FINAL NIGHT IN CHEESELAND: ANOTHER GOOD NIGHT OF WORLD OF OUTLAWS COMPETITION AT WILMOT RESULTS IN A RUNNER-UP FINISH IN THE FEDERATED AUTO PARTS LARRY HILLERUD MEMORIAL BADGER 40 FINALE
WILMOT, WISCONSIN (July 13, 2024) – Fresh off of their winning performance during the opening night of the two-day Federated Auto Parts Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40 at Wilmot Raceway, the team’s third consecutive win at Wilmot, Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 team were ready to get back at it in the finale on Saturday night. As proven by all of the action last night, the racing here at Wilmot is always compelling and captivating. These professional athletes that tour with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series are amongst the elite in the sport of sprint car racing and just know how to put on a show that does not disappoint. The drivers and teams all love racing and entertaining across the country . . . and, it is always an honor to do so here in front of these great fans in Wisconsin. The fans here get pumped and appreciate being able to watch the WoO show unfold live in their backyards. The World of Outlaws officials along with Scott Boyd and the SLS Promotions team always do their best to put on the best possible show. It is a labor of love and they do a terrific job. With many of the fans still out mingling throughout merchandise area, the race teams were hard at work making sure they were putting in the effort to give each of their drivers the best possible chance to get the night started on the right foot. There were 32 teams back in the pit area ready to roll at Wilmot Raceway!
The night of competition would kick off with Sea Foam Qualifying. Each driver gets two shots at speed aboard their 900+ horsepower entries racing against the clock. Their best lap represents them when the starting lineups for the heat races are composed. Carson climbed into the cockpit of his Scott Boyd Family/Schoenfeld Headers/RaceDiecast.com #41 Maxim as he prepped before rolling into the staging lane. He would be the 19th driver out on the racing surface at Wilmot. When Landon Crawley in the Sides Motorsports #7s finished his time trial session, the driver of the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 calmly flipped the shield down on his Bell Helmet as his engine fired. He was ready to play in the dirt. The track surface was evolving, but stayed relatively consistent during qualifying. Carson hopped on the pedal located on the right side of his floorboard and the immediate response accelerated him down the frontstretch. He was moving quickly towards the flagstand where the man standing there was waving the green flag. Carson was movin’ and groovin’ as his vision for speed unfolded in real time. When he completed his first timed lap, it was recorded in an uncharacteristically slow 13.056 seconds. Carrying all of his momentum back into the first set of turns, he carried his speed off turn two and down the back straightaway again during his next lap. Two more turns to go and before Carson knew it he had stopped the clock at slightly better at 12.960 seconds after lap two. The quicker of his two lap times was 12th quick overall in qualifying. The fastest driver of the night, Buddy Kofoid, laid down a lap in 12.598 seconds to secure the Simpson Quick Time Award on the final night at Wilmot.
With the solo performance of the show card behind for each of the drivers, each of them would now be joined by the other racers to compete in one of the four 10-lap heat races. The top two finishers in each of those heat races would move onto the Dash. The drivers finishing in positions three through five would also lock themselves into a starting spot in the feature in rows five and beyond. It was about to get serious again here in The Badger State.
Based on his fastest time trial lap, Carson would get started from the fourth position aboard the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Durst Inc./Factory Kahne #41. He would line up in row two alongside the #79 of Oswego, Illinois’ Blake Nimee in the fourth heat race. A geography split on the front row found California’s Giovanni Scelzi on the pole position with Florida’s Danny Sams III on his outside. In row three were Jake Neuman and CJ Malueg with Jereme Schroeder and Christopher Flick in the fourth and final row.
The field of speedy talent was lined up in their proper starting spots waiting for the command from the flagstand to go racing. Off turn four they saw the green flag come out and were off to the races. Giovanni Scelzi led the opening circuit followed by Danny Sams III and Carson Macedo in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41. Jake Neuman had raced into the fourth position.
Giovanni Scelzi wasted no time checking out in the clean air in the KCP Racing/Logan Contractor Supply Inc. #18. He was out front alone with the #24D trying valiantly to hold off Macedo. Carson was relentless in his own right and continued to pressure Danny Sams III for the second spot.
On lap 7, Carson saw and opportunity and seized it driving around the outside in turn four to take over the second spot. By that time Giovanni Scelzi had already checked into a new zip code as he was almost four seconds ahead of Carson.
When the black and white checkered cloth flew over the winner, Giovanni Scelzi, he crossed the finish line 3.781 seconds before Carson Macedo who came home second. Danny Sams III locked down the show position with Blake Nimee and Jake Neuman securing the final transfer spots out of this heat race.
With weather lurking just off to the Northwest, race officials were starting to move the program along quicker, so the drivers who were eligible for the 8-lap Toyota Dash drew for their starting positions at the World of Outlaws Command Center. When the starting lineup was revealed Donny Schatz was in the pole position with Buddy Kofoid sharing the front row with him. Carson Macedo would get the Albaugh – Your Alternative/FK Rod Ends/Jansen Transportation #41 Maxim going from the third position with Sheldon Haudenschild to his outside. Giovanni Scelzi and Brady Bacon paced from row three as Kraig Kinser and David Gravel were right behind in row four.
