McCaskill A Proven Contender
Southern National Champ Is No. 2 In Nation
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Deac McCaskill was among the elite as a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship contender in 2013.
McCaskill was the primary challenger and eventual point race runner-up to national champion Lee Pulliam. McCaskill built his way from a 99-point deficit in May to a tie for the national point lead in July. Pulliam then carved out small point gains while McCaskill kept applying pressure. Pulliam topped the final standings by just 16 points, 30 less than his margin over runner-up Keith Rocco in 2012.
McCaskill closed the 2013 season with his second consecutive North Carolina state championship and won his third NASCAR Late Model track championship at Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C. His 18 wins matched the career-high number he set in 2012. He jumped from eighth in 2012 national points to second this year.
“Competing against Lee all year long, that was thrilling,” McCaskill said. “He was a little more consistent than us week-in and week-out. I enjoyed racing with Lee. This is a season I’ll never forget.”
In the final 2013 national standings, McCaskill’s 42-race record also included 31 top-fives and 38 top-10s. He won the state point race by 98 over Tommy Lemons Jr. McCaskill’s state point race record was 16 wins, 21 top-fives and 24 top-10s in 24 starts.
Pulliam and McCaskill met on track 29 times during the season and finished one-two nine times. McCaskill finished second to Pulliam five times, twice at his home track, Southern National, and three times at Pulliam’s home track, South Boston (Va.) Speedway. Pulliam ran second to McCaskill four times including twice at Southern National and once each at South Boston and Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va.
“We’ve got Southern National figured out,” McCaskill said. “We need to get better at South Boston and Motor Mile. Lee is so good at those tracks. That’s where we need to improve next year. When we could beat him at South Boston and Motor Mile, it was a pretty big deal for us. When he could outrun us at Southern National it was a big deal for them.
“I’m a humble person. We’re a small family race team and we had a lot of fun this season. As far as the points go, what was meant to be was meant to be. I’m really happy. I’m not disappointed with second place.”
Southern National Motorsports Park has been McCaskill’s home track since it opened in 1994. He started in support divisions at age 16 and went onto win Late Model track championships in 2004 and 2006. In 2011 he stepped out of the driver’s seat to be crew chief and mentor to driver Darrell Gilchrist. He bought Gilchrist’s equipment, including his former car and his current Hedgecock chassis, and returned to racing in 2012.
The driver’s father, Boyce McCaskill, is car owner and Kevin Herndon is crew chief. Team members include Charles Kimball and Scott Adcock. Engines were built by Charlie’s Automotive and John West Racing Engines. Sponsors include Grafix Unlimited, H&L Logging, Mel’s Ignition, Bobby Gregory Welding and WP Racing Shocks.
McCaskill and his wife Sandy have two daughters, Ashlyn, 12, and Amber, 7. He works for the family business, Boyce McCaskill Auto Service in Raleigh.
Sources: Paul Schaefer/NASCAR PR