LEFT EVERYTHING ON THE TRACK: AFTER STARTING ON THE POLE AND LEADING 28 LAPS, CARSON ATTEMPTED A HAIL MARY IN THE LAST CORNER TO TAKE THE LEAD BEFORE BOUNCING OFF THE WALL AND FINISHING A CLOSE SECOND IN THE HUSET’S HIGH BANK NATIONALS

BRANDON, SOUTH DAKOTA (September 1, 2024) – Carson Macedo’s seventh World of Outlaws victory of the season during the preliminary night of action on Saturday evening at Huset’s Speedway positioned him as the high point driver with 443 event points heading into Sunday night’s $100,000-to-win Myrl and Roy’s Paving Night at the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals presented by MENARDS. Those points would carry over to Sunday for the California speedster heading into the final night of the big stakes weekend of racing action at Huset’s Speedway. His performance positioned the native of Lemoore, California first overall in the event point standings with some work still to do this weekend as they designated themselves as contenders for the check with the big numbers on it when the checkered flag flies at the end of the night. Tod Quiring and his team at Huset’s Speedway have done a terrific job creating an epic sprint car event and the stars were ready to shine. As the sun came up over the horizon, the energy and excitement in the air was palpable. There were 39 drivers and race teams all salivating over the opportunity to race for a six figure paycheck at Huset’s Speedway as they were ready to repeat Tom Cruise’s famous line in the movie Jerry Maguire where he screams “Show Me the Money!” It was time to get down to some high stakes sprint car racing business again in South Dakota – World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series style!

For the Huset’s High Bank Nationals finale, race officials would again apply their unique race event format. There would be no time trials. Drivers would be assigned to a one of the four heat races straight up based on their accumulated total preliminary night event points. The winners and runner-up finishers in those heat races would then automatically lock themselves into the King of the Hill competition presented by Unique Movers.

Carson’s night would begin in the first heat race where he would get the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Factory Kahne (FK) Shocks/ISC Racers Tape #41 Maxim started from the inside of the front row where he was flanked by Bill Balog in the Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup #17B. The field behind them started in row two with Emerson Axsom #27 and Sheldon Haudenschild #17 pacing behind their front row driver’s tail tanks. Row three was made up of Tim Kaeding #3 and Justin Henderson #17GP with Tim Estenson #14T and Kraig Kinser #70 in row four. The final row found Brendan Mullen #11M and Andy Pake #64.

Each driver had 10 laps around this demanding and fast bullring to determine their fate for the evening. There would be no lollygagging for the drivers because the price they would pay would be steep for poor performance. With the fans on the edge of their seats, it was “go-time” as the green flag waved overhead. Carson Macedo darted into the lead in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 directly ahead of Bill Balog to lead the first circuit. Carson had a fast race car and immediately began to push the pace.

At the halfway point of the race, lap 5, Carson continued to build his lead with Balog, Haudenschild, Kaeding, and Axsom running behind him. The high speed action got interrupted on lap 6 when Andy Pake blew his engine and laid down oil all over the track and pit area. Pake’s night was over.

When the field of cars got back up to speed it was Macedo out front in the forty-one with Balog in second trying his best to hold off the always hard charging Sheldon Haudenschild. Carson was command.

The flagman pulled out the white flag informing the drivers so they knew there was only one more chance to move forward. Carson Macedo was in the lead and took the heat race victory in front of Bill Balog. Each of them locked themselves into the King of the Hill competition. Sheldon Haudenschild, Tim Estenson, and Emerson Axsom secured transfer positions to the feature as they rounded out the top five. The rest of the finishers would move on to the MicroLite Last Chance Showdown (LCS).

The King of the Hill presented by Unique Movers duel was up next. In this competition two drivers at a time get a shot to race on the track for their starting position in the feature by competing against the next guy up based on the quickest lap time one-on-one, with the fastest driver advancing to the next round until the last man was standing alone.

Round 1 featured Kerry Madsen #55 and David Gravel #2. When they got on the gas it was David Gravel coming out on top in the Billion Auto/Huset’s Speedway #2 with a lap of 11.384 seconds. Kerry Madsen would start eighth in the feature.

David Gravel moved on to Round 2 against Chase Randall #14H. When the both saw the green flag they were off to make speed. This time it was Chase Randall turning the quickest lap in 11.543 seconds. David Gravel would start seventh in the feature.

Round 3 pitted Chase Randall against Bill Balog #17. He mashed the gas with the Alaskan native showing his speed with a recorded time of 11.221 seconds to win the round. Chase Randall would start from the outside of row three in the feature from the sixth starting position.

Bill Balog continued his speed and momentum in Round 4 against Californian Giovanni Scelzi #18. Balog had some hustle under his hood turning the quickest lap of the King of the Hill at 11.143 seconds to send Scelzi back to the pit area. Giovanni Scelzi would start fifth in the feature.

Balog now moved into Round 5 to compete against the always formidable ten-time WoO Champion Donny Schatz in the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) #15. The driver of the #17B pounded the loud pedal and again came out on top with a lap of 11.326 seconds. Donny Schatz would start on the outside of row two in the feature from the fourth starting spot.

Round 6, with a spot on the front row at stake, paired up Bill Balog with Buddy Kofoid #83. Could Balog be stopped? When the green flag came out the driver of the Roth Motorsports/Mobil 1 #83 made speed quickly laying down a lap in 11.291 seconds to win the round. Bill Balog would start third after his impressive run in the King of the Hill.

