SELF-RELIANT AT SKAGIT: LEMOORE NATIVE HAD HIS ELBOWS UP IN THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 RACING TO A PODIUM FINISH DURING NIGHT TWO PRELIMINARY ACTION AT THE PICTURESQUE SKAGIT SPEEDWAY
BURLINGTON, WASHINGTON (September 2, 2022) – The landscape of the United States from coast-to-coast is absolutely beautiful. Depending on your taste, there is something for everyone. That beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder, but make no mistake about it – Washington is a gem in the Pacific Northwest. It is truly majestic and naturally magnificent. Philip Dietz, along with Carson Macedo, Clyde Knipp, and Nate Repetz, are surrounded by some of this natural beauty at Skagit Speedway as they work throughout the three-day Skagit Nationals presented by Sage Fruit. It is fantastic when the sun is shining. It continues to get better when the sun is setting. And, the action at night is electrifying. After securing a fourth place finish in the opening night of action on Thursday night, the JJR #41 team was back at the track looking to continue their speed and momentum throughout the weekend. Nate was busy prepping the Hoosier Racing Tires for the night. Clyde was changing bars and finalizing the setup to start the evening. Philip was dyno testing shocks and finalizing the race plan for the night. And, Carson was getting his game face on as he checked out the track preparation before heading to the driver’s meeting. There was again a total of 31 race teams entered to compete on night two of the Skagit Nationals. It was “go-time” again at Skagit Speedway!
The order for time trials in My Place Hotels Qualifying was set by random draw when teams arrived at the track through the pill draw. The 10-time WoO winner so far this season, aboard the Liquid Trucking/AutoMeter/Larry David Farms #41 Maxim, was slated to be the 16th driver to hit Skagit Speedway’s surface for his two circuits that were being timed down to the thousandths of a second. Carson was eager to get going at the high-banked, 3/10-mile fast track. When it was his turn to fly, his Kistler Engines power came to life and he stomped down with his right foot surging forward as he built up speed to take the green flag. He was aggressive and working inside the cockpit with his elbows up. Using his KSE Racing Products to steer through the turns he exited turn four passing through the timing stripe after lap one in 12.000 seconds flat. He was soaring and continued to carry his speed through the first set of turns and down the backstretch looking to find any more giddy-up in his ride. Carson would find out soon enough as the checkered flag flew over his final lap in 11.928 seconds. The faster of his two attempts in time trials positioned the talent Lemoore, California chauffeur sixth quick overall, with Brad Sweet, for the second night in a row, setting the top speed at 11.651 seconds on night two of the Skagit Nationals.
World of Outlaws Time & Scoring Officials established the starting lineups for each of the four 8-lap heat races off of each drivers best lap in time trials. That construct put Carson Macedo on the outside of the front row beside polesitter Sheldon Haudenschild in the second heat race of the night. Donny Schatz and JJ Hickle were right behind in row two with Bailey Jean, Jason Solwold, Greg Hamilton and Noah Gass slotting into their starting positions. Sheldon Haudenschild drove the NOS Energy Drink #17 into the lead with the Durst Inc./Xtreme Body and Paint/FK Rod Ends #41 Maxim right behind and racing with Donny Schatz for the runner-up spot. The forty-one had it, but the fifteen wanted it. With one lap in the books, the yellow flag flew over the field for Greg Hamilton who spun across the frontstretch after making contact with Jason Solwold racing for position. The remaining drivers in the field lined up for the restart and got back up to speed. It was Haudenschild on the point with Macedo and Schatz hustling behind him as Hickle and Jean ran in the final two transfer positions. The racing lanes were narrow at this point of the night, so passing was at a premium. Haudenschild raced to the win by 1.357 seconds over Macedo with those two drivers locked into the dash, Donny Schatz came home third, JJ Hickle fourth and Jason Solwold got by Bailey Jean late for the fifth and final transfer position.
With the hours on the clock passing by it was getting late. Track and WoO officials made the decision to do the draw for the 6-lap DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash back in the pit area versus on the frontstretch to keep the show moving along. Maybe the change of pace would net better luck for Carson when he pulled his pill for his starting spot. There were eight pills to select from with the lower numbers being the best numbers. He would be the sixth driver to pull a pill and he pulled the six. Sheldon Haudenschild would start from the pole position and share the front row with James McFadden. Jacob Allen and 16 year old Joel Myers Jr. would share row two with Californians Corey Day and Carson Macedo in row three. Thursday night’s feature winner Logan Schuchart and the 3 time defending WoO Champion Brad Sweet paced from row four. What was on the line? Well, the finishing order of the dash would establish the starting positions for these drivers in the feature. After continued track preparation, the field rolled onto the track and into their starting spots. Carson rolled the Meyers Constructors/Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS)/High Performance Lubricants #41 into his outside row starting spot. When the green lights replaced the yellow ones the drivers were on the gas. Haudenschild led McFadden with Allen tracking right behind them. There was not a whole lot of action, but Sweet was able to power his way up to fifth as Carson maintained the sixth position. Haudenschild raced to the dash win over McFadden with Allen, Myers Jr., Sweet, Macedo, Day and Schuchart rounding out the field.
