World of Outlaws Drivers Hope Winning Momentum Carries into Arizona Weekend

Desert Wave Riders
Gravel, Macedo hope their winning momentum carries into this week’s events in Arizona

TUCSON, AZ – With the World of Outlaws NOS® Energy Drink Sprint Car Series California swing now concluded, David Gravel and Carson Macedo are looking to ride the momentum of their recent strong finishes into this weekend’s doubleheader in Arizona.

The swing wrapped up last Friday at Keller Auto Speedway, where Gravel claimed his first win of the season, and last Saturday at Perris Auto Speedway, where rookie Carson Macedo got his second podium finish of the year.

For Macedo and his Kyle Larson Racing team it was the continuation of an impressive stretch of races — finishing in the top-10 in all five races during the California swing, including claiming his second career win at Silver Dollar Speedway — while for Gravel, his win was finally the end to a stretch of three races in-a-row without a top-10 finish.

The win was needed, Gravel said.

“We started off the season pretty good at Volusia and kind of laying an egg since,” Gravel said.

He finished third in points with CJB Motorsports last year, but Gravel and the team decided to part ways. That opened the door for him to join Jason Johnson Racing this year. While he and his new team have found success, Gravel admitted the transition hasn’t been entirely smooth.

“I made a couple of mistakes as a driver,” Gravel said about the season so far. “Growing pains with the new team. Hopefully we ,hit our stride here and get on a role.”

After claiming an emotional win for the JJR team in Hanford, Calif. — the team’s first World of Outlaws win since Jason Johnson died last year — he was unable to make it back in the top-10 the next day at Perris Auto Speedway. But he said he is looking forward to the Arizona races, having run decent at them in the past.

He finished sixth at Arizona Speedway last year and had a top-10 run at USA Raceway the last time the Series visited the track in 2016 — that race won by Daryn Pittman, who is currently tied for the Series points lead with 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz. Gravel is currently seventh in points, 92-points behind the two champions.

Macedo was not at either of those races, but also said he is looking forward to the doubleheader in Arizona. He’s raced at both Arizona tracks before and hopes to use that experience to his advantage as well as he did during the California swing.

“I knew the West Coast was going to be, hopefully, one of our strong suits,” said Macedo, who is now fourth in points after the California swing. “So, to kind of put that together and get a win, put strong runs up on the board and leave the West Coast I pretty good shape is big for this (Kyle Larson Racing) team. Especially being in the rookie year.”

While the California native lacks World of Outlaws experience at the two Arizona tracks, his KLR team has years of it. Successful years of it. The team won the first Series race at Arizona Speedway in 2016 with Shane Stewart and haven’t finished outside the top-10 at the track since. KLR also finished in the top-five with Stewart at the last Series race at USA Raceway.

“I’m looking forward to it all,” Macedo said.

THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE

WHEN & WHERE
Friday, April 5, at USA Raceway in Tucson, Ariz. for the Wildcat Shootout
-Grandstand gates are scheduled to open at 5 p.m. with Hot Laps and Time Trials at 6 p.m. and Racing will start at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 6, at Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek, Ariz. for the Arizona Desert Shootout
-Grandstand gates are scheduled to open at 5 p.m. with Hot Laps and Time Trials at 6 p.m. and Racing will start at 7:30 p.m.

ABOUT THE TRACKS
USA Raceway is a 3/8-mile, semi-banked track. The track record is 12.076 sec. by Paul McMahan on March 9, 2013.
Online – RaceUSARaceway.com
Phone – 520-664-2074
Arizona Speedway is a 1/3-mile, high-banked track. The track record is 12.361 sec. by Brian Brown on March 6, 2016.
Online – ArizonaSpeedway.net
Phone – 480-926-6688

TICKETS
Tickets can be purchased by going to WorldofOutlaws.com/tix or by calling 844-DIRT-TIX.

