PODIUM PRESS: CARSON MACEDO PLUGS THE BOTTOM AT FEDERATED AUTO PARTS RACEWAY AT I-55 ABOARD THE DURST INC. #41 MAXIM BATTLING TO A THIRD PLACE FINISH TO OPEN THE SPRING CLASSIC

PEVELY, MISSOURI (April 12, 2024) – After a long week of work when most of America’s workforce was heading home to start their weekend on Friday afternoon, Philip Dietz and the JJR #41 team were loaded up and about to get to start work in the eastern part of their home state of Missouri. The team was at Ken Schrader’s Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 for two nights of World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series action in the Spring Classic. This 1/3-mile bullring is badass and has historically provided some intense racing action that shines a light on each of the driver’s talents, skills and abilities. It also puts an added layer of focus and work responsibility on the crew members as one small mistake can make for a very busy night. There were 41 haulers parked in the pit area ready to get rolling at I-55. It was time to go racing in Pevely.

After each of the six hot lap sessions had finished, each of the drivers pulled into the infield to meet their crews by their mules so they could make any necessary adjustments in preparation for Sea Foam Qualifying. This track is always fast, and is usually very technical, for the drivers requiring them to balance the two in order to get all the speed needed out of each of their two time trial laps. The qualifying order was posted separating the field into two separate groups, Flight 1 and 2, for time trial. It revealed that the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 Maxim, with Carson Macedo in the cockpit, would be the 11th car out on the track in Flight 2. The Lemoore, California racer climbed into his office and was ready to go fast. After Skylar Gee finished his qualifying laps, the Kistler Engines power came alive for Carson. The California native was fully prepared to let the thoroughbred horses out to run at speed. He rolled up onto the banking in turn one and got up to speed quickly. When he darted out of turn four he raced under the green flag and quickly worked around the first set of turns. Carson hustled down the back chute and into turn three. When he roared under the waving white flag at the flagstand after completing his first lap the clock read 10.680 seconds. The forty-one driver was hammer down and making tracks around the bullring with full authorization to break the speed limit. His second lap was finished quickly in 10.504 seconds. The better of Carson’s two time trial laps catapulted him to the top of the speed charts in Flight 2 to start the night of competition. Giovanni Scelzi laid down the fastest lap of the night in Flight 1 at 10.390 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award.

Without wasting any time, the World of Outlaws timing and scoring officials pulled together the starting lineups for the four 10-lap heat races. That positioned Carson Macedo, driving the Scott Boyd Family/FK Shocks/Durst Inc. #41 Maxim, on the inside of row one in the third heat race with Matt Covington’s #95 sharing the real estate with him in that row. Landon Crawley and Ayrton Gennetten followed behind in row two with Aaron Reutzel and Austin McCarl in row three. Chase Randall and Jake Neumann sat in row four with Kyle Bellm and JJ Hickle rounding out the starters in heat three.

The field of cars were side-by-side and pacing slowly until they encountered the chalk stripe laid across turn four. When they arrived there the chalk dust flew into the air. The dust particles were still settling as Carson Macedo reclaimed the lead after Matt Coving got a great start to lead the first half of the first lap. Carson drove the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 around him and when the passed the flagstand to complete lap one Macedo was scored the race leader. Matt Covington was still right there behind Macedo in second pressuring the driver of the forty-one to be his best.

Carson began to put some distance between himself and Covington who was now mired in a three car battle for the runner up position with Aaron Reutzel and Ayrton Gennetten. The three drivers were wheeling it as they battled for the remaining transfer spot to the dash out of this heat race. Aaron Reutzel hung his right rear on the cushion and propelled himself into the spot. With 6 laps in the books the caution flag flew for Matt Covington, who had a flat right rear tire, ending his impressive run. Carson Macedo would lead the remainder of the field in single file order back to the green flag. He would have to get a good start and hold off the hard-charging Aaron Reutzel if he wanted to win. Off turn four he slammed the accelerator and set sail. Arron Reutzel, Ayrton Gennetten, Landon Crawley, and Austin McCarl were all in chase mode. Carson Macedo would not be denied as he secured the heat race victory in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 over Reutzel, Gennetten and Crawley with McCarl locking down the final transfer position.

By virtue of winning his heat race, Carson joined the other three heat race winner and the four second place finishers on the frontstretch to draw for their starting positions for the 8-lap Toyota Dash. He would get started on the inside of row three with Sheldon Haudenschild to his outside. David Gravel and Giovanni Scelzi were on the front row with Bill Balog and Buddy Kofoid sandwiched between rows one and three. The final row, row four, featured Donny Schatz and Aaron Reutzel. Eight laps with the finishing positions translating to each driver’s starting spot in the feature.

When the green flag was unfurled it was Giovanni Scelzi driving his #18 into the lead ahead of polesitter David Gravel. Carson Macedo was battling with Sheldon Haudenschild for the last spot in the top five. Carson maintained the position in the Durst Inc./High Performance Lubricants/Bandy & Associates #41 Maxim. There was action all around the bullring to entertain your eye. At the front of the pack, David Gravel closed in on Giovanni Scelzi and was positioned to give him a run for his money. The two talented drivers had a great multi-lap battle for the lead with Scelzi coming out on top to secure the win and the pole position in the feature with David Gravel coming home second. Third place went to Buddy Kofoid with Bill Balog coming home fourth. Carson Macedo drove the forty-one to a fifth place finish with Sheldon Haudenschild, Donny Schatz and Aaron Reutzel completing the finishing order.

