OH SO DARN CLOSE: AN INCREDIBLE THREE CAR DUEL FOR THE LEAD ON THE LAST LAP RESULTS IN A “STAY HUNGRY” TYPE OF RUNNER-UP FINISH IN THE “BIG O” SHOWDOWN AT OGILVIE RACEWAY FOR CARSON MACEDO AND THE JJR #41 TEAM

OGILVIE, MINNESOTA (June 8, 2024) – Coming off their hard fought fourth place finish over at River Cities Speedway on Friday night, Philip Dietz and the JJR #41 team loaded up their speed chariot and trucked, Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) style, 4.5 hours over to the great state of Minnesota to race at Ogilvie Raceway on Saturday night in the “Big O” Showdown presented by Wagamon Brothers. After spending the day cleaning and completing their thorough daily maintenance routine on the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 Maxim, the driver and forty-one team were ready to compete again at a track they won at last season during the World of Outlaws inaugural visit. The pit area was populated with 28 eager teams all raring to get after it to put on a tremendous show for the fans in the stands. And there were a lot of fans. In fact, the race was sold out and it was the largest crowd in the track’s history! It was also just an incredibly beautiful early summer day in Minnesota with crisp blue skies overhead – a perfect day for World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series racing. It was time to go racing in the North Star State – World of Outlaws style!

The time trial order was established based on random draw for Sea Foam Qualifying. When the final order was posted, Carson would be the 27th driver to test his skills and speed against the clock around the 3/8-mile speed facility aboard the Scott Boyd Family/Sander Engineering/Team Jack Foundation #41 Maxim. After Shark Racing’s Logan Schuchart completed his time trial laps, Carson flipped the shield down on his Shifty Illusions custom painted Bell Helmet and his engine came alive. He lowered his right K1 Race Gear boot as his elbows began to rise. He was up to speed and accelerated by the flagstand to start his first lap. It took 13.453 seconds for the Lemoore, California racer to complete his first attempt. With his momentum moving in the right direction, he used his refined skills and determined temperament to see if he could squeeze any more speed out of the forty-one on lap two. He soon would find out as he raced off turn four and headed towards the checkered flag. When the numbers popped up on the scoreboard for lap two they read 13.508 seconds. The faster of Carson’s two laps, the first one, stood as the 12th quickest lap overall on the night. Earning the Simpson Quick Time Award with a lap of 12.938 seconds was Sheldon Haudenschild in the NOS Energy Drink #17.

The World of Outlaws Timing and Scoring officials pulled together the starting lineups for each of the three 8-lap heat races at Ogilvie Raceway. After scanning each of them, Carson would be in the third heat race where he would start from the outside of row two in the fourth starting position in his Albaugh – Your Alternative hotrod. He pulled beside Brooke Tatnell as they paced behind front row starters Landon Crawley and Brock Zearfoss. Row three found Garet Williamson and Bill Rose, with Scott Winters and Scott Broty in row four. After experiencing mechanical issues in hot laps, Donny Schatz was unable to time trial so he tagged the rear of the field in the ninth starting spot.

With the field set in the third heat race, the drivers pounded the loud pedal when they reached the chalk stripe laid down across turn four with Brock Zearfoss using the outside lane to catapult into the lead. Carson Macedo followed him into the runner-up spot after going three wide off turn two with Crawley and Tatnell to gain the position. Zearfoss was rolling in his Moose’s LZ Bar & Grill #3z with Carson trying to track him down to battle for the lead.

On lap 3, the high speed affair was slowed when the yellow flag was displayed for Brooke Tatnell who had slowed on the track and had flames coming out from under his hood. After track officials tended to the situation, the restart order would be Zearfoss, Macedo, Schatz who had driven from last to third, Crawley, and Winters.

It would be a single file restart when they came back to the green flag with 5 laps to go with Zearfoss out front. They were all back on the hammer with Schatz trying to duck under Macedo to steal the second spot away. The 10-time World of Outlaws Champion was unsuccessful as the track was top dominant. The entire field eventually all moved to the top of the track and were working the thin cushion that had developed.

Brock Zearfoss hustled across the finish line first followed by Carson Macedo in the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions #41. Donny Schatz raced home third with Landon Crawley, Garet Williamson, and Scott Winters securing the final transfer positions out of this heat race.

Earning his 22nd opportunity this season to race for his starting position in the 6-lap Toyota Dash, an 81.48% Dash qualifying success rate, Carson headed to the front straightaway where he would be the last driver to draw. That turned out to be a blessing because the only pill left when he arrived was the lowest number – a one – which meant he would start from the pole position. Carson would be flanked by Brock Zearfoss on the front row with Buddy Kofoid and Sheldon Haudenschild in row two and Giovanni Scelzi and Logan Schuchart in row three. When the field came off turn four, Carson powered the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 off the inside lane and into the lead. Sheldon Haudenschild used the outside lane from his row two starting spot to power into the runner-up position when the first lap was completed. The two driver changed lanes as Macedo went upstairs and Haudenschild tried the bottom to see if he could get by the leader. Carson carried his speed around the top as that continued to be the dominant line to create speed. He raced to the Dash win, his third of the season so far, by 1.993 seconds ahead of Haudenschild and Kofoid, with Scelzi, Schuchart and Zearfoss completing the finishing order.

