FUN NIGHT IN OSKALOOSA: CARSON MACEDO KEEPS HIS MOMENTUM MOVING AS HE RACES TO A SIXTH PLACE FINISH IN THE 30TH ANNUAL AMERICAN REBEL LIGHT FRONT ROW CHALLENGE AT SOUTHERN IOWA SPEEDWAY

OSKALOOSA, IOWA (August 4, 2025) – Each year Terry and Lori McCarl do a tremendous job promoting and putting on a fun and entertaining night of sprint car racing for the fans at Southern Iowa Speedway during the Front Row Challenge (FRC). After driving the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 to a fifth place finish Sunday night in the Capitani Classic over at Knoxville Raceway, Philip Dietz and the JJR #41 crew worked on the car throughout the day before heading 26.5 miles down the road to race in the non-sanctioned 30thAnnual American Rebel Light Front Row Challenge presented by Country Builders Construction at Oskaloosa’s big half mile, fairgrounds oval. The pit area is located off the back straightaway at this facility and featured 26 team haulers as the teams rolled out their speed chariots prepared to put on a show Monday night for all the fans who showed up to show out. The Front Row Challenge is more than a race . . . it is a party with a race that happens throughout the night to add to the fun. As they put it, “A one night stand for $21 grand!” It was race day at Osky!

Last year at the Front Row Challenge, Carson and the JJR #41 team were third quick (16.155 seconds) in time trials, finished second in the third qualifying race, third in the Foot Race, before starting and finishing third in the feature. They were looking to improve on those results in 2025 during their stop here in Oskaloosa. Carson won this race back in 2018 in Tony Stewart’s #14 entry during the ASCS 360 competition and was hungry to do it again to add his name to the 410 winner’s list this time, in his full-time ride with JJR.

Philip (Dietz), Robby (McQuinn), and Adam (Zimmerman) were hard at work preparing the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Scott Boyd Family/Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS) #41 Maxim for time trial qualifying. Two cars would be out on the track at a time. The JJR driver would be the 17th speed athlete to roll out onto the track for his two timed laps along with Ayrton Gennetten #3 from Versailles, Missouri. After Chase Dietz #23D from York, Pennsylvania and Jason Martin #36 from Liberal, Kansas completed his two qualifying laps, Carson entered the racing surface on the back straightaway and by the time he got to tun four he was moving quickly towards the starting stripe with the green flag waving. Carson was now on the clock and was wheeling and dealing as he hit his marks throughout his first attempt. He completed lap one in 15.892 seconds and was already focused during his second go ‘round. He was looking for some more speed to beat his first lap numbers. This time he dragged raced down the frontstretch and whizzed underneath the waving checkered flag in 15.935 seconds to end lap two. The better of Carson’s two laps was good enough for tenth quick overall to start the night. Kyle Larson piloting the Finley Farms #57 sat at the top of the speed charts turning in the fastest lap of the night at 15.553 seconds to earn the SeaFoam $500 Pole Award.

After opening ceremonies concluded, the three 8-lap Heat Races were up next on the evening’s racing agenda. It was the first time on the card that the drivers would be competing against each other out on the track during the show. This is where things start to get entertaining. In this race format, the first six drivers are inverted in each qualifying race. Based on Carson’s time trial result that positioned him in the third starting spot in row two of the stacked first Heat race driving the Durst Inc./High Performance Lubricants/CASM Safety Products #41 Maxim where he pulled side-by-side with Kerry Madsen #55. James McFadden #21T and Ryan Timms #10 led the starts from the front row with Corey Day #14BC and Kyle Larson #57 in row three. Derek Hagar #45C and Jason Martin #36 were side-by-side in row four with Jonathan Hughes #67 alone in row five.

The Front Row Challenge race director made the call with officials to delay the start of the race until the sun went down for safety reasons. When they were given the thumbs up signal, the field of competitive sprint car drivers were set and ready to roll in the opening Heat race. The drivers were ready to stand on the gas off turn four and the fans in the stands at Oskaloosa were equally excited for them to do so to commence the high speed festivities at the Southern Iowa Speedway. The yellow lights turned off as the flagman flipped the switch to turn the green lights on. James McFadden was the first driver to make his way through the first set of turns as he led the first lap as fourth starting Kerry Madsen blasted around the top to move into the runner-up position with Ryan Timms in third. At the start, Carson was in the middle of a California Special with Corey Day low, Kyle Larson high, and Carson right in the middle of that high speed hoagie. He got shuffled back but raced the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 back up to fourth in front of Larson and Day after the first circuit.

The caution flag flew at the halfway point of the race for debris sitting on the high side of turn two. After the track was cleared it would be McFadden stomping on the gas to bring everyone back up to speed with Madsen and Timms tracking behind him. Kyle Larson dipped underneath Macedo exiting turn two to take fourth, but the next time by Carson stayed close enough to moved back by the Silva Motorsports #57 to reclaim the fourth spot.

Carson was digging in the new paint schemed JJR entry and closed in on third place running Timms with the remaining laps dwindling down. Carson was right there ready to pounce and with two laps to go raced by into the show position.

James McFadden took the win ahead of Madsen with Carson bringing the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 home third. Ryan Timms raced home fourth with Kyle Larson rounding out the top five with Corey Day coming home sixth. Jason Martin, Derek Hagar, and Jonathan Hughes completed the finishing order.

