“COOL” VICTORY IN THE GREAT PLAINS: CARSON MACEDO WAS ROLLING LATE IN NORTH DAKOTA AS HE DROVE THE TARLTON AND SON #41 MAXIM TO AN EXCITING WIN IN THE DUEL IN THE DAKOTAS AT RED RIVER VALLEY SPEEDWAY

WEST FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA (August 23, 2025) – There is no rest for the weary during this stretch of the season for the competitors that travel with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. As soon as the checkered flag flew over race winner Michael “Buddy” Kofoid in the Roth Motorsports #83 at River Cities Speedway on Friday night, the drivers and teams turned their attention to the next race on the schedule – Red River Valley Speedway for the Ellingson presents the Duel in the Dakotas. It would be the final race in the great state of North Dakota this season for the traveling tour of stars with the World of Outlaws. Carson raced home with a strong third place finish on Friday night and was looking to continue that momentum and leave the state dominated by the Great Plains on a high note. Carson and the team were one of 30 race teams parked throughout the pit area ready to roll in North Dakota at Red River Valley Speedway – World of Outlaws style.

After the completion of WEDG High Performance Karts Hot Laps, it was time to measure individual speed with the clock during Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. The qualifying order for time trials was set off a random draw to start the night when each team drew a number during the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw. When those numbers were ordered from low to high, Carson would be the sixth hotshoe to stomp on the gas for his two timed laps around the beautiful 3/8-mile, semi-banked oval in West Fargo, North Dakota. Each of the driver’s speed attempts are measured down to the hundredths of a second because that is how close these cars and drivers are speed wise. When Dalton Domagala #77 from Brandon, South Dakota wrapped up his two timed laps it was Carson’s turn to see what he could do against the clock in the Durst Inc./Factory Kahne Shocks/Engler Machine & Tool #41 Maxim. The California speed chauffeur was given a push down the infield staging lane to fire his engine. He rolled up onto turn one before lowering his right foot on the gas pedal to put his Kistler Engines powerplant to work. The California mover and shaker built up his momentum enroute to the waving green flag to start his speed session. Carson was focused as he made his way around the oval throughout his first lap. His Hoosier Racing Tires dug into the track’s surface off turn four as he saw the white flag displayed. The clock caught his first lap in 11.925 seconds. He maneuvered through the first set of turns one last time and down the backstretch. This time when he raced out of turn four the black and white checkered cloth waved high overhead. When the numbers on the stopwatch quit rolling, his second lap was officially recorded in 11.882 seconds. The better of Carson’s two laps in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 was third quick overall on the night. David Gravel in the JRC Transportation/ShopHusets.com #2 sat at the top of the speed charts again as the quickest driver of the night at Red River Valley Speedway with a lap of 11.647 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award for an unmatched and unrivaled 17th time this season.

Following time trials, race officials were hard at working building out the starting lineups for each of the three 8-lap Heat races. When they were complete and posted, Carson would start from the pole position in WIX Filters Heat Race #3 for the second night in a row behind the wheel of the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Sander Engineering/Fuel Safe Racing Cells #41 Maxim. He pulled to the inside of the front row beside Garet Williamson in the S&S Insurance/Fischer Motorsports #23. Kaleb Johnson #6K and Logan Schuchart #1s were right behind in row two with Hunter Schuerenberg #55 and Amelia Eisenschenk #1 in row three. Michael “Buddy” Kofoid would start seventh beside Dominic Dobesh #9 in row four with Laela Eisenschenk #15L and Dalton Domagala #77 together in the fifth and final row.

There were six transfer spots up for grabs in each qualifying race with the winners and runner-up finishers earning spots in the Toyota Dash later in the night. Carson buckled into his carbon fiber Fibreworks Composites seat with a Sharp Advantage custom fitted insert by Dave Sharpley Jr. ready to compete. The field aligned side-by-side as the drivers in the starting grid paced slowly down the front straightaway one last time before dropping the hammer the next time by.

When the Toyota TRD Pace Truck pulled off the track, the front row starters peaked out of turn four and instinctively lowered their right foot to get their 410 rockets up to speed. Carson vaulted into the lead as Logan Schuchart blasted off the outside of row two to take over the runner-up spot. The driver of the Drydene/Shark Racing #1s had speed and carried his momentum low into turn three trying to peak under the leader for the top spot. Carson exited turn four with the lead and wheeled the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 at the front of the pack early with Logan Schuchart, Garet Williamson, and Buddy Kofoid trying to keep him within striking distance.

