BACK TO WORK: THE CALENDAR FLIPPED FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT IN SOUTH DAKOTA WITH THE FOCUS NOW ON THE PRELIMINARY NIGHT OF THE BILLIONAUTO.COM HUSET’S HIGH BANK NATIONALS WHERE POINTS MATTER

BRANDON, SOUTH DAKOTA (June 20, 2025) – When the checkered flag flew on Thursday night and the $100,000 Huset’s Hustle paycheck was handed over to Michael “Buddy” Kofoid, the drivers needed to refocus for another preliminary night of action again at Huset’s Speedway, this time for the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals on Friday. After finishing in 12th place in the Huset’s Hustle finale, Carson, and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team used their notebook to help tweak and setup the car for the third of four nights of high stakes racing in South Dakota. They were looking for speed along with quite a few other teams. Not surprisingly the pit area was filled with 59 teams looking to maximize their performance and point totals.

The preliminary night race format for the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals was the same as it was for the Huset’s Hustle on Wednesday evening where a drivers received points every time they take to the track for competition. It again would be all about the points during Friday’s preliminary portion of the show. The top ten in combined qualifying and Heat race points in each group locked into the A-Main. It was time to replace the batteries in the calculators, or the solar recharge panels, to get ready to go racing at Huset’s Speedway!

With a stacked field of racecars, the talented group of drivers divided into two equal qualifying groups based on of the random pill draw for Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. For Carson Macedo that position the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Scott Boyd Family/Winters Performance Products #41 Maxim as the twelfth driver in the qualifying order in Flight 1. Numbers are an especially important part of the format as referenced above and luck certainly plays a role in the success formula for the night. No matter what the number it the driver’s and team’s responsibility is to make the most of their magic number. From the number drawn for qualifying to those on the clock that measured everyone’s speed performance in time trails, to the points earned, the numbers seem magnified in this format. When red hot Buddy Kofoid in the Roth Motorsports #83 completed his two qualifying laps around Huset’s, Carson was ready to roll in the Albaugh – Your Alternative entry. He would rely on the Kistler Engines power under his Prime Composite Innovations carbon fiber hood to do help him do his job on his speed excursion around the three-eighths mile banked oval. He was digging as he exited turn four to take the green flag to start lap one. The car was balance as he blasted his way around this place to stop the clock in 11.485 seconds after his first lap. He stayed on the loud pedal and continued to focus the next time around ending his timed session with lap two measured in 11.569 seconds. The faster of his two qualifying laps in time trials was 11th quick overall in Flight 1 earning him 90 points to start the night. The fastest driver in the Flight 1 time trial session, and quickest overall to earn Simpson Quick Time Award honors and the maximum 100 points, was Kerry Madsen in the TK Concrete #55 turning a lap in 11.259 seconds. The quickest driver in the other time trial session was Rico Abreu in the Kubota #24 who circled the rim around Huset’s in 11.491 seconds to earn 100 points out of Flight 2.

With time trials done, the next races on the agenda were the six 10-lap Heat races. The starting lineups were crafted based off each group’s time trial results with an inversion of six to put the fastest drivers back in row three. Base on Carson’s eleventh place qualifying effort that put the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/KSE Racing Products/BR Motorsports #41 Maxim in the Real American Beer Heat Race #2 where he would start from the third starting position in row two alongside David Gravel in the JRC Transportation #2. Chris Martin #44 and Brad Sweet #49 were out front leading the pack with Donny Schatz #15 and Aaron Reutzel #87 pacing from row three. Tanner Thorson #88T and Blaine Stegenga #96 were in row four followed by Spencer Bayston #14 and Micah Slendy #8X in the last row. There were more points up for grabs with the Heat race winners having an opportunity to earn 100 more points with a three-point drop for second and third place followed by a five-point drop for the field from fourth on back. The top ten-point earners out of each qualifying group lock into the $20,000-to-win feature to end the night of point racing.

Things were about to be buzzing at and about to get feverish. The front row starters in this qualifying race slowly paced the 10-car field as these powerful 410 cubic inch engines purred as they rolled down the back straightaway. That was all about to change – quickly.

When they reached turn four the engines roared like angry lions and the power of these engines unleashed. Brad Sweet accelerated the NAPA Auto Parts #49 into the lead and was scored first on the opening lap in front of Chris Martin and David Gravel who used the outside lane at the start to grab the third spot.

Meanwhile, Carson was up on the wheel racing from the fourth position early aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 with Donny Schatz and Tanner Thorson hounding him from behind.

