Andrew Deal Excited To Get Back On Track At Carteret County Speedway

Andrew Deal Excited To Get Back On Track At Carteret County Speedway

by July 8, 2020 0 comments

PELETIER, NC – Andrew Deal can’t wait to get back on track when the Battlefield Tire Pros Mini-Stock division returns to Bobby Watson’s Carteret County Speedway on Saturday after being out of the car for several months due to the extended offseason.

Deal, 31, began racing at Carteret County Speedway in 2017 and has since been in pursuit of his first victory.  He was looking forward to racing when the season was set to begin in March, but the Carolina Mini-Stock Challenge feature that was set to kick off the season was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Now, he’s ready to get back to the track with his family.

“Me and my wife, Amber, are a close-knit family with us and our two kids, so for us, it’s a Saturday at the track goofing off with each other, then praying together before heading out on track and pushing the car as hard as I can,” Deal said.  “To me, Carteret is like Darlington.  We started racing in 2017 and would get lapped two or three times but, with hard work and continuous nights in our shop, we’ve come a long way in a good way.”

Along with competing in the Mini-Stock division himself, Deal’s 9-year-old daughter McKayla will soon compete in the Jr. Mini Cup class as well.  During the pandemic, Deal worked on both he and his daughter’s car and anxiously anticipated returning to the track.

“We worked on our Mini-Stock and on a Jr. Mini Cup for oldest daughter.  Me and Amber cannot wait to watch her practice and hopefully make a few race laps this season.  I cannot wait to get back on track.”

Deal enjoys racing in the Mini-Stock class where the competitors are like an extended family – willing to help each other out before getting on track and racing wheel-to-wheel with each other.

“We don’t have any sponsors, so it all comes out of our pocket so it’s tough at times,” Deal explained.  “The Mini-Stock guys are competitors but, at the same time, they would give you the tires off their car to help you out.  We’ve been blessed by them helping us out.  Jimmy Owens, Peanut Evans, Randy Hewett, Chuck Ruffner and Kris Hetu, it’s amazing what they have done to help us out.  I’m looking forward to this season to get this car in the top-five each week, but I’ll be tickled knowing I got to race no matter the result.”

Like many racers, racing has been in Deal’s blood.  His grandfather used to compete at Bowman Gray Stadium.  After attending Carteret County Speedway’s inaugural race in 2015, Deal decided to go racing himself.

“Me, Amber and McKayla came to the very first race at Carteret when Bobby [Watson] opened the track,” Deal commented.  “On our way home to Stella, I looked at Amber and said, ‘babe, we’ve got to build us one.’  The following week, we were picking up a Mustang shell from the junkyard.  It took us about a year and a half to get it built and on the track for our first practice.  I was torn to pieces with excitement.”

What racing means to Andrew Deal fits in line with what racing means to Carteret County Speedway – god, family, country, and speed.

“It’s extra family time, hanging out in our little shop or at the track.  We are a God-centered family so it’s an extra way to talk to people about God and us, as racers are living the dream some can’t.  Seeing the kids get all pumped up is cool too.”

Deal will return to competition on Saturday, July 11th when the Mini-Stocks take to the track as part of the Clash at the Coast.  In addition to Mini-Stocks, Late Models, Street Stocks, U-CARs, Champ Karts, Mini Cups and Jr. Mini Cups will be in action.  The green flag will drop at 6:30pm.  Tickets are available online or at the gate – $15 for adults while kids 10 and under are admitted free.

For more information about Bobby Watson’s Carteret County Speedway, visit the track’s official website at www.carteretspeedway.com“like” Carteret County Speedway on Facebook or follow @carteretcoswy on Twitter and Instagram.

Source/Photo Credit: Carteret County Speedway

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