ELBOW GREASE AT THE EMPIRE: THE JASON JOHNSON RACING (JJR) TEAM TREKS NORTH TO THE STATE OF NEW YORK TO SECURE A PODIUM RUN IN THE FORTY-ONE IN THE EMPIRE STATE CHALLENGE AT WEEEDSPORT SPEEDWAY

WEEDSPORT, NEW YORK (July 28, 2024) – There is certainly no rest for the weary these last two plus weeks for the teams touring the country with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. Just after the checkered flag flew late on Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway, where Carson raced to a seventh place finish in the C&D Rigging Summer Nationals, the JJR #41 team got a little shut eye before their alarms went off bright and early so they could load up and drive north on Interstate 81 for their only visit to New York this season. They arrived at Weedsport Speedway for the Empire State Challenge with the sun shining overhead in the crystal blue skies as track officials were manicuring and prepping the racing surface for an exciting night of winged sprint car racing at the 3/8-mile D-shaped racetrack. This state-of-the-art facility is very impressive and typically host the popular big block modified division that was joining the WoO show this evening as the support class. From the LED lighting to the expansive seating, merchandise, and concession areas, there are very few facilities that match the overall quality and experience in dirt track racing. There were 30 race teams parked in the grassy pit area located outside of turn four ready to race at Weedsport Speedway. A little Sunday Funday – World of Outlaws style in New York! New York! – as the largest crowd in Weedsport’s history had shown up to catch the incredible show.

The Pill Draw opened early so all of the registered drivers could pull a number to see where they would go out for their time trial laps. The lower the number the better, although each of the drivers got a chance to hit the track before Sea Foam Qualifying in hot laps to test their setups and the surface. Each of the drivers brought back some of their learnings from their minimal track time so their crews could make some adjustments before pushing into the staging lane. The Albaugh – Your Alternative/Mesilla Valley Transportation/Ben Cook Race Car Parts #41 Maxim with Carson Macedo behind the wheel would be the sixth car out on the track. He entered the surface off turn four and was making tracks as he passed the frontstretch grandstands with the seconds ticking by on the stopwatch already. He made the sharp left hand turn into turn one and drifted up towards the wall before hustling down the backstretch. Rolling through the last set of turns, he raced back to the starting line finishing the first lap in 13.623 seconds. He was on a mission to find any more speed that he could during his second loop around. This time the flagman was holding onto the checkered flag and displayed it to the Californian to end his time trial session. Carson’s second lap was recorded in 13.918 seconds. The better of his two attempts was second quick overall and would represent him for the balance of the program. Sheldon Haudenschild driving the Stenhouse Marshall Racing/NOS Energy Drink #17 raced around the New York facility in 13.505 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award.

The World of Outlaws Timing and Scoring gurus were hard at work compiling the starting lineups for each of the three 8-lap heat races. When they posted them, Carson would be in the polesitter in Milton Hershey School Heat Race #2 where he would get the Scott Boyd Family/Durst Inc./High Performance Lubricants #41 started from the inside of the front row pacing alongside Logan Schuchart in the Drydene DuraMAX/Shark Racing #1s. Brock Zearfoss and Donny Schatz rolled behind in row two, with Davie Franek and Dalton Rombough in the third row, Jessie Attard and Larry Wight in row four, with Billy VanInwegen Jr. and Tomy Moreau in the last row.

It was time to get down to business in New York with the top 6 locking on transfer spots to the feature. The field paced slowly with visions of grandeur as they rolled into turn three. When the front row starters approached turn four the action turned up quickly as they dropped their right foot on the loud pedal with Carson jumping into the lead off the bottom just ahead of Logan Schuchart heading into turn one.

The driver of the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 was recorded as the leader of the race after the first lap with Logan Schuchart and Donny Schatz racing just behind him. Macedo and Schuchart put a little distance between themselves and the third place running Donny Schatz as the sun inched a little closer to the horizon line in the west.

Carson tiptoed around Weedsport carry as much speed as he could with Logan doing the same thing behind him. The native of Lemoore, California raced to the heat race victory with Logan Schuchart coming home second. Both of those drivers would advance to the Dash with Donny Schatz, Brock Zearfoss, Dalton Rombough and Davie Franek transferring to the feature in rows four through nine.

After collecting the victory in his heat race, Carson became eligible for the pill draw for starting position for the 6-lap Toyota Dash. He would test his luck and pull the one pill out of the oversized NOS Energy Drink can. That placed him on the inside of the front row side-by-side with another California native Buddy Kofoid. Sheldon Haudenschild and David Gravel were in row two looking at their fuel tanks with Logan Schuchart and Giovanni Scelzi in the third and final row. When the yellow lights dimmed the drivers were ready to drop the hammer off turn four.

