TUNING UP AT TULARE: AFTER SETTING QUICK TIME TO GET OFF TO A FAST START ON THE OPENING NIGHT OF THE DENNIS ROTH CLASSIC, CARSON DRIVES HOME WITH A SIXTH PLACE FINISH AT THUNDERBOWL RACEWAY

TULARE, CALIFORNIA (September 20, 2024) – Heading into the final weekend of racing during the only West Coast swing of the season for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, the touring stars all traveled to Thunderbowl Raceway in the San Joaquin Valley for the opening night of the Inaugural Dennis Roth Classic. This race honors a gentleman who is one of the most successful and legendary winged sprint car owners in the sport of sprint car racing. Mr. Roth, along with his wife Teresa, have been an influential and impactful ownership duo in the sport since 1983, and over the last four decades has left an indelible mark on the sport as they made it better. There were 37 race teams parked throughout the pit area here at the 1/3-mile oval where the competitors are not afraid to bang the boards at speed. It was race day at Thunderbowl Raceway – World of Outlaws Style – to recognize and celebrate a true champion of the sport!

With just under 38 teams registered to race on Friday evening, the field of competitors would time trial as one group for Sea Foam Qualifying. There was a nice mix of talent representing both the traveling series as well as the drivers from all over the West Coast nestled in the pit area. Carson Macedo was ready and eager to climb back into the cockpit of the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Walker Performance Filtration/High Performance Lubricants #41 to race in his home state. He would be the 10th speedster out on the track for his two laps at speed. When Jamie Veal #17AU took the checkers to end his session, the Kistler Engines fired under the hood of the forty-one as Carson lowered his right foot on the accelerator to get going. He carried that speed off turn four and took the green flag. The second hand on the stopwatch was spinning quickly as the Lemoore, California native wheeled his way around the track. When Carson raced by the flagstand the first time the clock measured his first lap in 13.364 seconds. He was already busy working off turn two during his second lap trying to squeeze more horsepower out of his Maxim Racing machine as his Hoosier Racing Tires gripped the surface. This time when he raced under the waving checkered flag the stopwatch displayed a much better number – 13.108 seconds. The better of his two attempts, lap two, positioned him at the top of the speed charts with 27 more drivers to attempt to knock him out of that spot. When fellow Californian, Giovanni Scelzi, matched the top time on lap two, timing and scoring officials compared each of the drivers other lap times to see who would stay at the top of the charts. Carson’s 13.364 second first lap was slightly quicker than Giovanni Scelzi’s first lap at 13.392 second, earning him his series leading eleventh Simpson Quick Time Award of the season.

Without any hesitation, the World of Outlaws timing and scoring officials went to work to begin building out the lineups for the heat races based on each driver’s best lap in qualifying. When the lineups for the four 8-lap heat races were posted, Carson would get the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Bandy & Associates/Crow Enterprises #41 started from the pole position on the front row as he paced alongside Rio Oso, Californian’s Landon Brooks #45. Red hot Buddy Kofoid was right behind on the inside or row two beside Jock Goodyer. Cole Macedo, in the Tarlton and Son #21, and Landon Crawley #7s were rolling in row three with Dylan Bloomfield #83V Garet Williamson #23, Grant Duinkerken #67, and Austin McCarl #88 moving into their starting positions behind them.

After some time to run in the track, it was finally time to line up the first heat race. The flagman indicated the field would get up to speed as he showed them the signal as the cars were positioned correctly and slowly rolling in their assigned starting spots. The next time by tough they would power up to speed and the fans were in for a treat as these talented athletes of speed would show off their skills. Carson Macedo jumped into the early race lead aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 with Landon Brooks and Jock Goodyer digging closely behind.

Carson began to check out, but Goodyer had his hands full with Buddy Kofoid all over him racing for position. On lap 3, Kofoid drove the Mobil 1/Toyota TRD/Roth Motorsports #83 by him and now was running in the show position behind Macedo and Brooks.