After a sub-par and unusual slower time trial session, Buddy Kofoid was on a mission. He used the second lap to drive by Williamson into the show position behind the race leader and Schuchart. Carson was out front using the clean North Dakota air to his advantage building a one second lead over second place running Logan Schuchart.

Carson would lead from green-to-checkers to take the third Heat race win by 0.963 seconds over Logan Schuchart with Buddy Kofoid coming home third. Garet Williamson held on for fourth with Hunter Schuerenberg and Kaleb Johnson securing the final two transfer positions out of the qualifying races.

The draw for starting spots in the 6-lap Toyota Dash was up next. The six drivers headed to the front straightaway on their four wheelers to pull a numbered pill from the oversized NOS Energy Drink can. Whatever number they each pulled was where they would start the Dash. But more importantly, where they finished the Dash is where they would get started in the purse paying feature. When the can was empty five different states and Canada would be represented. Christopher Thram #24T (Sanborn, Minnesota) would start on the pole with Sheldon Haudenschild #17 (Wooster, Ohio) to his outside in row one. Skylar Gee #99 (Leduc, Alberta, Canada) and Carson Macedo #41 (Lemoore, California) were paired up in row two with David Gravel #2 (Watertown, Connecticut) and Logan Schuchart #1s (Hanover, Pennsylvania) in the third row. When the green flag came out Sheldon Haudenschild drove his NOS Energy Drink #17 into the lead with Thram, Gee, and Gravel trucking behind. Carson dropped backed to fifth at the start and was immediately under pressure from Logan Schuchart who wanted the higher numbered spot in the running order. The driver of the Shark Racing #1s would drive by the next time around with Carson now sitting in sixth place. Sheldon Haudenschild was comfortably out front racing to the Dash victory by 2.034 seconds ahead of Christopher Thram with Skylar Gee racing home third. David Gravel finished fourth with Logan Schuchart and Carson Macedo completing the Dash finishing order.

The twenty four car field of stars, including Amelia and Laela Eisenschenk who qualified for their first World of Outlaws feature appearance, were all ready to shine in the upcoming 30-lap Ellingson presents the Duel in the Dakotas feature at Red River Valley Speedway. The first three rows in the starting lineup were based off the finishing order of the Toyota Dash. That put Sheldon Haudenschild #17 on the pole and Christopher Thram #24T to his outside as they filled the catbird seats on the front row with Skylar Gee #99 and David Gravel #2 rolling behind in row two. Logan Schuchart #1s and Carson Macedo in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 were ready to start from row three with Donny Schatz in the Lunstra Motorsports #15 and Zach Hampton in the Bill Rose Racing #6 peering at their rear tail tanks from row four.

It was showtime in North Dakota! The yellow lights dimmed around Red River Valley Speedway. When the field reached turn four the green lights switched on simultaneously with the flagman as he waved the green flag. The race was on! Sheldon Haudenschild darted into the early race lead aboard the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing #17 with Christopher Thram #24T hounding him from behind in the second position like a hungry dog.

David Gravel moved into the third spot on the opening lap with Carson Macedo hustling right behind him into the fourth position aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Scott Boyd Family/Team Jack Foundation #41 Maxim. Skylar Gee dropped back to fifth with Logan Schuchart running in sixth place.

Christopher Thram had a hotrod and was closing in on the race leader. Haudenschild had it, but Thram wanted it bad. On the third lap, Christopher Thram took the top spot with an outside lane pass through the last set of turns. David Gravel and Carson were behind them with Logan Schuchart moving by Skylar Gee into the top five.

Thram was still leading with seven laps in the books, but things were getting dicey between the race leader, Sheldon Haudenschild, and David Gravel who was coming fast on the bottom with Carson watching it all unfold from the fourth position. The next time by there was a tenacious three car battle for the lead entering turn one. Off turn two they were three wide with Sheldon Haudenschild making an incredibly bold move driving through the middle to take the lead out of turn two with Thram on the high side and Gravel running low. Sheldon was the first car to reach turn three with David Gravel and Carson Macedo both moving by Thram too when all the chaos calmed down a bit.

