WILMOT, Wi. (July 8, 2023) — Carson Macedo returned to victory lane with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Saturday night at Wilmot Raceway during the Federated Auto Parts Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40. The victory was Macedo’s 8th of the 2023 season and first since suffering a major accident and fire in June at Knoxville Raceway.
“it’s been a tough few weeks,” Macedo of the days following his accident at Knoxville. “I’ve had a lot of really, really good people reach out be supporters and you know when you’re young you think you’re invincible, but the other week kind of knocked me back a little bit. I feel like my guys have never given up on me. Phillip Dietz, Clyde Knipp, Nate Repetz. They’ve been trying to give me the best car that they possibly can I just haven’t been 100% right and you know felt like I was coming into this week. I had worked out all week I was just in a much better mind, and in my head and just felt pretty good about our chances.”
Macedo ran down Donny Schatz for the lead and had to hold off multiple challenges from different drivers over the final 24 laps after trying to hold off a challenge from Alaska turned Wisconsin resident Bill Balog for the win.
“I was most nervous, probably with Bill,” Macedo said of Balog’s bid for victory after being the fast qualifier earlier in the evening on his adopted home turn. “I just knew that he wants to win really bad and was willing to throw a flier to try and win the race. I kind of spun a little bit off the bottom and I could hear him behind me, and I went to the top thinking I’ll get a run and he threw a big bomb. I just barely snuck around in there.”
Macedo and Donny Schatz started on the front row for the 40-lap main event. The initial start was short lived when red flag appeared for Hunter Schuerenberg tipping over in turn two. Schuerenberg’s car suffered too much damage to continue.
Schatz pulled away from Macedo to take the lead on the second attempt to start the main event with Brad Sweet and Bill Balog in close pursuit. Macedo briefly had a look under Schatz in turns one and two on lap eight while navigating slower traffic but could not make the pass.
Macedo lost momentum and allowed Bill Balog to close in and challenge Macedo for second. Balog made the pass on lap 11 in turns one and two, but Macedo was able to get the spot back in turns three and four when Balog was held up by a slower car.
Macedo closed back in on Schatz on lap 15, setting up his outside pass while driving through turns three and four to take the lead one lap later.
Balog was able to catch Schatz and take the second position on lap 19. Balog then quickly closed in on Macedo for the lead when the red flag appeared for Robbie Price flipping off the track in turn three with 22 laps complete.
Macedo chose the inside lane for the restart. Balog and Macedo crossed lanes with Balog trying to slide Macedo in turn two. Macedo was able to use his momentum to maintain the lead as Balog slammed into the sizeable cushion and lost several positions, eventually taking him out of contention for victory.
One lap later Balog wheelied off the cushion in turn two and made contact with James McFadden, sending McFadden spinning into the infield to bring out the caution flag.
Macedo continued to lead as Sheldon Haudenschild was able to slip by Schatz for third and started to challenge Brad Sweet for the second position.
On lap 30 Sweet was able to close in on Macedo for the lead through slower traffic, but Macedo was able to slice through the slower cars and open up breathing room on lap 35.
That was the space Macedo needed for the victory. Sweet, Haudenschild, Schatz, and Kasey Kahne rounded out the top five.
Clayton Rossman won the Auto Meter Wisconsin WingLESS Sprint Car series main event.
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Federated Auto Parts Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40
Wimot Raceway
Wilmot, Wisconsin
Saturday, July 8, 2023
