PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE: AFTER LOSING A HEARTBREAKER EARLIER IN THE DAY, THE JJR #41 TEAM COMES TOGETHER TO SHOW THEIR STRENGTH RACING TO A DOMINANT WIN IN THE 44TH ANNUAL AGCO JACKSON NATIONALS
JACKSON, MINNESOTA (August 20, 2022 – Night) – Patience certainly was a virtue this week, and certainly on Saturday for the JJR #41 team, at the Jackson Nationals. First the teams and drivers had to wait out the impact of Mother Nature as she came through and washed out Thursday’s preliminary night of action and then reared her ugly head again on Friday forcing the postponement of the second preliminary night of racing until Saturday afternoon. Then when running in the top spot late and ultimately finishing in second place after leading laps 17 through 24 in the afternoon portion of the show he was passed on the last lap by Logan Schuchart who took the win. But, Carson Macedo and his team kept their heads up as they had some unfinished business left on the table when the darkness of night replaced the sun to set the stage for the championship finale of the 44th Annual AGCO Jackson Nationals. Carson was ready to get to work from the cockpit of the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) Albaugh – Your Alternative #41.
The busy week started on Wednesday with a golf tournament during the day followed in the evening with the traditional hauler parade through town. When the calendar flipped from Wednesday to Thursday though it was supposed to be all about the racing action for the next three days at the Jackson Motorplex starting with preliminary competition on Thursday and Friday night and ending the championship finale to cap off the event on Saturday night. But, as described above, Mother Nature made sure to create mud to slow the show and rearrange the schedule of events. The 38 sprint car teams that were parked throughout the pit area on Saturday night knew what they had to do based on the format to lock down one of the 24 starting positions in the field for a chance in the $25,000-to-win championship finale. After finishing on the podium last year at the Jackson Nationals, Carson and the JJR #41 team were looking for more in 2022. Logan Schuchart became a two-time champion, going back-to-back in the win column during the two most recent events, adding his name to a prestigious list of former winners that includes the likes of: Jason Johnson (2011 when it was run as a 360 sprint car event); Doug Wolfgang (1985, 1987, 1993 & 1996); Bobby Davis Jr. (1984); Bobby Allen (1986); Steve Kinser (1988); Terry McCarl (2003 & 2004); Sammy Swindell (2015); Kerry Madsen (2016); Brad Sweet (2017 & 2019); and, Donny Schatz (2018) to name a few.
Using a unique Jackson Nationals event format with single group qualifying for all competitors in My Place Hotels Qualifying, Carson Macedo would be the 26th car out for his two laps at speed in the Liquid Trucking/Durst Inc./Larry Davis Farms #41 Maxim. When it was his turn he pushed off, his Kistler Engines power fired as he accelerated and cruised towards the waving green flag. The second hand on the stopwatch was ticking and he was using his KSE Racing Products to meticulously steer his way around the Jackson Motorplex. He stopped the clock following his first lap in 13.293 seconds. The next time around he was a little slower with a lap in 13.433 seconds, but the quicker of his two laps was still good enough for fourth quick overall. Carson earned 95.5 points to start the night. Jacob Allen set quick time with a lap of 12.994 seconds and earned the maximum 100 points.
There were four 10-lap heat races up next . . . with a little twist. The top 32 drivers would be inverted, which meant the fastest drivers would start in row four in each of the sprints to the finish line. Passing points would be awarded though and when the heat races were completed each drivers passing points would be added to their time trial points with the top 20 point earners locking into the Jackson Nationals feature. In addition, the top eight drivers would get a chance to race against the clock again in the King of the Hill Shuffle. An added twist for the fastest four time trial drivers when setting the heat race lineups was they would get to pick what heat they wanted to race in. Jacob Allen, the fastest timer elected to start eighth in the fourth heat, second quick Brad Sweet chose Heat #3, third quick James McFadden selected Heat #2, and Carson was left having to give it a go from Heat #1 in his Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Border International/Saldana Racing Products #41. Tim Kaeding and Kalen Johnson sat on the front row with Matt Juhl and Kerry Madsen in row two. Christopher Thram and Rico Abreu were in row three as Carson shared row four with seventh starting Robbie Price with Alan Gilbertson tagging the rear of the field. They were nose-to-tail and when the green flag waved it was Kaeding to the lead as Carson muscled his way up to fifth after the first lap. He wasn’t done though as he moved by Kerry Madsen for fourth on lap three before a caution flag flew for third running Kaleb Johnson. Carson would restart on the inside of row two and when they went back to green Kerry Madsen and Rico Abreu moved back by Macedo for position relegating him back to fifth. Californian Tim Kaeding led start-to-finish to take the win with Matt Juhl coming home second, Kerry Madsen third, with Rico Abreu in fourth and Carson coming home fifth. Christopher Thram, Robbie Price, Alan Gilbertson and Kaleb Johnson completed the finishing order. By passing three cars to finish fifth, Carson earned an additional 87 points to bring his cumulative point total to 182.5.