Carson stayed the course and extending his lead as the laps began to dwindle down. He would lead the heat race wire-to-wire to take the victory by 1.750 seconds ahead of Landon Brooks. Those two would move onto the Dash. Buddy Kofoid came home third followed by Jock Goodyer and Landon Crawley who locked down the remaining three transfer positions.

For a series leading 39th time this season in World of Outlaws competition, Carson earned an opportunity to race for his starting position in the feature in the 6-lap Toyota Dash. As the quick timer and first heat race winner he would be the first driver to test his luck drawing a number from the oversized NOS Energy Drink can. There were eight pills with a number raging from one to eight printed on them. The goal was to get a low number. When he showed the number he selected it was the seven. Carson would get the Border International/AutoMeter/Saldana Racing Products #41 Maxim started from the inside of the last row beside Bill Balog #17B. Giovanni Scelzi #18 and Colby Copeland #5V were the lucky ones as they drew the one and two pills respectively to start from the front row. D.J. Netto #88N and David Gravel #2 would get their race started from row two, with Logan Schuchart #1s and Landon Brooks #45 in row three. With the lights shining down over Tulare, the green flag was out with Giovanni Scelzi racing into the lead ahead of Copeland, Netto, and Schuchart. Carson was aggressive off the start and coming off turn four on the first lap used the low side to move into the fifth position with David Gravel right behind. Scelzi was on a mission and led the remaining laps uncontested taking the win over Copeland, Netto, and Schuchart with Carson rounding out the top five. David Gravel came home sixth followed by Bill Balog and Landon Brooks.

The 24 car field was now set for the opening act of the two-day Inaugural Dennis Roth Classic at Thunderbowl Raceway. Giovanni Scelzi and Colby Copeland earned the right to pace the field from the front row of the 30-lap feature event followed by D.J. Netto and Logan Schuchart win row two. Carson would get his race started in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/ Sander Engineering/Motor State Distributing #41 Maxim from the fifth starting position located in row three pacing side-by-side with WoO series point leader David Gravel’s Big Game Motorsports #2.

It was now time to go racing, World of Outlaws style, at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare! When the front row starters approached the chalk stripe in turn four the action commenced with Scelzi and Copeland drag racing down the front straightaway towards turn one. Giovanni Scelzi had the KCP Racing #18 out front at the end of the first lap with Netto, Copeland, Schuchart, Gravel, and Macedo all behind giving chase.

Scelzi was out front, but he was under heavy pressure from Netto for the top spot. Carson was also in a battle for position with ninth starting Buddy Kofoid. On the second lap, Kofoid took over the sixth position. Carson was working the high side, but it seemed like the low line may be the quickest line early.

Bill Balog was fast and now pressuring Carson for the seventh position. On the fifth circuit he took that spot with Carson now running in the eighth position.

Up front, D.J. Netto was fast and still all over the leader. On lap 10, Netto raced by Scelzi into the lead. The crowd was on their feet, but he would surrender the lead to Logan Schuchart six laps later. But, David Gravel was patiently and meticulously coming fast on the bottom.

On lap 19, Gravel drove the Huset’s Speedway #2 into the lead with Schuchart, Netto, and Kofoid all looking to keep pace. Carson was also working his way up the scoreboard as he moved back into the top five on lap 23. Macedo was busy trying to hold off the hard charging Sheldon Haudenschild.

David Gravel did a great job racing to his series leading 14th WoO win of the year in dominant fashion. Logan Schuchart came home second with Buddy Kofoid rounding out the podium spots. Sheldon Haudenschild raced home fourth with D.J. Netto completing the top five.

Carson was scored sixth at the finish line, his 53rd top ten of the season in 63 races – an 84.13% top ten success rate. The driver from Lemoore, California and the JJR #41 team will take the lessons learned on Friday night and look to apply them on Saturday night when they return to Thunderbowl Raceway to compete for the $83,000-to-win Dennis Roth Classic purse. If you cannot attend the race in person, be sure to tune into DIRTVision to take in all of the exciting entertainment.

Performing at Speed in His Home State of California, Carson Macedo Drives the Tarlton and Son #41 to a Top Ten Finish on the Opening Night of the Dennis Roth Classic! 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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