CELEBRATING IN JACKSON: CARSON MACEDO AND THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 TEAM NAVIGATE THEIR WAY TO VICTORY LANE DURING THE OPENING NIGHT OF THE 46TH ANNUAL FENDT JACKSON NATIONALS IN MINNESOTA

JACKSON, MINNESOTA (August 16, 2024) – With the 2024 running of the Knoxville Nationals behind the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team, Philip Dietz, Carson Macedo, Robby McQuinn, and Adam Zimmerman headed to North Star State for the two-day 46th Annual FENDT Jackson Nationals at the beautiful Jackson Motorplex. They were joined by the traveling stars on the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series tour. Carson and the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 crew have had a lot of success at this track recently, winning the last two years at the Jackson Nationals (2022 and 2023). They know their way around this 4/10-mile racetrack. With the sun shining with vivid blue skies and puff clouds that did drop some showers throughout the day as the canvas overhead, it was race day at the Jackson Motorplex. There were 34 stout sprint car teams unloaded and ready to complete – World of Outlaws style – on night one of the Jackson Nationals.

The evening of competition with the World of Outlaws always commences with Sea Foam Qualifying for the drivers and teams. The goal in time trials seems so simple – go fast. But the truth of the matter is these drivers and teams at this level of the sport just make it look easy. In order to optimize speed and performance the driver must combine his driving skills with the crew’s setup abilities with maximize both perfectly with the changing track conditions. It takes talent. Carson would be the 21st driver to roll onto the track in turn two aboard the Durst Inc./Team Jack Foundation/Bandy and Associates #41 Maxim as his Kistler Engines power came alive. He would be joined on the track in two-car qualifying by Brock Zearfoss in the Moose’s LZ Bar & Grill #3z. When he dropped his right foot on the power pedal to speed up he raced off turn four with a head of steam and whistled by the waving green flag as the numbers on the stopwatch began to roll by. He ran a clean first lap and stopped the clock in 12.676 seconds. The determined Californian speedster stayed on the hammer and looked to refine his approach just a little bit on lap two. Carson came off the last turn this time to see the black and white checkered cloth flying to end his session with an exact same timed lap in 12.676 seconds. Fortunately both of his laps were good ones because they would represent him in the heat race lineup. Carson ended up being second quick overall. Earning the Simpson Quick Time Award was series point leader David Gravel in the Billion Automotive #2 as he recorded the fastest lap of the night at 12.657 seconds, just 0.019 seconds quicker than Carson’s time.

The driver would line up heads up with the fastest drivers on the front row in each of the four 8-lap heat races. It was go time for these competitors as only the top five finishers locked down a transfer position to the feature race. Carson would begin his journey from the pole starting position in the Milton Hershey School Heat #2 as he rolled his Albaugh – Your Alternative/Schoenfeld Headers/C&R Racing #41 Maxim onto the inside of the front row beside Aaron Reutzel in the RSR #87. Donny Schatz #15 and Justin Henderson #17GP tucked in behind in row two with Christopher Thram #24T and Luke Nellis #74N in row three. Gage Pulkrabek #G5 and Scott Bogucki #10 were side-by-side in row five with Ramona, South Dakota’s Ryan Bickett #17D alone in row five for the start.

The field was set. The driver’s repositioned their hands on their steering wheels as they rolled slowly down the back straightaway ready to let their right foot dance on the gas pedal. When they arrived to the chalk stripe the sound of beautiful 410 sprint engines filled the air. Carson, driving the car with the Knoxville Nationals paint scheme, was the first driver to turn one followed by Reutzel.

Macedo had a fast race car and was showing his speed off early as he led the opening lap and quickly went to work putting some dirt between himself and the rest of the field. The #41 JJR entry was at the top of the scoreboard and working hard to keep it that way.

Carson had speed so he was making tracks and not looking back as he chased down the slower cars racing at the back of the pack. He was looking to make some moves to get through traffic when the white flag flew. No need as he completely dominated the second heat race to take the win by 2.555 seconds over Aaron Reutzel with Justin Henderson, Donny Schatz, and Scott Bogucki securing the remaining transfer spots out of the heat race.

The light mist and showers throughout the day kept the racing surface fast, so starting position would be key for each of the eight drivers when randomly drew a number for their starting positions in the 6-lap Toyota Dash. Carson would be the second gambler to stick his hand in the oversized NOS Energy Drink can on the frontstretch and he pulled the one pill. He would start from the pole position in the Tarlton and Son/BR Motorsports/RaceDiecast.com #41 Maxim with Garet Williamson in the Fischer Body Shop #23. The speed duo of Sheldon Haudenschild and Logan Schuchart made up row two with Bill Balog and David Gravel in row three. Aaron Reutzel and Dusty Zomer paced from row four.

