HIGH STAKES WEEKEND: THE JJR #41 TEAM DRIVES FORWARD DURING THE $25K HUSET’S HUSTLE AS THEY SCURRY TO A SOLID SEVENTH PLACE FINISH BEFORE TURNING THEIR ATTENTION TO THE REMAINING TWO-DAYS AT THE HIGH BANK NATIONALS

BRANDON, SOUTH DAKOTA (August 30, 2024) – After driving to a fourth place finish in the Huset’s High Bank Hustle preliminary feature at Huset’s Speedway way back on June 19th, Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 team had to be patient, in fact very patient, as they would have to wait a long time to return to the track as weather ended up washing out the balance of the originally scheduled high profile High Bank Nationals weekend. Tod Quiring and his promotions team at Huset’s Speedway postponed and rescheduled the remaining races to this Labor Day weekend. It would be a completely new show commencing on Friday night with the Huset’s Hustle presented by Folkens Brothers Trucking paying $25,000 to the winner ultimately culminating Sunday night with the $100,000-to-win BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals finale.

The Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team was back in the pit area at the immaculate 1/3-mile, South Dakota speed facility ready to get back to work. Their plan was to continue their recent success after sweeping both races in North Dakota last weekend and winning three of the last four World of Outlaws races dating back to the preliminary night at the Jackson Motorplex. The pits here were again buzzing and loaded with some incredible drivers and 44 high level sprint car race teams that had returned over two months later to compete for the remaining portion of the big money being put up while entertaining all of the fans in the stands. It was race day at Huset’s Speedway – World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series style!

The opening act of the night at the South Dakota show would begin with Sea Foam Qualifying with the field split into two equal groups – Group A and Group B. Based on his random draw, Carson would get rolling in single car qualifying as the fifth driver out on the track in Group B. He climbed into the cockpit of the Albaugh – Your Alternative/KSE Racing Products/Schoenfeld Headers #41 Maxim as he buckled into his Crow Enterprizes safety belts. When Sam Henderson completed his two laps, the Kistler Engines power came to life under the hood of the forty-one as Carson pedaled down and headed towards the waving green flag. He flew by the flagstand to start the clock as the Californian leaned into the banking at Huset’s Speedway to carry his speed around the track on lap one. When he finished it in 10.975 seconds there was still work left to do. Carson was willing to do the labor required inside the car to produce as much speed as possible the next time around. He tripped the clock at 10.914 seconds to end his qualifying session after his second lap. The faster of Carson’s two attempts ended the night third quick in Group B earning him 98 points after qualifying. Sheldon Haudenschild was the quickest driver in Group B and overall with a lap of 10.860 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award and 100 points. Ryan Timms sat atop the speed charts in Group A with a lap of 11.026 seconds. He also earned 100 points.

For each of the four 10-lap heat races, the fastest four cars in each race would be inverted in the starting grid as part of this special race format. Carson would climb back into the cockpit of his Maxim Racing machine to strap in for heat race competition. The drivers in Group A would line up in the first and second heat races with the drivers in Group B comprising the starting grids in the third and fourth heat races. There was a lot up for grabs – track position and points – as every lap and every position would matter.

Based on his best time trial lap, Carson would start from the inside of row two in the third heat race beside quick timer Sheldon Haudenschild. They paced behind Jacob Hughes and Emerson Axsom who populated row one. Behind the row two starters was Sam Henderson and David Gravel in row three, Time Kaeding and Chase Randall in row four, Riley Goodno and Luke Nellis in row five, with Ryan Bickett manning row six alone.

The distance would be ten laps. Winning was the goal and the excitement from green-to-checkers would assuredly be off-the-charts. It was time to go racing at Huset’s Speedway! The green flag was out as the polesitter jumped on the gas off turn four and raced down the front straightaway carrying his speed into turn one like a bank robber being chased by the cops. But it was second starting Emerson Axsom driving to the lead in front of Jacob Hughes. Carson was up on the wheel of the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/KSE Racing Products #41 racing with Sheldon Haudenschild as they were both on a high speed mission, too.

Axsom led the first lap with Hughes and Macedo right behind trying to stay close enough to apply applying some high speed pressure on the leader. The racetrack was fast and racy. As the race started to unfold Carson was wheeling and dealing from the third position, but he was under intense pressure from the driver of the NOS Energy Drink/Frozen Farmer #17. That battle raged on and on lap 7, Haudenschild saw an opening on the low side entering turn one and took advantage of it to move by Macedo into the show position. That proved to be a big pass a bit later when the points were tabulated.

