SPEED DISRUPTED EARLY: THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 TEAM OVERCOMES EARLY CHALLENGE TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER TO EARN AN 8TH PLACE FINISH IN THE FINALE OF THE TEXAS TWO-STEP AT COTTON BOWL

PAIGE, TEXAS (March 16, 2024) – With night one of the Texas-Two Step in the books at Cotton Bowl Speedway, which saw Brent Marks holding the checkered flag in victory lane, Carson Macedo and the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 team were poised and ready to roll around the 3/8-mile racetrack again. Carson and the JJR #41 team secured a runner-up finish in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 on the opening night after leading a large portion of the race only surrendering the lead with three laps to go. As the fans were making their way into the venue and finding their seats in the bleachers, a quick survey of the pit area revealed that 22 teams were back and ready to race each other for the winner’s share of the purse in the finale. It was once again ‘go-time’ at Cotton Bowl Speedway World of Outlaws’ style for the final night of the Texas Two-Step!

The evening opened with each racer competing in Sea Foam Qualifying for speed on the clock as the clock doesn’t tell any missed truths. Each driver is afforded two laps at speed with the faster of their two circuits around the 3/8-mile oval representing them on the final speed charts as well as positioning them in the starting lineup for the heat races. It was go time at Cotton Bowl Speedway as Logan Schuchart on the Shark Racing #1s would be the first driver to hit the track. Carson Macedo was sitting in the office of the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 Maxim while waiting in the staging area for his turn to race against the clock. Carson slowly rolled forward as he would be the 17th driver to race against time. The push truck tapped the rear nerf bar of the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Winters Performance Products/Bandy & Associates #41 and the engine fired. The Californian speedster likes these smaller venues and hustled the accelerator as he headed down the backstretch and into turn three. Something broke in the rear end sending him into the wall and upside down ending his chance to even start the clock. Fortunately he was ok, but they would not have time to make any repairs so he did not get a chance to record any time relegating him to 22nd quick overall. Giovanni Scelzi ran the quickest lap of the night at 13.677 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award.

The JJR #41 team pulled down a new car to prepare it for heat race action. They had to hustle as the officials of the World of Outlaws were appropriately keeping the show moving along with weather in the area. Compounding the sense of urgency was the fact that the Lemoore, California driver would be in the first of three 8-lap races and the timing and scoring officials posted the heat race lineups.

The talented driver of the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Jansen Transportation/Scott Boyd Family #41 Maxim escaped to his safe haven, the cockpit, as he buckled into his Crow Enterprizes safety belts and pulled on his Shifty Illusions custom painted Bell Helmet. Carson would start from the 8th position and roll in beside Jacob Allen, a one-time winner with the High Limit series this season, in row four. Quick timer Giovanni Scelzi would be on the pole with Brock Zearfoss sharing the front row. Buddy Kofoid and Landon Crawley were in row two with Aaron Reutzel and Jace Park in row three. Carson had some work to do and was confident and ready to execute.

When the caution lights dimmed each driver gripped their steering wheel a bit tighter ready to get up to speed. Brock Zearfoss used the outside lane to take the top spot ahead of Scelzi with Crawley and Kofoid battling behind. Carson immediately went to work and was running in the fifth spot when the first lap around was complete. Aaron Reutzel was right behind him waiting to seize on any opportunity if Macedo left the door open. That would not happen though as Brock Zearfoss raced to a 1.599 second win over Scelzi with Crawley and Kofoid right behind. Carson maneuvered the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 to a fifth place finish to improve his starting spot in the feature.

With the Toyota Tundra TRD Pro pacing the field for the opening night’s 30-lap NOS Energy Drink Texas Two-Step Finale feature at Cotton Bowl Speedway, it was time for “The Greatest Show on Dirt” to do their thing at speed in front of these great fans from the Lonestar State and everyone tuning in on DIRTVision. The front row was comprised of Toyota Dash winner Donny Schatz as he was flanked by Giovanni Scelzi. It was an all Pennsylvania row two with Friday night’s winner Brent Marks was on the inside and Logan Schuchart on the outside. Row three featured Bill Balog and Brock Zearfoss.

After the team continued to make updates to the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/C&R Racing/Premium Coach Group #41 backup car for their driver, Carson was now ready to go from the 13th starting spot on the inside of row seven as he was rolling beside Garet Williamson. He is a racer and was ready to go.

The green flag waved over the field as Donny Schatz led Giovanni Scelzi through the first set of turns, but Scelzi drove his orange #18 by the Ford Performance #15 off the second turn to claim the early lead as he was displaying his speed. Carson was on the move too as he picked up three spots early to enter the top ten in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 Maxim.

