JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Two of the globe’s best bullrings are ready to welcome the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.
Unleashing sprint cars on a tight quarter-mile dirt track has often been compared to firing up fighter jets in a gymnasium. It’s a ton of power with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Action is constant everywhere you look.
First up is Illinois’ Jacksonville Speedway for the Hy-Vee Perks 40 on Friday, April 17. The “Land of Lincoln” oval never fails to thrill and delivered 2024’s race of the year for the World of Outlaws.
Then it’s over to the “Hoosier State” on Saturday, April 18 as Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway takes center stage. The 1quarter-mile is Indiana’s most visited track by the World of Outlaws, with 45 prior races contested at “The Class Track.”
And like Jacksonville, Tri-State does not disappoint when the world’s best sprint car drivers roll into town.
KOFOID’S STREAK
After mechanical troubles and a crash hampered Michael “Buddy” Kofoid in early March, he and Roth Motorsports are now on fire.
They’ve strung together three consecutive victories and five straight top-two finishes. It’s the first time Kofoid has topped a trio in a row in his career, and the first three-race World of Outlaws win streak for Roth in 26 years.
The recent stretch allowed Kofoid to climb from sixth to third in the standings, with Carson Macedo just 18 markers ahead in second.
Looking ahead to see if the streak could continue, Kofoid visited Jacksonville Victory Lane in 2020 when he topped a POWRi Midget race. He’s a two-time runner-up there with the MOWA Sprint Cars, and he finished third at the 2024 World of Outlaws visit.
Over at Tri-State Speedway, the Penngrove, CA native has done everything but win. He’s got three second-place finishes with the USAC National Midgets, notched a third in 2024 with the World of Outlaws, and moved up to second during last year’s trip, narrowly falling short to Sheldon Haudenschild.
BULLRING BEASTS
Kofoid may have all the momentum, but the two competitors he’s chasing are no slouches at the tracks on the agenda.
Carson Macedo owns a combined four checkered flags from Jacksonville and Tri-State. He claimed the 2019 Jacksonville visit, driving for Kyle Larson Racing.
Since joining forces with Jason Johnson Racing, the Lemoore, Calif., native has been no worse than fourth there in three tries. There was a time when Macedo was inevitable at Tri-State, winning three straight from 2020 through 2022.
Defending champion and current point leader David Gravel conquered Jacksonville in a 2024 thriller when he outdueled Kyle Larson. He’s twice topped Tri-State, taking the CJB Motorsports machine to victory lane in 2016 and 2018. His best showing at the quarter-mile with Big Game Motorsports is a 2024 runner-up.
HOOSIER HEROES
A pair of Indiana natives are looking forward to the first of two nights in the home state this season on Saturday.
Spencer Bayston enters the weekend riding the momentum of back-to-back top fives at I-55. He notched a podium on Friday before wheeling the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 from 20th to fifth Saturday. Bayston’s top Tri-State effort is a fourth in 2022 during his Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies campaign.
Bayston’s fellow Hoosier, Emerson Axsom, is in the midst of his with the Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports team. He trails Ashton Torgerson by just two markers in that battle. Tri-State is a special place for Axsom as it’s where he made his World of Outlaws debut in 2023.
Last year, he collected a runner-up finish at “The Class Track” with the Interstate Racing Association and came home fourth when The Greatest Show on Dirt came to town.
BIG DADDY’S BACK
Bayston and Axsom aren’t the only World of Outlaws drivers racing close to home this weekend.
Chris Windom comes from Canton, Ill., making Jacksonville a home game for him. “Big Daddy” collected a MOWA podium at the “Land of Lincoln” track in 2011. He was also a runner-up there with the All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) in 2023.
Last year, Windom wheeled the Sides Motorsports No. 7S from 23rd to 13th at Jacksonville. It’s also worth noting that Windom is also plenty familiar with Tri-State thanks to his wingless days, and that includes a 2017 USAC win.
Windom enters the weekend after putting together one of his strongest weekends of the season. On Friday at I-55, he drove from 16th to as high as third before slipping to eighth. The following night brought another top 10 for the Series sophomore.
USAC INVASION
Tri-State Speedway is a mainstay on the USAC National Sprint Car tour, so over the years, it’s become common for those with USAC ties to throw some wings on and face off with the World of Outlaws. A potent pair is expected to continue the trend on Saturday.
He may not be full-time with USAC these days, but Brady Bacon is one of the best without wings. The four-time USAC Sprint Car champion boasts several Tri-State Speedway trophies, including his two career World of Outlaws wins.
The “Macho Man” outmuscled The Greatest Show on Dirt in 2023 and 2024. He’ll be in action both nights this weekend aboard the TKH Motorsports No. 21h.
Defending USAC Sprint Car champion Kyle Cummins, is the king of Tri-State Speedway. He’s a native of nearby Princeton, Ind., and has been to victory lane at his home track dozens of times, including seven in USAC National Sprint Car competition.
He had a solid run going last year with the World of Outlaws in the Petty Performance Racing No. 3p before getting caught up in a wreck.