The white flag flew over race leader Emerson Axsom #27 as he passed the flagstand with one lap to go. He was still being chased in the far distance by Jacob Hughes #8, but safely raced across the finish line in first comfortably to secure the race win to lock down his spot in the feature event later in the show. Jacob Hughes #8 came home second followed by Sheldon Haudenschild #17 in third, as Carson Macedo #41 and David Gravel #2 completed the top five. For his heat race effort, Carson earned an additional 91 points to bring his cumulative point total after qualifying and the heat races to 189 points. Unfortunately that was not good enough to secure one of the eight redraw positions.

After the heat races, the top 10 in points in Group A and Group B were locked into the feature. The top four point earners out of both groups, eight total, would redraw for their starting positions in the A-Main feature in the Weikert’s Livestock Redraw. There would be no Toyota Dash, but those eight rivers would redraw for their starting spots. When that process was completed the first four rows would find Emerson Axsom and Sheldon Haudenschild in row one, Garet Williamson and Ryan Timms in row two, Dusty Zomer and Scott Bogucki in row three, with Kaleb Johnson and Logan Schuchart in row four.

All of the admission criteria was now completed for the drivers and the field was set for the 35-lap Huset’s Hustle presented by Folkens Brothers Trucking $25,000-to-win finale. Emerson Axsom was in the pole position for the start of the race based on the redraw results. Sheldon Haudenschild was rolling on his outside on the front row. The next row in the lineup found Garet Williamson and Ryan Timms who were eager and ready to go racing, with Dusty Zomer and Scott Bogucki poised in row three. Carson Macedo would get his speed chariot started from the 14th position. He moved the Scott Boyd Family/C&R Racing/Engler Machine & Tool #41 Maxim up beside Giovanni Scelzi in the Aspen Aire/Logan Contractor Supply, Inc. #18 ready to rock-and-roll from row seven.

As the anticipation mounted, the fans in the stands came to their feet to salute these great sprint car athletes. It was time to go racing at Huset’s Speedway for a large stack of hundred dollar bills featuring Ben Franklin on them – 250 of those large dollar bills to be exact. The ground trembled as the field lit up their engines off turn four and they were off. Emerson Axsom aggressively stomped on the accelerator and led the opening lap in front of Sheldon Haudenschild and Garet Williamson.

Carson was battling mid-pack from his 14th starting position aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41. As the cars fanned out a bit with a few laps in the books, on the fourth lap the Lemoore, California driver began his forward movement as he worked by Jacob Hughes #8 moving into the 13th position. That was just the beginning. A few laps later he gained another position when he raced by Landon Crawley #7s.

Carson was now running in 12th place and looking for more. On lap 10 he moved up one more spot on the scoreboard when he moved by Giovanni Scelzi #18. Six lap later he moved into the top ten, before earning a better position again on lap 18. He was on the move in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41.

The action up front was heating up too as Sheldon Haudenschild was bumper to bumper with your race leader Emerson Axsom racing for the lead. On lap 23 the driver of the NOS Energy Drink #17 would move to the front, but one later Axsom reassumed the top spot after grabbing it back from Haudenschild.

The first and only race slow down occurred on lap 24 when Logan Schuchart and Kerry Madsen made contact racing for position right in front of Carson Macedo’s #41. Schuchart and Madsen were both sitting backwards in turn four ending both of their nights.

With 11 laps to go, Emerson Axsom and Sheldon Haudenschild would start side-by-side for the restart. When the yellow lights dimmed and the green lights re-illuminated, Sheldon Haudenschild drove the NOS Energy Drink #17 into the lead with Axsom and Buddy Kofoid now right in the mix.

Carson drove into the seventh position and was racing not too far behind the leaders. The laps were clicking by quickly and before you knew it the black and white checked cloth was being thrown over Sheldon Haudenschild who took over ownership of the big paycheck. It wasn’t easy though as fast charging Buddy Kofoid crossed the line in second close behind with Emerson Axsom securing the final step of the podium with his third place run. Garet Williamson raced a great race to come home fourth with Ryan Timms completing the top five.

Carson raced forward all night to overcome starting back further in the field to secure a seventh place finish in the Huset’s Hustle aboard the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Border International/FK Rod Ends #41. He has a fast racecar all night, but so did some of these other drivers. He did a terrific job using his speed to move forward all night. There was no time to ponder the “what-ifs” as there were two more important races ahead. The team would debrief and reset as they turned their attention to preparing for the Ace Ready Mix preliminary night of the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals that was slated to kick off on Saturday night. Another good run for Macedo and the forty-one!

The Entertaining Huset’s Hustle Leads to a 7th Place Finish for Carson Macedo and the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 Team! Photo Credit: Trent Gower Photography

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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