THE END OF THE ROAD FOR THIS SEASON: THE LEMOORE, CALIFORNIA RACER DRIVES TO A PODIUM FINISH IN THE WORLD FINALS AT THE DIRT TRACK OF CHARLOTTE TO WRAP UP THE WORLD OF OUTLAWS SEASON
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA (November 9, 2024) – Coming off their twelfth win of the season on Friday night, Carson and the JJR #41 team were amped up for the last race of the season on Saturday night. A competitive journey that started back in February in Florida following a path that winded through 21 states in total throughout the season for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series was all coming to an end for 2024 season at The Dirt Track at Charlotte with the finale of the World Finals. For Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team the season got off to an abnormally slow start at the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, but picked up some steam and momentum with each race along the way as they put together another incredible season together resulting in double digit victories. But before they closed the chapter on this season, there was still some important work to do in the finale on Saturday night. There were 45 race teams registered and locked in on Saturday night preparing a strategy that would end with them holding the final checkered flag of the season. It was time close out the season in Charlotte.
There was no Sea Foam Qualifying on Saturday evening’s race agenda as each driver was locked into a starting position in one of the four Heat races at the 4/10-mile, red dirt oval based on the accumulated points from Thursday and Friday night’s performance results. Carson had raced forward to finish sixth on Thursday night before following it up with a win in Friday’s feature, so he was locked into one of the pole position in the third Heat race.
Four Heat Races. Eight laps each. Five transfer spots up for grabs in each race. Plus two coveted spots in the Dash available for the winners and runner-up finishers in each Heat Race. It would be Carson Macedo in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 and Brian Brown in the Casey’s/FVP #21 on the front row with Garet Williamson #23 and Anthony Macri #39M in row two. Justin Whittall #23 and Landon Crawley #7s were paired in row three followed by Spencer Bayston #14 and Ricky Thornton Jr. #20RT in the fourth row. Matt Farnham #7NY and Keith Baxter #1B paced in row five with Geoff Dodge alone in row six.
The field slowly rolled down the backstretch and when the front row drivers approached the white chalk stripe they accelerated off turn four and race towards turn one. Macedo had a slight edge going down the front straightaway, but Brown used the outside lane through the first set of turns to take the lead down the backstretch. As they exited turn four the yellow came out negating the initial start of the race.
The next time the field of drivers went under green flag conditions, Carson mashed the gas and his Kistler Engines power catapulted him to the lead with Brown just behind to his outside as they raced towards turn one. Both drivers drove hard as they made slight contact with Macedo charging off the turn two with the lead. He led the opening lap and kept his right foot planted as he built his lead over Brown. He continued his high speed excursion aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative/High Performance Lubricants/T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication #41 Maxim as he was uncontested and led the remaining laps to take his 34th Heat Race win of the season. Brian Brown came home second and would join Carson in the Dash. Garet Williamson, Spencer Bayston, and Anthony Macri completed the top five as all of them earned transfer spots to the A-Main.
When all of the eight numbers were drawn for the starting positions in the 6-lap Toyota Dash, Carson would start on the outside of the last row in the eighth starting spot. David Gravel #2 would be to his inside of row four. Directly in front of them in row three was Buddy Kofoid #83 and Sheldon Haudenschild #17. Justin Peck #26 and Brian Brown #21 were perched in row two with Tyler Courtney #7BC perched in the pole position flanked in row one by Logan Schuchart #1s. Carson had some work to do, but was raised right and knew how to perform when needed. When the green flag waved it was Tyler Courtney racing into the early lead ahead of Brian Brown and Sheldon Haudenschild lead. Carson went wide and high in the Scott Boyd Family/Factory Kahne (FK) Shocks/Vortex Racing Products #41 as he accelerated into accelerate into the fifth position by the end of the first circuit. He had his sights set on fourth running Logan Schuchart as they completed some more laps. Tyler Courtney though was making quick work of this event as he led wire-to-wire to take the win crossing the finish line ahead of Brian Brown, Sheldon Haudenschild, and Logan Schuchart. Carson finished fifth with Buddy Kofoid, David Gravel, and Justin Peck completing the finishing order.
