By T.J. Buffenbarger
CHICO, Ca. (March 15, 2019) – Carson Macedo was a man on a mission Friday in route to winning the Mini Gold Cup on Friday with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at Silver Dollar Speedway. Macedo drove through the field from the sevenths starting spot to take the lead during a lap 21 restart and held off Brad Sweet through slower traffic.
The Mini Gold Cup triumph was Macedo’s first World of Outlaws victory of the 2019 season and the first driving for fellow California native and car owner Kyle Larson.
Sweet took the lead coming off the second corner on the opening lap with Sheldon Haudenschild and Ian Madsen in tow. Tim Kaeding and Tim Shaffer found themselves side by side for fourth on the second lap, but a after pulling large wheel stand down the front stretch Shaffer was forced to gather up his car and dropped backwards through the field.
Just as Sweet was entering traffic on lap six the caution appeared for Shane Stewart’s car slowing outside of turns three and four. Stewart’s car had to be towed to the work area where the CJB Motorsports crew was able to make repairs in time for the restart.
During the restart Sweet pulled away from the field with Madsen driving under Haudenschild for second. As the field came through turns three and four Rico Abreu and Tim Kaeding made contact racing for the fourth position with Kaeding ending upside down while Abreu did a 360-degree spin and remained under power. The red flag also negated Madsen’s pass for second position. Abreu and Kaeding had their crews make repairs before the single file restart.
Sweet continued to lead Haudenschild and Madsen when the caution appeared one lap later for Brent Marks spinning off turn four. Marks was able to joint he tail of the field for the restart.
Following the restart Haudenschild tried to drive under Sweet for the lead but could not make the pass. In turns three and four Haudenschild bicycled on the cushion and allowed Madsen to drive by for second. Madsen’s run in second was short lived as he bobbled in turns one and two and bunched the field up. As the field diced for position Haudenschild and Carson Macedo touched going into turn one with Haudenschild tumbling hard into the end of the front stretch wall and over the turn one embankment. Haudenschild emerged from his car under his own power.
Sweet continued to lead with Tim Shaffer and Ian Madsen in tow. Carson Macedo drove by Justin Sanders for the fourth spot off turn two on lap 10. One lap later another caution flag appeared for Tim Kaeding sliding off the banking in turn four.
Madsen was able to stay closer to Sweet shortly after the restart while Justin Sanders drove from fifth to third during the restart. Further back in the field Carson Macedo made a daring pass to the outside of Tim Shaffer bouncing off the wall to take away the fourth position. One lap later the caution flag returned when Giovanni Scelzi slid off the fourth corner.
Sweet continued to lead with Macedo now working on Ian Madsen for second, taking the position away before another caution flag for Parker Price-Miller stopping sideways in turn four.
The lap 21 restart saw Macedo make a bid for the lead sliding by Sweet for the lead, bouncing off the cushion, and briefly allowing Ian Madsen to drive by Sweet and Macedo. Macedo was able to gather up momentum and pass Madsen back for the lead.
On lap 27 Sweet drove by Madsen and started to close in on Macedo as he approached slower traffic. As Macedo took the while flag he entered the tail of the field with Sweet on his back bumper, but Macedo used his momentum at the top of the race track to hold on for the victory. Sweet finished in the second position with Madsen, Donny Schatz, and Dominic Scelzi rounding out the top five.