3/8-mile and 1/3-mile winners
There have been two races on a 3/8-mile track so far this year. Logan Schuchart won at the Stockton Dirt Track on March 16, and David Gravel won at Keller Auto Speedway on March 29.
There has been one race on a 1/3-mile track so far this year. Ian Madsen won at Thunderbowl Raceway on March 9.

USA RACEWAY PREVIOUS WINNERS
2016 – Daryn Pittman on April 18
2015 – Brian Brown on March 7
2014 – Brad Sweet on March 8
2013 – Daryn Pittman on March 9
2007 – Steve Kinser on March 2
2006 – Paul McMahan on March 4, Donny Schatz on Oct. 21

ARIZONA SPEEDWAY PREVIOUS WINNERS
2018 – Donny Schatz on April 7
2017 – Rico Abreu on April 8
2016 – Shane Stewart on March 6

ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series – Woosprint.com
Twitter – Twitter.com/WorldofOutlaws – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – Instagram.com/WoOSprint – @woosprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws
YouTube – YouTube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – Dirtvision.com – Get your Fast Pass to watch all races LIVE for only $39/month
Twitter – Twitter.com/DIRTVision – @DIRTVision
Facebook – Facebook.com/WatchDIRTVision

DRIVER INFO
Follow World of Outlaws full-time drivers on Twitter:
Brad Sweet – @BradSweet49
Brent Marks – @bmracing19
Carson Macedo – @carson_macedo
Daryn Pittman – @darynpittman
Donny Schatz – @donnyschatz
Ian Madsen – @IanMadsen
Jacob Allen – @JacobAllen1A
Jason Sides – SidesMotorsports.com (not on Twitter)
Kraig Kinser – @KraigKinser11k
Logan Schuchart – @Lschuchart1s
Shane Stewart – @shanestewart_5
Sheldon Haudenschild – @Haudenschild_17

AROUND THE TURN: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series heads to Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas on Friday April 12-13.

2019 STATS
There have been nine World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Feature events this season.

FEATURE WINNERS (8 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 2
2 – Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pa. – 1
– Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 1
– Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 1
– Carson Macedo, Lemoore, Calif. – 1
– Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 1
— David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 1
— Aaron Reutzel, Clute, Texas – 1

DRYDENE HEAT RACE WINNERS (21 different winners)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Carson Macedo, Lemoore, Calif. – 5
2 – Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 4
– Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pa. – 3
3 – Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 2
– Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 2
– Aaron Reutzel, Clute, Texas – 2
– Rico Abreu, St. Helena, Calif. – 2
4 – Spencer Bayston, Lebanon, Ind. – 1
– Christopher Bell, Norman, Okla. – 1
– Brian Brown, Higginsville, Mo. – 1
– Giovanni Scelzi, Fresno, Calif. – 1
– Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tenn. – 1
– Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif. – 1
– Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 1
– Tim Kaeding, San Jose, Calif. – 1
– Cory Eliason, Visalia, Calif. – 1
– Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 1
– Willie Croft, Roseville, Calif. – 1
— Brent Marks, Myerstown, Pa. – 1
— David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 1
— Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 1

DIRTVISION FAST PASS DASH WINNERS (9 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Shane Stewart, Bixby, Okla. – 1
– Christopher Bell, Norman, Okla. – 1
– Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pa. – 1
– Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 1
– Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 1
– Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 1
– Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 1
— Sheldon Haundenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 1
— Aaron Reutzel, Clute, Texas – 1

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (9 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Cale Conley, Vienna, W.Va. – 1
– Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 1
– Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, Wash. – 1
– Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pa. – 1
– Kraig Kinser, Bloomington, Ind. – 1
– David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 1
– Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa – 1
— Tim Kaeding, San Jose, Calif. – 1
— Brent Marks, Myerstown, Pa. – 1

C-MAIN WINNERS (1 driver)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Shane Stewart, Bixby, Okla. – 1

