AUSSIE McFADDEN WINS AGAIN AT JACKSON!

By: Shawn Miller

JACKSON, Mn (August 18, 2023) — James McFadden, for the second consecutive night, won the prelim of the 45th annual AGCO Jackson Nationals at Jackson Motorplex.

McFadden doubled up by sweeping the event preliminary nights for his sixth World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprintcar Series victory of the season. It also marked his first time he won two straight feature races with ‘The Greatest Show on Dirt.’

McFadden is the high-points driver for the event with Carson Macedo, Giovanni Scelzi and Donny Schatz joining him as locked-in drivers into Saturday’s King of the Hill, which sets up the front rows of the $25,000-to-win main event.

“I’ve been close a couple of times, but to go back-to-back is cool,” McFadden said. “Completely different track tonight. We got the lead on the bottom last night and then got the lead on the top tonight. I felt like I was really abusing my tyres, engine and car up there, but we were good enough to get the job done.“It’s a pretty cool weekend so far. To be locked in tomorrow is great.”

After sweeping the two prelims, James McFadden is primely positioned for Saturday’s AGCO Jackson Nationals finale (Trent Gower Photo)

McFadden led all 25 laps with Scelzi running second throughout the race. The closest Scelzi got to McFadden was on Lap 15 when he threw a slider in turns one and two, but it didn’t have enough momentum to clear the leader.

“It all happened so fast in the moment it doesn’t feel like much of a moment, but then you watch it back it’s like, ‘Oh that’s a little close for comfort,’” McFadden said. “Gio does an awesome job. He’s one of the most respectful guys out there and I know he’s going to give you enough room.”

Scelzi’s second-place finish was his eleventh top five of the season with the World of Outlaws.

“It was all on the start there,” he said. “There wasn’t much on the bottom of (turns) one and two and the race was won there. I got kinda to him in traffic and threw a Hail Mary slider and knew I wasn’t going to clear him when I got to the centre and just kinda turned sideways.”

Macedo rounded out the podium and moved into second place in the World of Outlaws championship standings.

“I feel like my car has been super consistent,” he said. “We haven’t obviously won both nights like James and we’re definitely not happy with third, but I feel I did all I could there. We’ll see what we can do tomorrow night and put our best foot forward.”

Buddy Kofoid finished fourth and Brad Sweet was fifth.

Scelzi set quickest time during qualifying. David Gravel, Ian Madsen, Cory Eliason and Sam Hafertepe Jr. posted heat race wins. Scelzi captured the dash and Kaleb Johnson won the Last Chance Showdown.

NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps)
1. 83-James McFadden[2]
2. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[1]
3. 41-Carson Macedo[4]
4. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[5]
5. 49-Brad Sweet[7]
6. 24-Rico Abreu[9]
7. 39M-Justin Sanders[11]
8. 15-Donny Schatz[16]
9. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[6]
10. 1T-Tanner Holmes[12]
11. 2-David Gravel[10]
12. 22K-Kaleb Johnson[21]
13. 9-Kasey Kahne[15]
14. 10-Scott Bogucki[13]
15. 21T-Cole Macedo[22]
16. 7-Ian Madsen[8]
17. 25-Lachlan McHugh[24]
18. 44W-Austen Wheatley[23]
19. 2KS-Chase Randall[18]
20. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[17]
21. 1S-Logan Schuchart[3]
22. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[20]
23. 5-Spencer Bayston[19]
24. 11-Cory Eliason[14]