With all of the qualifying action completed, the only item remaining from a competition standpoint for the night, and the season, was the 25-lap World Finals feature finale. Carson Macedo would get his final quest for victory in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Border International/Team Jack Foundation #41 Maxim started from row three in the fifth starting position. He secured the chin strap on his Shifty Illusions custom painted Bell Helmet before pulling on his K1 Race Gear gloves.
Tyler Courtney, driving the NOS Energy Drink #7BC, would lead the field with Brian Brown’s Casey’s/FVP #21 to his outside. Sheldon Haudenschild and Logan Schuchart paced side-by-side in row two with Carson sharing row three with fellow Californian Buddy Kofoid.
When they came off turn four, it was Tyler Courtney seizing the top spot with Brian Brown in tow. Carson maintained the fifth position with a full field of eager drivers behind him.
On lap 3, David Gravel saw an opening to Macedo’s inside and drove by the forty-one as they both advanced forward ahead of Logan Schuchart. Behind them though was Ryan Timms #10 who was coming fast from his ninth starting position.
Gravel continued his march forward as he meticulously worked his way up to second behind race leader Tyler Courtney. Ryan Timms was also still on the move as he raced by Carson Macedo to take over fourth on lap 14 before the yellow flag was thrown for Landon Crawley #7s who slowed on the backstretch.
With 11 laps to go, it would be Courtney, Gravel, Brown, Timms, Macedo, and Haudenschild up front as the green lights re-illuminated and the engines came back to a roar. Ryan Timms moved into the show position as he maneuvered by Brian Brown with Macedo holding down the last position in the top five. Brown would wrestled the third position back away from Timms as the two talented racers battled.
On lap 18, the driver of the forty-one hustled by Timms to retake the fourth position behind Courtney, Gravel, and Brian Brown. He was working the high side making speed up against the building, and treacherous, cushion.
On lap 20, the red flag came out for Buddy Kofoid who flipped over in turn two when a tire went down while running in the ninth position. The restart order with 5 laps to go would be Courtney, Gravel, Brown, Macedo, and Timms.
When the green flag came back out Tyler Courtney continued to show the way in the NOS Energy Drink #7BC as Gravel continued to pressure him for the top spot. Carson stayed up high and used the momentum created up there to drive by Brian Brown into the third position.
Tyler Courtney led up front from flag-to-flag to take the $25,000 winner’s check crossing the finish line 2.041 seconds ahead of Second finishing David Gravel. Carson Macedo brought the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 home third to collect his 37 podium finish of the year. Ryan Timms and Brian Brown completed the top five.
Meeting with Conner Wade for one last time this season, Carson explained, “I think late in the race there it transitioned back to the top. These guys (Courtney and Gravel) were actually running the middle which surprised me. But Brownie (Brian Brown) went to the bottom there on the restart and I think just spun a little bit, and I was able to get a run and get around him.” He continued, “It was a hard fought race. It changed a lot just like I feel it has the last couple of nights with the way the track prep is.” Finally, the relieved competitor highlighted, “Man, hats off to this team. They are doing a great job. They are delivering – Philip Dietz, Adam Zimmerman, and Robby McQuinn.”
Another good run for Carson Macedo and the JJR forty-one to end an impressive 2024 season filled with success. What a season it was for Carson Macedo, Philip Dietz, Robby McQuinn, Adam Zimmerman, and all of the valued sponsorship partners at Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) in 2024:
2nd Season Ending World of Outlaws (WoO) Championship Point Standings
73 Races
12 Victories (16.44% Success Rate for Wins)
12 Simpson Quick Time Awards (Tied for First with David Gravel)
512 Laps Led During Season (in World of Outlaws and High Limit Series Competition)
37 Podium Finishes (50.68% Podium Success Rate)
52 Top 5s (71.23% Top 5 Success Rate)
62 Top 10s (84.93% Top 10 Success Rate)
48 Dash Appearances (77.42% Dash Success Rate)
* Led the World of Outlaws this season
* There were only 62 Dash Events this season
All Dirt Roads Ended at Charlotte for Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 Team with a Podium Finish in the Finale at the World Finals! 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.
To stay connected with Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) and Carson Macedo go to www.jasonjohnsonracing.com.
Check out ShopJJR.com to buy all your new Carson Macedo and JJR gear and merchandise.