PODIUM FINISHES (15 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – # of podiums
1 – Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 5
2 – Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 3
3 – Christopher Bell, Norman, Okla. – 2
– Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 2
– Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 2
– Tim Kaeding, San Jose, Calif. – 2
– Shane Stewart, Bixby, Okla. – 2
– Carson Macedo, Lemoore, Calif. – 2
4 – Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pa. – 1
– Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 1
– Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 1
– Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 1
— David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 1
— Aaron Reutzel, Clute, Texas – 1
— Rico Abreu, St. Helena, Calif. – 1

HARD CHARGER AWARD (8 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – H.C. Awards
1 – Cory Eliason, Santa Cruz, Calif. – 2
2 – David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 1
– Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 1
– Chad Kemenah, Alveda, Ohio – 1
– Aaron Reutzel, Clute, Texas – 1
– Carson Macedo, Lemoore, Calif. – 1
— Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 1
— Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, Ind. – 1

TOTAL LAPS LED (12 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Laps
1 – Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 36
2 – Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 35
3 – Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pa. – 30
— Aaron Reutzel, Clute, Texas – 30
4 – Shane Stewart, Bixby, Okla. – 29
5 – Christopher Bell, Norman, Okla. – 25
6 – Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 20
7 – Sheldon Haundenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 19
8 – Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 18
9 – Carson Macedo, Lemoore, Calif. – 15
10 – Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 14
– David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 14

QUALIFYING QUICK TIME (7 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTs
1 – Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 2
– Jacob Allen, Hanover, Pa. – 2
2 – Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, Ind. – 1
– Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 1
– Carson Macedo, Lemoore, Calif. – 1
– Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 1
– Aaron Reutzel, Clute, Texas – 1

FASTEST IN PRACTICE (8 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – # of times fastest
1 – Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pa. – 2
2 – Brian Brown, Higginsville, Mo. – 1
– Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 1
– Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 1
– Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 1
– Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 1
– Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 1
– Aaron Reutzel, Clute, Texas – 1

2019 World of Outlaws Schedule & Winners
No./ Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Friday, Feb. 8 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, Fla. / Daryn Pittman (1)
2. Saturday, Feb. 9 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, Fla. / Daryn Pittman (2)
3. Sunday, Feb. 10 / Volusia Speedway Park/ Baberville, Fla. / Rainout-Canceled
4. Friday, Feb. 22 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, Texas / Rainout-Canceled
5. Saturday, Feb. 23 / LoneStar Speedway / Kilgore, Texas / Rainout-Canceled
6. Wednesday, Feb. 27 / The Dirt Track at Las Vegas / Las Vegas, Nev. / Tim Shaffer (1)
7. Thursday, Feb. 28 / The Dirt Track at Las Vegas / Las Vegas, Nev. / Donny Schatz (1)
8. Friday, March 8 / Thunderbowl Raceway / Tulare, Calif. / Rainout-Canceled
9. Saturday, March 9 / Thunderbowl Raceway / Tulare, Calif. / Ian Madsen (1)
10. Friday, March 15 / Silver Dollar Speedway / Chico, Calif. / Carson Macedo (1)
11. Saturday, March 16 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, Calif. / Logan Schuchart (1)
12. Friday, March 22 / Ocean Speedway / Watsonville, Calif. / Rainout-Canceled
13. Saturday, March 23 / Placerville Speedway / Placerville, Calif. / Rainout-Rescheduled for Sept. 11
14. Friday, March 29 / Keller Auto Speedway / Hanford, Calif. / David Gravel (1)
15. Saturday, March 30 / Perris Auto Speedway / Perris, Calif. / Aaron Reutzel (1)

2019 World of Outlaws Championship Top 10 (Through Perris Auto Speedway)

Founded in 1978, the World of Outlaws®, based in Concord, NC, is the premier national touring series for dirt track racing in North America, featuring the most powerful cars on dirt, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series. Annually, the two series race nearly 140 times at tracks across the United States and Canada. CBS Sports Network is the official broadcast partner of the World of Outlaws. DIRTVision® also broadcasts all World of Outlaws events over the Internet to fans around the world. Learn more about the World of Outlaws.

Sources: Nick Graziano, World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series PR