SHUFFLING THE DECK AT SHARON: CARSON MACEDO EARNS A PODIUM FINISH BEHIND THE BUCKEYE BULLET AND SHELDON HAUDENSCHILD IN THE WORLD OF OUTLAWS FIRST RETURN TO SHARON SPEEDWAY SINCE 2007

HARTFORD, OHIO (May 22, 2021) – After the hustle and bustle settled down following all of the action at Attica Raceway Park on Saturday night where Carson earned a fourth place finish, team owner and crew chief Philip Dietz rounded up Carson, Clyde, and Nate as the team climbed aboard their Border International/Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) hauler and trucked East towards Sharon Speedway for Saturday night’s first World of Outlaws race since 2007 when Steve Kinser stood in victory lane. Sharon Speedway has hosted a variety of competitive racing since the track was built in 1929. Officials at the reshaped 3/8-mile oval were ready to welcome back the traveling stars of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. With 27 teams registered and parked in the pit area, the fans were assured that they would get to see some of the best in the sprint car business ‘do what they do best’ at Sharon Speedway . . . including the track part-owner and former WoO champion Dave Blaney – The Buckeye Bullet!

After hot laps were completed, the drivers and teams made some final adjustments in an attempt to squeeze every last thousandths of a second out of their entries when they took to the track in Slick Woody’s Qualifying session. This solo portion of the show is viewed differently by many, some favorably and some unfavorably, but it allows each driver a clean race track to power their way around the racing surface in the quickest amount of time. Qualifying in time trials is a combination of art (talent) and science (technical/mechanical) with a little luck (pill draw) thrown into the mix. All three of these items contribute to the outcome for each driver and team. The driver of the Bandy & Associates Accountancy Corporation/Jansen Transportation/RaceDiecast.com #41 Maxim would be the fifteenth competitor to wheel onto the track to qualify in time trials. Never one to allow grass to grow under his feet, Carson relied on his crew’s setup and mechanics as he dropped his right foot on the gas and took off to start his first timed lap around Sharon Speedway. When he completed the first go round in 13.952 seconds, he just stayed on the gas and focused on doing what he could do with his talent from the comfort of his Fibreworks Composites custom seat with a Sharp Advantage insert the second time around. The second lap clocked in better at 13.872 seconds, with the faster of the two laps holding up for sixth quick overall. Aaron Reutzel set quick time on the night with a time of 13.342, which did not come close to Danny Holtgraver’s one lap track record of 12.707 seconds established back in 2013.

Carson Macedo and the Stars of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car Series Return to Sharon Speedway for the First Time Since 2007! Photo Credit: Alloway Action Images

There were three 8-lap Drydene Heat Races on the itinerary for the night. Carson would start heat three from the outside of the front row beside polesitter Sheldon Haudenschild. Donny Schatz and Henry Malcuit were in row two followed by Brock Zearfoss, Darin Gallagher, George Hobaugh, Darren Pifer, and Brett Brunkenhoefer. The top two finishers would earn spots in the DirtVision Fast Pass Dash with the next four finishers securing spots in the feature. After Friday night’s heartbreak, Sheldon Haudenschild was on a mission and when the green flag waved he darted into the lead over Macedo who was wheeling the Team Jack Foundation/Mark Burch Motorsports/BMRS #41 from the second spot. Haudenschild was building his lead with each completed lap. He eventually would have a huge advantage over the rest of the field before a yellow for Darin Gallagher flew with two laps to go. Under the yellow third running Donny Schatz rolled to a stop on the frontstretch with mechanical issues and headed back to the pit area. The caution bunched the field back up as Haudenschild would lead Macedo and Hobaugh back to the green flag. Carson would have his hands full with George Hobaugh though on the restart as Hobaugh drove his #40 hard into turn one on the low side and made the pass momentarily for position on the exit of turn two. Carson got his elbows up and used the outside lane to drive hard down the backstretch to reclaim the coveted runner-up spot through the next set of turns. Haudenschild crossed the finish line first followed by Macedo and Hobaugh with Zearfoss, Pifer, and Malcuit securing the final transfer spots.