The laps on the scoreboard were counting down quickly because it does not take exceptionally long to get around this place. The action was fast and furious. The flagman unfurled the white flag indicating one more lap to go with Brad Sweet still leading the field. The next time by the black and white checkered cloth waved with Sweet taking the victory to secure 100 points awarded to the Heat race winners. He crossed the finish line 1.299 second in front of Chris Martin (97 Points) who drove home second with David Gravel (94 Points) racing across the line third. Carson Macedo finished fourth (89 Points) with Donny Schatz rounding out the top five (84 Points).

With his qualifying and Heat race points earned, Carson’s accumulated points at this point of the show added up to 179 points, which was 13th overall for his qualifying group.

Outside of the top ten in points after the Heat races, Carson had to finish in one of the top four positions in the 12-lap Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown to get a shot in the feature. He would start fifth in the Boltz Family/Bandy & Associates/FK Rod Ends #41 sharing row three with Landon Crawley #45X. Chris Martin #44 and Brady Bacon #21H were on the front row with Donny Schatz #15 and Brian Brown #21 in row two. Chris Martin jumped into the early lead ahead of Bacon and Schatz with Brown and Macedo right behind the trio.

With one completed lap in the books, the yellow flag came out for a car that spun in turn one. On the restart, Justin Henderson #83H and Jy Corbett #25 got together off turn four to bring the yellow flag back out. Brady Bacon seized the opportunity to drive into the lead on the restart with Schatz and Macedo following him around Chris Martin.

The action was tense and on the fifth circuit the red flag flew when Tim Kaeding #3 entered turn one high catching the wall and flipping with Rico Abreu #24 spinning to a stop to avoid contact. Carson would restart third and when racing went back to green flag conditions, he followed the leader and got up to speed. He dove low under Donny Schatz entering turn one to take the runner-up position away.

Brady Bacon led the remaining distance with Carson Macedo coming home second followed by Donny Schatz and Brian Brown. Those four drivers advanced into the feature filling rows eleven and twelve.

The twenty-four car feature field was filled with some of the biggest names in the sport of sprint car racing. The incredible drivers were determined to put on a great show to maximize their event point totals. Things were about to go down in the 35-lap BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals preliminary feature event. There was a lot on the line ranging from a big payday to the remaining coveted event points that descended from 250 points awarded to the winner with each of the remaining finishing positions.

The drivers with the highest point totals from each of the qualifying groups redrew for their starting spots in the first four rows. That put Garet Williamson #23 and Bill Balog #17B in row one with row two starters, Californians Michael “Buddy” Kofoid #83 and Giovanni Scelzi #18 directly behind. David Gravel #2 and Christopher Thram #24T rolled from row three with Chase Randall #9R and Logan Schuchart #1s I row four. Carson would start from the 22nd starting spot in the feature field driving the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Pro Powder Coating (PPC)/C&R Racing #41 Maxim.

The energy level was high for the eager drivers and fans that were in their seats in the grandstands as they anticipated the green flag flying overhead. Garet Williamson drove the Fischer’s Body Shop #23 from the pole position and raced into the lead early tracking ahead of Bill Balog’s Honest Abe’s Roofing #17B. He led the first lap before Balog stole the lead in his fast racecar as the dirt was kicking up.

Carson was battling for position from just inside the top twenty from the 19th spot in the running order. He was aggressively looking for opportunities to make a pass racing with Ian Madsen #2KS. The two racers exchanged positions 18 and 19 a few times and were closing in on Ryan Timms. Madsen and Macedo moved by Timms and were still fighting for the better position.

With Bill Balog breezing out front, Carson continued to wage a war fighting from the rear of the field. He fell as far back as twenty-first on lap 7 before charging forward again. By the halfway point of the race, he was back up to 17th place and looking for more. Five laps later he moved up a position and the next lap he gained another spot passing Cole Macedo and was now running in 15th place. He would gain one more spot before the checkered flag flew finishing in 14th place.

Bill Balog took the win with Garet Williamson and Buddy Kofoid completing the podium. David Gravel finished fourth with Sheldon Haudenschild rounding out the top five.

Everyone will be back at it on Saturday night racing for a quarter of a million dollars at Huset’s Speedway! Catch all the action of DIRTVision if you aren’t planning to attend the races!

Showing Determination at Huset’s Speedway During the Preliminary Night of the High Bank Nationals! Photo Credit: Trent Gower Photography

JJR’s Valued Sponsorship Partners for 2025: 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; CASM Safety Products; C&R Racing; 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; ISC Racers Tape; Jansen Transportation; K1 Race Gear; KSE Racing Products; LogoDaddy; Motor State Distributing; Mr. Jim’s Racing; Prime Composite Innovations; Saldana Racing Products; Sam I Am; Schoenfeld Headers; Smiley’s Racing Products; 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.

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