Carson Macedo To Join Kyle Larson Racing For 2019 WoO Sprint Season; Will Drive Second Team Car At World Finals

Story By: KYLE LARSON RACING – MOORESVILLE, NC – For the first time since the team’s inception in 2014, there will be a new driver behind the wheel of the Kyle Larson Racing No. 2 sprint car. Twenty-two-year-old Carson Macedo will join KLR for the 2019 World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series season and vie for Rookie of the Year honors.

“I am really excited to have Carson join our team next season,” said NASCAR Monster Energy Cup driver and KLR team owner Kyle Larson. “I had always said that if I ever became a car owner, I wanted to provide opportunities for young up and coming drivers like the ones that were given to me as I was coming up through the ranks. I have raced with Carson since 2012, so I have been able to see his growth as a person and a competitor over the years. I think – especially in this past year – that Carson has proven he is ready to compete week in and week out with the World of Outlaws.”

In addition to Macedo, Joe Gaerte will come aboard as the crew chief of the KLR No. 2, with the support of Heath Moyle and Jakob Weaver. Gaerte and Macedo have been competing together part-time in Gaerte’s famed 3G sprint car over the past two years and have won 16 races together.

“With both Kyle and I growing up in California, I had the opportunity to watch him move up through the ranks,” said Macedo. “I have admired his career and passion to give back to the sport. To say that I’m excited about driving for KLR next year would be an understatement. This is a dream come true opportunity for me and I’m just thrilled that Kyle is willing to give a young guy a shot. We have some really good people and sponsors involved with this team and I look forward to continuing my relationship with Joe, as well as to start working with Heath and Jakob. I hope to make Kyle and the entire team proud competing on the World of Outlaws tour next season.”

The Lemoore, Calif., native is a fourth-generation driver and started racing at the age of five. He earned his career-first winged sprint car win in 2012 at the age of 15. Two years later in addition to scoring his career-first 410-winged sprint car victory, Macedo won his first World of Outlaws feature event during the opening night of the Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif.

In 2015, Macedo competed full-time with the King of the West Series for Tarlton Racing and after 21 events, the duo came out on top of the championship point standings. The following year was Macedo’s first national season as he competed for Keith Kunz Motorsports with the backing of Tarlton Racing for a 50-race midget schedule. He was named the USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year and crowned the USAC Indiana Midget Champion.

Last year, Macedo and Gaerte joined forces for the first time and scored over 10 wins primarily in the Midwest. Together they earned Macedo’s career-first All Star Circuit of Champions victory that came at Lincoln (Ill.) Fairgrounds. He also won the Canadian Sprint Car Nationals at Oshweken Speedway in Canada. This year, Macedo and Gaerte set out to compete full-time with the All Stars and won five races en route to finishing in the runner-up position in the championship point standings.

“I am looking forward to kicking things off with KLR at World Finals,” said Macedo. “It is such a tough event with so many competitors from all over as everyone’s seasons are winding down. In the past, I haven’t run as well as I have hoped, but this year with this group, I don’t doubt that we can have a great run.”

Macedo’s first race with Kyle Larson Racing will be at the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, N.C., Thursday, November 1 to Saturday, November 3. He will pilot the Tarlton and Son Inc./Complete Parts and Equipment Solutions/Chevrolet Accessories No. 22.