Carson Macedo wins Jason Johnson Classic opener after late pass of David Gravel
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 24, 2026
Macedo Wins Opener
Macedo won the Jason Johnson Classic opener at Texarkana 67 Speedway after a late move past Gravel gave him the lead with six laps left in the 41-lap race. The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series made its debut at the track, and Macedo turned that first appearance into a victory for Jason Johnson Racing. He started sixth in the feature, worked his way forward through a race that kept changing hands, and then finished the job. The win paid $20,000 and marked Macedo’s seventh victory of the 2026 season. It was also the 65th World of Outlaws win of his career, a number that keeps him in striking distance of another place on the series’ all-time list.
Macedo did not grab the spotlight early and hold it all race long. Cole Macedo, Logan Schuchart and Gravel all led at different points, which made the opener a true lead-swapping race rather than a simple march to the finish. That kind of event can punish any mistake, especially on a 41-lap distance where track position matters and traffic can turn quickly. Macedo kept himself in the mix from the start, moved up from sixth and waited for the opening he needed. When it came, he took the spot from Gravel with six laps remaining, then had to protect it across the final two circuits. That final push mattered as much as the pass itself, because Gravel had enough speed to keep applying pressure to the end. Macedo closed out the race cleanly and left Texarkana with another Outlaws win and a stronger hold on his place among the series’ top career winners.
Gravel, Schuchart Lead
The opener had several swings before Macedo finished the race in front. Cole Macedo led at one point, Schuchart led at another and Gravel took over as the laps wound down. That sequence gave the race a back-and-forth feel and set up the late-stage battle that decided the winner. Gravel’s time at the front put him in position to challenge for the victory, and he stayed close enough to pressure Macedo after the decisive pass. Sheldon Haudenschild, Cole Macedo and Buddy Kofoid also ended up in strong finishing spots, which added to a race that featured plenty of movement through the field. Gravel finished second, Haudenschild was third, Cole Macedo placed fourth and Kofoid came home fifth. Those results underline how quickly the top five can shift in a World of Outlaws feature when track position is in play and leaders keep changing.
Schuchart’s run mattered too, even though it ended in disappointment. A red flag came out on lap 36 after he climbed the wall and flipped. That stoppage added another layer to a race that had already been shaped by multiple leaders. It also interrupted the stretch run, leaving the final laps to decide the order. Macedo then held Gravel off over the final two circuits. In a race with that much movement and a late stoppage, the ability to finish strong proved decisive. The opener delivered a demanding test for the field and showed why the debut at Texarkana 67 Speedway drew attention. The race rewarded the drivers who could lead, recover and close.
Macedo Milestones
The victory carried more weight than a single race win. Macedo’s seventh triumph of the season added to a career résumé that keeps growing in the World of Outlaws series. With 65 career victories, he moved to one win shy of tying Bobby Davis Jr. and Craig Dollansky for 14th on the all-time World of Outlaws wins list. That places him right on the edge of another career milestone and gives the Jason Johnson Classic opener a broader place in his season than just one more checkered flag. The result also came in a race that was worth $20,000 to the winner.
The weekend still had one more race left on the schedule, and the winner of the Jason Johnson Classic finale was set to earn $25,000. That kept the event’s spotlight on Texarkana 67 Speedway after the opener delivered a fast, close finish and a strong field fight at the front. Macedo left the first night with momentum, Gravel left with a runner-up finish after leading late, and Schuchart’s flip became part of the race’s key turning points. The field also showed depth behind the top two, with Haudenschild, Cole Macedo and Kofoid all finishing in the top five. For Jason Johnson Racing, the result gave the team a win in a race that was new to the series.