The final round was a race for the pole position with a $1,000 reward up for grabs. Buddy Kofoid would take on fellow Californian Carson Macedo. When they got up to speed Kofoid had the quicker lap after the first timed laps. But the next time around Macedo hustled the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 around the 1/3-mile oval in 11.270 seconds to secure the win and earn the right to start from the inside of the front row with Buddy Kofoid to his outside in the $100,000-to-win feature.

After three exciting days of competition against some of the best sprint car drivers in the country, at one of the best racing facilities in the United States – Huset’s Speedway, the starting grid was finalized for Myrl and Roy’s Paving Night at the $100,000-to-win BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals presented by MENARDS. What a great event. The 24 car field was filled with just incredible talent starting in row one and extending throughout row twelve. None of these drivers got here all by themselves, but rather in partnership with their teams, crew, owners, and sponsorship partners. The day began with anticipation. The night was going to end with excitement . . . and, for someone a much fatter wallet.

Carson Macedo would lead the field from the pole position with Buddy Kofoid pacing around to his outside on the front row. Just behind them was Bill Balog and Donny Schatz in row two. Both of those drivers were positioned and hungry to race for the win, too. Giovanni Scelzi and Chase Randall made up row three, with David Gravel and Kerry Madsen side-by-side in row four.

Carson Macedo was poised and amped up as he was ready to race forward from his front row starting spot. He moved his Border International/RaceDiecast.com/Sander Engineering #41 Maxim into position. With no further ado the green flag was out with the driver of the forty-one leading the pack on lap one. He was racing in front of Buddy Kofoid and Bill Balog as he made speed aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41.

After the first lap was in the books, the first yellow flag of the night came out for Sam Henderson #83s who slowed on the track disrupting the high speed action early. That would regroup the field for a restart.

The restart with 39 laps to go would reveal Macedo leading Kofoid, Balog, Schatz, and Scelzi back to the green. The green flag was waving again with Carson driving back to the front leading the talented driver of the Roth Motorsports #83. The drivers at the front of the pack were fast and closing quickly on the back of the field. The leaders would soon have to start racing through the slower cars.

On lap 10, Carson was meticulously weaving through lap traffic, but Kofoid was too and closing in. Five laps later Buddy Kofoid had reeled in your race leader and was now within striking distance for the runner-up positioned driver from Penngrove, California. Carson had speed too and was able to hold the Roth Motorsports #83 off for now.

The battle between these two talented racers continued over the next ten laps. On lap 24, Kofoid slid by Macedo into the lead as the split slower cars. On the next lap though Carson threw a massive slider entering turn three as he drifted up across the nose of Kofoid’s racecar in turn four. The two drivers almost made contact, but Kofoid calmly used his brake pedal and settled in right behind Macedo who was now back out front. Great racing!

They were still racing in lap traffic as Carson got stuck behind two lap cars racing for position. That enabled Kofoid to close again and he took advantage of an opportunity to move by the forty-one on lap 30. It was now Kofoid leading Macedo with Balog, Scelzi, and Schatz racing behind them watching all of the exciting action while making their own entertainment.

Buddy Kofoid started to extend his lead to over one second on Macedo. But on lap 33, that lead was erased when the yellow flag came back out for Tim Kaeding who stopped in turn four with smoke coming out from under the hood. Kaeding’s night was over.

It would be a seven lap dash to the finish. Who was going to get to write out the bank deposit slip for the big check? The green flag was back out with Kofoid sailing into the clean air and building his lead again. He was fast and eventually caught up to the slower cars again. Carson had a fast hotrod too and closed in on your race leader with two laps to go.

When the white flag waved Carson was closer, but not close enough to do anything in the first set of turns with the leader. Down the backstretch Kofoid was still battling a lap car with Macedo closing quickly. Carson drove into turn three with the gas pedal down and slid up across Kofoid’s nose to momentarily take the lead off turn four. Carson’s momentum carried him into the outside wall as he bounced off allowing Kofoid the opportunity to turn underneath him to regain the lead and take the $100k win. Carson came home second with Bill Balog rounding out the podium.

Carson left everything out on the track. He raced a bold race. Led 28 laps. Competed hard up until the very end. And, made a valiant attempt for the win on the last lap in the final corner that came up just short. That is sprint car racing at its’ very best – World of Outlaws style. Huset’s Speedway delivered a great race again.

On the frontstretch, Carson explained, “I was watching the lap counter. I could see it out of the corner of my eye when I’d leave turn 2 every lap. I saw we had two to go and knew we were coming for the white. He was closing in on the lapper, and I didn’t know that I was going to have enough really.” He continued, “He got by the lapper. I was hoping he’d try to slide him and not clear him, but the lapper kind of checked up and got tight.” He concluded, “It gave me just enough of a run to throw a Hail Mary at it. It was definitely everything I had. I was going really fast at the wall off turn four and knew I was going to clobber it. I knew that was the only shot I had was maybe bouncing it off the fence and getting to the line. I held it wide open until I got there and hit it, and he must have crossed back over okay and just got me at the line. Hats off to them. Congrats on the win.”

Another great run for Macedo and the forty-one as they now head west to California for three straight weekends of racing. If you cannot be at the track be sure to tune in on DIRTVision to catch all of the exciting action on the West Coast.

Chasing the Cash at the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals Nets a Runner-Up Finish After a Valiant Attempt for the Win at the Very End! Photo Credit: Trent Gower Photography

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