CHILLIN’ IN THE PIGEON HILLS: WITH THE TEMPERATURES DROPPING IN PA, THE CALIFORNIA RACER DRIVES THE LIQUID TRUCKING #41 TO A FOURTH PLACE FINISH AND SECURES THE LOW-E INSULATION SPRING SHOWDOWN CHAMPIONSHIP

ABBOTTSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA (March 18, 2023) – After rain washed out racing for the third consecutively scheduled show, this time at Williams Grove on Friday night, the sun was out as Nathan Repetz trucked the JJR #41 team south on U.S. Route 15 and across PA Route 94, Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) style, to the fabulous Lincoln Speedway for the Low-E Insulation Spring Showdown @ the Pigeon Hills. One of Central Pennsylvania’s better facilities housing the fast and racy 3/8-mile clay track, Lincoln always puts on a good show for both the teams and the fans in the stands. With all of the haulers lined up outside turn two and down the backstretch in the pit area, the crews rolled out their entries to prepare for the night of action. Carson Macedo and David Gravel entered the night tied in the Low-E Insulation Spring Showdown Championship standings that started back in Volusia. There were 49 teams registered in at the pit shack and raring to get racing on Saturday night.

As is usual and customary format wise, following hot laps the drivers and teams prepared for their two time trial laps in Low-E Insulation Qualifying. Because of the size of the field, the entrants were divided into two groups for single car qualifying. Carson would be the fifth driver to get up to speed aboard the Liquid Trucking/Winters Performance Products/High Performance Lubricants #41 Maxim. The name of the game is simple – circle the oval as quick as you can and hope your time is as fast, or faster, than everyone else’s laps in your assigned group. When it was Carson’s turn he drove up onto the track in turn three and was hammer down as he sped towards the flagstand. He shot into turn one and was down the backstretch before completing the first lap in an impressive 13.477 seconds. He was still hustling the next time around the Pigeon Hills’ facility and this time recorded his second lap even better as 13.286 seconds. His worked paid off as his blistering lap was quick time in Group A as well as overall on the night.

The black Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 with Carson Macedo behind the wheel would be on the pole with David Gravel pacing beside him in the first of four 8-lap heat races. Macedo and Gravel would pace the field from the front row with Sam Hafertepe Jr and Landon Myers in row two, James McFadden and Brent Marks in row three, Logan Schuchart and Brandon Rahmer in row four, as Kasey Kahne, Chad Trout, Lucas Wolfe, Aaron Bollinger, and Cameron Smith filled out the remainder of the field. Carson would take the top spot on the initial start, but it would be called off when the caution flag flew for James McFadden who lost the handle leaving Kasey Kahne nowhere to go to bring out the caution flag before a lap could be completed. When they restarted it was David Gravel to he lead over Macedo this time with Myers running third. They got 3 laps in the books before another caution flew, this time for Sam Hafertepe Jr. as he spun and collected Chad Trout resulting in a broken front axle on the #15H.

They went back to green and Gravel was in control with the forty-one still chasing. Logan Schuchart, from his seventh starting position, passed his Shark Racing teammate, Landon Myers, for third. They got two more laps scored before the third caution flew over the field. The yellow flag was for James McFadden again when he lost his left front wheel at speed. They went back to green with 3 laps to go as David Gravel led the field. Schuchart was driving in high and all over Macedo for the second spot. Carson was able to hold him off as they raced under the waving white flag, but Schuchart was relentless and coming out of turn four snuck by the Tarlton and Son/Team Jack Foundation/AutoMeter #41 to steal the final spot from the heat to the Toyota Dash. Carson came home third with Brent Marks and Landon Myers securing the last two transfer spots in the first heat race.

The horn sounded as the temperatures dropped below freezing with the winds blowing out of the WNW at 15 mph for the 35-lap NOS Energy Drink Low-E Insulation Spring Showdown @ the Pigeon Hills feature. Carson would get the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Durst Inc/High Performance Lubricants #41 Maxim started from back in row five from the ninth starting position with Buddy Kofoid to his outside. The 4-time and defending World of Outlaws champion, Brad Sweet, was on the pole with PA Posse member Freddie Rahmer to his outside. Row two was comprised of Rico Abreu and Devon Borden with Logan Schuchart and David Gravel in row three. Every in the expanded field, as 7 drivers used provisional starting spots which enlarged the field from the normal 24 cars to a whopping 31 cars, was racing for the race win. But David Gravel and Carson Macedo had a little extra on the line as they were also racing for the $10,000 bonus on the line in the Low-E Spring Showdown Championship. Whomever finished higher when they raced under the checked flag would take the money.

With the fans in the stands bundled up fighting the cold weather, the drivers were ready to heat things up as they battled against each other on the track. The green flag waved with Sweet seizing the lead ahead of Rahmer, Borden and Abreu. Carson moved the JJR #41 up to ninth in the early going and was searching for the fastest was around the Pigeon Hills track. It did not take long for the leaders to catch the rear of the field. Sweet was navigating traffic, but his lead over Rahmer was shrinking. On lap 8, Rahmer drove hard into turn one behind Sweet and made contact with the #49 sending him spinning up across the track at the apex of turns one and two to bring out the yellow.

Brad Sweet would now lead Devin Borden, David Gravel and Rico Abreu back to high speed racing. Sweet had the NAPA Auto Parts #49 moving at the front as the leaders were able to get four more laps in the books before another yellow flag flew to slow the field as Dylan Norris rolled to a stop in turn two.

On the restart, Carson would pace in the Albaugh #41 entry beside Spencer Bayston to his inside in row four for the side-by-side restart. Brad Sweet again raced by the orange pylon on the frontstretch in the top spot with Carson getting a fantastic start to drive forward into the fifth position when the lap was completed. He was right behind David Gravel on the track looking for an opportunity to make the pass for position. A few laps later he was successful as the two talented racers exited turn four. Macedo was now running in the fourth position and Rico Abreu was pressuring Sweet for the lead. Abreu rolled the outside and passed Sweet for the lead coming off turn two with 13 laps to go. The running order was now Abreu, Sweet, Borden and JJR’s own Carson Macedo.

The leaders navigated heavy traffic as the laps winded down with Abreu racing under the checkers to collect the win over Sweet and Borden. Carson Macedo came home fourth with Justin Peck rounding out the top five. Danny Dietrich raced home sixth, Logan Schuchart seventh, Giovanni Scelzi charged forward 13 positions from his 21st starting spot to claim eighth, with Brent Marks and David Gravel completing the top ten.

Carson’s fourth place finish in the race not only earned him the placement check, but he also claimed the $10,000 bonus for winning the Low-E Spring Showdown Championship. Carson explained, “This means a lot to us. I think it’s something really cool they put together that hopefully they continue to do in the future. I thank all the people from Low-E Insulation, that’s a good chunk of change for them to put out.” David Gravel finished second in the mini-series to collect $6,000 and Brad Sweet roared home third and received a $4,000 bonus. A very competitive – and really cold – night at Lincoln Speedway, but overall a great night for Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing #41 team!

Carson Macedo Comes Home Fourth at Lincoln and Claims the Low-E Insulation Spring Showdown Championship! Photo Credit: CS Productions – Cameron Saich

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; 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.