Sheldon was focused and driving the wheels off the NOS Energy Drink #17 in position one. Behind him Gravel and Macedo battled for the runner-up position while trying to keep pace with the leader. Haudenschild had built a sizable lead though just after the halfway point of the race but was navigating the slower traffic. With 10 laps to go, Gravel closed in on the leader with Macedo and Schuchart behind him and Kofoid now running in the fifth position.

On lap 23, Carson raced by Gravel for second off turn four, but the Connecticut-born racer was right there at the line. The next time by the yellow caution flag came out for Gage Pulkrabek #G5 who got over the banking to slow the action. Sheldon Haudenschild was the race leader with Carson Macedo restarting second followed by David Gravel, Logan Schuchart, and Buddy Kofoid all primed and ready to go with six laps remaining.

Sheldon Haudenschild maintained the lead when the field came back up to speed with Macedo and Gravel digging hard behind him. They completed two more laps before the final caution of the night came out for Skylar Gee #99 who was off the pace rolling to a stop on the front straightaway.

It would be a four lap dash to the finish line at Red River Valley Speedway. When the green lights turned back on Sheldon Haudenschild darted back into the lead with the driver of the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 stalking right behind him with intent. Carson tried a slide job through turns three and four, but Sheldon turned back underneath him to keep the lead.

Carson regathered himself and tried the same slider again the next lap sticking it this time off turn four. At least for the moment. Carson came off turn four and moved down the track as Haudenschild turned under him looking to race back by down the front straightaway heading into turn one. The two talented racers were “the show” as they were providing so much entertainment value that was worth every penny, and more, of the admission price paid to get in Red River Valley Speedway on this night. Sheldon Haudenschild unintentionally got into Macedo’s rear nerf bar as a normal course of high speed warfare getting Carson sideways just after the flagstand. Carson was scored the race leader of lap 29, but Sheldon retook the lead entering turn one on the final lap.

The contact between the leaders was purely a racing deal as a result of two incredible racers competing at an elite level World of Outlaws style. Somehow, unbeknownst to everyone in the stands and tuning in on DIRTVision, Carson maintained control of his speed machine and repointed the JJR #41 back in the right direction as he headed towards turn one. He entered turn one on the low side, just outside the tractor tire, and stuck it exiting turn two. He was side-by-side with Haudenschild running on his outside as they raced down the back straightaway. Carson drove the forty-one hard into turn three on the bottom to reclaim the lead as he cleanly drifted up across the track in turn four before charging hard off the final turn to the finish line to steal the victory with Sheldon Haudenschild coming home second and David Gravel third. Logan Schuchart and Buddy Kofoid rounded out the top five to end an exciting night in North Dakota.

After crossing the scales and heading to Victory Lane to celebrate under the rain of confetti after his late race heroics, Carson came around the front of the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 grinning from ear-to-ear to speak with Conner Wade. The driver of the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 began by recognizing his fellow competitor by stating, “I think Sheldon is an extremely good race car driver, and I think that was just two guys giving it absolutely everything they had for the last four laps.” He then shifted his focus to his JJR team. “What a great job by Philip Dietz, Adam Zimmerman, and Robby McQuinn. They just executed huge there. I felt really bad in the Dash and almost felt like I was lost, made some bad decisions.” He continued, “They went to work on this thing, and I knew the minute we lined up to the pace truck we were going to be in good shape. We just had a ton of grip. It says a lot to be able to turn it around from not being very good and then making some adjustments and be so good. Hats off to them.”

After reflecting, Carson explained, “That was one of the coolest endings to a race that I’ve ran in a long time. I could hear Sheldon giving it everything, and I was giving everything on my end. It was just two hard racers racing really hard.” Which is exactly what the sport of sprint car racing needs to continue to grow and thrive in the entertainment space rather than single file racing.

The win was Carson’s tenth World of Outlaws (WoO) victory of the 2025 season and the 57th WoO win of his career. The exciting finish and victory also pushed Jason Johnson Racing’s WoO win total to 81 since being founded in 2010 and joining the traveling tour in 2015. Another great run for Macedo and the forty-one!

Red River Valley Speedway Never Disappoints with An Exciting Ending at the Duel in the Dakotas! Photo Credit: Tyler Carr

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.

Check out ShopJJR.com to buy all your new Carson Macedo and JJR gear and merchandise.