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Thomas Praytor
Praytor in 2016
BornThomas Praytor IV
(1990-02-08) February 8, 1990 (age 34)
Mobile, Alabama
ARCA Menards Series career
113 races run over 11 years
ARCA no., teamNo. 9 (Max Force Racing)
Best finish5th (2016)
First race2012 Mobile ARCA 200 (Mobile)
Last race2022 General Tire 200 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 9 0
Statistics current as of February 1, 2020.

Thomas "Moose" Praytor IV (born February 28, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver who currently competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet for his family team, Max Force Racing.

Racing career

Praytor's No. 2 for Hixson Motorsports at Road America in 2013.
Praytor's No. 9 at Michigan in 2015.

Praytor started racing at eight years old in a borrowed yard kart from a family friend. He quickly progressed from karts to Bandoleros, where Praytor would drive one that was sponsored by The Outdoor Channel. He later began racing late models, running in the Southeast and picking up three US Army Rookie of the Year titles, local and state titles. Praytor and the Max Force Racing team earned the Ironman Status of the Gulf Coast competing in every Pro and Super Late Model Race at Mobile International Speedway and Five Flags Speedway while finishing in the top 10 of the Championship standings at both tracks.

Praytor made his first ARCA Racing Series start at the inaugural ARCA Mobile 200 at the Mobile International Speedway in 2012. He made later starts at Talladega Superspeedway and also saw starts with Venturini Motorsports. In the 2013 season, Praytor ran for rookie of the year as it was his first full season in ARCA. He drove the No. 2 Ford/Chevrolet for Hixson Motorsports and finished the season ninth in points and also earning the HG Adcox Sportsmanship Award.[1] Returning to the Hixson No. 2 in 2014, Praytor acquired sponsorship DK-LOK Fittings and Valves and ended the season eighth in points. Praytor was also named the Hard Charger Driver after the Herr's Chase the Taste 200 in Winchester. For the 2015 season, Praytor and his father Tommy started their team, Max Force Racing, which fielded the No. 9 DK-LOK Ford for Praytor, who would finish ninth in points. The team was named in memory of Thomas's brother Max, who died in June 2001.[2]

Praytor statistically had his best season in 2016. Competing in all 20 events and earning 4 top-10 finishes, he went on to finish 5th in season points. The following year, Praytor dropped to seventh in points, not earning a top-10 that year but still having a consistent season overall.

In 2018, the team would cut back their schedule, only running the first four races before taking a break. The team would return to field their No. 9 car for Jesse Iwuji at Chicago. Additionally, the Max Force team entered a second car at Daytona, the No. 99, for Ronnie Osmer.[3] Their only races in 2019 came at Talladega, where Praytor would finish 20th in the race. Their next race would not come until Daytona in 2020, where it was later revealed that they took most of the 2019 season off so Praytor could spend time with his newborn son, (Hugh) Thomas Praytor V.[4]

Personal life

Praytor and McCarron pose for a picture with Praytor's helmet that they would donate.

Praytor was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, and is the son of local realtor and owner of Praytor Realty, Thomas ("Tommy") Praytor III, who also used to drive racecars.[2]

Praytor is nicknamed "Moose". The name derived from one of Praytor's first cars being sponsored by The Outdoor Channel and featuring a giant Moose coming out of the rear wheel well. When that paint scheme was run, the name "Thomas" above the window net on the car was changed to "Thomoose", which was later shortened to "Moose" and the nickname stuck. Every car Praytor has driven since then has had "Thomoose Praytor" above the window net.[2]

Praytor is a weekly host on the Inside ARCA Racing radio show on WNSP, a station in his home state of Alabama. Praytor's segment, the "Moose Call", is named after his nickname.[2]

In 2008, Praytor's team had a car for sale, which led to a partnership with Warner Brothers Pictures for the film series Final Destination's fourth installment, The Final Destination. Filmed at Mobile International Speedway, Praytor and fellow driver David Ellis worked as stunt drivers for the film.[citation needed]

During the 2013 season, Praytor joined up with Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback A. J. McCarron to design a McCarron replica helmet; Praytor wore the helmet at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega, after which it was donated to the Alabama Institute of the Deaf and Blind to benefit the annual Race Fever Action.

