CHINK IN THE ARMOR: CALIFORNIA SPEED CHAUFFEUR INVOLVED IN A MASSIVE CRASH ON OPENING LAP MIRACULOUSLY BATTLES BACK TO FINISH IN TOP 15 IN THE KNIGHT BEFORE THE KINGS ROYAL AT ELDORA SPEEDWAY

ROSSBURG, OHIO (July 17, 2026) – As time changed the day from Thursday to Friday, the surroundings for Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team stayed the same as they were back at Eldora Speedway for the third consecutive night of action at “The House that Earl Built” which is carved into the cornfields of northwestern Ohio. The smoke from the Canadian wildfires was still clouding the skies, but all the drivers were looking for clarity at the historic half mile at the Knight Before the Kings Royal. Heavy rain hit the area at around three o’clock, but the track crew did a terrific job recovering the surface and getting it ready for the night of racing.

In the wake of finishing in fourth place in the Joker’s Jackpot on Thursday night with the High Limit Racing Series, Carson and the forty-one team were ready to go to battle again against the best in the business at the $25,000-to-win Knight Before the Kings Royal under the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series banner. This beautiful half-mile, high banked oval demands the best from both the driver and the crew. It commands excellence as part of the success equation mixed with a little luck. Under Philip Dietz’s guidance, the JJR team worked diligently preparing for another night of high speed entertainment at Eldora. The car chief, Robby McQuinn, tended to the required car maintenance while the tire specialist, Adam Zimmerman, focused on getting the tires ready for the night and helping with general maintenance. There were 59 race teams registered and parked in the infield pit area for another high flying night of sprint car fun at Eldora Speedway.

Following the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw the cars were divided equally into two Flights for time trials. Preceding the official qualifying session, each driver pushed out in small groups for two or three laps at speed during Race//Ready Hot Laps. Based on the random pill draw where Macedo pulled the ‘118’ pill, Carson would be the ninth driver to roll onto the track in Flight A in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. He climbed into the cockpit of his Maxim Racing hotrod and cinched his Crow Enterprizes safety belts tight as he prepared to head out into battle. He slid his K1 Race Gear gloves on and flipped down the shield of his Bell Helmet like a true knight in shining armor (or more accurately in his K1 Race Gear SFI Racing Suit). Waiting patiently in the staging lane, when Cory Eliason #45W and Zane DeVault #14Z completed their timed excursion around Eldora it was Carson’s turn to make speed around the half-mile oval. Joining him out on the track was a familiar foe Tyler Courtney in the Spire Motorsports/NOS Energy Drink #7BC. Carson did not waste any time unleashing all the horses contained in his Kistler Engines Ford Racing power plant. He raced towards the front straightaway aboard the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/FK Rod Ends/Winter Performance Products #41 Maxim. When he arrived, the green flag waved to start his timed session. He hustled around Eldora completing lap one in 12.977 seconds before trying to up the ante the next time around with a consistent but slightly lower lap in 12.980 seconds. The faster of Carson’s two attempts ended up eighth quick overall in Flight A with Brady Bacon in the Sure Shot Tap House/The Whistle Stop #21H sitting at the top of the speed charts for that group with a lap of 12.811 seconds. The rain came back after just eight cars completed their laps in Flight B delaying the action for just under two hours. When the racing card resumed, the fastest driver out of Flight B was Sheldon Haudenschild in the KCP Racing/NOS Energy Drink #18 who recorded the quickest lap of the night overall at 12.775 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award.

Each driver’s fastest lap in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying determined their starting spot in one of the four 8-lap Heat races. Drivers in Flight A were placed in one of the first two qualifying races with those out of Flight B moving into one of the last two heat races. As a result, Carson’s effort in time trials pushed him into the fourth starting position behind the wheel of the Durst Inc./BR Motorsports/Team Jack Foundation #41 in Knoxville Bound Heat Race #2 sharing row two with Karter Sarff #5B. What a loaded qualifying race to say the least. The speedy duo of Macedo and Sarff paced behind Tyler Courtney #7BC and Aaron Reutzel #87 on the front row with Brad Sweet #94 and David Gravel #2 positioned together in row three. The Shark Racing cars of Cameron Smith #1a and Logan Schuchart #1s rolled together in row four with Conner Morrell and Tanner Thorson #88 in the fifth and final row as Steven Snyder Jr. #87X joined the field from the non-qualifiers race. Following the second round of rain, Brad Sweet scratched for the night so everyone behind him in the order shifted up one spot in the starting grid.

The fun in the Buckeye State was about to commence with only five transfer positions out of each qualifying race available. The front row tandem slowed the roll of the field to a snail’s pace as they worked their way towards the chalk stripe laid down across turn four. When they arrived at the white line, the race was on at Eldora Speedway. Tyler Courtney darted into the top spot with Reutzel and Macedo in tow. They were in hot pursuit mode.

The track was fast but that meant there were minimal passing opportunities as the racing lanes were narrow. That was good for the race leader Tyler Courtney as he was digging when they went racing putting some distance between himself and second running Aaron Reutzel immediately. He was out front the entire distance. In fact, he was never even contested. The driver of the NOS Energy Drink #7BC won the qualifying race as Tyler Courtney and runner-up finisher Aaron Reutzel advanced on to the Toyota Dash to race for their starting spot in the feature with Carson coming across the finish line in third place wheeling the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 as David Gravel and Karter Sarff rounded out the top five. Those three drivers also locked in transfer spots into the A-Main.

