SWEDESBORO, N.J. – A standing-room-only crowd Tuesday night served witness to an attack by Shark Racing at Bridgeport Motorsports Park.
Logan Schuchart, piloting the Drydene Performance Products No. 1s, soared by Carson Macedo on lap 11 and ran away with his second World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series triumph of the season. It marked the 25th Outlaw win of Schuchart’s career.
It was a much-needed breakthrough for the Hanover, Pa., native, who snapped a 21-race losing streak with his mid-week victory. It was a score months in the making, and one that quite possibly restored the confidence and momentum the team has been searching for since February.
Schuchart’s score, which brings him only five away from tying his grandfather Bobby Allen at 30 Outlaw wins, came with the defeat of Macedo, who had a perfect night going. The Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 established a new track record in Slick Woody’s Qualifying, won his Drydene heat race, won the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash, and led 11 laps before fading to Schuchart’s onslaught.
“Confidence is everything,” Schuchart said, with a pep in his step. “You know we started off the season so strong, but the small issues started coming and it seemed like one thing after another hit us. Sometimes parts fail, there’s just nothing you can do about it. We need that confidence back, and I think we’ve got it.”
Marking the first appearance by World of Outlaws at the newly-reconfigured four-tenths-mile dirt track, Tuesday’s trip to Bridgeport started off hot.
It was Outlaws vs. PA Posse on the front row as Macedo dealt with Anthony Macri of Dillsburg, Pa., to his outside. Macri offered a lap-one slider with hopes of stealing the top spot, but Macedo’s outside momentum was too much. Schuchart, who started fourth, made his move to second on lap two as he went by Macri and started to reel in Macedo.
With the aid of lap traffic, Schuchart scooted closer and eventually stole command of the lead from Macedo on lap 12. Macedo was mired on the outside as Schuchart stuck the very bottom of the four-tenths-mile and rolled his No. 1s right on by.
Near the halfway point, Donny Schatz entered the picture and made it a three-way war for the top spot as he dueled with Macedo and Schuchart. A trio of stoppages for Aaron Reutzel, Brock Zearfoss and Ryan Smith slowed the pace, but the action returned with the final restart on lap 16.
The battle for first got interesting on lap 22 when Macedo attempted a slide job on Schuchart, but he came up just short and lost his only chance to sneak up on the No. 1s. From there, Schuchart ran off to take the checkered flag by 1.731 seconds over Macedo.
“My grandfather never quits, and he’s our motivation,” Schuchart said on never giving up. “We’ve got a Triple-X with 50 races on it; this wing has been patched up a hundred times, you know? We put this old car together and I’d say she’s doing something right. I’m so happy to get it back in victory lane where it belongs.”
Macedo’s perfect night fell to the wayside by one position, but he did gain crucial points on Brad Sweet and David Gravel in the championship chase as summer approaches.
“I feel bad for my guys,” Macedo noted. “I think we had the car to win, but just lost it in traffic. I was making speed through the middle, but I didn’t know where to be in traffic. I went to the top and Logan drove right by me on the bottom. I just couldn’t get it going from there.”
Finishing third and rallying after falling to fifth was Macri, giving the PA Posse one representative on the podium.
“We’ve been running consistent,” Macri said after his second podium in four races. “I felt like we had a good shot from the front row, but we just didn’t have the car to win the race. It’s a confidence booster, though. Whenever we can run well against these guys you’re doing something right.”
Rounding out the top five on Tuesday night was Schatz in fourth aboard the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing No. 15, and Sheldon Haudenschild in fifth in the Stenhouse Jr. Marshall Racing No. 17.
Closing out the top 10 at Bridgeport was a group of Pennsylvanians and Californians, with Brent Marks in sixth, Brad Sweet seventh, Danny Dietrich eighth, Gio Scelzi ninth, and Buddy Kofoid 10th.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season continues Friday at Attica Raceway Park.
To view complete race results, advance to the next page.