When all of the calculators paused after the heat races, the top eight point earners would lock themselves into a King of the Hill shuffle race in place of the normal DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash. Four cars on the track racing against the clock. By virtue of his efforts to this point of the night, James McFadden had earned the most points with 232 points followed by Brad Sweet with 221.5 points in second, Jacob Allen with 201 points in third, David Gravel with 201 points in fourth, Donny Schatz in fifth with 187.5 points, Giovanni Scelzi sixth with 186.5 points, Spencer Bayston seventh with 186 points, and Carson Macedo in the Albaugh #41 in the eighth and final spot. When all was said and done, the finishing order in the King of the Hill would set the starting grid for the Jackson Nationals feature lineup. The last four in the point order would get two laps first. They would not race against each other, but rather the clock. The two fastest drivers would advance. The two slowest drivers would start in row four of the feature. It would be Schatz, Scelzi, Bayston and Macedo. When these four drivers were set loose and the laps were completed, Donny Schatz and Giovanni Scelzi were the fastest two in the set to move on, while Spencer Bayston and Carson Macedo retired to the pit area. Schatz and Scelzi were the next two out of the King of the Hill shuffle relegating them to the row three starting spots in the feature with Jacob Allen and David Gravel earning the front row, followed by Brad Sweet and James McFadden in row two for the feature.
When the Last Chance Showdown (LCS) was done, all of the starting spots in the 35-lap 44th Annual AGCO Jackson Nationals feature lineup were filled. Carson would get rolling in the Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/Motor State Distributing/Bandy and Associates #41 from the outside of row four. Jacob Allen and David Gravel brought the field to the green flag with Allen zipping into the lead ahead of the Billion Automotive #2. Carson moved the Albaugh #41 into seventh on lap one and was digging in and closing on Scelzi and Schatz. By lap 3, Carson made his way by both and into the top five. The next time around the 4/10-mile oval the yellow flag was thrown for Christopher Thram who was facing the wrong direction in turn four. Jacob Allen was leading McFadden who had worked by Gravel for second with Brad Sweet and Carson Macedo in the last two spots in the top five. When they went back to green flag racing it was Allen and McFadden dicing for the lead. On the restart, David Gravel hooked the inside curb opening a lane for Macedo to drive by into fourth. The Lemoore, California native was hooked up in the Tarlton and Son #41 and closing in on Sweet for a spot in the top three. He caught Sweet and made the pass for third on lap 7. The next time around Carson used his Kistler Engines power to motor by McFadden into the runner-up spot. Jacob Allen was setting a good pace at the point, but Macedo was coming as the leader began to navigate slower traffic on lap 11. Carson was up on the wheel and right on Allen’s bumper and on lap 16 passed the leader heading into turn one, before Jacob fought back to retake the lead when they crossed the finish line. The next time around though, on lap 17, Carson made the pass stick when he maneuvered by Allen. He wasted little time from that point forward putting a little distance between himself and Allen on the track and used the remainder of the race to solidify his leader position. Carson led the remaining laps to win the 44th Annual AGCO Jackson Nationals ahead of Jacob Allen, David Gravel and James McFadden with Spencer Bayston rounding out the top five.
After clearing the scales, Clyde Knipp used the Polaris four-wheeler to push him into victory lane where he was met by Philip Dietz, Nate Repetz, Chris Layher, Chad Newell, and Knoxville Newell. After celebrating under the falling confetti, Carson explained, “Losing that one earlier stung a lot, so it feels extra good to find some redemption in the one that counts.” He continued, “It’s incredible to stand up here with nine (WoO) wins this season. I hadn’t even won five races prior to joining JJR, and now we are able to click off wins and execute as a team when it matters most. When I was a little kid I thought the World of Outlaws was the most amazing thing in the world, so this is all still a dream come true for me. He then focused on his team, and his car owner and crew chief, by stating, “I can’t brag enough on Philip. We were horrible in that King of the Hill and I came in complaining, and he just went right to work. He did what he does best and put an incredible setup on this deal. I could go anywhere I wanted in that race. One thing we’ve learned more than anything this year is that it truly does take a team. Every piece of the puzzle matters here, especially my guys Clyde Knipp and Nate Repetz.” A great run, and win, for the forty-one!
A Victorious Night at the 44th Annual AGCO Jackson Nationals for the JJR #41 Team! Photo Credit: Trent Gower
Albaugh, LLC; Border International; Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT); Saich Family; Tarlton and Son Inc.; Boltz Family; Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions; Durst Inc.; Liquid Trucking; Bandy & Associates Accountancy Corporation; Buckwalter Trucking, LLC; Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution; Jansen Transportation; Larry Davis Farms; Meyers Constructors Inc.; Mr. Jim’s Racing; RaceDiecast.com; Sam I Am; Team Jack Foundation; Mark Burch Motorsports; T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication; Tiger Towing; All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads; AutoMeter; Bell Helmets; BMRS (Brown & Miller Racing Solutions); BR Motorsports; C&R Racing; Crow Enterprizes; Engler Machine & Tool, Inc.; Factory Kahne (FK Shocks); Fibreworks Composites; FK Rod Ends; Greber Racing Components; High Performance Lubricants, LLC; Hoosier Racing Tire; Indy Performance Composites (IPC); ISC Racers Tape; K1 Race Gear; Kistler Racing Engines; KSE Racing Products; Maxim Racing; Motor State Distributing; Premium Coach Group; Pro Powder Coating (PPC); Saldana Racing Products; Schoenfeld Headers; Smith Titanium; Vortex Racing Products; Walker Performance Filtration; Weld Racing; Wilwood Racing; Winters Performance Products; and Xtreme Body and Paint.
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.