LEGIT AT LAKESIDE: HAULING TO THE “HEART OF AMERICA” AT LAKESIDE SPEEDWAY, MACEDO DRIVES THE WELD RACING #41 MAXIM NEAR THE FRONT OF THE PACK AT THE MICRO-LITE HARVEST RUMBLE TO COLLECT A 5TH PLACE FINISH

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS (October 14, 2023) – Kansas City lies on Missouri’s western edge sharing the border with Kansas. It is very near the geographic center of the United States, at the confluence of the nation’s longest river, the Missouri River, and the Kansas River. Because of those facts the city adopted the official slogan “Heart of America” which continues today. The town is known for its barbeque, jazz heritage and fountains. Yes fountains as the city boasts more outdoor water features than any other city in the United States. But on Saturday night though, after heavy wind and cold temperatures canceled the racing at 81 Speedway in Wichita, Kansas Friday night, just a few miles outside of Kansas City on the Kansas side of the border at Lakeside Speedway some outlaws, namely the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series stars invaded the area to put on a show at the Micro-Lite Harvest Rumble. There were 29 beautiful haulers and race teams ready to compete for the winner’s share of the purse throughout the pit area at the 4/10-mile speedway.  

After pulling a low pill number at the World of Outlaws (WoO) command center, Carson Macedo would be scheduled to be the first driver out for his two time trial laps in Low-E Insulation Qualifying aboard the Liquid Trucking/Schoenfeld Headers/Pro Powder Coating (PPC) #41 Maxim entry. He was snugly strapped into his high speed office with his K1 Race Gear gloves and Shifty Illusions custom painted Bell Helmet on and was ready to go. Sheldon Haudenschild actually pushed off first and when he finished his two laps, Carson’s engine came to life off turn four as he built up his speed to take the green flag to start the clock. He was looking to marry his horsepower from being supplied from his Kistler Engines power plant to the traction being driven off his Hoosier Racing Tires to produce the best time in his race against the clock. When he crossed under the waving white flag, his first lap time was recorded at 14.923 seconds. He stayed hammer down and hustled through the first set of turns for the last time before screaming with speed down the backstretch. When he exited turn four he saw the black and white checkered cloth waving. This time the stopwatch read 14.857 seconds for lap two. The better of his two times was 7th quick overall for the night. Current point leader, Brad Sweet, was the quickest driver overall with a lap time of 14.499 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award at Lakeside Speedway.

The heat race lineups were compiled and posted for each of the three 8-lap qualifying races that transferred the top six finishers from each to the feature. The forty-one driver, based on Carson’s best time trial lap, would get rolling from the inside of row three with Spencer Bayston pacing side-by-side with him. Brad Sweet and Donny Schatz were in the front row leading the field with Noah Gass and Ayrton Gennetten making up row three. Tasker Phillips and Kameron Key followed behind in row four with Jack Dover and Kelby Watt in the final row. The field was set in the two-by-two starting formation as the lights around the track were turned off in anticipation of the green flag waving.

Off turn four the engines accelerated as they blasted down the front straightaway and through the first set of turns. Brad Sweet was the first driver off turn two with Donny Schatz running close behind. Spencer Bayston used the high side to roll around Carson into the third position on lap one. Carson had a fast racecar and used that speed to stay with the driver of the TrueTimber #5 the next time around. Macedo drove in low and slid up across the track exiting turn four to reclaim the show position with six laps to go. Meanwhile, Brad Sweet had checked out up frond building a lead of over 2 seconds over Schatz when the white flag waved. Sweet raced to victory by 2.301 seconds over Schatz with Carson bringing the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Border International/Premium Coach Group #41 Maxim home third. Bayston was scored with a fourth place finish with Noah Gass and Ayrton Gennetten securing the final two transfer spots out of the first heat race. Each of those six drivers had locked into the Micro-Lite Harvest Rumble feature event.

Carson just missed out on the advancement opportunity to the Toyota Dash, so he and the crew patiently waited out the track prep that delayed the start of the feature. With weather, specifically rain, moving into the area the air horns were finally sounding as Johnny Gibson started to announce the starting lineup for the 25-lap Micro-Lite Harvest Rumble feature over the microphone. The feature was reduced by 5 laps due to track conditions. Carson Macedo would get the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Factory Kahne (FK) Shocks/Xtreme Body and Paint #41 started from position seven in row four. Kasey Kahne pulled alongside him in the Karavan Trailers/FuelME #9 eager to get started. Brian Brown, the local favorite, would start on the pole with Donny Schatz to his outside and Brad Sweet and Giovanni Scelzi in row two. David Gravel and Sheldon Haudenschild were slowly pacing in row three ready to go racing.

Brian Brown guided the starting field to the chalk stripe in turn four as they saw the green flag. When he arrived it was a drag race between himself and Donny Schatz down the front straightaway to see who could get to the first turn the quickest. It was Brown leading the opening lap followed by Schatz, Sweet and Scelzi with 24 laps to go. Carson was wheeling the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 from the eighth spot as ninth starting Scott Bogucki snuck by on the opening circuit. The next time around Kasey Kahne would move by too with Carson holding down the ninth spot. It was early and Carson was ready to start clawing and scratching his way forward.

On lap 3, he did just that as he raced back by both Kahne and Bogucki to reclaim his starting position back. In front of him, David Gravel was moving forward and by lap 8 he was now pressuring Brown for the lead and he took it. The determined driver had the Big Game Motorsports/Huset’s Speedway #2 hustling at the front of the pack.

On lap 13, the action was slowed when the #7W of Tasker Phillips shredded his right rear tire. It was David Gravel leading Giovanni Scelzi, Brad Sweet, Donny Schatz and Sheldon Haudenschild. Carson Macedo would get restarted from the seventh position right behind Brian Brown for the single file restart. They went back to green with Gravel still showing the way with 12 laps to go. Brad Sweet and Donny Schatz were moving forward as Carson passed Brian Brown and was now running in the sixth position.

With 5 laps to go it was Gravel, Schatz, Sweet, Scelzi and Haudenschild who was just ahead of Macedo. The leaders were fast and in lap traffic. They were racing high. They were racing low. And, they were racing everywhere in between. Gravel committed to the high side and got slowed slightly with two laps to go allowing Donny Schatz to race by into the lead on the bottom. Carson was up on the wheel too as his Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 was getting faster late in the race. He moved by Sheldon Haudenschild into the top five on lap 24.

When the white flag was thrown indicating one lap to go it was Donny Schatz out in front of David Gravel and Brad Sweet. Carson had the Albaugh – Your Alternative/High Performance Lubricants/Greber Racing Components (GRC) #41 moving in fast forward as he completed the final lap. Donny Schatz would collect his fourth win of the season ahead of David Gravel, Brad Sweet and Giovanni Scelzi with Carson Macedo locking down the fifth spot. Another good run for Carson and the forty-one team! It was there 48th Top 5 finish of the season – a 64% Top 5 Success Rate. Soon after the checkered flag flew, the rain started to fall as the World of Outlaws officials and SLS Promotions team did their best all night to put on a show for the fans.

Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 Sprint Car Team will head back where it all started in 1978, Devil’s Bowl Speedway, next Friday and Saturday night to race in the final races ever at the track in the two-day Sprint Car Stampede event. If you cannot make it out to see this historic event live, certainly tune into DIRTVision to watch all of the action at this incredible half-mile facility.

After A Long Night of Racing at Lakeside Speedway in the Micro-Lite Harvest Rumble Carson Macedo Grabs a Top Five Finish in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41! Photo Credit: Trent Gower Photography

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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.