5/9/2026
Williams Grove Speedway
Kasey Kahne Drives “Super Nice Piece” Macri 39M To First Ever Outlaws Win At Williams Grove Friday
Mechanicsburg – Subbing for an injured Anthony Macri, veteran driver Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw, Washington, made the most of his golden opportunity Friday night and scored the first win of his illustrious career with the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Series by taking the first night of HVAC Distributors Morgan Cup action at Williams Grove Speedway.
The electrifying, non-stop $12,000 victory was the second of Kahne’s career at Williams Grove however as the now 46-year old pilot first scored the oval’s prestigious season opener in 2000.
Kahne earned the front row for the start of the 25-lap sprint car feature flanked by polesitter Chase Dietz.
World of Outlaws point leader David Gravel lined up in the second row along with most recent Williams Grove outlaws winner Sheldon Haudenschild.
Kahne got the jump on Dietz when action began in the main event and Dietz was immediately challenged by Gravel for second.
Gravel went low out of the second corner to snare second on the second tour before beginning to track down Kahne aboard the Macri No. 39M.
Kahne had come up on the rear of the field by lap eight and for a time was boxed out by the cars of Dylan Norris and Cole Macedo who were racing for position.
This allowed Gravel to close onto Kahne’s tail with nine away as the leader struggled to find a way through traffic.
In the meantime the third and fourth place cars of Dietz and Haudenschild caught both leaders and indeed all four drivers were in a free-for-all for the lead within the same corner on the tenth circuit.
Dietz blasted to the outside of Gravel and retook second at that point only to see Gravel reclaim the spot on the next tour.
And then Haudesnchild began surging, taking Dietz for third on lap 12 before starting a battle with Gravel.
The pair battled for second until lap 16 when Gravel finally succumbed to the pressure but not before making a third turn stab for the win only to be outdone by Kahne at the line.
With six laps to go Haudenschild was ready to make his bids for the win and he began by making a deep third turn blast but again Kahne was up to the challenge.
The front duo raced neck and neck for control for the next two laps before Kahne encroached on another backmarker with three laps left.
That’s when Haudenschild put on an outside turn two run for the ages and blasted alongside Kahne as the pair headed for the backstretch bridge.
To say the quarters were close between the pair and the outside wall would be an understatement and just then Haudenschild’s No. 18 kicked out and appeared to tag the backstretch wall.
Somehow Haudenschild not only kept his wheels underneath himself but he also avoided hitting Kahne while needing to back out of the throttle.
And this gave Kahne the room he needed to get his elusive first-ever World of Outlaws sprint car victory after making over 200 starts with the series.
Kahne’s margin of victory was just .581 seconds.
With 18 career NASCAR Cup Series wins counted among his many achievements to include triumphs in the Brickyard plus a trio of Coca Cola600’s, Kahne was a bit emotional in victory lane.
“I knew it was a special team,” he said of the Macri Motorsports operation.
“But you don’t realize until you’re on the inside.”
“It’s sure fun to win a race,” he said, “It’s so tough.”
After setting quick time in the first session of time trials Kahne called his Macri mount, “A super nice piece.”
Following Haudenschild in third was Gravel.
Dietz rode home fourth followed by Troy Wagaman Jr.
Sixth through 10th went to Buddy Kofoid, Daryn Pittman, Carson Macedo, Bill Balog and Donny Schatz.
Heats went to Kahne, Dietz, Gravel and Balog.
Kasey Jedrzejek won the C Main and Doug Hammaker won the B Main by nearly nine seconds.
Dietz earned the feature pole by winning the dash.
Freddie Rahmer was disqualified for the night after an on-track physical altercation with Cole Macedo after the pair flipped together in the first corner.
Overall fast time was set by Gravel with a lap of 16.379 seconds.
Feature Finish
5/8/26
410 sprint cars, 25 laps: 1. Kasey Kahne, 2. Sheldon Haudenschild, 3. David Gravel,4. Chase Dietz, 5. Troy Wagaman Jr., 6. Buddy Kofoid, 7. Daryn Pittman, 8.Carson Macedo, 9. Bill Balog, 10. Donny Schatz, 11. Logan Schuchart, 12. Danny Dietrich, 13. Spencer Bayston, 14. Kody Hartlaub, 15. Cameron Smith, 16. TJ Stutts, 17. Justin Whittall, 18. Lance Dewease, 19. Austin Bishop, 20. Brock Zearfoss, 21. Doug Hammaker, 22. Brent Shearer, 23. Ashton Torgerson, 24. Chris Windom, 25. Cole Macedo, 26. Dylan Norris, 27. Chad Trout
DNQ: Ryan Smith, Logan Rumsey, Kasey Jedrzejek, Emerson Axsom, Scott Bogucki, Buddy Schweibinz, Garet Williamson, Freddie Rahmer, Conner Morrell, JJ Loss, Chris Arnold, Dave Grube, Skylar Gee, Samuel Miller, Dylan Cisney, Preston Lattomus
Article Credit: Shawn Brouse
