WRAPPING UP AT I-70 MOTORSPORTS PARK: A STRONG EFFORT IN THE TEAM JACK FOUNDATION #41 AT THE FVP PLATINUM BATTERY SHOWDOWN FINALE IS REWARDED WITH A RUNNER-UP FINISH TO RED HOT BRAD SWEET
ODESSA, MISSOURI (May 1, 2021) – Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 team were back at I-70 Motorsports Park on Saturday for the finale of the FVP Platinum Battery Showdown. After some exciting action on the opening night where the Lemoore, California speedster brought home a fourth place finish get the two-day event kicked off at the newly renovated facility, the forty-one team was looking to continue their success journey together aboard the Team Jack Foundation/Mark Burch Motorsports #41 Maxim entry. With sunny and clear skies overhead the crews were bustling in the pit area as there were 27 teams back at the track and ready to compete at I-70 Motorsports Park.
After hot laps were finished, the drivers and teams were preparing for the solo portion of the show in Slick Woody’s Qualifying, where each driver takes to the track for two laps by themselves racing against the clock. The goal is to be the fastest at the end of qualifying to position your entry atop the speed charts. Carson would be the eleventh competitor on the track for his qualifying laps around the I-70 Motorsports Park oval. With poise and passion he was excited to do what he does best – go fast in a 410 sprint car. He summoned all of the horsepower from his Kistler Engines power that catapulted the Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/Larry Davis Farms/Waco Metal #41 forward. He was moving and grooving as his Hoosier Racing Tires connected his power to the dirt racing surface. He completed his first circuit in 13.688 seconds and followed it up the next time around with a slightly slower lap coming in at 13.831 seconds. The better of his two attempts at time position him third quick overall when time trials were completed behind quick timer Sheldon Haudenschild (13.525) and second quick Brian Brown (13.649).
Carson’s best time trial effort positioned him on the front row in the third of three 8-lap Drydene Heat Races. There was a short pause in action as the track crews fixed the lights in turn three after they went off just before the start of the first heat race. When it was time for the third heat race to push off, Carson would start from the pole position with Giovanni Scelzi to his right side. The front row starters were followed by Kraig Kinser and Aaron Reutzel, with Ayrton Gennetten and Donny Schatz in row three. The drivers received the one-to-go signal from the flagman and the next time by blasted down the front straightaway into turn one. Macedo led Scelzi in the early going but the action was close. Macedo used his speed to put a little track surface between his Tarlton and Son/Complete Parts and Equipment Solutions/Bandy and Associates #41 Maxim and Giovanni Scelzi’s KCP Racing #18. Carson would lead wire-to-wire to take the heat race victory over Scelzi by 0.734 seconds, with Kinser coming home third, Schatz fourth, Reutzel fifth, and Ayrton Gennetten in sixth to lock down the final transfer position.
Getting a chance to earn his starting position for the feature event by making the 6-lap DirtVision Fast Pass Dash, Carson was hoping for some Lady Luck when he went to the frontstretch to pull his pill for his starting spot. Adorned in his Tarlton and Son Frame-2-Finish K1 Race Gear racing suit he stuck his hand into the gigantic NOS Energy Drink can and pulled his number. It was the highest one to choose from, a six, but he smiled and was ready to get to work in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Jonestown KOA/Wilwood Racing #41. Brock Zearfoss, the Jonestown Jet, would be on the pole with Sheldon Haudenschild sharing the front row. They were followed by Brian Brown and Giovanni Scelzi as Macedo shared the final row with Brad Sweet to his inside. The track was fast and polesitter Brock Zearfoss jumped into the lead at the start aboard the Moose’s LZ #3z over Haudenschild. Macedo made a bold move at the start to the outside of Scelzi and Sweet to temporarily move into the fourth position, but his momentum opened up some passing lanes for both of them to get back by. He was running in sixth where he would finish as Zearfoss took the win over Haudenschild, Brown and Sweet with Scelzi crossing the line fifth.
With all of the qualifying in the books, it was now time for the 30-lap feature event at I-70 Motorsports Park. Zearfoss and Haudenschild were on the front row with Macedo nestled into his sixth starting spot. It was now time to race for the money in Odessa. Missouri. As the field came to the green flag, Sheldon Haudenschild hustled into the lead in his NOS Energy Drink #17 with Zearfoss close behind. Macedo slipped into the fifth running position on lap one and started his pursuit of fourth running Brian Brown. On lap 3 he not only caught him, he also passed him to take over fourth. Sweet was right ahead of him and the NAPA #41 and the MVT #41 were trying to chase down the leaders. Sheldon Haudenschild was checked out in a different zip code as he was the class of the field. Sweet and Macedo though were closing in on Zearfoss as the leaders navigated lap traffic. On lap 11, Macedo had closed in on third running Sweet and tried a slide job on Sweet entering turn three that worked momentarily before Sweet turned back underneath him to drive back into the show position. Both Sweet and Macedo eventually made their way by Zearfoss as both were now in the top three behind Haudenschild who had a huge lead. With three laps to go, the first and only yellow of the night was displayed for Tim Kaeding who spun in the Tony Stewart Racing #14, but never stopped in turn two, erasing Sheldon’s lead, putting Brad Sweet and Carson Macedo nose-to-tail for the final laps in the race to the checkers. When the green flag was displayed, Sweet took advantage of the yellow and passed Haudenschild for the lead on the low side. Macedo was working a few lanes up and he too would be able to make his way by into the runner-up position in the Meyers Constructors/Pro Powder Coating (PPC)/Fuel Safe Racing Cells #41. The red hot Brad Sweet would take the win to sweep the weekend. Carson Macedo came home second with Haudenschild completing the podium in the FVP Platinum Battery Showdown finale at I-70 Motorsports Park. Another good run for the forty-one!
Consistency and Tenacity of Purpose Continue for the Team at I-70 Motorsports Park with a Podium Finish! Photo Credit: Trent Gower
Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT); Tarlton and Son Inc.; Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions; Saich Family; Border International; Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution; Jonestown KOA; Durst Inc.; Maxim Racing; The Boyd Family; Liquid Trucking; Meyers Constructors Inc.; Tiger Towing; Pro Powder Coating (PPC); Waco Metal; High Performance Lubricants, LLC; Kistler Engines; Team Jack Foundation; Mark Burch Motorsports; All Pro Auto Reconditioning; K1 Race Gear; AutoMeter; Bandy & Associates Accountancy Corporation; Bell Racing USA; Blackbeard LTD; Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS); Buckwalter Trucking, LLC; C&R Racing; Chalk Stix Torsion Bars; Crow Enterprizes; Engler Machine & Tool, Inc.; Factory Kahne (FK Shocks); Fibreworks Composites; FK Rod Ends; Fuel Safe Racing Cells; Greber Racing Components; Hoosier Racing Tire; ISC Racers Tape; Jansen Transportation; KSE Racing Products; Larry Davis Farms; Logo Daddy Graphics; Mr. Jim’s Racing; MSD Performance; RaceDiecast.com; Sam I Am; Schoenfeld Headers; T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication; Vortex Racing Products; Walker Performance Filtration; Weld Wheels; Wilwood Racing; and Winters Performance Products.
To stay connected with Jason Johnson Racing (JJR), go to www.jasonjohnsonracing.com.
To stay up-to-date with Carson Macedo and his success journey on and off the track, as well as to purchase his gear and merchandise directly, visit www.carsonmacedoracing.com.