With all of the qualifying now in the books, the drivers and teams were laser focused on their feature setups and race strategies for the opening night 40-lap NOS Energy Drink Spring Classic at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55. Carson would get started in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/LogoDaddy/Xtreme Body & Paint #41 Maxim from the fifth starting position and was ready to get to work bullring style.

The field went four-wide as they saluted the fans in the stands as well as those tuned in on DIRTVision before maneuvering back into their two-by-two starting formation led by Giovanni Scelzi and David Gravel. It was time to go racing – World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series style – at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in the opening night of the Spring Classic.

The green flag was out as the drivers dropped their right feet to create unbelievable speed – quickly. David Gravel, the current World of Outlaws point leader in the Big Game Motorsports #2, led the field into turn one and off turn two with Giovanni Scelzi and Buddy Kofoid digging up the dirt right behind him as they were in hot pursuit. Carson was locked down in fifth aboard his Albaugh – Your Alternative speed missile. The race was on.

The racing action is always tight at Pevely and exciting depending on your perspective, especially at the beginning of the race and on each of the restarts. You just never know what is going to happen, so it’s constant entertainment. Giovanni Scelzi was keeping Gravel within striking distance but was trying to hold off the Roth Motorsports #83 of Buddy Kofoid. The driver of the eighty-three would move on by Scelzi to take over the runner-up spot. Macedo closed in on the fourth running Balog and on lap five, using the bottom side of the track to perfection, Carson drove by Balog and was now running in fourth place.

On lap 8, the first yellow flag of the night came out for Christopher Thram who spun his #24 out coming off turn four right in front of the leaders. They all made it by unscathed, but the field would now be side-by-side for the restart with 32 laps to go. David Gravel chose the outside lane for the restart and when they got back up to speed he bolted into the lead but Kofoid was pressuring hard. Carson was also in a battle for position as he was racing with Scelzi for the third spot.

Three laps later, on lap 11, the yellow lights were back on slowing the action. Aaron Reutzel had slowed on the backstretch and headed to the work area. His night was over as he broke a left rear shock. Race leader, David Gravel, chose the outside lane for the restart again and again maintained the top spot when they went back to green flag racing with 29 laps to go.

Carson was really making the bottom side of the track work, but the gang behind him was quickly approaching. On lap 17, Bill Balog had caught up to the Lemoore, California native in the JJR #41 and made the pass to move back into the last podium spot. One lap later, the yellow cloth was once again hanging out of the flagstand this time for Christopher Thram again who spun in turn three and Gunner Ramey’s #21 who lost a tire.

Carson would restart the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 Maxim from the fourth spot, which would be on the inside of row two when race leader Gravel chose to restart from the outside lane again. When Gravel stomped on the gas pedal he darted back into the lead. Carson got shuffled back to fifth place when Giovanni Scelzi snuck around him on the restart. On lap 23, Carson passed Scelzi back to retake the fourth spot and quickly turned his attention to tracking down “The North Pole Nightmare” Bill Balog. One lap later he moved by the #17B of Balog and was now running third.

The final caution of the night came out on lap 33, when Garet Williamson looped his Fischer Motorsports #23 after second running Buddy Kofoid tapped his rear nerf bar in turn two.

The restart running order for the final 7 laps would be Gravel, Kofoid, Macedo, Balog and Haudenschild. They raced back to the green flag with David Gravel being the class of the field. Carson worked the bottom and moved by Buddy Kofoid for second. The leader was checking out ahead as the two California speedsters were in a fierce and respectful battle for the runner-up position. Macedo had it. Kofoid wanted it. The race was on.

With 3 laps to go, Kofoid drove the Roth Motorsports #83 off turn four and down the frontstretch before ducking under Macedo’s #41 entering turn one to take the second position back. David Gravel would race to his third series win of the year with Buddy Kofoid coming home second as Carson Macedo rounded out the podium with a third place run.

On the front straightaway after the race, Carson climbed out of his office and debriefed with his JJR #41 team. Reflecting his race performance and his restart strategy, Carson explained, “I think plugging the bottom was kind of my goal there.” He continued, “I felt like a lot of guys would kind of sling around the top and if I could hit it down there right and not grab that little lip and get my front end over, I could execute down there pretty nice, get down the backstretch, and beat them into turn three.” The always respectful and appreciative driver of the JJR #41 also to time to extend his gratitude and complimented his team. He stated, “Hats off to Philip Dietz, Adam Zimmerman, and Robby McQuinn. They worked hard all night.”

Another good run for the forty-one! Carson and the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 team will be back in action Saturday night at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55. It will be exciting as usual, so if you are in there area be sure to make plans to be there. If you can’t witness the best doing the things with The Greatest Show on Dirt in person, be sure to tune into all the entertaining action on DIRTVision.

All Out Chaos at Federated Auto Parts Raceway Yields a Third Place Finish for Carson Macedo on the Opening Night of the Spring Classic! Photo Credit: World of Outlaws

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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