Carson was battling with Sheldon Haudenschild as the swapped the ninth and tenth position on laps two and three. The red flag came out on lap 4 when the #42 of Preston Perlmutter flipped his entry. He was ok. When the engines re-fired it was Scelzi choosing the inside lane for the restart as he led Schatz, Schuchart, Marks and Balog back to the green flag with Carson restarting tenth. It is tight racing back in the pack and when racing resumed Carson got shuffled back to 12th place.

A lap later the red flag was again displayed, this time for Jace Park, Garet Williamson, and Matt Covington who got upside down in the turn. The engines were silenced, but the driver’s minds were active as they were planning their strategies for the remainder of the race.

Leader Giovanni Scelzi brought them back to the green flag with Schatz, Marks, Schuchart, Gravel and Sheldon Haudenschild now chasing him. David Gravel moved the Huset’s Speedway #2 by Schuchart it what would turn out to be an epic battle for position the remainder of the way between the two talented drivers.

Carson was mired back in position just outside the top ten, but was working feverishly to take advantage of anything that was afforded to him. Just before the halfway point of the race Brent Marks was on the prowl and moved by Schatz into the runner-up position. When the crossed flags were displayed it was still Giovanni Scelzi out front with Marks, Schatz, Gravel and Schuchart all vying for position.

On lap 18, Carson moved the JJR #41 by Jacob Allen into a position one spot out of the top ten. His move forward was part of the plan, but was happening slower than he anticipated. The determined speed chauffeur was not about to give up. Too much at stake to just be satisfied.

After dominating most of the feature, with 6 laps to go Giovanni Scelzi was under heavy friendly fire from second running Brent Marks. The two racers diced cleanly for the lead with the California racer holding the spot away from the Pennsylvania chauffeur. The high speed action was halted once last time on lap 28 when Scelzi’s brother, Dominic who was running in the eighth position, made contact with the outside retaining wall on the backstretch and got upside down.

It would be another green-white-checkered finish for the second night of the weekend to determine who would hoist up the $12,000-to-win check. It would be a single file restart with Giovanni Scelzi leading Marks, Schatz, Schuchart and Gravel back to the green flag. Carson would restart in the tenth position aboard the Tarlton and Son/Greber Racing Components (GRC)/Factory Kahne Shocks #41.

Giovanni Scelzi would protect the top position as Carson drove the forty-one up two spots into the eighth position. Scelzi would not be denied as the early season World of Outlaws points leader took the win ahead of Brent Marks with Donny Schatz securing the final step on the podium. Logan Schuchart won the battle with Gravel to come home fourth with the Watertown, Connecticut driver completing the top five.

Carson and the JJR #41 team showed their strength and perseverance in overcoming the obstacles that were presented throughout the evening to secure an 8th place finish. They will regroup and refocus on their goals as they return to Texas next weekend for the Bluebonnet Showdown at Big O Speedway on Friday night followed by a return to Kennedale Speedway Park for the Cowtown Roundup on Saturday night.

If you cannot come out to the track to take in the high speed experience with family and friends, be sure to tune into DIRTVision to catch all of the action featuring some of the best sprint car drivers in the world . . . it will be time and money well spent!

Closing Out the Texas Two-Step with an 8th Place Run at Cotton Bowl Speedway! Photo Credit: Cameron Saich – CS Productions

JJR’s Valued Sponsorship Partners: Albaugh, LLC; Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT); Border International; Scott Boyd Family; Saich Family; Tarlton and Son Inc.; Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions; Durst Inc.; High Performance Lubricants, LLC; Kistler Racing Engines; Maxim Racing; Sander Engineering; Bandy & Associates Accountancy Corporation; Boltz Family; Pro Powder Coating (PPC); RaceDiecast.com; Team Jack Foundation; Mark Burch Motorsports; T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication; Xtreme Body and Paint; All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads; AutoMeter; Bell Helmets; Ben Cook Race Car Products; BlackBeard LTD; BMRS (Brown & Miller Racing Solutions); BR Motorsports; Buckwalter Trucking; CASM Safety Products; C&R Racing; ChalkStix; Crow Enterprizes; CS Productions; Engler Machine & Tool, Inc.; Factory Kahne (FK Shocks); Fibreworks Composites; FK Rod Ends; Fuel Safe Racing Cells; Greber Racing Components; Hoosier Racing Tire; Indy Performance Composites (IPC); ISC Racers Tape; Jansen Transportation; K1 Race Gear; KSE Racing Products; LogoDaddy; Motor State Distributing; Mr. Jim’s Racing; Premium Coach Group; Saldana Racing Products; Sam I Am; Schoenfeld Headers; Smith TI; Vortex Racing Products; Walker Performance Filtration; Wilwood Racing; and Winters Performance Products.

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