NIMBLE IN NORTH DAKOTA: CARSON MACEDO AND THE JJR #41 TEAM PUT IN A WORKMANLIKE EFFORT AT RED RIVER VALLEY SPEEDWAY IN FARGO TO PIECE TOGETHER AN EIGHTH PLACE RUN IN THE DUEL IN THE DAKOTAS

WEST FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA (August 26, 2023) –Jason Johnson Racing’s August swing through North Dakota got started with a strong run forward resulting in a top five finish on Friday night for Carson Macedo at River Cities Speedway in the Gerdau presents Second Leg on the Northern Tour. After spending some time with the fans following the checkered flag as the temperatures cooled off of their Schoenfeld Headers, the JJR #41 team loaded up their racecar and equipment and trucked Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) style, a little over an hour south to West Fargo, North Dakota, for some more World of Outlaws (WoO) racing action at the Red River Valley Speedway on Saturday night. West Fargo is located in Cass County and as recently as 1989 became the city it is today when Riverside merged with West Fargo after nearly 100 years as separate entities. Home to the 3/8-mile track, and 10-time WoO champion Donny Schatz, the friendly town welcomed back the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series stars for the Duel in the Dakotas. Carson came to town as the defending winner of this race and would have to be at the top of his game if he wanted to repeat as there were 29 teams entered to complete on this night.

The time trial order for Low-E Insulation Qualifying was posted just before the driver’s meeting at the WoO Command Center listing Carson Macedo as the very last car (29th) out on the track for his two circuits against the clock. He climbed into the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Meyers Constructors/Greber Racing Components (GRC) #41 to roll into the staging lane to patiently await his turn against the time. After fellow Californian Brad Sweet completed his two laps it was Lemoore, California’s own speedsters turn to test his speed skills. When his Kistler Engines power fired Carson lowered his right K1 Race Gear racing shoe and got the ponies under the hood running like thoroughbreds. He raced underneath the waving green flag as made his way around Red River Valley Speedway for the first time trying to beat the seconds as they passed by on the stopwatch. When he exited turn four he saw the flagman drop the white flag, indicating one more lap, as his first lap time of 12.155 seconds posted on the scoreboard. He stayed in the throttle to keep his momentum moving forward the second time around hoping to find a little speed here or there. When he completed lap two, the lap time came in slightly better than the first one at 12.122 seconds. The quicker of his two attempts positioned him 9th quick overall when time trials concluded. The fastest lap of the night was posted by David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 who laid down a lap in 11.846 to earn his ninth Simpson Quick Time Award of the season.

Following Low-E Insulation Qualifying each driver’s best time was used to position them in the lineup for one of the three 8-lap heat races with the fastest drivers in time trials starting up front and the slowest drivers following behind. Carson’s 9th quick time in time trials meant he would get the Tarlton and Son/BR Motorsports/FK Rod Ends #41 started from the third position in the third and final heat race. He would be joined in row two by Spencer Bayston who drives the CJB TrueTimber #5. Buddy Kofoid and hometown favorite Donny Schatz would get started in row one with Cole Macedo and Bill Rose pacing behind in row three. Ryan Bickett, Adam Sobolik, and Reed Allex pulled into their starting spots ready to get started at Red River Valley.

When the yellow lights around the track dimmed, the green ones illuminated as Buddy Kofoid drove the Roth Motorsports #83jr into the lead. Carson Macedo was working the bottom side underneath Donny Schatz trying to make the pass for second, but Schatz used his momentum around the top to hold onto the spot. Kofoid was setting a pretty good pace out front but Carson was not letting the yellow Tony Stewart Racing #15 out of his sights. He tried the high line. He dropped to the low line. And, he was making progress.

With two laps to go he was close enough to make it interesting. Both Macedo and Schatz were up on the wheel racing for position. Schatz had it. Macedo wanted it. One to go. Schatz was rolling the top and Macedo was closing down the backstretch for one last attempt. He dropped the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 low entering turn three and was digging off turn for as Buddy Kofoid took the win. Donny Schatz held onto to second to secure the final transfer spot into the Toyota Dash with Carson Macedo coming home third. Spencer Bayston was scored with a fourth place finish with Cole Macedo and Ryan Bickett locking down the final two transfer positions out of the third heat race.

Missing out on qualifying for the Toyota Dash by one position for the second night in a row, Carson and the JJR crew just focused on getting the forty-one ready for feature action. When the 8-minute horn sounded throughout the pit area, Philip Dietz, Clyde Knipp and Nathan Repetz finished up their work so Carson could start his work in the 30-lap NOS Energy Drink Gerdau Duel in the Dakotas feature event. All of the cars were rolled out onto the track to wait for a push truck to pull in behind then to help them get started for the high speed entertainment portion of the show at Red River Valley Speedway.

Logan Schuchart and David Gravel would be the front row starters as they paced the field. Carson rolled the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Wilwood Racing/Vortex Racing Products #41 Maxim into the inside of row five with Robbie Price in the Sides Motorsports #7s. The field of talented racers were all ready to put on a show for the fans that came out to support them in North Dakota at Red River Valley. James McFadden and Giovanni Scelzi were pacing from row two. Buddy Kofoid and Donny Schatz were in row three followed by Brad Sweet and Tim Estenson.

After the Whiskey Myers four-wide salute to the fans under the stars of the night it was time to go racing at Red River Valley Speedway in North Dakota. Polesitter Logan Schuchart stomped on the gas pedal at the exit of turn four and lead the field down the frontstretch with David Gravel in tow heading into turn one. Gravel was trying to fend off the challenges of James McFadden who was digging on the bottom side of the track in his Roth Motorsports #83 entry. Soon a three car battle for position would break out between Kofoid, Scelzi and James McFadden with the latter holding onto the position.

Mid-pack Carson got shuffled back to the twelfth position in the Albaugh #41 and had some work to do. He raced in that position for the first five laps allowing some space to develop on the track before he began his march forward. Race leader, Logan Schuchart, was already racing through slower traffic at the front of the pack. The next time around though Carson picked up two positions to move into the top ten.

Carson wasn’t done yet though as he was delicately balancing his speed with some patience. He had a fast racecar but was in the middle of some high speed chaos. There was great races for positions from the front of the pack to the back. Carson continued to run in the tenth position through lap 11 when he moved up to 9th in the running order.

Logan Schuchart was opening things up at the front of the pack as he built up over a two second lead just after the halfway point of the race with Gravel running in second and Scelzi in third. Carson was right behind a group of 5 or 6 cars battling. With 9 laps to go there were passes for positions everywhere. On lap 23, Carson moved into seventh after working his way underneath Donny Schatz for position who was battling with Brad Sweet.

The Shark Racing #1s, who won on Friday night at River Cities, was in control as Gravel, Scelzi and Kofoid raced for the runner-up spot. David Gravel won the war as he raced across the finish line behind Logan Schuchart who swept the weekend in North Dakota. Buddy Kofoid rounded out the podium with Giovanni Scelzi and James McFadden completing the top five. Brad Sweet came home sixth as Donny Schatz made a last lap pass on Carson to regain the seventh position. Carson brought the Durst #41 home eighth with Sheldon Haudenschild and Spencer Bayston rounding out the top ten at Red River Valley Speedway. While not the result they were looking for as they were hoping to defend their race win, it was another good run for Macedo and the forty-one!

Hustling in North Dakota at the Duel in the Dakotas leads to an 8th Place Finish for Carson Macedo and the Forty-One at Red River Valley Speedway! Photo Credit: CS Productions – Cameron Saich

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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.