Qualifying
1. K9-Andrew Kiedrowski, 15.063[20]
2. 16-Mike Neau, 15.121[18]
3. 74M-Max Brannam, 15.428[21]
4. 55H-Mark Heinert, 15.559[6]
5. 42-Adam Schroeder, 15.740[17]
6. 6-Jeff Schmidt, 15.766[4]
7. 01-Ron Brannam, 15.780[14]
8. 15-Cole Olson, 15.808[10]
9. 9-John Kirk, 15.854[7]
10. 63-Jacob Irwin, 16.052[22]
11. 74-Tim Brannam, 16.097[8]
12. 11-Derek Fortier, 16.198[3]
13. 17-Jordan Funderburk, 16.246[19]
14. 3-Ron Curasi, 16.398[12]
15. 18Q-Chris Quillman, 16.448[9]
16. 18-Nick Petska, 16.535[5]
17. 33-David Powers, 17.183[11]
18. 22S-Brian Strane Jr, 17.275[16]
19. 55X-Xander York, 17.390[2]
20. 21T-Mitchell Reich, 17.635[1]
21. 23-Dominick Swierad, 17.830[13]
22. 7C-Carl Sturt, 19.309[23]
23. 87R-Josh Rehberg, 23.035[15]
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 01-Ron Brannam[2]
2. K9-Andrew Kiedrowski[4]
3. 55H-Mark Heinert[3]
4. 63-Jacob Irwin[1]
5. 18-Nick Petska[6]
6. 55X-Xander York[7]
7. 17-Jordan Funderburk[5]
8. 7C-Carl Sturt[8]
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 74-Tim Brannam[1]
2. 16-Mike Neau[4]
3. 42-Adam Schroeder[3]
4. 15-Cole Olson[2]
5. 3-Ron Curasi[5]
6. 87R-Josh Rehberg[8]
7. 33-David Powers[6]
8. 21T-Mitchell Reich[7]
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 74M-Max Brannam[4]
2. 11-Derek Fortier[1]
3. 9-John Kirk[2]
4. 6-Jeff Schmidt[3]
5. 22S-Brian Strane Jr[6]
6. 18Q-Chris Quillman[5]
DNS: 23-Dominick Swierad
A-Main (20 Laps)
1. 55H-Mark Heinert[3]
2. K9-Andrew Kiedrowski[6]
3. 16-Mike Neau[5]
4. 18-Nick Petska[14]
5. 9-John Kirk[9]
6. 22S-Brian Strane Jr[15]
7. 42-Adam Schroeder[2]
8. 74M-Max Brannam[4]
9. 6-Jeff Schmidt[1]
10. 15-Cole Olson[8]
11. 11-Derek Fortier[11]
12. 3-Ron Curasi[13]
13. 18Q-Chris Quillman[17]
14. 55X-Xander York[18]
15. 17-Jordan Funderburk[16]
16. 23-Dominick Swierad[23]
17. 21T-Mitchell Reich[21]
18. 33-David Powers[20]
19. 01-Ron Brannam[7]
20. 87R-Josh Rehberg[19]
21. 7C-Carl Sturt[22]
22. 74-Tim Brannam[10]
23. 63-Jacob Irwin[12]
Autometer Wisconsin WingLESS Sprint Car Series
Qualifying
1. 17-Bryce Andrews, 14.359[3]
2. 40-Tim Cox, 14.562[22]
3. 14Z-Ryan Zielski, 14.610[5]
4. 91-Jimmy Sivia, 14.610[9]
5. 7X-Ryan Marshall, 14.616[10]
6. 0-John Fahl, 14.625[7]
7. 50-Rusty Egan, 14.660[1]
8. 70H-Tate Hensley, 14.672[17]
9. 09-Clayton Rossmann, 14.724[18]
10. 38-Allen Hafford, 14.734[19]
11. 24-Eric Wilke, 14.787[11]
12. 70-Chris Klemko, 14.957[15]
13. 11-Austin Hansen, 14.991[20]
14. 22-Greg Alt, 15.023[2]
15. 57F-Tristan Furseth, 15.040[24]
16. 13-CJ Malueg, 15.053[23]
17. 7-Trinity Uttech, 15.102[16]
18. 99J-Seth Johnson, 15.116[8]
19. 41-Dennis Spitz, 15.181[4]
20. 29OG-Tom Eller, 15.205[14]
21. 7D-Josh Davidson, 15.282[13]
22. 15-Dan Wade, 15.299[6]
23. 29J-Ralph Johnson, 15.444[21]
24. 13A-Dave Wallace, 15.864[12]
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 91-Jimmy Sivia[3]
2. 38-Allen Hafford[1]
3. 50-Rusty Egan[2]
4. 13-CJ Malueg[6]
5. 17-Bryce Andrews[4]
6. 11-Austin Hansen[5]
7. 15-Dan Wade[8]
8. 41-Dennis Spitz[7]
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 40-Tim Cox[4]
2. 70H-Tate Hensley[2]
3. 7X-Ryan Marshall[3]
4. 24-Eric Wilke[1]
5. 7-Trinity Uttech[6]
6. 22-Greg Alt[5]
7. 29OG-Tom Eller[7]
8. 29J-Ralph Johnson[8]
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 14Z-Ryan Zielski[4]
2. 09-Clayton Rossmann[2]
3. 70-Chris Klemko[1]
4. 0-John Fahl[3]
5. 57F-Tristan Furseth[5]
6. 99J-Seth Johnson[6]
7. 7D-Josh Davidson[7]
8. 13A-Dave Wallace[8]
A-Main (20 Laps)
1. 09-Clayton Rossmann[2]
2. 50-Rusty Egan[4]
3. 38-Allen Hafford[1]
4. 91-Jimmy Sivia[8]
5. 7X-Ryan Marshall[6]
6. 0-John Fahl[5]
7. 70-Chris Klemko[11]
8. 24-Eric Wilke[12]
9. 40-Tim Cox[9]
10. 13-CJ Malueg[13]
11. 70H-Tate Hensley[3]
12. 22-Greg Alt[16]
13. 14Z-Ryan Zielski[7]
14. 29OG-Tom Eller[17]
15. 11-Austin Hansen[15]
16. 29J-Ralph Johnson[20]
17. 41-Dennis Spitz[19]
18. 15-Dan Wade[18]
19. 57F-Tristan Furseth[21]
20. 7-Trinity Uttech[14]
21. 17-Bryce Andrews[10]
22. 99J-Seth Johnson[23]
DNS: 7D-Josh Davidson
DNS: 13A-Dave Wallace