The field was locked in for the 30-lap “Big O” Showdown presented by Wagamon Brothers feature at Ogilvie Raceway. But before the feature race could start, race officials completed extensive track work before the cars were called to the track. After about 45 minutes the work was completed and it was time to go racing at Ogilvie Raceway.

The night had been action packed so far . . . and it was about to get even better with the front row of Carson Macedo and Sheldon Haudenschild leading the parade laps leading up to the traditional four-wide salute presented by Quartz Hill Records and Stone Country Records to show their appreciation to all of the fans in the stands.

Carson was pacing in the Tarlton and Son/Winters Performance Products/Buckwalter Trucking #41 from the pole position as he finalized his early race strategy before they took the green and got up to speed. He knew he had a fast race car and wanted to execute on his opportunities in this fast moving sport.

The yellow lights dimmed around the track and were replaced with green ones as they came off turn four. It was a drag race into the first set of turns with the driver of the forty-one coming off turn two with the lead ahead of Kofoid and Haudenschild. Carson Macedo led lap one with the drivers of the Roth Motorsports #83 and the NOS Energy Drink #17 relentlessly pursuing him.

On lap 7, the first caution of the night was thrown for Bill Rose who slowed and rolled into the infield. Carson Macedo was leading Kofoid, Haudenschild, Scelzi, and Schuchart. When they came back up to speed it was quickly halted when the red flag came out for a multi-car accident involving nine cars – Christopher Thram, Gage Pulkrabek, Scott Broty, Ryan Bowers, Zach Omdahl, Scott Winters, Landon Crawley, Tim Kaeding, and Brooke Tatnell who flipped. The accident was a result of David Gravel getting a great restart and making incidental racing contact with Donny Schatz as he got into the back of him down the front straightaway. Gravel got sideways and Kaeding made contact with Gravel before moving down the track where Tatnell got over his left rear tire and went for a wild ride. All of the drivers were ok.

While the safety crew was clearing up the accident scene, race officials made the decision to have an “Open Red” for the remaining 16 drivers. It would be a single file restart this time with 23 laps to go. Carson powered up his Kistler Engines and raced back into the lead when they went green. In the race for second behind him, Buddy Kofoid was racing the high groove with Sheldon Haudenschild making the low groove work.

By lap 14, Carson had caught the rear of the field and put Landon Crawley a lap down. He was meticulously working through the slower cars with Kofoid and Haudenschild closing in fast. The trio was all close and it was getting exciting at Ogilvie Raceway. Macedo held the top spot with Haudenschild moving into the runner-up position ahead of Kofoid with 10 laps to go.

The three young and talented racers continued to race at a great pace through lap traffic when the white flag came out. Carson entered turn one on the high side with two slower cars that were pacing well at speed in front of him. Haudenschild entered low and slid up across the track to seize the lead in turn two, while Kofoid worked the bottom and charged off turn two trying to drive by both of them. It was Haudenschild – Kofoid – Macedo down the backstretch. Haudenschild entered turn three high. Kofoid tried a slide job and drifted to the top in turn four. Macedo entered high and turned down across the track at the apex of turns three and four. It was a three car race down the frontstretch to the finish line! Sheldon Haudenschild got there first to earn his seventh World of Outlaws victory of the season. Carson Macedo narrowly came home second, after leading the first 29 laps, beating Buddy Kofoid across the pay stripe by just 0.063 seconds. Donny Schatz and Giovanni Scelzi completed the top five.

The disappointed runner-up started by explaining, “That was honestly devastating.” He paused, forced a smile, and continued, “I took the white (flag) and did feel like maybe I was starting to catch Brock (Zearfoss) and the other lapper, but I didn’t think that peeling off the top with one to go was the thing to do. I guess I could’ve just ran the bottom in one and two.” Pausing again, Carson reflected, “I don’t know. That was just really disappointing.”

Always in it to win it, this type of result certainly hurts – short-term. But, it is also one that will provide strength and keep the resilient driver and entire team motivated and hungry for more great runs in the forty-one this season. This was the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team’s 17th consecutive Top 5 finish this season (a 74.07% success rate) and 23rd consecutive Top 10 finish (an 85.19% success rate) in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41. Another great run for Macedo and the forty-one . . . no matter how disappointing not winning was – they will take the runner-up finish and be back sooner rather than later competing for their next chance to collect a victory!

A Tough Runner-Up Finish in the “Big O” Showdown at Ogilvie Raceway for Macedo and the JJR #41 Team! 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.

To stay connected with Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) and Carson Macedo go to www.jasonjohnsonracing.com.

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