By Ben Deatherage
(6/17/23 -) Lebanon, OR … Cole Macedo got the major breakthrough he’s been searching for as he won his first career NARC 410 Sprint Series main event by defeating the field at Willamette Speedway to earn a cool $5,500. Macedo led the entire distance of the caution-free 25-lap lap main event on night three of the Fastest Four Days In Motorsports.
“These NARC races are hard to win,” stated Macedo in victory lane. “These guys are good, especially Corey (Day); he’s been on terror. My brother (Carson) has done a lot in his career, and this is one thing I got over the top of him, so that’s pretty cool.”
“Me and Drew (Warner, crew chief) have been talking all year. If we could get a couple of nights in a row to where I could get comfortable, and he can figure out what we need, we’d start picking off wins. Lapped traffic lately has been my kryptonite this year. I’ve been cautious, and Drew got on me and said, “You need to get aggressive again” It worked out, and I felt I was aggressive. When your car is that good, it makes it easy.”
Macedo took full advantage of his inside front-row starting position to claim the role of the race leader. Piloting the Tom and Tommy Tarlton-owned Tarlton & Son/Complete Parts and Equipment Solutions #21 Maxim, it wouldn’t take too long for lapped traffic to become a factor.
As Macedo cut his way through the tail end of the field methodically, Dominic Scelzi and Corey Day would do battle for second. Eventually, the Jason Meyers Racing Meyers Constructors/Four C’s Construction #14 KPC, driven by Day, would secure the runner-up position and did his best to track down Macedo.
Day got close several times but could not propel his mount into the top-place position. The main event took less than seven minutes to conclude and was the second race of the week without any stoppages.
Day was a respectable second, while two-time and defending NARC champ Dominic Scelzi put his Scelzi Enterprises/Whipple Superchargers #41 Maxim on the podium for the first time this week. A wild four-car scramble for fourth unfolded, and 2017 champion Bud Kaeding would claim the position in the end in his Kaeding Performance/Alivso Rock #69 Maxim. The Demo Mittry fielded Farmer’s Brewing/North County Plastering #2X Maxim, chauffeured by Justin Sanders, wrapped up the top five in fifth.
“To start sixth and finish second, I can’t complain,” said Day, “thank you to all the fans for supporting this. It’s been cool to be up here the last three days and see a packed house every night.”
Chase Johnson worked his way up to sixth, while Justyn Cox claimed Hard Charger honors after an impressive nine positions gained from his original starting spot. Oregon racers Tyler Thompson and Tanner Holmes were eighth and ninth. Joel Myers Jr. finished the top ten finishing order, in tenth.
A-FEATURE (25 laps): 1. 21-Cole Macedo[1]; 2. 14-Corey Day[6]; 3. 41-Dominic Scelzi[3]; 4. 69-Bud Kaeding[4]; 5. 2X-Justin Sanders[8]; 6. 73-Chase Johnson[9]; 7. 42X-Justyn Cox[16]; 8. 7-Tyler Thompson[5]; 9. 18T-Tanner Holmes[2]; 10. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr[13]; 11. 115-Nick Parker[7]; 12. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield[14]; 13. 3AU-Karl Hoffmans[15]; 14. 26-Billy Aton[17]; 15. 88N-DJ Netto[12]; 16. AU96-Andy Caruana[11]; 17. 4-Burt Foland Jr[18]; 18. 53-Jessie Attard[10]
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: Cole Macedo 1-25
WILLIAMS ROOFING HARDCHARGER: Justyn Cox +9
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (18 Cars): Tyler Thompson, 12.114
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 Laps): 1. 69-Bud Kaeding[2]; 2. 14-Corey Day[1]; 3. 73-Chase Johnson[5]; 4. 7-Tyler Thompson[4]; 5. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield[3]; 6. 26-Billy Aton[6]
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 Laps): 1. 21-Cole Macedo[2]; 2. 18T-Tanner Holmes[1]; 3. 2X-Justin Sanders[3]; 4. 88N-DJ Netto[6]; 5. 3AU-Karl Hoffmans[5]; 6. 42X-Justyn Cox[4]
BEACON WEALTH STRATEGIES & RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL HEAT THREE (8 Laps): 1. 41-Dominic Scelzi[4]; 2. 115-Nick Parker[1]; 3. 53-Jessie Attard[5]; 4. AU96-Andy Caruana[3]; 5. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr[2]; 6. 4-Burt Foland Jr[6]
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH (6 Laps): 1. 21-Cole Macedo [1]; 2. 18T-Tanner Holmes [3], 3. 41-Dominic Scelzi [4]; 4. 69-Bud Kaeding [2]; 5. 7-Tyler Thompson [5]