The Californian will make an attempt to become Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year next season.
Cole Macedo, one of the brightest young talents in sprint car racing, will compete in the 2025 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Tour.
The 24-year-old has teamed up with Todd Carlile’s TwoC Racing for a rookie run. The biggest show in the dirtBy joining the World of Outlaws tour, Macedo is fulfilling a childhood dream and following in the footsteps of his older brother Carson.
“I’m definitely excited,” Macedo said. “Ever since I was a little kid, it’s been a goal for me and Carson to race with World of Outlaws. It’s pretty surreal. Obviously he’s already done it, but to be able to follow in his footsteps makes me so excited. I’m so thankful that Wayne and Todd and everyone at TwoC Racing are giving me a chance. I’m definitely nervous, but I think it’s going to be a blast. I think Wayne and I and the crew are going to work really well together. Todd seems like a great car owner.”
Additionally, Kevin Gobrecht’s 2020 Rookie of the Year Wayne Johnson will be back on tour as the former TwoC Racing driver has now taken on the role of crew chief for the No. 2C. Johnson recently announced his retirement from that driver’s seat after being sidelined by a racing accident earlier this year.
“Man, I’m excited,” Johnson said. “I said that over and over again when I went out there. I wish I had gotten the chance when I was 24 or 25, with the car owner I have now, and I just never had the opportunity until I was too old for it. I have a great car owner, and he didn’t want to do it without me as the driver. But when I mentioned we could get Cole, he was like, ‘Well, let’s get back to full-time outlaw racing.'”
Macedo has shown his potential over the past few years. The Lemoore, California native cut his teeth in the California bullrings before expanding his horizons with a long series of races in Ohio in 2020. His breakout year in 2021 brought him seven wins in the 410 Sprint Car, including his first at the All-Star Circuit of Champions.
This year has been particularly busy for Macedo as he racks up air miles as he travels from the West Coast to the Midwest to race. On the West Coast, he is aiming for a Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) championship with Tarlton Motorsports. They have three wins and are just three points behind the points leader. In the heart of the country, he has made plenty of starts in the No. 16T 2nd Law Motorsports.
“About a year and a half ago, I made a commitment to do as many races as possible and never sit at home,” Macedo said. “Even if I don’t feel like the car is the best, I’m going to try to make the most of it. Some of those nights were my best nights out there. I think doing as many races as possible is the key to success.”
One of Macedo’s 47 races in a 410 Sprint Car this year came with the TwoC Racing crew at Knoxville Raceway. Macedo stepped in for a local show on June 8th and went from 16th to 5th.
“We just sat down and talked about next year and this and that, and I asked him if he wanted to do some races for us this year to see if we could work together,” Johnson said. “And we came to Knoxville for a weekly show and finished fifth. Since then, we just kept talking about wanting to do it, and it all just kind of fell into place from there.”
While Macedo and the TwoC team are ready to hit the road with the World of Outlaws, both remain focused on the tasks ahead. Macedo has his sights set on the NARC title with the No. 21 Tarlton. TwoC Racing is aiming for the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) Owners Championship with Hank Davis.
But once the checkered flag is waved in 2024, the focus will turn to fulfilling a life-long goal for Macedo in 2024.
“There’s a long list of guys from my childhood that I looked up to that raced World of Outlaws,” Macedo said. “And I always told myself that one day I wanted to be one of those guys. I feel like I’m the best of the best.”
For tickets to the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car races CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap live on DIRTVision.
