JACKSONVILLE, Sick. — The World of Outlaws NOS Power Drink Dash Automobiles are able to go from a famed half-mile to 2 of the nation’s high quarter-mile grime tracks.
After an evening on the historic Knoxville Raceway, a pair of bullrings are on the agenda as Illinois’ Jacksonville Speedway and Indiana’s Tri-State Speedway await The Biggest Present on Filth this weekend – April 25-26.
There’s a motive many followers circled this weekend when the schedule got here out. Each tracks are tight. Each tracks create a few of the closest wheel-to-wheel racing you’ll see all yr. Each tracks by no means fail to placed on a present.
A yr in the past, the World of Outlaws made their fifth go to to Jacksonville, and the end result was a green-to-checkered banger with motion in all places you regarded. There’s no motive to assume Friday’s Hy-Vee Perks 40 received’t serve up extra of the identical.
Tri-State Speedway has welcomed the nation’s finest drivers on 44 events, probably the most of any observe within the Hoosier State.
The distinctive, paperclip-shaped oval presents drivers with a problem not like every other and has entertained followers for many years.
JAWS MUSIC
After a troublesome 2024, Logan Schuchart and Shark Racing began this yr sturdy in Florida, however the query was, is it sustainable? Via almost 1 / 4 of the marketing campaign, they’ve answered that with a definitive sure.
The Hanover, Pa., native carries a three-race podium streak into this weekend. Schuchart earned three high threes throughout the whole 2024 season, and he’s already greater than doubled that this yr. He’s solely completed worse than eighth as soon as, and that was when an empty tail tank left him with a Seventeenth-place end throughout Bike Week at Volusia.
It’s taken no time for the veteran and new crew chief Kyle Pruitt to click on, and after their third-place end result at Knoxville, Schuchart took over second in factors and trails David Gravel by 68 markers.
Schuchart’s historical past at each tracks forward isn’t stuffed with the very best outcomes, a development he’ll have to finish to proceed chopping into Gravel’s benefit. His finest end by way of 5 tries at Jacksonville is eighth.
Over at Tri-State, he owns 4 high 10s in a dozen makes an attempt, however on the brilliant aspect, a trio are high fives and have come within the final 5 races on the quarter mile.
DOUBLING UP
There are solely two present World of Outlaws rivals which have received at each Jacksonville and Tri-State Speedway, and to no shock it’s a pair of the very best.
David Gravel is without doubt one of the two. The defending champion and present level chief topped final yr’s Jacksonville thriller by outdueling Kyle Larson. His Haubstadt résumé is residence to a pair of victories (2016 & 2018), each with CJB Motorsports.
The Watertown, Conn., native is but to win one at Tri-State along with his present Massive Sport Motorsports crew, however Tod Quiring’s workforce has been victorious 3 times at “The Class Observe” — twice with Craig Dollansky and as soon as with Sammy Swindell.
Carson Macedo is the opposite who has been to each victory lanes. A 2019 triumph at Jacksonville was his fifth profession World of Outlaws win. The Lemoore, Calif., native received at Tri-State in 2020 and adopted that up with victories the following two years to grow to be the primary with three straight.
Macedo is seeking a rebound weekend after struggling his first DNF of 2025 at Knoxville.
A win for both Gravel or Macedo on Friday would make them the primary to a pair of triumphs at Jacksonville in World of Outlaws competitors.
HAUD’S HEARTBREAK
Each tracks forward have dealt Sheldon Haudenschild their share of heartbreak previously, however the stats say his luck may flip round.
He debuted on the observe in 2016 and was operating nicely inside the high 10 earlier than an early spin dropped him to a Seventeenth-place end result.
Three years later, he began on the pole and led laps earlier than spinning with six to go whereas battling for the win. Then, in 2021, Haudenschild had the lead with eight laps to go earlier than a flat tire ended his hopes.
Tri-State has dealt devastation to Haudenschild as he’s led laps in 4 completely different options, however varied elements have saved him from victory lane. He’s completed runner-up on three events.
The massive query this weekend is, can he break by way of at both quarter- mile. It’s clear he is aware of his manner round each Jacksonville and Tri-State. He and the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall workforce have been strong with seven high fives this season, they usually’re hungry for a win.
HAUBSTADT HISTORY
It took 43 World of Outlaws races at Tri-State Speedway for somebody to win three straight on the Indiana oval, and now, simply two races later, the chance is there once more.
As talked about above, Carson Macedo has claimed a trio of wins at Haubstadt (2020 – 2022) till Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon ended that streak in 2023 along with his first profession World of Outlaws triumph.
A yr later, he conquered Tri-State Speedway once more, and now he has the possibility to hitch Macedo as the one different competitor to high three in a row.
Bacon has additionally topped the USAC Nationwide Dash Automobiles at Tri-State twice, and he claimed the Hut Hundred with the USAC Midgets when the observe hosted it in 2012. The “Macho Man’s” finest end in a winged 410 dash automobile this yr is fifth.
