Story By: TYLER ALTMEYER / ALL STAR CIRCUIT OF CHAMPIONS – DUNDEE, NY – Lemoore, California’s Carson Macedo has certainly become fond of the state of New York, now with three Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 victories in the Empire State, his third of the year accomplished in fantastic fashion during action at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee on Friday evening.
Macedo, driver of the familiar Gaerte/Norman No. 3G, earned his trip to victory lane with less than two circuits remaining, utilizing a slide job through turns three and four to gain the advantage over race-long leader, Ryan Smith. The $5,000 payday bumped Macedo’s All Star win count to six during his young, but storied career, five occurring during the 2018 season.
Ryan Smith chased the former Gold Cup and King of the West champion to the final checkers after leading the first 28 circuits, followed by Aaron Reutzel, Brock Zearfoss and Paul McMahan.
“We are starting to like these small, slick race tracks,” Carson Macedo explained, who also owns New York victories at Stateline Speedway and Weedsport Speedway. “I just can’t thank my team and all of my supporters enough for their hard work this year. Joe Gaerte, Tim and Cindy Norman; they do a great job with this race car. They make my job easy.”
Carson Macedo’s march toward the front started right from the drop of the initial green, actually advancing from sixth to third before the first lap was complete. Although not advancing another position until lap 25, Macedo pressured the two front-runners, Aaron Reutzel and Ryan Smith, on multiple occasions, using a restart after the main event’s first and only caution on lap 15 to set-up his eventual takeover.
By lap 21, the top-three encountered traffic once again which eventually erased all of Ryan Smith’s advantage. Using slower cars as a roadblock, Macedo capitalized and worked by Aaron Reutzel for second before the completion of lap 25. Continuing to use the topside as a momentum boost, Macedo reeled Smith in to a car-length by the completion of lap 28. As the pair approached turn one, Macedo dived to the bottom of the speedway with the intent to sneak by Smith, only to turn the denied takeover attempt into a side-by-side battle for the lead. As the pair reached turn three, Macedo tried to slide Smith once again, but this time his attempt succeeded, soon crossing under the white flag with Smith and Reutzel in tow.
The final circuit remained unchanged with Macedo crossing under the final checkers by a margin of victory equaling just over one second.
“I was getting a ton of side bite. I knew I was really good through the top of three and four, so when I got a run on Ryan [Smith], I figured I better go ahead and give it a shot,” Macedo explained. “It all worked out.”
The All Star Circuit of Champions will continue their New York/Pennsylvania road trip with a stop at Selinsgrove Speedway in Selinsgrove, Pa., on Saturday, September 15. Awarding a $10,000 top prize, Tony Stewart’s All Stars will headline the Jim Nace Memorial/36th Annual National Open; the final Pennsylvania appearance for the All Star Circuit of Champions of 2018.
Selinsgrove Speedway in Selinsgrove, Pa., will open pit gates at 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 15. A mandatory All Star drivers meeting will take shape at 5:45 p.m., followed by hot laps at 6:30 p.m. Those seeking additional news and notes regarding the Jim Nace Memorial/National Open worth $10,000 should visit Selinsgrove Speedway live on the Web at www.selinsgrovespeedway.com.
Contingency Awards/Results: Outlaw Speedway – September 14, 2018:
EMi Driver’s Meeting: 21 entrants
State Water Heaters Warm-Ups: Ryan Smith – 11.540 seconds
Lincoln Electric Fast Qualifier: Aaron Reutzel – 11.590 seconds **NTR
Ford Performance Heat #1: Brock Zearfoss
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #2: Gerard McIntyre
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #3: Carl Bowser
JE Pistons Dash: Ryan Smith
Daido Engine Bearings Main Event Winner: Carson Macedo
MSD Performance Hard Charger Award: Tony Stewart (+8)
(Lincoln Electric, Daido Engine Bearings, MSD Performance: Need decal to qualify for contingency award)
Qualifying
Group (A)
1. 11-Ryan Smith, 11.596; 2. 13-Paul McMahan, 11.747; 3. 4-Brock Zearfoss, 11.808; 4. 10H-Chad Kemenah, 11.816; 5. 14-Tony Stewart, 11.926; 6. 70-Dave Blaney, 12.014; 7. 33-Michael Bauer, 12.445
Group (B)
1. 3G-Carson Macedo, 11.849; 2. 35-Tyler Esh, 12.118; 3. O7-Gerard McIntyre, 12.129; 4. 2L-Sye Lynch, 12.197; 5. 29-Dan Shetler, 12.283; 6. 91-Anthony Fiore, 12.311; 7. 9-Ryan Linder, 12.392
Group (C)
1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 11.590; 2. 7K-Cale Conley, 11.884; 3. 11C-Carl Bowser, 12.134; 4. 22-Brandon Spithaler, 12.439; 5. 49H-Bradley Howard, 12.565; 6. 40-George Hobaugh, 12.850; 7. iO7-Mark Coldren, 13.806
Heat #1 – Group (A) (8 Laps) – Top 8 Transfer
1. 4-Brock Zearfoss [2]; 2. 10H-Chad Kemenah [1]; 3. 11-Ryan Smith [4]; 4. 13-Paul McMahan [3]; 5. 14-Tony Stewart [5]; 6. 33-Michael Bauer [7]; 7. 70-Dave Blaney [6]
Heat #2 – Group (B) (8 Laps) – Top 8 Transfer
1. O7-Gerard McIntyre [2]; 2. 3G-Carson Macedo [4]; 3. 35-Tyler Esh [3]; 4. 29-Dan Shetler [5]; 5. 2L-Sye Lynch [1]; 6. 91-Anthony Fiore [6]; 7. 9-Ryan Linder [7]
Heat #3 – Group (C) (8 Laps) – Top 8 Transfer
1. 11C-Carl Bowser [2]; 2. 22-Brandon Spithaler [1]; 3. 49H-Bradley Howard [5]; 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel [4]; 5. 7K-Cale Conley [3]; 6. 40-George Hobaugh [6]; 7. IO7-Mark Coldren [7]
Dash #1 (6 Laps)
1. 11-Ryan Smith [3]; 2. 11C-Carl Bowser [1]; 3. 22-Brandon Spithaler [2]; 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel [4]; 5. 4-Brock Zearfoss [5]; 6. 3G-Carson Macedo [6]; 7. O7-Gerard McIntyre [7]; 8. 10H-Chad Kemenah [8]
A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 3G-Carson Macedo [6]; 2. 11-Ryan Smith [1]; 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel [4]; 4. 4-Brock Zearfoss [5]; 5. 13-Paul McMahan [11]; 6. 14-Tony Stewart [14]; 7. 22-Brandon Spithaler [3]; 8. O7-Gerard McIntyre [7]; 9. 7K-Cale Conley [13]; 10. 10H-Chad Kemenah [8]; 11. 70-Dave Blaney [19]; 12. 11C-Carl Bowser [2]; 13. 49H-Bradley Howard [10]; 14. 29-Dan Shetler [12]; 15. 35-Tyler Esh [9]; 16. 2L-Sye Lynch [15]; 17. 33-Michael Bauer [17]; 18. 91-Anthony Fiore [16]; 19. 40-George Hobaugh [18]; 20. 9-Ryan Linder [20]; 21. IO7-Mark Coldren [21] Lap Leaders: Ryan Smith (1-28), Carson Macedo (29, 30)