CHASING THE PRIZE: CARSON MACEDO AND THE TEAM GAVE IT THEIR BEST SHOT AT THE ELDORA MILLION DRIVING THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 TO A RUNNER-UP FINISH IN THE RICHEST SPRINT CAR RACE IN HISTORY

ROSSBURG, OHIO (July 13, 2023) – When the sun came up over northwestern Ohio on Thursday morning the anticipation in the air was electric. Why the excitement? Well, not only was it National French Fry Day around the country, it was also The Eldora Million finale for the stars of the sport of sprint car racing at Eldora Speedway of course. The fact that Tony Stewart and the team at Eldora would invest in the sport at that level should make you absolutely giddy if you are a fan of sprint car racing. Over four nights of racing they committed over $2 million in purse money with $1,002,023 going to the winner of The Eldora Million on Thursday night. After finishing in runner-up position to Rico Abreu in the second Twin 25 feature on Wednesday night, accumulating a total of 590 event points, Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 team were positioned well for their shot during The Eldora Million remaining race format on Thursday. The pit area was filled with the drivers and teams back at the track to take a shot at the big money. Each team’s journey would be different based of their accumulated event points from the previous night of racing at Eldora Speedway, but sprint car racers are competitors and they were ready no matter what their position. These opportunities to race for this type of money don’t come along very often, so you just don’t ever know. Each driver has to go out and give it their best. They have to lean in and make the best of whatever hand they have been dealt.

As referenced above, Thursday’s race format carried forward the work each of the drivers did on Wednesday night in their separate groups based on the amount of “Every Lap Matters Points” they accumulated. The groups would come together and line up in one of the six 10-lap heat races. The lineups for those races were established using those earned points from Wednesday night. The highest six point earners would start on the pole position for each heat race with the outside front row being occupied by the next six. That formula would be followed for every position for each of the lower point earners, in descending fashion, to fill in the remainder of the starting positions for each heat race lineups. When the checkered flag flew over each race only the top three finishers in each heat race would advance on and lock in to The Eldora Million. Finishers in positions four through six would move on to the B-Feature, with the drivers in finishing positions seven on back having to race their way forward through one of the two C-Features. Each driver and team knew what was at stake and what they had to do. It was not going to be easy for anyone . . . and certainly should not be with a million dollars awaiting the driver who conquered the competition and the format. As Tony Stewart remarked leading up to the event, “For a million dollars you will find a way to pass cars.”  

The drivers scanned each of the heat race lineups when posted to find out where they would start as well as taking a glance at what competition surrounded them. For Carson Macedo as the high point driver after the preliminary night, he knew he would get the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Engler Machine & Tool/High Performance Lubricants #41 Maxim started from the pole position in the first of six 10-lap heat races. He would roll onto the front row alongside Justin Peck who is always fast and chauffeurs the Buch Motorsports #13. Ironically both of these talented drivers have shown tremendous individual toughness and resilience, both mentally and physically, this season after violent crashes at Knoxville Raceway for Carson Macedo and Bridgeport Motorsports Park for Justin Peck earlier this season. The dynamic front row duo was followed by an equally impressive group behind them with Brent Marks and Sheldon Haudenschild rolling in row two. Row three was comprised of versatile and exciting Brady Bacon and Jordan Ryan. Pennsylvania weekly regulars Justin Whittall and Austin Bishop were in row four. Plus, there were three additional rows as 14 cars were scheduled to start the heat race with Jamie Veal, Zach Hampton, T.J. Stutts, Bradley Ashford, Carl Bowser and Brent Matus filling the remaining starting spots.

There was a lot at stake, so getting a good start would be paramount for each of the 410 cubic inch cowboys. The starting field was pacing slowly in their two-by-two starting formation when the flagman shook the rolled up white flag out signaling one to go before they would go green. Each of the driver’s right foot was trembling with energy and excitement as they were ready to get to work when they exited turn four. When Macedo and Peck arrived between the two green lines painted on the wall they saw the green flag was waving high overhead and dropped the hammer. Carson Macedo led the field into turn one and off turn two. It was early and the track was racy. When the first lap was completed it was Macedo leading Peck, Marks and Haudenschild with 4.5 miles, or 9 laps, of racing to go.

