The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returns to the state that started it all in March for the World of Outlaws Cowtown Classic at Kennedale Speedway Park.
Located about 20 minutes outside of Fort Worth, the 1/4-mile Texas dirt track hosted the World of Outlaws for the first time last year and welcomed Carson Macedo to Victory Lane.
Before The Greatest Show on Dirt returns to “Cowtown” for a two-day weekend, Friday-Saturday, March 14-15, Macedo shares why you should go – beyond just the barbecue.
Why should someone go to Kennedale Speedway Park?
Macedo: I think Kennedale is unique. Texas is a beautiful state. It’s really easy to get into Dallas Fort Worth (International Airport), which is a plus. I think that Kennedale provides pretty good racing. I know it was a little heavy at the beginning last year, but toward the end it was getting really good between (Aaron) Reutzel, (David) Gravel and myself. I think that overall, for a two-day weekend, to be in such a great area, where there is so much to do beside going to the races and be able to go.
You get to go to a track that is unique. It has beautiful grandstands. And I know they’re putting a lot into that track. As a fan, it will probably… for me, as a fan, it would be easy to want to go there. There’s so much going on in the area and the races being the cherry on top.
What was it like to win at Kennedale last year?
Macedo: It’s definitely a different kind of place. It was fast most of the night. Our car would rotate through the corners really nice, and we could make a lot of speed. We were able to lay down a really good lap if I remember right. I think I led every lap in the Feature. I’m looking forward to going back. It’s a nice little track. We only got to run there one night last time we raced there. It’ll be cool to go back there, run two nights there, get a whole weekend in. I think it is a place where [Jason Johnson Racing] and I can shine and hopefully put together a couple of really good runs. As good as we were there last time, and as good as we’ve been on these paperclip looking tracks, I think we’ll have some success.
What is it about the paperclip style tracks that fit your style?
Macedo: I can’t really pinpoint it, but it seems like we’ve had a lot of success on tracks with that shape. Like I said, I can’t really pinpoint it. I think a lot of it is Phillip’s package. His cars just seem to make a lot of speed and get through the corners really nice on those types of tracks that are kind of stop and go. I feel like… I don’t know if it is my style, but we seem really good at those types of places. If you look back, we’ve won at Kennedale, we’ve won at Lawton (Speedway), Wilmot (Raceway), we’ve won at Tulare (Thunderbowl Raceway), we’ve won at Fremont (Speedway), I mean a lot of places that have that characteristic, event the Grove. Just seems like we run good at them places.
How do you like racing in Texas?
Macedo: I love running in Texas because I love barbecue. They got good barbecue, so I look forward to it every year. For me, living on the West Coast, it’s a direct flight into Dallas Fort Worth or one stop over into Austin. I look forward to these places every year. Phillip has some family, his sisters both live in Texas. We spend a lot of time with them. There are a few stops on the Outlaw tour I really enjoy, one of them obviously being California, the state I grew up in. Texas is definitely one of them up on the list. Pennsylvania, we have a lot of good friends and sponsors and stuff like that. I think there are certain areas of the country that I really enjoy and this swing is one of them.
Texas has a lot to offer. Austin is beautiful. I think they’re both good racetracks; Cotton (Bowl Speedway) and Kennedale both produce great racing and always seem to put on a good show.
Is there anywhere in particular you and the team like to go around the Kennedale area?
Macedo: As far as Dallas Forth Worth, Dallas is so big. We love to go to some of the barbecue joints. Hutchins BBQ is a really good place that we go to. Terry Black’s BBQ down in Austin is really good. You don’t get to go there very often so you try to get to them when you’re around the area.
Austin has a really nice little downtown area where it has a lot of bands inside the bars. It’s kind of like a mini Nashville, so we really enjoy going there and seeing that and hanging out during an afternoon or whatever. There are a lot of good places to eat. Texas reminds me a lot of California without the beaches and mountain ranges. It has everything. We like it.
Do the Texas tracks remind you of California tracks?
Macedo: Yeah, I would agree with that. Kennedale is pretty unique. It would be more similar to a Marysville (Raceway in Marysville, CA) or something like that. Cotton… they’re really kind of really similar. Cotton Bowl is just a little bit bigger and has a little less banking. I think, compared to when we were there last, it’ll get a little bit slicker.
I know the last time we were at Kennedale there was rain, so it’ll probably be different this time. They also had to start later, which made the track heavier. But now, we’ll probably start a little earlier and it’ll be a little bit slicker. But that is the thing about dirt track racing, it’s different every time you go there.
Do Texas dirt tracks have their own special characteristic?
Macedo: Not really. I don’t feel like. Both of those places are kind of paperclip like. We used to go to Devil’s Bowl (Speedway) which was big, wide and round. I don’t know. I don’t think so. They just have that black dirt like most of the country, really. Other than Pennsylvania and a few other miscellaneous places. I feel like their stuff is pretty standard, really.
Watch Macedo compete for another victory at Kennedale Speedway Park during the World of Outlaws Cowtown Classic with The Greatest Show on Dirt, Friday-Saturday, March 14-15.
BUY KENNEDALE TICKETS HERE
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.