McFadden and Johnson Produce First Career Wins at Jackson Motorplex During AGCO Jackson Nationals Powered by FENDT Opener
Photo by Tylan Porath Photography
JACKSON, Minn. — James McFadden and Matt Johnson each earned a first career feature victory at Jackson Motorplex on Thursday during the opening round of the 45th annual AGCO Jackson Nationals powered by FENDT.
Donny Schatz led the opening seven laps of the 25-lap World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series main event. McFadden tracked down Schatz by using the bottom lane and he rocketed into the lead off turn four on Lap 7.
Traffic entered the scene on the ensuing lap as McFadden led the way with Schatz in tow for the remainder of the race. A caution on Lap 18 for a blown tire for David Gravel set up the first restart of the feature. With McFadden on the bottom, Schatz rocketed around the top lane and stayed close, pulling side by side in turn two on Lap 20.
The duo was also side by side in turn four before McFadden moved up the track in a perfectly timed move to block Schatz’s run. McFadden then switched lanes to the top side in turns three and four on the following lap, giving himself a bigger advantage.
“You had to be way more patient than you thought to hit the bottom,” he said. “It looks like there’s a lot of grip down there, but it was really technical to get to with your feet. The bottom was getting really slow in the middle there (in turns three and four) so I knew I had to move at some stage. I thought I heard Donny and I moved up.”
One final caution on Lap 22 for a flat tire for Spencer Bayston bunched the field together, but McFadden was strong in the closing laps to secure his fifth World of Outlaws triumph of the season – tied for the third most.
Schatz posted a runner-up result.
“I tried a little something there in that dash just because we haven’t had quite the feel,” he said. “And we felt good. As the race track went away it put us in a worse spot. I was kind of married to that cushion. That’s kind of the opposite of what we normally are. That was on me. I got out there early and I thought I’d be okay, but when we got to lapped traffic James was really good on the bottom. Obviously he could go to the top, too. You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t, but you’ve got to learn from your mistakes and that was obviously a costly one.”
Tanner Holmes, who was making his first World of Outlaws start since the announcement he’d race the remainder of the year with Shark Racing, rounded out the podium with a career-best World of Outlaws run.
“The Shark Racing guys had me dialed in,” he said. “All night long we had so much speed. I’m really excited for the rest of the weekend.”
Carson Macedo ended fourth and Buddy Kofoid placed fifth.
Holmes set quick time out of the 40 drivers in qualifying before Chase Randall, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding and Cory Eliason scored heat race wins. Schatz captured the dash and Bayston won the Last Chance Showdown.
Johnson led the distance of the Wyffels Hybrids RaceSaver Sprint Car Series A Main, which included a green-white-checkered restart.
“This is awesome,” he said. “It’s always been a dream to win here. It just shows that our hard work pays off. All the hours in the shop pay off. It’s just super rewarding.”
Lee Goos Jr. recorded a second-place showing with Jacob Peterson finishing third, Brandon Bosma fourth and Brandon Buysse fifth.
Eric Schulz, Peterson, John Lambertz and Brandon Allen garnered heat race wins. The B Mains were won by Dusty Ballenger and Laela Eisenschenk.
Night 2 for the 45th annual AGCO Jackson Nationals powered by FENDT is Friday. The grandstands open at 4 p.m. with hot laps set for 6:30 p.m.
Event tickets can be purchased online at https://mpv.tickets.com/schedule/?agency=JKMV_PL_MPV&orgid=55369#/?view=list&includePackages=true.
AGCO JACKSON NATIONALS POWERED BY FENDT NIGHT 1 RACE RESULTS AT JACKSON MOTORPLEX (Aug. 17, 2023) –
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series*
NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 83-James McFadden (3); 2. 15-Donny Schatz (1); 3. 1T-Tanner Holmes (2); 4. 41-Carson Macedo (6); 5. 83JR-Michael Kofoid (7); 6. 18-Giovanni Scelzi (4); 7. 49-Brad Sweet (9); 8. 39M-Justin Sanders (5); 9. 24-Rico Abreu (18); 10. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild (13); 11. 1S-Logan Schuchart (11); 12. 7S-Robbie Price (10); 13. 11-Cory Eliason (8); 14. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss (12); 15. 2KS-Chase Randall (15); 16. 5-Spencer Bayston (21); 17. 3-Tim Kaeding (17); 18. 10-Scott Bogucki (16); 19. 25-Lachlan McHugh (23); 20. 9-Kasey Kahne (14); 21. 14-Corey Day (22); 22. 45-Rusty Hickman (24); 23. 16-Brooke Tatnell (19); 24. 2-David Gravel (20).