Every position mattered. Carson was moving in the Complete Parts and Equipment Solutions #41 working the fast lane in clean air, but racing action was slowed on lap 3 after Bradley Ashford spun and was sitting sideways in turn four. It would be a double file restart when the field would go back to green, but before that each driver had to make a choice at the Whistle Stop Restart Cone – inside or outside? Carson chose the inside with Peck the outside to set the front row for the restart.

The green flag was back out with the Albaugh #41 to the lead but Brent Marks used the low side to drive by Justin Peck into the runner-up spot. Marks was not done and challenged Macedo for the lead through the first setoff turns before the Lemoore, California driver came back to take command.

Halfway and things were about to get dicey. One lap later the yellow flag was back out for Jamie Veal who had a flat right rear tire. Carson was still leading Marks, Peck, Haudenschild and Bacon. All were vying for one of the three transfer positions and nothing was guaranteed. When the field of drivers went back to green flag racing, Carson got a good jump at the start to maintain the first position with both Peck and Haudenschild getting by Marks. It was about to go down, but the start was called off when the red flag was displayed for Veal again as he was upside down in turn one.

They again chose where they would restart, inside or outside, with 4 laps to go and only three transfer positions available. The engines re-fired and they were ready to go back to green flag racing. Coming off turn four calamity ensued as Haudenschild got into Marks’ left side when he tried to squeeze through a small opening in the middle collecting Brady Bacon and ending the heat race for Haudenschild. With the yellow flag back out the remainder of the field kept making laps under yellow flag conditions.

Once again officials tried to get the race restarted so they could complete the last 4 laps as the remainder of the field filed into their restart positions. Green again with Brent Marks seizing the opportunity and driving into the lead momentarily ahead of Macedo in turn one. Carson turned the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) #41 back underneath Marks on the exit of turn two to regain the lead. He would stay up top with one lap to go and raced off turn four under the checkers. But the yellow flag came out for T.J. Stutts who stopped in turn two. More pace laps under caution flag conditions.

They went back to green eventually, but second running Brent Marks was off the pace right from the start as Justin Peck and Justin Whittall both raced by as the M&M Painting #19 sank in the running order. He was out of gas as throughout the heat race they ran too many laps under caution and green fag conditions. Was everyone else getting low too as normally teams do not top off their tanks for a heat race? The answer was yes.

The final laps were winding down and this time by the flagman had that white flag unfurled when race leader Carson Macedo darted by the flagstand. Justin Peck was running in second with Justin Whittall holding down the last transfer position in third place. With just a half mile to go the key was to not make any mistakes. They were single file at the front throughout the last lap with Macedo taking the victory in the first heat race. Carson was followed across the finish line by Peck and Whittall as they rounded out the top three to transfer into The Eldora Million. In what turned out to be an expedition versus a sprint was final over.

All of the qualifying was now in the history books, what started out with 83 teams was now whittled down to just 24 drivers looking to carve their name forever into that same book of facts by winning the $1,002,023 Million Dollar-To-Win Eldora Million 50-lap feature. The heat race winners would line up in positions one through six with the second place finishers just behind them in position seven through twelve. The third place finishers would line up in position thirteen through eighteen as the top three in each of the two B-Features would fil in the remaining lineup throughout positions nineteen through twenty four. Where they started in those groups of six would be determined by random draw.

The field of talent was just incredible. You could close your eyes and point and when you opened them your finger would be directed at a driver with great accomplishments to their name. The drivers who earned the front row starting spots by the luck of the draw were Carson Macedo and Logan Schuchart, the winners of heat races one and two. They would be followed by Aaron Reutzel and Brad Sweet in row two with David Gravel and Kyle Larson in row three. The next three rows would be filled in order by Justin Peck, Brian Brown, Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Donny Schatz and Giovanni Scelzi.

The track work was completed and it was now time for 50 laps around the famous and beloved half mile dirt oval affectionately called the “Big E”, for the big money at Eldora Speedway. Carson Macedo climbed into the cockpit of his Maxim Racing rocket and buckled into his Crow Enterprizes safety belts. He pulled them snug and then secured the chin strap of his Shifty Illusions custom painted Bell Racing helmet. He was focused and ready to go racing – Macedo style – as he rolled the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 into his outside front row starting position!