The top two finishers from each heat race headed to the frontstretch to pick their starting positions for the 6-lap DirtVision Fast Pass Dash. Carson would be the last driver to pick, which certainly would take the guessing out of where he would start as there would only be one pill left. As he waited patiently for his turn, he was being bestowed some good luck at the high numbers were disappearing. When it was his turn there was only a ‘3’ pill remaining, which would put him on the inside of row two with Aaron Reutzel to his outside. The front row was made up of Sheldon Haudenschild and Sye Lynch. David Gravel and 1995 World of Outlaws champion Dave Blaney sat in row three. When the green flag waved Haudenschild again drove into the lead. Behind him there was an incredible three car battle for second between Macedo, Reutzel, and Lynch. Macedo was low, Reutzel was high, and Lynch was looking for racing room. Reutzel would come out of the mix with the runner-up position as Macedo was in command of the show position. Haudenschild was making it look easy and was completely dominate taking the win by 6.091 seconds over Reutzel, Carson brought the Tarlton and Son Inc./Liquid Trucking/AutoMeter #41 Maxim home third as Blaney, Gravel, and Lynch rounding out the finishing order.

The grandstands were absolutely packed with sprint car fans. The crews were making their final changes for their drivers. The drivers were putting on their game faces as they were ready to climb into their high speed offices for the 35-lap NOS Energy Drink feature at Sharon Speedway. The last time the traveling tour of WoO stars were at Sharon Speedway, “The King” Steve Kinser stood in victory lane back in 2007. Who knew what was in the cards this time as Sheldon Haudenschild was certainly the “Ace of Hearts” for the fans as an Ohio born native as well as hometown boy Dave Blaney. Could Carson Macedo, Aaron Reutzel or David Gravel be one of the wild cards? Only time would tell how things would shuffle out in the deck on this night. Carson Macedo climbed into his Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/FK Rod Ends/Fuel Safe Racing Cells #41 Maxim as he awaited a push truck to help fire his Kistler Engines power. The field paced with eager anticipation of green flag racing. The time was here and each driver had their right foot ready to drop on the gas. Coming off turn four, Sheldon Haudenschild continued his dominant night as he drove into the lead around the extreme top of the speedway. Carson Macedo was wheeling on the low side and took control of the runner-up spot. He was keeping the NOS Energy Drink #17 within striking range through the first 8 laps of the race before Dave Blaney caught up to the #41’s rear nerf bar cruising through the middle of the track. The wily veteran in his own #10 moved to the bottom and the next lap passed the Lemoore, California wheelman. Haudenschild was now way, way out front with Blaney and Macedo running in the top three. Haudenschild was using his talent and skills to drive around the cushion, which was now right up against the hard metal outside fence. Occasionally his right rear would kiss the fence, but the talented chauffeur stayed on the gas and continued to build his lead. Macedo was in the midst of an epic battle with David Gravel for position through the middle stages of the event. With five laps to go a yellow flag came out for Aaron Reutzel who was driving a similar line as Haudenschild, but now slowed with a flat and shredded right rear Hoosier Racing Tire. Sheldon Haudenschild’s huge lead was erased and now Blaney, Macedo, and Gravel had a shot to upset the deck. Using the single file restart formation, Haudenschild brought them back up to speed, but Blaney was not going anywhere as he was within striking distance. On the last lap, one last shuffling of the deck occurred when Haudenschild made hard contact with the outside fence on the exit of turn two allowing Dave Blaney to blow by on the bottom to secure the win. Sheldon came home second with Carson rounding out the podium as David Gravel and Brad Sweet completed the top five. With the fans going wild celebrating their own Buckeye Bullet winning his first World of Outlaws feature since 1997 and an all-Ohio sweep of the top two spots, Macedo settled for third with a smile and a lot of humility and admiration. He stated, “Dave was pretty good on the bottom.” He continued, “Philip Dietz, Clyde Knipp, and Nate Repetz are doing a really good job. I am happy for Dave Blaney! I am also proud of this JJR team and all our sponsors. We have had a lot of strong and consistent runs lately at the front of the pack.” A point well worth noting. Another great run for the forty-one!

A Podium Finish Allows Carson Macedo to Share the Stage with Ohio Natives Dave Blaney and Sheldon Haudenschild in the World of Outlaws Return to Sharon Speedway! Photo Credit: Alloway Action Images

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.