River Cities Speedway simply does not miss.
It’s tough to meet the hype when longtime World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series announcer Johnny Gibson calls the Grand Forks, ND bullring his favorite track of the more than 400 he’s visited. But River Cities continues to step up to the plate and knock it out of the park.
The Greatest Show on Dirt rolled into town Friday for the 1st Leg of the Northern Tour Don Mack Classic. A huge crowd packed the grandstands, and the fans the fans were not disappointed.
River Cities served up a wild 40-lapper with three different leaders and a late duel between two of the best in the world to decide it. Series rookie Kasey Jedrzejek led the way from the pole when the green flag dropped. He paced the opening 14 circuits before David Gravel took command on a Lap 15 restart. Cole Macedo surged into second and appeared poised to contend for his first career World of Outlaws win before tripping over the cushion and losing several spots. That gifted his brother Carson Macedo the runner-up spot and set up a wild closing segment.
Macedo closed his Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 right up on the tail tank of the Big Game Motorsports No. 2. A huge run allowed him to dive under Gravel for the lead down the front straightaway with four laps to go. Gravel answered with a slide job in Turns 3 and 4 the next time around but Macedo crossed him over. That proved to be the winning move as Macedo motored away to the checkered flag.
“Man, honestly that was just a Philip Dietz-race car right there,” Macedo said. “Every once in a while, you get one of those that’s just absolutely unbelievable. He killed it here tonight. I felt a little off in time trials then felt really good in the Heat Race. I felt like we made a lot of gains and were just a little stagnant because the track was a little faster. I felt like I was really good the whole Feature. The minute we fired off I was able to pick a few cars off. Then I just got kind of bungled up there in traffic to where I couldn’t make a move. I was trying to get by my brother and I think Balog for a long time. I couldn’t quite get clear of them. Once I did, I was able to move around and start plugging away nice laps. Man, that was awesome. My heart rate was through the roof.”
The career win total for Macedo climbs to 61 after Friday’s triumph. Three of those have come at River Cities, which ties him with Craig Dollansky for the second most at the quarter mile. He and the Jason Johnson Racing team are heating up with their second score in the last four races after just one in the first 21 nights of action this season. Macedo also regained sole possession of the second position in points.
David Gravel finished second to notch his Series-best 14th podium of 2026. His point lead is at 114 markers over Macedo.
Kasey Jedrzejek brought the Bill Rose Racing No. 6 home third for his first career World of Outlaws podium, and it happened to come at the track where Rose’s best Series finish is thanks to his third place run at River Cities back in 2011.
Chris Windom and Sheldon Haudenschild completed the top five.
NIGHTLY NOTES
Sheldon Haudenschild laid down his third Race//Ready Hottest Lap of the Night in the last four races.
David Gravel set his 10th Simpson Quick Time of the season in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying.
Heat Races belonged to Andy Pake (NOS Energy Drink Heat One), Kasey Jedrzejek (TheGreatestStoreonDirt.com Heat Two), Bill Balog (WIX Filters Heat Three), and Sheldon Haudenschild (Golf Cart Services Heat Four).
The SPA Technique #1 Redraw went to Kasey Jedrzejek.
Jedrzejek also topped the Toyota Dash.
Spencer Bayston won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
Chris Windom motored from 13th to fourth in the Sides Motorsports No. 7S to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger.
Cole Macedo was the Tub O’ Towels Seventh Place Finisher.
Kasey Jedrzejek was the Five Star Bodies Rookie of the Race.
Jedrzejek also set the ACME Trading Company Fast Lap.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Spencer Bayston.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars return to Minot, ND’s Nodak Speedway on Sunday, May 31 for the first time since 2018. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.
Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.
FEATURE RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (40 Laps): 1. 41-Carson Macedo[9]; 2. 2-David Gravel[2]; 3. 6-Kasey Jedrzejek[1]; 4. 7S-Chris Windom[13]; 5. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[6]; 6. 83-Michael Kofoid[14]; 7. 2C-Cole Macedo[5]; 8. 15-Donny Schatz[11]; 9. 23-Garet Williamson[7]; 10. 17B-Bill Balog[3]; 11. 1S-Logan Schuchart[18]; 12. 27-Emerson Axsom[17]; 13. 51-Ashton Torgerson[16]; 14. 13-Mark Dobmeier[10]; 15. 64-Andy Pake[4]; 16. 16C-Skylar Gee[19]; 17. 10-Alex Truscinski[23]; 18. 15L-Laela Eisenschenk[24]; 19. 8-Jack Croaker[20]; 20. (DNF) 24T-Christopher Thram[12]; 21. (DNF) 28M-Conner Morrell[8]; 22. (DNF) 17-Spencer Bayston[21]; 23. (DNF) 8H-Jade Hastings[15]; 24. (DNF) 27W-Weston Olson[22]
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
This article was republished with the permission of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. Original article can be found here: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/row-five-ripper-macedo-motors-from-ninth-for-wild-river-cities-win/
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