SOUTH DAKOTA TURNOVER: THE HEFTY SEED HUSET’S HUSTLE KICKS OFF WITH AN UNFORTUNATE OUTCOME ENDING IN A 24TH PLACE RUN FOR CARSON MACEDO AND THE JJR #41 TEAM TO BEGIN THE FOUR DAYS OF BIG MONEY RACING

BRANDON, SOUTH DAKOTA (June 17, 2026) – Last weekend when the rain washed out the final night of the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash on Saturday over at Knoxville Raceway, everyone’s attention in the pit area turned to the week ahead that could be billed as one of the richest four days in sprint car racing at Huset’s Speedway. This week of racing start with four consecutive nights of racing and a lot of money on the line each night for the competitors starting on Wednesday with Hefty Seed Huset’s Hustle preliminary night that pays $20,000-to-win and $1,500-to-start the feature. With the mercury pushing up in the thermometer like it is supposed to do in mid-June, it was about to heat up here at Huset’s Speedway too. Philip Dietz, Robby McQuinn, and Adam Zimmerman woke up, focused and ready to go, and were back working as they went through their daily maintenance procedures and preparation to position their driver, Carson Macedo, for more success when he hit the track. The sun was sitting high in the sky beaming with the brilliant blue skies as a backdrop over the small but mighty midwestern gem of a track as the anticipation grew for an incredible night of sprint racing set to unfold in the opener of four consecutive nights of racing at Huset’s Speedway. It was race day in South Dakota – World of Outlaws (WoO) NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series style – and there were 50 race teams lined up throughout the pit area at the track ready to compete for the money!

The fans checked out Vendor Row and eventually began to file into Tod Quiring’s beautiful sprint car complex as they climbed the steps in the frontstretch grandstands making their way to their seats. Some would elect to use those seats to sit, while others just used them as a marker to stand and watch all the exciting action when the races began. The evening’s planned activities began with each driver getting time out on the track in Race//Ready Hot Laps to make speed and test their setup for the night before things became official in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. The field of entries equally divided into two distinct groups, Flight A and Flight B, for time trials based off the number they randomly drew when they registered at the pit gate earlier in the afternoon. Carson Macedo would be the 23rd car out in the first of two timed qualifying sessions aboard the forty-one after pulling the ‘35’ pill in his race against the stopwatch in Flight A. When Brian Brown in the Casey’s/FVP/Andy’s Frozen Custard #21 completed his speed attempts, it was now time for the Lemoore, California racer to create speed. The Ford Racing power by Kistler Engines came to life under the hood of the Durst Inc./All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Boltz Family #41 Maxim. A smile came across Carson face as he enjoys going fast and making speed is the Albaugh – Your Alternative racecar. He got up to speed coming off turn four to take the green flag. Before you knew it the California racer sped up with no time for a quick chat as he made his way down the backstretch and through the last set of turns with the white flag waving. His first lap was captured on the clock in 10.941 seconds. Carson stayed focused and kept his right foot cemented to the gas pedal trying to balance his speed and grip the next time around. This time when he powered his way under the checkered flag his lap was better at 10.862 seconds. That effort put Carson tenth quick overall (182 Points) in Flight A with Justin Henderson in the Mike McGhee & Associates, Inc. Swimming Pool and Spa Services #11 turning the quickest lap in that group at 10.698 seconds. That lap was also the quickest one overall for the night earning him the Simpson Quick Time Award honors for the opening night at Huset’s Speedway. The fastest driver in the other group, Flight B, was Daison Pursley in the NAPA Auto Parts/Kasey Kahne Racing (KKR) #9 at 10.942 seconds.

The final lineups for each of the six 10-lapHeat races were posted throughout the pit area as the teams prepared for the 9 car sparring sessions where only five transfer positions were available in each qualifying race. After an impressive flyover of four F-16s by the South Dakota Air National Guard to punctuate the opening ceremonies, the first qualifying race pushed out. Carson watched the action unfold before climbing into his Maxim Racing high speed office and buckling his red Crow Enterprizes safety belts securely. Robby McQuinn used the JJR quad to move the Scott Boyd Family/High Performance Lubricants/Smith TI #41 into the staging area before pushing him out onto the track with the nose of the car pointed in the right direction. With an inversion of six, Carson would start from the third position in NOS Energy Drink Heat Race #1. With the assistance of a push truck his power plant fired as he rolled onto the inside of row two with Bill Balog in the Buesser Concrete #17B to his outside. Jacob Hughes #8 and Rees Moran #45X rolled on the front row with high point guys Emerson Axsom #27 and Justin Henderson #11 looking at Macedo’s and Balog’s rear nerf bars from row three. Situated behind in row four were Andy Pake #64 and Weston Olsen #27W with Scotty Broty #33 alone in row five.

While the passenger cars passing by outside Huset’s Speedway on South Splitrock Boulevard were able to gawk and goof around, this same opportunity was not afforded to the drivers on the racetrack that were about ready to get up to speed in the first Heat race. The green flag was out, and the race was on in South Dakota. Jacob Hughes jumped into the early race lead with Moran staying in his tracks throughout the first lap. Carson was in third with Axsom and Balog completing the early top five.