MicroLite Last Chance Showdown (12 Laps): 1. 5-Spencer Bayston (2); 2. 14-Corey Day (1); 3. 25-Lachlan McHugh (5); 4. 45-Rusty Hickman (8); 5. 22K-Kaleb Johnson (4); 6. 20G-Noah Gass (13); 7. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr (7); 8. 7-Ian Madsen (9); 9. 14T-Tim Estenson (11); 10. 21T-Cole Macedo (15); 11. 44W-Austen Wheatley (10); 12. 23W-Scott Winters (17); 13. 35-Skylar Prochaska (16); 14. 55-Jake Swanson (18); 15. 22-Riley Goodno (12); 16. 10J-Justin Jacobsma (3); 17. (DNF) 1K-Kelby Watt (14); 18. (DNF) 78-Bill Wagner (20); 19. (DNS) 24T-Christopher Thram; 20. (DNS) 2K-Kevin Ingle.
Toyota Dash (6 Laps): 1. 15-Donny Schatz (4); 2. 1T-Tanner Holmes (2); 3. 83-James McFadden (1); 4. 18-Giovanni Scelzi (3); 5. 39M-Justin Sanders (7); 6. 41-Carson Macedo (8); 7. 83JR-Michael Kofoid (5); 8. 11-Cory Eliason (6).
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 2KS-Chase Randall (1); 2. 83-James McFadden (3); 3. 41-Carson Macedo (5); 4. 49-Brad Sweet (4); 5. 1T-Tanner Holmes (6); 6. 45-Rusty Hickman (9); 7. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr (8); 8. 23W-Scott Winters (10); 9. 7-Ian Madsen (7); 10. 24T-Christopher Thram (2).
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 7S-Robbie Price (2); 2. 39M-Justin Sanders (3); 3. 15-Donny Schatz (6); 4. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss (4); 5. 22K-Kaleb Johnson (8); 6. 10J-Justin Jacobsma (1); 7. 21T-Cole Macedo (10); 8. 2-David Gravel (5); 9. 44W-Austen Wheatley (7); 10. 55-Jake Swanson (9).
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 3-Tim Kaeding (1); 2. 10-Scott Bogucki (2); 3. 9-Kasey Kahne (3); 4. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild (4); 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart (5); 6. 83JR-Michael Kofoid (6); 7. 20G-Noah Gass (9); 8. 22-Riley Goodno (8); 9. 14T-Tim Estenson (7); 10. (DNS) 2K-Kevin Ingle.
Heat 4 (10 Laps): 1. 11-Cory Eliason (4); 2. 5-Spencer Bayston (1); 3. 16-Brooke Tatnell (2); 4. 18-Giovanni Scelzi (6); 5. 14-Corey Day (3); 6. 25-Lachlan McHugh (7); 7. 24-Rico Abreu (5); 8. 35-Skylar Prochaska (9); 9. 1K-Kelby Watt (8); 10. 78-Bill Wagner (10).
Qualifying: 1. 1T-Tanner Holmes, 00:12.616 (21); 2. 15-Donny Schatz, 00:12.625 (6); 3. 83JR-Michael Kofoid, 00:12.648 (17); 4. 18-Giovanni Scelzi, 00:12.669 (32); 5. 41-Carson Macedo, 00:12.673 (40); 6. 2-David Gravel, 00:12.676 (16); 7. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 00:12.680 (5); 8. 24-Rico Abreu, 00:12.690 (19); 9. 49-Brad Sweet, 00:12.734 (14); 10. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, 00:12.740 (8); 11. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 00:12.764 (29); 12. 11-Cory Eliason, 00:12.782 (31); 13. 83-James McFadden, 00:12.787 (15); 14. 39M-Justin Sanders, 00:12.789 (7); 15. 9-Kasey Kahne, 00:12.835 (24); 16. 14-Corey Day, 00:12.836 (13); 17. 24T-Christopher Thram, 00:12.863 (36); 18. 7S-Robbie Price, 00:12.871 (10); 19. 10-Scott Bogucki, 00:12.881 (1); 20. 16-Brooke Tatnell, 00:12.900 (18); 21. 2KS-Chase Randall, 00:12.900 (37); 22. 10J-Justin Jacobsma, 00:12.923 (3); 23. 3-Tim Kaeding, 00:12.933 (39); 24. 5-Spencer Bayston, 00:12.964 (33); 25. 7-Ian Madsen, 00:13.002 (30); 26. 44W-Austen Wheatley, 00:13.006 (22); 27. 14T-Tim Estenson, 00:13.013 (11); 28. 25-Lachlan McHugh, 00:13.021 (27); 29. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, 00:13.030 (35); 30. 22K-Kaleb Johnson, 00:13.035 (34); 31. 22-Riley Goodno, 00:13.041 (20); 32. 1K-Kelby Watt, 00:13.074 (12); 33. 45-Rusty Hickman, 00:13.076 (23); 34. 55-Jake Swanson, 00:13.082 (26); 35. 20G-Noah Gass, 00:13.099 (4); 36. 35-Skylar Prochaska, 00:13.120 (28); 37. 23W-Scott Winters, 00:13.137 (2); 38. 21T-Cole Macedo, 00:13.223 (38); 39. 2K-Kevin Ingle, 00:13.464 (25); 40. 78-Bill Wagner, 00:14.319 (9).
