ODESSA, MO -- It was a long tow to the Show-Me State for Dillsburg, Pennsylvania’s Anthony Macri, and although the ace of the J&S Classics/C&D Rigging No. 39M was a long way from familiar territory, the end result was nothing short of new. Macri, who led all but three circuits of the 26-lapper at I-70 Motorsports Park in Odessa, Missouri, ultimately cashed in for his fifth Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 victory of the 2022 season, scoring a $26,000 payday in the process while simultaneously bumping his overall season victory total to 17.

Although mastering I-70 from the front row, Macri’s first-ever Rayce Rudeen Foundation Race triumph did not come without a fight, forced to fend-off a mid-race challenge from St. Helena, California’s Rico Abreu, all before having to survive a three-lap dash to the finish with Buddy Kofoid on his heels.

The challenge from Abreu eventually resulted in an all-out war with Abreu taking command briefly on laps 16-18. A slip by Macri in traffic allowed Abreu to sneak by at the exit of turn four, using the bottom groove’s moisture to blast by the 39M. Not willing to give up, Macri kept pace and eventually returned the favor on lap 19, powering back by Abreu with a slider through the center of turns three and four.

VIDEO: Hear from Anthony Macri and other top finishers from Friday's race.

Macri would eventually separate himself from his fellow frontrunners only to be halted by cautions on laps 23 and 24, the latter for Rico Abreu who retired due to issues from under the hood. Suffice it to say, the momentum shift was no issue for Macri. Buddy Kofoid, who showed his nose on the final restart, raced on to finish second, followed by Justin Peck, Parker Price-Miller, and Hunter Schuerenberg.

“I really wanted this one,” Macri said in I-70 Motorsports Park victory lane. “Our first win outside of PA, so this means a ton for our team. I just can’t thank everyone for their hard work and support this season, especially my mom and dad. I’m not sure if they are still up watching or not, but we’re going to celebrate this one. I can’t express enough how much a win outside of PA means to us. This is really, really cool.”

An $8,000-to-win showcase at the Sprint Car Capital of the World, Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, will cap the All Stars’ July schedule on Saturday, July 30. The evening scoot through the Hawkeye State, which will see the All Stars battle with Knoxville’s stout weekly contention, will be a first and only for the All Star Circuit of Champions in 2022.

For those who can not witness the All Star Circuit of Champions live and in person, FloRacing.com, the official media partner and broadcast provider of the All Stars, has you covered. To access live and on-demand racing action from the All Star Circuit of Champions, visit FloRacing.com and become an annual PRO subscriber. Race fans can see all the USAC and dirt late-model action they want in addition to Eldora Speedway’s slate of races and those of the All Star Circuit of Champions. The subscription unlocks access to premium content across the entire FloSports network. Watch the events across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.