared headed for the Outlaw upset until an untimely caution with 15 laps remaining.
Under the yellow flag, officials deemed the loose tail tank on his car was too much of a safety concern, sending him to the work area and ultimately ending his night.
While many fans across the country might’ve been surprised by Carrick’s performance on the sport’s biggest stage, those on the West Coast weren’t at all shocked by the Lincoln, Calif., native’s impressive drive.
The pilot of the CVC Concrete No. 83t has spent this season making strides with his 410 sprint car program. His Gold Cup performance is the latest testament to his progress.
Before he turned heads across the nation last weekend, Carrick’s ascent began back in July when he announced his presence in the 410 ranks with a charge from ninth to second at Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway to notch his first NARC-King of the West podium finish.
“This year we ran Watsonville early after running the 360 all year long and I actually had decent speed,” Carrick said. “We ran second there at the Howard Kaeding Classic. That gave me some confidence in the 410 going into the Midwest.”
The trip to the Midwest he referred to was a journey to the Knoxville Nationals. While he may not have battled for the victory like he did at the Gold Cup, Carrick gained valuable laps and knowledge at the “Sprint Car Capital of the World” that have translated to more success in California.
“For the first time ever doing something like that, we had decent speed back there,” Carrick noted of the Nationals experience. “We got back and something just clicked getting back on the home tracks after being at Knoxville for two weeks. We just got way more confident going into all of these tracks.”
Carrick scored his second NARC-KWS podium in Stockton shortly after returning home and might’ve had another at Ocean if it weren’t for a mid-race incident that ended his night early. On Labor Day weekend Carrick drove to a top-five finish in the Louie Vermeil Classic. Then came the Gold Cup run that made the Cali Clique proud and allowed Carrick to display his development to the sprint car world.
In addition to tackling the Knoxville Nationals, a few other factors have led to Carrick’s rise.
Heading into the year, Carrick had limited experience racing a 410, spending much of his teenage years aboard a midget in the USAC ranks. This year, though, he’s hit the track more often with a 410 under the hood. Carrick points to the added experience as a major reason for the success.
“Being in the car every weekend instead of running a handful of races,” Carrick said of what’s led to the progress. “I think the last two years I’ve only ran 12 to 15 races in a sprint car total, and this year I’ve blown past that in a month. I think that definitely has a lot to do with it.”
Along with Carrick’s own efforts, his team’s relentless dedication led by crew chief Clark Riolo has helped increase performance.
“Sitting down during the week and doing our homework and Clark doing his homework trying to make us better,” Carrick said of the team’s preparation. “And we’re making adjustments every weekend on the car, even if it’s just little things. We’ve just been busting our butts in the shop every day for almost six days a week, if not six days a week. There’s only been a couple of weeks this year when Clark wasn’t in the shop on Sunday. He’s definitely been in there doing his homework.”
Moving forward Carrick and the No. 83t team intend to continue building on the steps they’ve already taken this year. Carrick hopes to earn his first 410 victory sooner than later.
Looking even further down the road, don’t be surprised to see Carrick broadening his racing endeavors. The gains made from the trip to Knoxville coupled with Carrick’s experience at tracks in the Midwest in a midget could mean more traveling in the future.
“I definitely would love to go and run more in the Midwest,” Carrick said. “I was in the midget for four years and I’ve ran quite a few of the tracks that the sprint cars go to. It would be cool to go back there and run a sprint car on a track that I already have some laps around in a midget.”
Even with the season winding down, Carrick still has a handful of opportunities to snag that elusive 410 win with California’s racing calendar stretching into November. And, if he’s able to grab that checkered flag, victory lane might see a lot more of Tanner Carrick in the future.
“I’m not a guy that sets goals for one week,” Carrick said. “I’m the guy that sets goals for the entire year. I want to build off them and try to be better and then next year make my goals even higher and try to be better than I was the year before.”