The 24-car starting field was rolling out onto the track to await engines firing for the 30-lap night two preliminary Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals feature. Clyde Knipp rolled Carson Macedo’s Albaugh #41 entry into position and headed to the cockpit to share some words of encouragement with his friend, driver and teammate. He scooted off on the Polaris four-wheeler as a push truck rolled in behind the forty-one to assist with him getting started. The Kistler Engines power began to rumble as it came alive under the Indy Performance Composites (IPC) carbon fiber hood. Carson rolled into his sixth starting position eager to get up to racing speed. It was an all-Californian row three as Macedo shared the row with Brad Sweet. After the Whiskey Myers four-wide salute to the fantastic fans each of the competitors pulled back into their side-by-side starting formation. Sheldon Haudenschild and James McFadden were poised on the front row with McFadden jumping on the accelerator first to take the lead over Haudenschild. Carson drove in front of Sweet to take control of the fifth spot early. By lap 6, race leader James McFadden began navigating lap traffic with Haudenschild pressuring him for the top spot. Carson was fending off Sweet, but on lap 9 the NAPA Auto Parts #49 driver drove by to move into the top five. The next time around Corey Day raced by Macedo who now had slid back to the seventh. The slide for the forty-one continued on lap 13 as the Shark Racing #1s of Logan Schuchart scooted by relegating Carson back to eighth. Three laps later James McFadden was still leading Haudenschild, Allen and Myers with Brad Sweet running fifth and Carson wheeling in the eighth position. The first yellow of the feature flew on lap 16 for Jason Solwold who stopped against the wall at the exit of turn four with extensive front end damage. Just before the yellow flag was displayed, Carson was able to pick up a spot when he got by Corey Day. When the field went back to green flag racing it was short-lived as the green lights were abruptly replaced by red lights when Brock Zearfoss and JJ Hickle were both upside down on the frontstretch. The drama continued to escalate as James McFadden, who was still leading the race, had mechanical issues that sent him pit side. Heartbreaking for the talented racer of the Roth Motorsports #83 for the second night in the row his nigh ended while running in the top three. Sheldon Haudenschild graciously accepted the good fortune of a “free pass” to move into the lead position. Carson would get the Albaugh #41 restarted from the sixth starting position with Haudenschild leading Allen back to the green. Macedo raced by Schuchart on the restart to move back into the top five as his forward march continued in the forty-one. The pesky yellow flag again came out on lap 19, this time for the other Roth Motorsports #83JR car of Kerry Madsen and Colby Thornhill who tangled in turn four. The restart order would be Sheldon Haudenschild, Jacob Allen, Joel Myers Jr., Brad Sweet and Carson Macedo. With 11 laps remaining, their engines came back to life and were screaming. Sheldon Haudenschild drove the NOS Energy Drink #17 into the clean air at the front of the pack over Allen. Carson hustled by Sweet to move into fourth and quickly started to track down Joel Myers Jr. who was running in the third position. With 9 laps to go another yellow flag slowed the action for the slowing car of Corey Day who was trying to limp back to the infield pit area. The field regrouped in single file order for the restart. Carson was laser focused on keeping his speed up so he could pressure Joel Myers Jr. for the third position. When they went back to green, Carson Macedo went back to work. With 7 laps to go he dove under Myers#46JR entering turn three and exited turn four in the third position. Sheldon Haudenschild still led Jacob Allen with Carson Macedo now running in the final podium spot. Haudenschild would not be denied as he raced to his ninth series victory of the season over Jacob Allen. Carson Macedo continuing his hot streak with a hard fought and earned third place finish. Sixteen year old Joel Myers Jr. did a fantastic job to come home fourth with Brad Sweet rounding out the top five. On the frontstretch, the Lemoore, California racer reflected, “It’s never easy with the Outlaws, especially when I force myself to go back and forth like that.” He continued, “Logan kind of showed me the bottom and once I found that, I could definitely make up some ground. We’ve got some work to do before the big one tomorrow night.” It’s that work ethic and determination that is behind the success of the JJR #41 team. Another good run for Macedo and the forty-one!
With both of the preliminary nights of action behind the competitors, it was now time for the team to turn their attention to Saturday night’s $25,000-to-win finale of the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals. It’s a holiday weekend, so stay up late all of your East Coasters and enjoy the show on DIRTVision as the traveling tour of stars with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series entertain the fans of the Pacific Northwest.
The JJR #41 Ends the Second Night of the Skagit Nationals with a Third Place Finish! Photo Credit: Trent Gower
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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.