There were fireworks and pyrotechnics exploding everywhere but the hot and sultry Dog Days of Summer were about to get even hotter . . . at least in Rossburg, Ohio at Eldora Speedway. It was time to get this show started in front of a packed house of sprint car fans chirping with excitement. The front row starters followed Eldora Speedway’s Ford Performance Raptor pace truck as it guided the field around on the final pace lap. It pulled off the track as the field of talent headed towards the green flag at the Eldora Million. The fans were in a near frenzy. It was about to go down. The flag was out and waving in the air as the venue was filled with the sweet sound of 410 sprint car engines.

Logan Schuchart drag raced Carson Macedo down the front straightaway with Brad Sweet making a bog run early on the opening lap. But the initial start was negated when the red flag came out for Cole Duncan who got his right rear into the wall in turn one to bring out the red flag.

When they got re-fired and headed back to the green flag, it was Schuchart leading Macedo and the field when he exited the first set of turns. These two young guns were showing the way early and both had a lot of speed. Brad Sweet though was up on the wheel of his NAPA Auto Parts #49 in third and staying in the mix. Aaron Reutzel was running fourth with David Gravel in fifth.

Schuchart had a really good race car and was fast at the front with Macedo and Sweet keeping pace. Sweet raced into second as he passed Macedo. Throughout the first 10 laps though it was really David Gravel and Aaron Reutzel wo were putting on a show as they swapped the fourth position multiple times. As they headed into the next 10 laps Carson was tracking down Sweet and made the pass for position on lap 14. It was now Schuchart leading Macedo and Sweet with Gravel and Reutzel still battling and Kyle Larson moving into the mix.

After lap 20 was completed, the planned competition yellow was displayed with the top five in the running order being Schuchart, Macedo, Sweet, Reutzel and Larson who got by Gravel. The crews could change tires, refuel and make setup adjustments under the “Open Red” flag conditions. The drivers would get a little bit of a breather as they communicated with their crews and focused for the remainder of the race. The five minutes flew by as the air horn sounded alerting the crews they had to be off the track in 2 minutes. The crews finished up their work and put their trust in their driver’s hands for the balance of the night. Carson would restart the Albaugh –Your Alternative #41 Maxim from the second position. He was surrounded by a talented set of drivers who knew only 30 laps sat between themselves and the million dollar paycheck for the winner. It was go time!

Logan Schuchart brought the field back to the green in his Shark Racing #1s with Carson Macedo on his rear nerf bar and Brad Sweet giving chase. The speed was quickly halted when there was a massive multi-car flip in turn two involving Aaron Reutzel, Kyle Larson, Spencer Bayston, Giovanni Scelzi and Lachlan McHugh. Everyone flipped after Reutzel got sideways racing for position and slid up the track in front of Larson leaving the driver of the #57 nowhere to go. Bayston, Scelzi and McHugh also had absolutely no room at speed so they all were collected too. All of the drivers were ok.

After a long red flag stop to clean up the wreck’s carnage, the yellow lights came back on and the engine re-fired. There were still 30 laps to determine the winner when they came back to the green flag. Logan Schuchart wasn’t about to give up the lead as Carson Macedo was locked into the second spot ahead of Brad Sweet, David Gravel and Brian Brown. Schuchart was setting his pace at the front as Sweet snuck by Macedo for Second before Macedo took it right back.

The running order at the front did not change, but with 10 laps to go it was Schuchart, Macedo, Sweet, Gravel and Abreu. There was no change with five miles of racing remaining. Logan Schuchart and the Shark Racing team would not be denied as they raced to an incredible win with Carson Macedo coming home second with Brad Sweet rounding out the podium positions. David Gravel and Rico Abreu completed the top five.

While Logan Schuchart and the Shark Racing #1s team were celebrating their huge win, Carson and the team did everything they could to position themselves and just came up a little bit short. But they were all grateful for the opportunity and their second place run which paid $100,000. Another great run for the forty-one!

Carson Macedo Brings Home the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 with a Runner-Up Finish at The Eldora Million! 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.