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Silver Dollar Speedway
Chico, CA
Friday March 15, 2019
Qualifying Flight A:
1. 2 – Carson Macedo , 11.536
2. 9 – Kasey Kahne , 11.553
3. 71P – Parker Price-Miller , 11.597
4. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 11.692
5. 1A – Jacob Allen , 11.717
6. 49X – Tim Shaffer , 11.759
7. 121 – Justin Sanders , 11.762
8. 83T – Tanner Carrick , 11.768
9. 15 – Donny Schatz , 11.772
10. 88N – DJ Netto , 11.778
11. 19 – Brent Marks , 11.853
12. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild , 11.895
13. 0 – Bud Kaeding , 11.903
14. 21 – Brian Brown , 11.943
15. 21P – Robbie Price , 11.955
16. 5 – Shane Stewart , 11.969
17. 5H – Cole Macedo , 12.118
18. 21 – Jake Wheeler , 12.170
19. 28 – Mark Herz , 14.325
20. 1S – Logan Schuchart , NT
Qualifying Flight B:
1. 24 – Rico Abreu , 11.551
2. 7S – Tim Kaeding , 11.560
3. 83 – Daryn Pittman , 11.575
4. 17W – Shane Golobic, 11.671
5. 83JR – Giovani Scelzi, 11.682
6. 92 – Andy Forsberg , 11.682
7. 18 – Ian Madsen , 11.695
8. 49 – Brad Sweet , 11.700
9. 29 – Willie Croft , 11.744
10. 41 – David Gravel , 11.768
11. 41S – Dominic Scelzi, 11.794
12. 26 – Cory Eliason , 11.867
13. 45 – Chad Kemenah , 11.874
14. 16A – Colby Copeland, 11.960
15. 87 – Aaron Reutzel , 12.067
16. 22M – Mason Daniel , 12.231
17. 4 – Terry McCarl , 12.335
18. 7 – Jason Sides , 12.346
19. 31C – Justyn Cox , NT
Heat Race #1 (10 Laps):
1. 2 – Carson Macedo
2. 121 – Justin Sanders
3. 71P – Parker Price-Miller
4. 15 – Donny Schatz
5. 19 – Brent Marks
6. 0 – Bud Kaeding
7. 5H – Cole Macedo
8. 1A – Jacob Allen
9. 21P – Robbie Price
10. 28 – Mark Herz
(First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (10 Laps):
1. 49X – Tim Shaffer
2. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild
3. 1S – Logan Schuchart
4. 11K – Kraig Kinser
5. 88N – D.J. Netto
6. 5 – Shane Stewart
7. 83T – Tanner Carrick
8. 21 – Brian Brown
9. 9 – Kasey Kahne
10. 21W – Jake Wheeler
(First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (10 Laps):
1. 24 – Rico Abreu
2. 18 – Ian Madsen
3. 83JR – Giovanni Scelzi
4. 41S – Dominic Scelzi
5. 83 – Daryn Pittman
6. 29 – Willie Croft
7. 4 – Terry McCarl
8. 31C – Justyn Cox
9. 45 – Chad Kemenah
10. 87 – Aaron Reutzel
(First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #4 (10 Laps):
1. 7S – Tim Kaeding
2. 49 – Brad Sweet
3. 17W – Shane Golobic
4. 26 – Cory Eliason
5. 92 – Andy Forsberg
6. 41 – David Gravel
7. 16A – Colby Copeland
8. 7 – Jason Sides
9. 33M – Mason Daniel
(First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
C-Main (8 Laps):
1. 5 – Shane Stewart
2. 21P – Robbie Price
3. 31C – Justyn Cox
4. 5H – Cole Macedo
5. 33M – Mason Daniel
6. 4 – Terry McCarl
7. 28 – Mark Herz
8. 7 – Jason Sides
9. 21W – Jake Wheeler
(First two finishers transferred to the B-Main)
Dash (6 Laps):
1. 49 – Brad Sweet
2. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild
3. 7S – Jason Sides
4. 18 – Ian Madsen
5. 49X – Tim Shaffer
6. 24 – Rico Abreu
7. 2 – Carson Macedo
8. 121 – Justin Sanders
(Finish determined the first eight starting positions for the A-Main)
B-Main (12 Laps):
1. 41 – David Gravel
2. 9 – Kasey Kahne
3. 16A – Colby Copeland
4. 87 – Aaron Reutzel
5. 0 – Bud Kaeding
6. 5 – Shane Stewart
7. 29 – Willie Croft
8. 1A – Jacob Allen
9. 83T – Tanner Carrick
10. 45 – Chad Kemenah
11. 21 – Brian Brown
12. 21P – Robbie Price
(First four finishers transferred to the A-Main)
A-Main (35 Laps):
1. 2 – Carson Macedo
2. 49 – Brad Sweet
3. 18 – Ian Madsen
4. 15 – Donny Schatz
5. 41S – Dominic Scelzi
6. 1S – Logan Schuchart
7. 49X – Tim Shaffer
8. 17W – Shane Golobic
9. 83 – Daryn Pittman
10. 24 – Rico Abreu
11. 87 – Aaron Reutzel
12. 19 – Brent Marks
13. 16A – Colby Copeland
14. 5 – Shane Stewart
15. 11K – Kraig Kinser
16. 41 – David Gravel
17. 88N – D.J. Netto
18. 83JR – Giovanni Scelzi
19. 9 – Kasey Kahne
20. 26 – Cory Eliason
21. 121 – Justin Sanders
22. 71P – Parker Price-Miller
23. 7S – Tim Kaeding
24. 92 – Andy Forsberg
25. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild
26. 1A – Jacob Allen
Hard Charger: Aaron Reutzel
Lap Leaders: Brad Sweet 1-20, Carson Macedo 21-35