DeCaire, Tyrell top charts on tricky Tri-County practice day

The Late Model Stock Cars and the Pro Late Models of the zMAX CARS Tour took to Tri-County Speedway on Friday for practice day, ahead of Saturday’s SoundGear 225. By day’s end, Mini Tyrell and TJ DeCaire found themselves having the fastest cars in Hudson, North Carolina.

Tyrell was not available in person after the session, but expressed optimism and excitement on his social media channels about his chances in the Late Model Stock.

“Got one heck of a bullet for tomorrow!” the post said.

Tyrell is returning to the tour after a few weeks away as his rookie season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series continues.

TJ DeCarie hit the top of the speed chart in the final session of the day in his Pro Late Model. DeCarie is on a hot streak with a win at Hickory a few weeks ago and top five result in Florence last weekend.

“Yeah, we unloaded pretty good,” he said. “Kind of like what I thought the track would do, kind of be greasy from the supers this past week. And I think everybody kind of struggled at first, unloading the track just being totally different than it was last year, a different month, a lot warmer than it was last year. We had to change some things to get it right to this racetrack and fine tune a little bit. But yeah, ended the last practice on top of the board. Kind of cool to win practice. But yeah, I think tomorrow’s going to be a good show. The Super’s had a really good race on Wednesday and I don’t expect anything less from these guys.”

Building speed on a hot track caked with rubber left over from the ASA STARS Tour race ran earlier in the week was the order of the day. Teams also spent much of the day testing the many grooves Tri-County Speedway has to offer.

Kaden Honeycutt has spent a lot of time on this track over the course of the week as he tested for Christopher Bell prior to the ASA STARS race.

“The track widened out a lot from the ASA race as pretty much expected,” he said. “I think it’s kind of two-sided, do you want to practice for raw speed, or do you want to make sure it’s a good long run, or adjust for what the racetrack’s going to do? So a lot of agendas across the board it seemed like today when I was watching. I don’t know, I kind of got to the same point as Florence. I don’t know if we’re great. I think we’re okay. We’re still going to got some stuff to work on.”

Pitted besides Honeycutt was Dylan Garner. After conferring with Honeycutt, Garner offered his own thoughts on the condition of the rubber build up on the racing surface.

“The track kind of feels numb after that ASA rubber got put down,” he said. “Even though I think they’re on the same tire as us, you would think it would help. But just between the heat and all the rubber on there, it just kind of felt like everything we did, you really couldn’t feel the change in the car. Until about second to last run, we changed something pretty major in the car and got a lot more feel in it for me. And so we’re happy with that.

Chase Burrow had top five speed all day in his Late Model Stock Car, and practiced race runs mostly throughout the day. He too had to adjust to the added ASA rubber.

“It’s weird,” he said. “I feel like when we first went out there today, it was pretty rubbered up. Then throughout the day, I feel like we started to pull the rubber back up. I guess just with the heat or whatever. And then, of course, this afternoon we laid it back down, so I really don’t know. I think it just depends on how hot it is tomorrow. Like if it stays cool, then it’ll just lay all the rubber down in the world. Of course, if it rains, then, you know, it’s gone. So, I really don’t know. The groove’s going to be wide. It always is, you know, top to bottom here. So, it creates a good race and yeah, I mean, I think it’s plenty wide.

Carter Whalen is making his CARS Tour debut this weekend, driving for Bryson-Lopez racing in the same No. 47 car that won this race last year with DeCarie behind the wheel. Whalen is an aspiring driver that has worked his way through racing lower divisions and stints with his family-owned Pro Late Model before landing at BLR. There, he works full-time as a mechanic and as a reward for his service to the team he’s being given this opportunity. It’s a chance he’s not taking lightly.

“I think we got a pretty good long run speed,” he said. “We could use a little bit of fire off speed, but I think our long run speed’s really good. Just got comfortable in the car on the track today. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a bump, stop, straight rail car, but excited to be back with the CARS Tour. First start, huge thanks to everybody at Bryson-Lopez Racing for giving me the opportunity.”

Teammate Brandon Lopez, who posted top five times throughout the day in his own car, spoke highly of Whalen and his efforts both under the hood and behind the wheel.

“The kid eat, sleeps and breathes racecars,” said Lopez. “He’s a really hard worker at the shop and the racetrack. He grinded in quarter midgets all the way up to Pro Trucks. He kind of slowed the momentum down and that’s when he came to work for us. He still does the iRacing deal, studies the fill that I get sent… he’s up to date with the knowledge and the terms and what needs to be done and how the tires are effecting the cars at each track. He’s picked up on it pretty good and just getting comfortable back in the seat. The comfortably is going to be a big factor but the car is good but taking care of the equipment is going to be a big factor too. He’s not a kid that wants to go out and tear a bunch of stuff up.”

The only incident of the day came during the day’s final session with another driver looking to make his CARS Tour debut, Graham Doyle, made substantial contact with the inside wall. Doyle wasn’t available for comment, but Short Track Scene spoke with team Co-Owner Stacy Crain following practice. Crain said that it was a blown tire that caused the crash, and that the plan at the moment was to repair the primary car to be used tomorrow.

Doyle is driving for a collaborative effort between Stacy Crain Racing and Rackely-WAR. Doyle spent a day testing a Super Late Model at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway before coming to Tri-County. Doyle is an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship driver for Wayne Taylor Racing in the GTD class.

Weather is a concern for Saturday, but CARS Tour officials told the teams that the plan is to attempt to play out the original schedule as advertised. Adjustments will be made as deemed necessary.