Buddy Kofoid, Carson Macedo Win At Williams Grove

Carson Macedo reigned supreme in the second race at Williams Grove Speedway. (Photo: Jennie Mae Lingle | The Podium Finish)

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Originally scheduled to be a Friday and Saturday night show, the National Open at Williams Grove Speedway was pushed back to a doubleheader on Saturday due to massive amounts of fog that rolled in on Friday night.

Race No. 1

The preliminary 25-lap race started with Chase Dietz and Giovanni Scelzi on the front row. Immediately upon takeoff, Dietz and Scelzi switched lanes as Scelzi had better luck, getting ahead of Dietz for the early lead. Coming up quickly was Michael “Buddy” Kofoid as he slid in between the two drivers and snagged second away from the PA Posse member.

On Lap 6, lap traffic became a factor. Scelz was trailing a lapped vehicle when Kofoid decided to capitalize on his inconvenience, sweeping down to the inside. Kofoid used the quicker groove to get in front of “Hot Sauce” for the lead down the backstretch.

A couple of laps later, Scelzi lost second to Dietz who used the bottom to his advantage.

Anthony Macri was looking to make a move to advance from eighth place while contending with David Gravel and Kasey Kahne. This did not stop Macri from diving down to the bottom and giving it all he had to get himself not one, but two positions, placing himself in sixth on Lap 13.

By Lap 15, Scelzi and Brent Marks were in a battle for third when they tangled in Turns 3 and 4. Scelzi wound up sailing over the wall before coming to a stop in the parking lot area. Despite the hard crash, Scelzi was OK.

On the restart, Daryn Pittman used the closeness of the cars to pursue his masterplan, and it worked. Pittman battled Dietz down the frontstretch and throughout the first corner, letting him know that he was there. Not long after, they came to the next set of turns with Pittman executing a successful slide job on Dietz, slipping into the runner-up spot.

Kofoid was able to hold off Pittman to win his first at Williams Grove, as well as earn a point for Team Outlaws.

“I don’t believe in perfection, but this car was damn near perfect,” said Kofoid. “The only thing that made me nervous was that I couldn’t take off good. We stumbled quite a bit but I figured that if I could keep my pace up and just tome around the top the long way I figured that I could get a good enough gap.”

Race No. 2

Buddy Kofoid battles Kasey Kahne for position with Giovanni Scelzi ahead at Willams Grove Speedway. (Photo: Jennie Mae Lingle | The Podium Finish)

After drivers decompressed from the prior race, it was time for the originally scheduled Saturday show to take place. 

The front row consisted of a Posse member and an Outlaws member with Marci and Carson Macedo. With an even shot for either driver to take the lead, Macri took the top spot initially for a few seconds before Macedo recovered from hitting a hole in Turn 2.

Before Macedo took the lead, Donny Schatz slowed on the backstretch drawing a caution. In accordance with World of Outlaws rules, the entire race was restarted with Macri leading. This time, Macedo could not catch up with Marci.

On Lap 5, the battle intensified as Macedo closed in on Macri in Turn 4, racing alongside him down the frontstretch before crossing back over in front of him before the next corner.

By Lap 8, Macri was unable to catch up with Macedo as he relinquished first place. Dietz lost third to James McFadden on Lap 13 and nearly lost fourth to Sheldon Haudenschild before things escalated.

As Dietz and Hadenschild raced down the back straightaway before both drivers tangled. Despite the contact, both drivers were OK.

Once the race was underway, Haudenschild passed McFadden for third position down the backchute. A lap later, Hadenschild took second position from Macri going into Turn 3.

Open red flag conditions ensued on Lap 21 so that drivers refueled due to the air being so ideal and with some drivers using a gallon per lap. 

With one lap to go, Haudenschild gave it everything he had in an attempt to win the 62nd National Open. He went low going into Turns 1 and 2 as Macedo went high with only four car-lengths separated the duo down the backstretch.

As they hit the next set of turns, Haudenschild was close to Macedo before a lapped car dashed any prospects of winning. Macedo held off Haudenschild off to claim his second National Open title.

“I could feel him [Haudenschild] like needles all over me and I could see him on the big screen,” said Macedo about the last lap. “[I] didn’t know what to do in [Turns] 1 and 2 and Sheldon [Haudenschild] showed me his nose on the bottom and I moved up a lane. I’ve never had a car that was that good here.”