The green flag was soon out with Schatz and Kofoid out front. Sheldon Haudenschild used the outside lane to move into third with Carson right behind him.
On lap 2, Carson moved the forty-one underneath the NOS Energy Drink #17 entering turn three and exited turn four back in the third position. Haudenschild made another run at Macedo hungry for the spot back, but Carson held him off to maintain the position.
Donny Schatz dominated the Dash. He controlled the race from start-to-finish as he pulled away from Buddy Kofoid to take the win by 1.188 seconds. Carson Macedo raced across the finish line third with Sheldon Haudenschild and Brady Bacon rounding out the top five. Giovanni Scelzi came home sixth, David Gravel seventh, and Kraig Kinser was scored as the eighth place finisher.
With all of the qualifying races now in the rearview mirror, the field of 24 cars was now set for the Federated Auto Parts Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40 feature finale. The winner would be determined after 40 laps of high intensity competition brought to you by the World of Outlaws.
Donny Schatz and Buddy Kofoid were pacing the field from the front row. Carson Macedo and Sheldon Haudenschild were right behind in row two. Carson was ready to get his high speed trek forward started driving the Sander Engineering/Boltz Family/KSE Racing Products #41 Maxim.
You could feel the excitement growing in the air as the rumble from these powerful beasts pushed the adrenaline level to a new high when the field rolled in front of the crowded grandstands. The Toyota TRD Pace Truck pulled off the race track indicating that the front row was now in charge of getting the field up to speed when they arrived at the stripe in turn four.
Polesitter Donny Schatz did not need to be told twice as he raced with Buddy Kofoid for the lead. The driver of the Roth Motorsports #83 took command ahead of Donny Schatz with Sheldon Haudenschild running in third. With one lap in the books, Carson was scored in the fourth spot in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41.
The Californian was not content as he focused on getting back around the NOS Energy Drink #17. On the second lap, Carson carried his speed off turn two and drove by Haudenschild on the inside down the back straightaway. He then turned his attention to the next task at hand – tracking down second running Donny Schatz.
Schatz had the Ford Performance #15 moving, but in the early stages of the race Kofoid had built a one plus second lead. With five laps down it was Buddy Kofoid, Donny Schatz, Carson Macedo, Sheldon Haudenschild, and Brady Bacon.
Three laps later the leaders were now in traffic and the ten-time World of Outlaw Champion was closing in on Buddy Kofoid for the lead. On lap 10, Schatz had caught him and made the pass for the top spot with Carson carrying his speed forward to close in on Kofoid too.
On lap 14, Carson had caught the Mobil 1/Roth Motorsports #83 and drove around the outside off turn four into the runner-up position. The race leader, Donny Schatz, had already pulled out to a 1.7 lead ahead of Macedo.
At the halfway point of the race it was Schatz leading Macedo with Kofoid, Haudenschild and Gravel rounding out the top five. The driver of the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) #15 was dominating. He was 5.7 seconds ahead of the forty-one with 22 laps recorded. It looked like no one was going to be able to catch him but the caution flag flew for the #79 of Blake Nimee who was sideways off turn two.
That gave the field a chance, a slight one as it turned out, as Carson Macedo and the other front runners would get a chance to start side-by-side with 18 laps to go. Carson pulled the Mesilla Valley Transportation #41 up beside Donny Schatz on the front row for the restart.
When the green flag came back out, Carson was able to stay relatively close to Donny . . . but, only momentarily. Donny Schatz had an incredible racecar and his speed and maneuverability were both on full display. With 10 laps to go, he was already back in slower cars making moves and putting more distance between himself and second running Carson Macedo. Buddy Kofoid was still in third with Sheldon Haudenschild and Giovanni Scelzi closing out the top five.
Much like Carson did on night one, Donny Schatz completely dominated night two taking the victory by 6.844 seconds over Carson Macedo. Sheldon Haudenschild raced home third with Buddy Kofoid and David Gravel rounding out the top five in the finale of the Federated Auto Parts Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40.
On the front straightaway, Carson was smiling and shared, “I think Donny tonight was a little bit like I was last night.” He continued, “I feel like he could just maneuver and really go anywhere on the racetrack. I felt like I was decent in three and four moving around a little bit. But I had to stay pretty committed other than that, especially in one and two. That allowed him to get through lapped traffic a little bit easier and better. But overall this is a great effort for this JJR team.”
Another good run for Carson Macedo and the forty-one! The team has a busy week ahead of them with the Brad Doty Classic over at Attica Raceway Park on Tuesday night before four consecutive nights of action at Eldora Speedway kicking off on Wednesday night with the High Limit Racing Series Double Down Duels and culminating with the 41st running of the Kings Royal presented by the World of Outlaws. For the World of Outlaws event be sure to tune into DIRTVision if you can’t make it out to the tracks to see the action in person.
Back Up to Speed at Wilmot Raceway in the Finale of the Federated Auto Parts Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40! 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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