When Carson raced across the finish line first in the Dash, Philip Dietz and the JJR crew went back to work to get the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 entry ready for Carson to make another good run in the $12,000-to-win, 30-lap Empire State Challenge feature at Weedsport Speedway. The driver out of Lemoore, California would get this battle started from the pole position. He moved into the inside of row one with Buddy Kofoid in his Roth Motorsports/Mobil 1 #83 to his right on the front row in the side-by-side starting formation. David Gravel and Sheldon Haudenschild were nestled in behind them in row two with Giovanni Scelzi and Logan Schuchart in row three.

There was 30 laps around this slick and technical track between the field and the checkered flag. When they split into the four-wide salute to the fans it was all Outlaws across the front row – Macedo, Gravel, Haudenschild, and Kofoid. The flagman indicated one to go with the rolled up green flag as the drivers rolled by two-by-two. It was soon time to go high speed racing again at Weedsport.

The yellow lights turned off as the drivers began anxiously anticipating the green lights coming on around the racetrack when they came off turn four. When they arrived, the polesitter Carson Macedo in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Factory Kahne (FK) Shocks/Sander Engineering #41 Maxim stomped on the gas pedal as he drove off the bottom and dragged racing with in Buddy Kofoid and David Gravel down the frontstretch making the sharp left hand turn into turn one.

Carson had the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 on point with the top three on the scoreboard all together before the red flag was thrown on lap 2 for Davie Franek who flipped. He was ok. Greg Wilson spun to avoid contact so he got his position back when the field re-lined up. Just before the red flag was thrown, David Gravel moved by Buddy Kofoid into the runner-up position.

The green flag came back out with 28 laps to go and Carson jumped on the gas from the inside of the front row as his Kistler Engines power carried him forward back into the lead ahead of Gravel. Behind them, Sheldon Haudenschild moved into the third position as he maneuvered by Kofoid.

Behind the leaders there was a show developing as Stewart Friesen was on the move in the GSR #0. The racing star that has found success in everything he has raced started ninth and now moved into the top five showing patience and gently working the accelerator and carrying his speed around the bottom.

The next time around, the leaders were approaching lap traffic for the first time. They soon would be forced to get out of their comfort zone and pick a racing lane they may not have tried before if they wanted to continue their progress. That all was averted on lap 11 when the yellow flag came out for Dalton Rombough #41x whose right front tire made contact with Macedo’s left rear tire as he was making a pass ducking into turn three. Rombough slowed and rejoined the field.

Carson again elected to restart from the inside lane for the restart with David Gravel to his outside. The green lights came back on and he raced back into the lead with Gravel right on his rear nerf bar and Haudenschild not too far behind. He led the next two circuits before David Gravel worked his way into the lead on lap 14.

On lap 18, the yellow lights were back on for Logan Crisafulli this time as he shredded his right rear tire right in front of Carson who avoided him coming off turn four. The restart running order would be Gravel, Macedo, Kofoid, Haudenschild and Friesen.

The green flag was waving again as Gravel dashed into the lead with 12 laps to go as Carson remained focused and worked to try to stay close to the leader. Sheldon Haudenschild had moved back into the show position with Friesen now running fourth and Kofoid rounding out the top five.

Donny Schatz was on the move as he was up to sixth from his eighth starting position. He was methodically moving forward and with 10 laps to go moved by Buddy Kofoid into the top five. The leader had checked out, but Carson was now racing for the runner-up position with Sheldon as the laps were winding down.

When the white flag waved, David Gravel had built an insurmountable lead. Carson was searching around for some grip and Sheldon Haudenschild made the pass for the runner-up position with one lap to go. Carson held on to secure the final step of the podium as Gravel collected his series dominant 13th World of Outlaws victory of the season. Sheldon Haudenschild came home second in front of Macedo with Stewart Friesen coming home fourth and Donny Schatz rounding out the top five.

After putting in a busy night of work in New York, Carson locked down the third finishing position in the Albaugh – Your Alternative hotrod, the team loaded up their speed equipment before making the long, overnight drive back to their home base in Rocky Mount, Missouri. They would use the time at the shop to prepare for a demanding ten day stretch of high stakes racing starting in Missouri on Friday night and extending through the following Saturday night in Iowa at the Knoxville Nationals. The team will be busy this week so they are ready to be back in action on Friday night at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in the Night Before the Ironman.

Working to End the Weekend in Weedsport, New York Resulting in a Third Place Finish! 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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