McFadden returns to WoO Victory Lane

Aussie Sprintcar racer James McFadden has returned to the World of Outlaws (WoO) with a trip to victory lane at Pennsylvania’s BAPS Motor Speedway.

The NT born sprintcar star is running a limited World of Outlaws in 2024 in the Roth Motorsports 83SR machine, with most of his seat time this season in the new High Limit Series, an opposing top-tier US Sprintcar series co-owned by NASCAR superstar Kyle Larson.

After consecutive seasons running in the top-ten in the WoO series, McFadden has returned by taking his 12th career victory (six in 2023) in his ninth series outing this year after previously running three top-fives.

McFadden enjoys the spoils of his 12th career World of Outlaws victory. Image: Trent Gower

“To rebound tonight and win against the Outlaws is special,” McFadden said. 

“Anytime you can win a race in America is great, but against the Outlaws is something that I grew up wanting to do as a kid…and it’s great to take a little bit of money away from David (Gravel- who ran second). He’s been hogging it all lately.”

It’s the 11th track that the 35-year-old Aussie star has tasted WoO victory at, getting the win from fourth on the starting grid.

In a fierce duel with poleman Giovanni Scelzi, McFadden moved into second pretty soon after the flag dropped, eventually taking the lead on lap 15 of the 30 lapper, after previously challenging, but not quite getting in front after an earlier lap 6 restart. 

With most of the race taking place within the main groove, a slight error by Scelzi in drifting off the main line allowed a hunting McFadden to pounce the lead by getting under him on the inside.

After briefly losing the lead on the next revolution, more big runs out of Turn 2 and 3 saw the Aussie regain the lead and was in front by the next restart which came on lap 19, where McFadden then powered away for career win #12.

“It was a super tough race, you just didn’t know where to run in (Turns) 1 and 2,” McFadden added. 

“There were really big holes in the middle there. My car was really good rotating underneath them. I just thought if we bide our time there and hope Gio (Scelzi) made a mistake or lapped traffic slowed him down we’d be able to get by.”

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