On May 9, 2022, it was revealed that Praytor was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. On lap 5 of the 2022 General Tire 200, Praytor lost movement in his left arm and leg. He would drive with his right hand, until the red flag came out with 10 laps to go. He went through a driver change, with Sean Corr taking over his car for the remaining 10 laps. Medical personnel removed Praytor from the car, where he was transported to the infield care center. He had flu-like symptoms just a few days prior to the race.[5]

Motorsports career results

ARCA Menards Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 AMSC Pts Ref
2012 Andy Belmont Racing 5 Ford DAY MOB
34 		SLM 58th 370 [6]
2 TAL
20 		TOL ELK POC MCH WIN NJE IRP IOW CHI POC BLN ISF
Venturini Motorsports 35 Chevy MAD
28
66 Toyota SLM
28 		DSF KAN
2013 Hixson Motorsports 2 Ford DAY
22 		TAL
22 		POC
16 		MCH
10 		CHI
23 		KEN
19 		KAN
19 		9th 4210 [7]
Dodge MOB
16 		SLM
21
Chevy TOL
18 		ELK
10 		ROA
16 		WIN
9 		NJE
17 		POC
24 		BLN
18 		ISF
22 		MAD
14 		DSF
20 		IOW
21 		SLM
17
2014 DAY
31 		TAL
22 		NJE
15 		ELK
15 		WIN
12 		ISF
15 		MAD
13 		DSF
13 		7th 3950 [8]
Ford MOB
11 		SLM
11 		TOL
21 		POC
13 		MCH
14 		CHI
18 		IRP
16 		POC
16 		BLN
20 		SLM
13 		KEN
21 		KAN
20
2015 Max Force Racing 9 DAY
24 		MOB
7 		NSH
10 		SLM
15 		TAL
20 		TOL
16 		NJE
15 		POC
16 		MCH
17 		CHI
21 		WIN
15 		IOW
18 		IRP
19 		BLN
18 		ISF
16 		DSF
13 		SLM
18 		KEN
16 		KAN
14 		8th 3930 [9]
12 Chevy POC
28
2016 9 Ford DAY
14 		NSH
18 		SLM
17 		TAL
16 		TOL
14 		NJE
21 		POC
20 		MCH
14 		MAD
9 		WIN
11 		IOW
15 		IRP
15 		POC
21 		BLN
8 		ISF
8 		DSF
9 		SLM
14 		CHI
15 		KEN
14 		KAN
15 		5th 4055 [10]
2017 DAY
29 		NSH
28 		SLM
14 		TAL
12 		TOL
14 		ELK
15 		POC
24 		MCH
19 		MAD
13 		IOW
18 		IRP
17 		POC
22 		WIN
14 		ISF
13 		ROA
19 		DSF
11 		SLM
16 		CHI
30 		KEN
14 		KAN
20 		7th 3790 [11]
2018 Chevy DAY
14 		TAL
21 		TOL CLT POC MCH MAD GTW CHI IOW ELK POC ISF BLN DSF SLM IRP KAN 37th 560 [12]
Ford NSH
18 		SLM
19
2019 Chevy DAY FIF SLM TAL
20 		NSH TOL CLT POC MCH MAD CHI GTW ELK IOW POC ISF DSF SLM IRP KAN 77th 130 [13]
2020 DAY
11 		PHO TAL POC IRP KEN IOW KAN TOL TOL MCH DAY GTW L44 TOL BRI WIN MEM ISF KAN 60th 33 [14]
2021 DAY PHO TAL
17 		KAN TOL CLT MOH POC ELK BLN IOW WIN GLN MCH ISF MLW DSF BRI SLM KAN 101st 27 [15]
2022 DAY PHO TAL
19 		KAN CLT IOW BLN ELK MOH POC IRP MCH GLN ISF MLW DSF KAN BRI SLM TOL 104th 25 [16]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

References

  1. ^ Inabett, Mark (December 17, 2013). "Just being myself: Thomas 'Moose' Praytor wins ARCA sportsmanship award". The Birmingham News. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "Home". Max Force Racing. Praytor Properties. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  3. ^ "Race Car Ronnie: Pearl River teen on track to race with the best". CBS 4 WWL. February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "Praytor(s) Ready for Daytona". ARCARacing.com. January 29, 2020. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  5. ^ "Praytor Diagnosed With Rhabdomyolysis". Speedway Digest. May 9, 2022.
  6. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2012 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  7. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2013 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  8. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2014 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  9. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2015 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  10. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2016 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  11. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2017 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  12. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2018 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  13. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2019 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  14. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2020 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  15. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2021 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  16. ^ "Thomas Praytor – 2022 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
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