Wyffels Hybrids RaceSaver Sprint Car Series
A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 30-Matt Johnson (1); 2. 17-Lee Goos Jr (8); 3. 80P-Jacob Peterson (4); 4. 23-Brandon Bosma (9); 5. 24B-Brandon Buysse (3); 6. 55-Brandon Allen (2); 7. 74N-Luke Nellis (15); 8. 56-Bill Johnson (10); 9. 90-Eric Schulz (5); 10. 6B-Bayley Ballenger (6); 11. 86TW-Jacob Hughes (12); 12. 12L-John Lambertz (11); 13. 7-Shane Fick (19); 14. 05-Colin Smith (20); 15. 45-Monty Ferriera (7); 16. 15E-Laela Eisenschenk (18); 17. 3K-Jeremy Kerzman (16); 18. 11F-Austin Fox (13); 19. (DNF) 2D-Dusty Ballenger (17); 20. (DNF) 1300-Brett Allen (14).
B Feature 1 (10 Laps): 1. 2D-Dusty Ballenger (2); 2. 7-Shane Fick (4); 3. 15-Zach Glaser (1); 4. 12P-Ryan Navratil (11); 5. 4S-Mike Stien (6); 6. 33S-Jeremy Schultz (5); 7. 63-Todd Hansen (3); 8. 55R-Ryan Serrao (7); 9. 54-Michael Stien (10); 10. 88-Nathan Thelen (8); 11. (DNS) 28G-Gracyn Masur; 12. (DNS) 81-Jared Jansen.
B Feature 2 (10 Laps): 1. 15E-Laela Eisenschenk (1); 2. 05-Colin Smith (4); 3. 10-Trevor Serbus (5); 4. 91-Andrew Sullivan (2); 5. 1-Amelia Eisenschenk (3); 6. 33-Trevor Smith (7); 7. 9-Dominic Dobesh (6); 8. X-Dylan Waxdahl (8); 9. 23C-Ben Crees (10); 10. 62J-Jay Masur (9); 11. 11-Dalyn Cody (11); 12. (DNF) 31-Koby Werkmeister (12).
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 90-Eric Schulz (3); 2. 23-Brandon Bosma (8); 3. 56-Bill Johnson (5); 4. 11F-Austin Fox (4); 5. 15-Zach Glaser (7); 6. 63-Todd Hansen (6); 7. (DNF) 28G-Gracyn Masur (1); 8. (DNS) 12P-Ryan Navratil; 9. (DNS) 81-Jared Jansen.
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 80P-Jacob Peterson (1); 2. 86TW-Jacob Hughes (3); 3. 45-Monty Ferriera (5); 4. 1300-Brett Allen (4); 5. 2D-Dusty Ballenger (10); 6. 7-Shane Fick (6); 7. 33S-Jeremy Schultz (8); 8. 4S-Mike Stien (2); 9. 55R-Ryan Serrao (7); 10. 88-Nathan Thelen (11); 11. (DNS) 54-Michael Stien.
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 12L-John Lambertz (1); 2. 17-Lee Goos Jr (3); 3. 24B-Brandon Buysse (5); 4. 74N-Luke Nellis (10); 5. 15E-Laela Eisenschenk (9); 6. 1-Amelia Eisenschenk (6); 7. 10-Trevor Serbus (8); 8. 33-Trevor Smith (7); 9. 62J-Jay Masur (2); 10. (DNF) 31-Koby Werkmeister (4).
Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 55-Brandon Allen (2); 2. 6B-Bayley Ballenger (1); 3. 30-Matt Johnson (5); 4. 3K-Jeremy Kerzman (6); 5. 91-Andrew Sullivan (8); 6. 05-Colin Smith (9); 7. 9-Dominic Dobesh (3); 8. X-Dylan Waxdahl (10); 9. 23C-Ben Crees (7); 10. 11-Dalyn Cody (4).
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday for the 45th annual AGCO Jackson Nationals powered by FENDT featuring the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, the Wyffels Hybrids RaceSaver Sprint Car Series (Friday) and the Upper Midwest Renegades Sprint Car Series (Saturday)
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.JacksonMotorplex.com
Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/JacksonMotorplx
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JacksonSpeedway/?fref=ts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacksonmotorplex/
JACKSON MOTORPLEX –
Jackson Motorplex is a 4/10-mile dirt oval located in Jackson, Minn. It hosts special events from May through September, including races with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, Midwest Power Series, Midwest Sprint Touring Series and more. For more information, visit http://www.JacksonMotorplex.com.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.