With the temperatures continuing to fall the action on the track was about to heat up when the green flag waved. Carson drove off of the inside of row one and led Williamson into turn one. But fourth starting Logan Schuchart blasted around the outside to move into the lead off turn two and down the backstretch. The driver of the Shark Racing #1s led the opening circuit with Carson just behind him trying to keep him within striking distance. Logan Schuchart would not be caught or passed as he carried his momentum to the Dash win by 1.194 seconds ahead of Carson Macedo. David Gravel raced home third with Garet Williamson and Sheldon Haudenschild securing positions four and five. Aaron Reutzel, Bill Balog, and Dusty Zomer completing the finish order which determined where each driver would start the feature.

The opening night, 30-lap 46th Annual FENDT Jackson Nationals feature field was set as 24 teams prepared to battle it out in the $12,000-to-win event. After earning the second starting spot in the feature lineup, Carson climbed into his high speed office aboard his Maxim Racing chassis. He would get the race started from the outside of row one pacing alongside the Drydene/C&D Rigging #1s of Logan Schuchart. When the eight minute horn sounded the crews finished up their last minute race adjustments for their driver before rolling out onto the track to wait for a push off.

Schuchart and Macedo were perched on the front row ready to lead the field to the green flag. Following closely behind them in row two were David Gravel and Garet Williamson, with Sheldon Haudenschild and Aaron Reutzel in row three. Everyone throughout the starting field was eager to get going at the Jackson Motorplex!

After the four-wide salute to all of the fans in the expansive grandstands along the front straightaway here at Jackson, the drivers were ready to put on a show worth the price of admission and more. A lot of the work was done to get here, but the most crucial labor still lied ahead for each of these speed athletes in the feature. They field dropped back into their two-by-two starting formation as the yellow lights dimmed.

When they front row starters hit the chalk stripe laid across turn four the green lights turned on as Carson Macedo stomped on the loud pedal and drag raced Logan Schuchart down the frontstretch into turn one. Macedo used the outside lane to his advantage at the start of the race as he blasted into the lead with Schuchart, Williamson, and Gravel keeping pace right behind him. Carson was scored as your race leader after one lap was recorded driving the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Scott Boyd Family #41.

The California speedster definitely had a fast hotrod and was using the clean air and power from his Kistler Engines to make some hay amid the cornfields of Minnesota as he built a 1.2 second lead over Logan Schuchart with five laps in the books.

It took another lap at speed for Macedo to catch up to slower cars where he went to work navigating his way through lap traffic methodically. He was artfully balancing keeping his speed up with a bit of caution to make sure he passed the slower cars cleanly. There was a close call with a lapper allowing the pursuers to close the gap a bit, but Carson continued to lead the race at the halfway point with Schuchart, Gravel, Williamson, and Haudenschild all doing a terrific job to keep pace.

The track was fast and the drivers were showing off their speed talents. On lap 20, Carson was still out in front of Schuchart and Gravel, with Haudenschild taking over fourth and Reutzel running in fifth. Macedo was doing a masterful job working his way through lap traffic, building a 2.2 second lead, but that all was erased when the Roth Motorsports/Mobil 1 #83 of Buddy Kofoid slowed on the backstretch to bring out the caution flag.

With ten laps or less to go it would be a single file restart with Carson Macedo leading Schuchart, Gravel, Haudenschild, and Reutzel back to the green flag in a final sprint to the checkers. The Lemoore, California driver used the clear lanes ahead of him to race back into the lead, but fourth starting Sheldon Haudenschild used the faster outside lane to gain two spots on the restart as he moved into the runner-up position.

The talented racer from Wooster, Ohio was on the hammer and using his speed to keep Macedo in his sight lines. Carson was fast too and began to chase down the back of the field again. He caught up to them and had to be the first to find his way through the slower cars. The leader doesn’t know where they are going and they don’t know where he is going. So it is kind of like a high speed cat and mouse game.

Meanwhile, while Carson was trying to figure it out Haudenschild had driven the NOS Energy Drink #17 closer to the leader and was now in the position to pounce. He just needed that opportunity. A small mistake here or there by the race leader who was still aggressively navigating lap traffic and bam that would be it!

Sheldon Haudenschild would get close, but Carson used his speed to put two lap cars between himself and the NOS Energy Drink #17 in turn one buying him some time with the laps winding down. Carson raced to his fourth win of the season beating Haudenschild to the finish line by 0.402 seconds. David Gravel came home third. With Aaron Reutzel and Logan Schuchart completing the top five.

After celebrating under the confetti raining down, Carson came to the side of the car facing the fans to meet with Conner Wade. In victory lane, a confident and happy Carson Macedo stated, “Man, what a great job by this Albaugh #41 team!” He smiled and continued, “It was a great night overall. I feel like we were good in qualifying and the heat race. The Dash I just didn’t really know that the top was that good. But I was able to get a really good start in the feature and get back by Logan and kind of take command of the race. Hats off to Philip Dietz. He did a great job. Adam Zimmerman and Robby McQuinn both did a great job working hard.” Another great run from Macedo and the forty-one!

Racing to the Front of the Pack to Open the 46th Annual FENDT Jackson Nationals! 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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