Next up was the annual Priority Aviation Foot Race for feature starting positions. The top eight drivers in points following time trials and the qualifying races were eligible to participate. As is usual and customary at the Front Row Challenge, things are a bit different to make the event fun and entertaining. The top eight drivers would be split between the two Heats in the annual Foot Race. The King of the Hill (KOH) Foot Race One would include Anthony Macri #39M, Austin McCarl #88, Lucas Wolfe #5W, and Parker Price-Miller #71P. When the green flag waved in the first race it was Parker Price-Miller galloping to the front to secure the round one win over Anthony Macri with Austin McCarl and Lucas Wolfe off the pace in third and fourth, respectively.

The four remaining competitors would be highlighted in KOH Foot Race Two which included Kyle Larson #57, Kerry Madsen #55, Corey Day #14BC, and Carson Macedo #41. The car owner and crew chief of the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41, Philip Dietz, would need to substitute for Carson Macedo who is still unable to run following his off-season leg injury. At the start of the second race Corey Day darted to the front of the field in the eight legged dash with Kerry Madsen substitute runner Tyler making a late surge trying to track him down. Philip and Trevor (replacement for Larson) came across the stripe just behind. The two fleet-a-foot drivers who finished up front in the second race and earned spots in the semi-finals against the top two from the first race Parker Price-Miller and Anthony Macri.

This time when the racers were released to race it was close from start to finish with Corey Day emulating accomplished Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt, as he accelerated displaying his kicks as he crossed the finished line first followed by Tyler subbing for Kerry Madsen with Parker Price-Miller coming home third and Anthony Macri rounding out the field in fourth. Corey Day won the Priority Aviation Service, LLC $1,500 winner’s check and earned the right to start from the pole position in the Front Row Challenge feature. Incredibly fun and entertaining.

The horn sounded summoning all the drivers and teams to button up any last minute work and cinch down their safety belts one last time before engines fired for the 30-lap, $21,000-to-win 30thAnnual American Rebel Light Front Row Challenge at Osky. Carson climbed into his Fibreworks Composites carbon fiber seat with a custom Sharp Advantage seat insert before securing his safety belts. He would get the race started from the eighth starting spot with Lucas Wolfe #5W sharing row four with him. Corey Day #14BC and Kerry Madsen #55 lined up on the front row ready to lead the field to the green flag followed by Parker Price-Miller #71P and Anthony Macri #39M in row two and Austin McCarl #88 in row three.

With the packed house on their feet in the grandstand as well as those partying and enjoying the races from the infield to show their appreciation, it was time to turn this party up a notch with the finale of the Front Row Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. The next time by the green flag was out with Corey Day driving the CCCC Construction/Driven to Save Lives #14BC to the front to lead the first lap followed by Madsen, Macri, McCarl, and Larson.

Carson was scored in the seventh position after the first lap in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Team Jack Foundation/Engler Machine & Tool, Inc. #41 dueling on the track with Lucas Wolfe and Parker Price-Miller in the initial stages of the race. He would gain a spot moving by the Indy Race Parts #71P with his attention now turned to fifth running Austin McCarl who just got passed by Kyle Larson who was on his way to the front.

On lap 10, Carson and Parker Price-Miller both rolled by McCarl for position. Carson was now running in fifth behind Day, Larson, Macri, and Madsen. The leaders were like a freight train on rails as they were cooking around this big fairground half-mile oval.

A lap later, lap 11, third running Anthony Macri spun in turn two to bring out the caution flag. The field realigned with everyone looking to make moves when the green flag came back out. Kyle Larson used the restart as an opportunity to take the lead from Corey Day with Madsen, Macedo and Kofoid all tracking behind them. James McFadden, the winner at the Cappy Classic last night at Knoxville, was running sixth and moving around the bottom of the racing surface.

On lap 17, James McFadden was making his presence known as he moved by Macedo to take over the fourth running position as he immediately began to close the gap on third place running Kerry Madsen. Meanwhile, Kyle Larson was building his lead into an insurmountable one as he was 2.673 seconds ahead of second running Corey Day.

Carson was busy trying to hold off Buddy Kofoid who was inching closer with each completed lap. With ten laps to go, Kofoid in the Roth Enterprises Mobil 1/Toyota #83 moved by Macedo into fifth. With a few laps remaining, the competitive driver of the forty-one now had his hands full with Ryan Timms. With double sticks in the air indicating two laps to go, Timms raced into the sixth spot relegating Carson back to seventh.

Kyle Larson dominated this one to win the Front Row Challenge again with Corey Day coming home second and James McFadden racing across the finish line third. Buddy Kofoid finished fourth with Ryan Timms and Kerry Madsen getting together coming down the front straightaway to the checkers. Ryan Timms finished fifth. After getting up on the outside wall, Kerry Madsen was shuffled back to 13th place.

Carson took advantage of Madsen’s misfortune and brought the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 home sixth with Austin McCarl, Parker Price-Miller, Derek Hagar, and Skylar Gee rounding out the top ten at the Front Row Challenge. Another good run for Carson Macedo and the forty-one! After four consecutive nights of intense racing, Carson and the JJR #41 team’s next race will be on Thursday at the Knoxville Nationals during their qualifying action.

Carson Macedo Had a Blast Under the Lights in Oskaloosa During the Front Row Challenge Securing a 6th Place Finish Piloting the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41! Photo Credit: Cameron Saich – CS Productions

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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