That proved to be the right call for McCarty, who has won three championships in four seasons with the series. He collected the third of those championships during the 2020 season, winning three times along the way. He also won the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 last season at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va.
That’s not bad for a driver who admits he never thought he’d make it out of go-karts, much less become one of the most successful late model stock car competitors in the Southeast.
“I started racing go-karts on dirt when I was 6 and I was 14 or 15 and still running go-karts and never went anywhere,” McCarty said. “So really, in my mind, I started trying to figure out which way I would go to be able to support, you know, my life off it. Would I build engines? Would I build the chassis? What would I do?”
Just as that doubt started entering his mind, McCarty got a chance to race an Allison Legacy Series car, a style of race car modeled after a traditional stock car, but smaller in size. McCarty stepped up to racing a limited late model before he made the transition to late model stock cars.
“Since we left go-karts it’s been one opportunity after another,” McCarty said. “We were in the right place at the right time. If anything had been off by a day or two … just not being around the people that we were around, I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now.
“To be a three-time champion in late models in one of the toughest touring divisions there is, it’s unbelievable. Like I said, I never thought I’d leave go-karts and now I’m in this position. It’s hard to wrap my brain around sometimes. It still seems like a dream. It’s definitely been a ride, that’s for sure.”
Like any driver who has enjoyed success at the short-track level, McCarty would love to move up. However, he’s realistic and realizes that unless he stumbles on a big bag of money or finds a major sponsor, he’ll likely never become a NASCAR star.
“Would I love to do it? Yes. The problem is it takes money, it takes a really big bank account. I don’t have it. My parents own a mechanic shop and I work at the mechanic shop Monday through Friday, 8 to 6,” McCarty said. “I just don’t have that kind of money.”
He credits Solid Rock Carriers owner Kirk Ipock, one of his major sponsors, for helping keep him in a race car the last few seasons.
With that said, McCarty believes he’s racing against the best competition in the country right now. In the last four seasons, he’s battled the likes of Josh Berry, Mike Looney, Jared Fryar, Layne Riggs, Corey Heim, Deac McCaskill and more.
“Would I love to move up? Yes, 100 percent. That’s the whole reason why we’re doing this,” McCarty said. “But with the way things have changed over the last seven or eight years, I believe the best talent is where I’m at.
“With what I’m racing now, 60 percent of the cars in the race each weekend could win,” McCarty continued. “You look at the top-three series (in NASCAR) and it’s maybe five percent and I honestly feel that’s being generous.
“I have a hard time finding funding to do what I’m doing now, much less $8,000 for one weekend, you know? Maybe something like that will happen one weekend. I don’t know. I’d love to do it, but I’m not one of those guys that just wants to say I drive a truck or drive an Xfinity car or drive Cup and finish dead last every week. I’m not going to do that. In my opinion, being there just isn’t enough.”
When it comes to late model stock car racing, McCarty isn’t just there. When the Nelson Motorsports hauler pulls through the gates at tracks throughout the Southeast, the competition knows it will be in for a fight.
McCarty wouldn’t have it any other way.
“To do what we’re doing in the CARS Tour, it’s a dream come true really. I’d put the top 10 in the CARS Tour up against anybody in the world. I truly believe it is the best there is,” McCarty said. “It’s getting tougher and tougher every year. It’s not easy to do and stay competitive every weekend. It’s crazy, but I love racing with the CARS Tour.
“To do what we’re doing and to be having the fun that we’re having, it’s just really cool man.”