ROCK HILL, SC :: BJ Mackey hasn’t competed in a Late Model Stock Car since Myrtle Beach earlier this year, at least not as a driver.  Mackey, who has been the crew chief for Dylan Hall in the UARA-STARS Series, is confident and hopeful his first time in a racecar since March will be a successful one.

Mackey’s season started as a crew chief back in February at Daytona.  He worked alongside Lee McCall and helped Kyle Larson score the victory in the UNOH Battle at the Beach at Daytona.  Since then, he’s served as the crew chief for Dylan Hall in the UARA tour.  On Friday night, the veteran racer will put his driver hat back on when he competes in the Rusty Harpe Memorial at Caraway Speedway, a race he has won twice before.

“We haven’t raced since Myrtle Beach back in March and we haven’t run at Caraway since last year,” Mackey said.  “We only got out on the track twice today in practice.  The car’s pretty good.”

Mackey’s confident the car is good enough to win and says it feels good to be back in the cockpit of a Late Model Stock Car.

“We always have high expectations,” Mackey explained.  “We want to win every time we go out and race.  We most certainly have a good enough car to win.  It feels real good to be back in the car.  I’ve been at the track every week crew chiefing.  It’s good to drive again.  I’ve been crew chiefing Dylan Hall in UARA and Kyle Larson for Daytona.  I crew chiefed Tony Stewart at Richmond.  I’ve just been working.”

Mackey, who is a former champion at Caraway Speedway in their Super Trucks division, started racing go-karts as a little kid and has been racing ever since.

“I started racing go-karts when I was a kid,” Mackey stated.  “My dad got me racing go-karts.  Then we ran dirt cars for a few years and I’ve been doing it ever since.  I’ve been doing it for 24 years now.”

The veteran driver enjoys being a crew-chief and still feels a competitive fire even when he’s turning the wrenches instead of turning the steering wheel.

“I enjoy the crew chief aspect,” Mackey remarked.  “It’s a little different.  You don’t get to enjoy it as much but I still have a competitive edge as a crew chief.  I just don’t get the driving thrill out of it.  I still want to win though.  Racing’s all I know, I just have to try and make a career out of it.”

Now, Mackey is hoping he can win again as a driver.

The Rusty Harpe Memorial will be run tonight at Caraway Speedway.