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

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
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.

Racing career

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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

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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

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ARCA Menards Series

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(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

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  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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