Carson was generating speed around the fast half-mile track as the air flowed over the top of his front and top Vortex Racing Products wings. He and Moran used their speed to stay close to the leader. They worked lap after lap trying to close the gap and it was working with four laps to go. They would run out of time though as the white flag was shown indicating only one lap remaining.

The ten laps around Huset’s Speedway in this Heat race flew by quickly with Jacob Hughes (100 points) taking the win over Rees Moran (97 points) and Carson Macedo (94 points) with Emerson Axsom (91 points) and Andy Pake (88 points) rounding out the top five. Carson’s cumulative point total after time rials and his qualifying race was 276 event points, which was eighth overall in the first group following qualifying action.

The 24 car field of stars were locked in and ready to go when the 8-minute horn sounded throughout the pit area for the 35-lap Hefty Seed Huset’s Hustle preliminary night feature at Huset’s Speedway. Track position is key and the eight drivers that earned the best starting spots in the field earned those in the Toyota Redraw. Luck was on his side as Kaleb Johnson #22K selected the ‘1’ pill and would start from the pole position beside Christopher Thram #24T on the front row. Emerson Axsom #27 and Buddy Kofoid #83 were right behind in row two with Austin McCarl #88 and Sheldon Haudenschild #18 ready to move in row three. Together in row four was Garet Williamson #23 and Daison Pursley #9 poised to start the race.

Carson climbed into his Albaugh – Your Alternative rocket ship to prepare for the mission at Huset’s Speedway to open the Huset’s Hustle. He would start on the inside of row eight alongside Skylar Gee #16c for the start of the A-Main.

After the pre-race festivities and the drivers went four-wide to thank the fans in the stands, it was time to go racing at Huset’s Speedway! The green flag waved with Christopher Thram leading the race early fending off challenges from Kalbe Johnson and Buddy Kofoid early on.

On the first lap while running in the 15th position, Carson got sideways off turn two to bring out the first caution of the race. He continued but had to go to the rear of the field for the restart. Christopher Thram stomped on the gas when the green flag waved again to lead the field the next time around. Kaleb Johnson, Buddy Kofoid, Austin McCarl, and Sheldon Haudenschild were all behind him in close proximity.

They recorded another lap before David Gravel got up over the inside berm in turn two and got sideways to bring out the second caution flag. Christopher Thram would again bring the field back up to speed followed by the same chasers as before.

On lap 3 all the action came to an abrupt stop when the red lights turned on around the speedway. Unfortunately, they were for the driver of the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 who flipped in turn three after getting in some three wide racing near the back of the pack. The car suffered severe damage ending the team’s night of competing early. Carson was ok but scored in last place in the final finishing order.

Christopher Thram, the driver from Sanborn, Minnesota, had a fast racecar and dropped the hammer to get the race restarted. He would stay out front, leading 14 laps, before the Huset’s King – Buddy Kofoid – chased him down and passed him for the lead on lap 15.

The driver of the Mobil 1/Toyota Racing/Roth Motorsports #83 was once again extremely hooked up and making quick work around the bullring. But behind him there was another competitor showing off his speed and tenacity. That driver was Sheldon Haudenschild in the NOS Energy Drink/Royal Flooring/KCP Racing #18. He moved into the runner-up position and quickly closed in on the leader.

Sheldon caught the leader with less than five laps to go, but Kofoid was stout and thwarted all the Wooster, Ohio speedster’s pass attempts. Buddy Kofoid raced to the win, his fourth in a row at Huset’s tying him with Mark Kinser and his seventh overall at the track tying him with none other than the King himself Steve Kinser with seven World of Outlaws victories at the track. Good company to have your name tied to in the record books at Huset’s Speedway.

For Carson and the JJR #41 team it was a tough night, but not the end of the world. After getting upside down in turn three, Carson finished in 24th place (181 points) in the feature bringing his Hefty Seed Huset’s Hustle event point total after the preliminary night of the Hefty Seed Huset’s Hustle to 457 points, which ended up being 24th overall. He was recognized with the SmithTI Brake Systems Break of the Race. The driver and team will regroup, refocus, and come back on Thursday night with a vengeance.

There is still a ton of racing to go this week as the action continues Thursday night for Carson and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team as they stay put in South Dakota for higher stakes in the Hefty Seed Huset’s Hustle finale. There is $150,000 set aside for the winner of Thursday night’s feature before the two day BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals commences on Friday ($20,000-to-win) and Saturday ($300,000-to-Win + $100,000 extra Bounty Bonus for any non-WoO regular that wins) night. Watch every night on DIRTVision if you are not heading out to Husets Speedway to see the event live. #HighBankNats

Tough Times for the Forty-One Team During the Preliminary Night of the Hefty Seed Huset’s Hustle! Photo Credit: Tyler Carr

JJR’s Valued Sponsorship Partners for 2026:  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); 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; Crow Enterprizes; CS Productions; Dale “Mickey” Snyder; Engler Machine & Tool, Inc.; Factory Kahne (FK Shocks); Fibreworks Composites; FK Rod Ends; Greber Racing Components (GRC); 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; PWR Advanced Cooling Technology; 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.

Go to ShopJJR.com to look at all our offerings and buy your new JJR and Carson Macedo gear and merchandise.