Following the completion of the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown (LCS), the field was set for the $25,000-to-win, 30-lap Knight Before the Kings Royal A-Main. The crew members began to finish their work as the eight minute horn sounded throughout the pit area. Three World of Outlaws (WoO) drivers elected to use provisional starting spots, so the starting grid grew to 27 cars in total. Lots of cars. Lots of speed. Lots of opportunities.

After finishing first and second in the Toyota Dash, Corey Day #14M and Garet Williamson #23 earned the right to pace this stout field from the front row with Brady Bacon #21H and Sheldon Haudenschild #18 tucked in behind them in row two. Aaron Reutzel #87 and Tyler Courtney #7BC shared row three with Ryan Timms #10 and Brian Brown #21 side-by-side in row four.

Carson’s speed journey in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Wilwood Racing #41 Maxim began from the inside of row sixth from the eleventh spot alongside Ashton Torgerson driving the Three Stooges Racing/Moxzy #51.

It was late as the day changed at midnight, but the show was about to go down as the fireworks display lit up the nighttime sky over the racing venue during the World of Outlaws famous four-wide salute. It was now time to get down to business World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series style! The racers pulled back into the two-by-two starting grid as the flagman showed them the rolled up white flag indicating to the drivers the green flag would wave the next time when they peeked out of turn four.

Corey Day in the Jason Meyers Racing (JMR)/Sander Engineering #14M was the first driver on the gas out of turn four as he cruised under the fluttering green flag and into the top spot through the first set of turns. But the red flag flew for a massive crash in turn one involving Carson. The Horizon Whiskey/CJB #5 of Brenham Crouch slowed as his helmet shield was covered in mud leaving Macedo nowhere to go. Carson flipping up the track collecting Sye Lynch and Spencer Bayston who also got upside down. Kerry Madsen was also collected, Buddy Kofoid did not flip but got some air ending his night, and Logan Schuchart was involved sustaining some minor damage.

The tow truck pulled the mangled forty-one into the Federated Work Zone. Top wing. Front wing. Front axle. Rear End. Radius Rods. Shocks. Jacobs Ladder. You name it, it most certainly was either bent or broken. The crew went to work with the help of some truly incredible individuals from other team’s crew and drivers. As the old saying goes, “it takes a village” and in this case it really did. Miraculously their efforts somehow enabled them to get the car back out on the track to take the green flag. There truly are miracles, and this sport is filled with some amazing people. A sincere thank you to everyone who pitched in.

They would try to get this race started again and Corey Day jumped into the lead again with Garet Williamson and Brady Bacon racing in his tracks down the back straightaway. Day led the opening circuit with Carson battling back in the twenty first position. Trying to salvage the night it was revealed he went back out without a Jacobs Ladder, so he had his hands full.

On lap 4, the red flag was back out this time for Justin Peck in the Rudeen Racing #26 when he got sideways and over the cushion in turn one as he went for a wild ride ending his night. The driver climbed out of the car unharmed, but his night was over.

Corey Day would lead Williamson, Bacon, Haudenschild, and Reutzel back up to speed. They were ripping around this place as the track still had a lot of moisture and grip. The driver on the move was Aaron Reutzel as he gained a spot in the Folken Bros. Trucking #87 and was closing in on Brady Bacon. Carson continued to gather whatever he could find and was running in 20th place.

The caution flag was back out on lap 13 for Emerson Axsom #27 who was off the pace turning into the pit area with mechanical issues. Corey Day jumped back on the gas when the green lights turned on leading Williamson with Reutzel moving into the show position.

On lap 14, the race slowed again this time for sixth place running Tyler Courtney who had some contact racing with Sheldon Haudenschild that damaged his front wing off turn four. He recollected it but slowed slightly. Entering turn one they were four wide trying to make their way around him. David Gravel, Brent Marks, Rico Abreu, and Brock Zearfoss searching for a way around the slowing NOS Energy Drink #7BC. Courtney headed pit side with his night of completing done.

The green flag was out again with 16 laps remaining in the Knight Before the Kings Royal. Corey Day maintained the lead with Aaron Reutzel moving into second ahead of Garet Williamson in the Fischer Motorsports #23. This track was a speed house on this night with the racing action muted a bit because of the narrow passing lanes.

There would be one more caution on the night for Brian Brown who slowed in the turn and rolled down the banking into the pit area ending his night, too. With 10 laps to go, Corey Day continued his assault out front with Aaron Reutzel giving him a run for his money. Day would capture the win followed across the finish line by Reutzel and Williamson with Bacon and Abreu completing the top five. Finishing sixth was Sheldon Haudenschild with Gravel in seventh place, 25th starting Logan Schuchart in eighth place, as Daison Pursley and Brock Zearfoss rounding out the top ten.

Success is situational and looks different based on circumstances. Carson salvaged a 14th place finish on the night that started off with a lot of junk following the opening lap crash. A tough night. A destructive night. But a successful night that shined a light into the heart of this great sport – the incredible crews, competitors, and individuals who immediately lean into a tough situation and never asked any questions. That is success! That is what makes the sport of sprint car racing simply and wonderfully amazing.

The teams will be back at Eldora Speedway on Saturday night for one of sprint car racing’s Crown Jewel events – the 43rd Annual Kings Royal. This race carries all the prestige but also requires a little bit of Lady Luck along the way with its unique format. The action is fast and furious providing never ending entertainment. If you cannot be at Eldora Speedway to watch the event live, you are still lucky because you can watch every lap live on DIRTVision. You are not gonna want to miss this one. #KingsRoyal

High Speed Chaos on the High Banks of Eldora Speedway at the Knight Before the Kings Royal! Photo Credit: Cameron Saich – CS Productions

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.

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