RED DIRT RUMBLINGS BEGIN: CARSON MACEDO KICKS THE DUST UP AT THE DIRT TRACK AT CHARLOTTE AS HE DRIVES THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 TO A TOP TEN FINISH ON THE OPENING NIGHT OF THE WORLD FINALS

CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA (November 7, 2024) – After collecting his 11th win of the season at Riverside International Speedway a week and a half ago, followed by a cancellation of the finale on Saturday night, Carson Macedo and his fellow World of Outlaws speed entertainers headed to North Carolina for a season ending three day show at the World Finals. This special show is the capstone event for the World Racing Group (WRG) each racing season as the multiple pit areas are packed with big block modifieds, super late models, and 410 sprint cars. The sprint car team’s haulers are parked outside of turns one and two. There was a nice mixture of talent on hand at the 4/10-mile, red dirt oval that sits just across the street from Charlotte Motor Speedway of Bruton Smith Boulevard. There were 45 race teams that had pulled through the pit gates with all of their eyes focused on getting off to a quick start and leaving with the winner’s trophy for night number one. It was time to go racing at The Dirt Track at Charlotte – World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series style.

After randomly selecting for the order each driver would push off in Sea Foam Qualifying, which were completed Wednesday night, Carson Macedo climbed into his high-speed office ready to get down to business as the seventh competitor out on the track in Group B. He waited patiently as he mapped out his strategy to create the most speed to complete a lap in the least amount of time. Carson was confident Philip Dietz, Robby McQuinn, and Adam Zimmerman did their part to give him a fast race car, so he was ready to show off their work at speed. With a slight tap on the rear nerf bar, the Kistler Engines with All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads power plant came to life. The horses were ready to run . . . and, Carson was prepared to set them free with his right foot. He lowered his K1 Race Gear shoe and everything came together as one to create a lot power and speed as the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Factory Kahne (FK) Shocks/Sander Engineering #41 Maxim took off. The talented California speed chauffeur was in his sweet spot when he got up to speed as he carried his momentum through the first set of turns and headed down the back straightaway. He raced off turn four and before you knew it he was under the white flag, ending his first time trial attempt in 13.096 seconds. He stayed focus and on the loud pedal as he danced around the racing surface one last time against the clock. This time when he broke the timing light at the finish line the clock read 13.051 seconds. His second lap was the better of the two and positioned him 13th quick overall in the final time trial results for Group B. At the end of the qualifying session, it was none other than David Gravel laying down the fastest lap of the night in time trials out of Group A on the opening night of the World Finals to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award.

When the lineups were finalized and posted for the four 8-lap heat races, Carson would get the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Boltz Family/RaceDiecast.com #41 Maxim started from the seventh starting spot beside Gage Pulkrabek #G5 in row four. Logan Schuchart #1s and Emerson Axsom #27 paced the field from the front row with Ricky Thornton Jr. #20RT and Anthony Macri #39M in row two. Spencer Bayston #14 and Giovanni Scelzi #18 were side-by side in row three with Tim Shaffer #6x, Matt Farnham #7NY, and Ryan Harrison #97U.

There were on five transfer spots up for grabs and a talented field all vying for one of those coveted positions. The goal for the drivers in the field was to secure one of the five available transfer positions from each heat race to ensure they were locked into the feature finale later in the evening. But, of course, all of these competitors just really wanted to win the race, because that’s what they do – compete to be the best.

Carson had some work to do and when the green flag dropped he immediately went to work. Logan Schuchart was out front as Macedo raced into fifth on the opening lap. The California ace was directly behind Spencer Bayston and was valiantly trying to track him down on the early, fast racing surface. He caught him and the two talented racers battled cleanly with Carson sliding underneath the Sander Engineering #14 to move into fourth on lap 5. By that time the three cars ahead of him had fanned out and were racing in clean air ahead of Macedo. Logan Schuchart raced to the heat race victory ahead of Emerson Axsom, with Anthony Macri coming home third.

As the unseasonably warm temperatures continued, the racing action was about to heat up as the night of entertainment was inching closer to the end. The highlight of the evening was still on tap – the 25-lap, opening night World Finals feature at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Carson was primed and ready to go in the Tarlton and Son/Schoenfeld Headers/Durst Inc. #41 Maxim where he would start in row seven from the 14th position alongside Tyler Courtney in the NOS Energy Drink #7BC.

After the four-wide salute to these great fans was done, the drivers throughout the field raced back into their proper starting positions and aligned two-by-two in twelve orderly rows. The front row of Brian Brown in the Casey General Stores #21 and David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 brought the field of talented speed athletes up to speed as they raced down the front straightaway. Series’ point leader, David Gravel, darted out into the lead and led lap one followed by Brian Brown and Justin Peck. Carson gained two positions early and was running in the 12th spot in the running order.

Gravel was showing the way, but on lap 8 the yellow flag was thrown for the #27 of Emerson Axsom who spun in turn four after racing wheel-to-wheel with Sheldon Haudenschild for position. David Gravel would lead Brian Brown, Justin Peck, Ryan Timms, and Logan Schuchart back up to speed. Carson mashed the gas when the green lights turned back on and continued his march forward. By lap 11, he was up to eighth and looking for more.

With 5 laps to go, the race leader was still fast and was now navigating lap traffic. Carson was still wheeling the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 from the seventh position as he dueled with Logan Schuchart for the better position on the track. He was up on the wheel as he aggressively waited for an opportunity to move forward to gain some spots.

Both Schuchart and Macedo moved by Ryan Timms as they continued to race. When the checkered flag came out David Gravel secured the victory crossing the finish line ahead of Buddy Kofoid in the Roth Enterprises #83 with Justin Peck coming home third to round out the podium. Brian Brown finished fourth with Logan Schuchart rounding out the top five on night one.

Carson battled hard all night as he ended his night with a sixth place finish. Ryan Timms finished seventh as Sheldon Haudenschild, Anthony Macri, and Tyler Courtney completed the top ten. A solid night of competition to open the World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. The team will be back in action on Friday night in pursuit of the checkers.

An Entertaining Evening at The Dirt Track at Charlotte to Open the World Finals! Photo Credit: Cameron Saich – CS Productions

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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