TROPHY HUNTING IN PENNSYLVANIA: THE DRIVER OF THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 ATTACKS THE TRACK DURING THE 64TH ANNUAL J&S CLASSICS NATIONAL OPENING BRINGING HOME A SEVENTH PLACE FINISH AT “THE GROVE”

MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA (October 3, 2026) – The preliminary night at the 64th Annual J&S Classics National Open was now in the books, with David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 taking the win and Carson Macedo finishing in 14th place, the slate was completely cleared on Saturday for the championship finale. The driver from Lemoore, California won this prestigious event twice before back in 2021 and 2024 with Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) and wanted to position himself and the team again to add another victory to those accomplishments on Saturday night. This race is labeled as one of the Crown Jewel events on the sprint car schedule each year, which draws talent from all over as they attempt to add their names to the impressive list of past winners. Donny Schatz has won this event an unmatched six times along with Steve Kinser (4 wins), Doug Wolfgang (3 wins); Steve Smith (3 wins); Stevie Smith (3 wins), and Kenny Weld (3 times). In addition to Carson Macedo winning twice, he is joined as a multiple time winner of this event by Brent Marks, David Gravel, Lynn Paxton, Mark Kinser, Sammy Swindell, and Bobby Adamson. It was Sheldon Haudenschild in victory lane last year for the first time, with many other one-time winners on the list. Who would take home the trophy and prize money this year? It would be one of the 54 race teams that entered to race for all the marbles at Williams Grove Speedway in the championship finale of the 64th Annual J&S Classics National Open. Let’s go racing at “The Grove” – World of Outlaws versus PA Posse style!

Following the conclusion of Race//Ready Hot Laps the first two cars in Flight A of Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying fired their mighty 410 cubic inch engines and rolled out onto the racing surface in turn one before pedaling down. Carson drew the “137” pill earlier in the night and would be the 15th driver out on the track in Flight A. He would lay down both his time trial laps out on the track with Kasey Jedrzejek in the CJB/Horizon Whiskey #5. They both were focused on one thing and only one thing – creating speed around this uniquely shaped half mile clay oval. The Kistler Engines power plant’s power under the Prime Composite Innovation carbon fiber hood on the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/CASM Safety Products/PWR Advanced Cooling Technology #41 Maxim was monitoring performance by its Revolutions Per Minute (RPMs). When Carson depressed the accelerator the engine’s crankshaft completed its full rotations more quickly as he built up speed. The green flag was now out and Macedo was on the clock. He made his way around Williams Grove for the first time in 16.760 seconds. Carson continued his pursuit of time as he whizzed through the first set of turns and rolled the bottom through the last set during his second lap this time triggered the clock to stop at 16.696 seconds. The best of his two attempts was good enough for sixth quick overall behind Chase Dietz in the Stehman Motorsports #23D who sat at the top of the speed charts in Flight A with a lap of 16.379 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award. The quickest driver of the night in Flight B was David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 who made his way around Williams Grove in 16.604 seconds.

After time trials the crew members perused the starting lineups for each of the four 8-lapHeat races and began to make setup changes to position their drivers with the best racecar possible to compete for one of the five transfer spots in each race. Slated to start from the third spot in The Greatest Store on Dirt Heat Race #2, Carson climbed into his office aboard the Border International/Smiley’s Racing Products/Wilwood Racing #41 Maxim where he would start on the inside of row two with Sheldon Haudenschild in the KCP Racing/NOS Energy Drink #18. They looked forward through their rock screens at front row starters Justin Peck #26 and Bill Balog #17B and paced right in front of row three starters Logan Rumsey #71 and Cameron Smith #1a. Ducking into row four was the duo of Spencer Bayston #17 and Skylar Gee #16c with Doug Hammaker #22 and Buddy Schweibinz #1W stalking the field from the fifth row. Tagging on at the back in row six was Darin Naida #2MD who transferred out of the non-qualifiers race.

The drivers in the second Heat race represented a ton of current talent who collectively accounted for numerous successes both current and in the past. Gaining one of the five transfer spots would not be easy in this one. When the yellow lights turned off around the track, it was time to go racing as the strong field of drivers made their way over to the chalk stripe in turn four. Upon arrival, they were off to the races. At the end of the first lap Bill Balog led Justin Peck and Sheldon Haudenschild with Carson navigating from the fifth position with seven laps to go as he got shuffled back as the outside lane was dominant. The racing lanes were narrow, so passing opportunities were challenging.

They recorded three laps before a caution flag flew for Buddy Schweibinz was off the pace on the front straightaway. Bill Balog was back in throttle leading the way with Peck, Haudenschild, Rumsey, and Macedo all revving back up to speed. The order on the scoreboard did not change the remainder of the way as Balog captured the win over Justin Peck with Haudenschild, Rumsey, and Macedo slotting into the final three transfer positions.

Twenty four drivers earned spot in the first twelve rows. Four drivers elected to use provisional starting spots to tag the rear of the feature field – Buddy Kofoid (WoO), Danny Dietrich (PA Posse), Skylar Gee (WoO), and Doug Hammaker (PA Posse). Forty laps. One trophy. Seventy-Five Thousand dollars awaiting the winner of the 64th Annual J&S Classics National Open championship finale. There are many valid reasons to want to win, but only one driver would have the car, the determination, and a little Lady Luck merge together to be crowned in victory lane on this night.

After crossing the finish line of the Toyota Dash first, Bill Balog #17B would lead this impressive field to the green flag from the front row along with Chase Dietz #23D. Chomping at the bit in row two were Donny Schatz #15 and David Gravel #2 with two legends of the sport Lance Dewease #8 and Daryn Pittman #69K following them close behind in row three. Justin Peck #26 and Ryan Timms #10 hoped to be players in the mix at the end of the race from their row four starting spots with Austin Bishop #11A and Justin Whittall #67G ready to be assertive and aggressive from row five.

Carson pulled the Albaugh – Your Alternative/High Performance Lubricants/T-Fab Custom Metal Fabrication #41 Maxim into the 19th starting position prepared to make some noise at Williams Grove. He pulled into the inside of row ten wheel-to-wheel with Pennsylvania native and speed star Logan Schuchart in the Shark Racing/DURAMAX #1s.

As the former announcer at Williams Grove, Bruce Ellis, used to famously proclaim, “It is shoooowtiiiiiiime at Williams Grove Speedway!” After the initial start was negated when eleventh starting Ryan Newton #66 slowed off the pace, the green flag was back out with Bill Balog charging off the inside of the front row into the race lead down the long front straightaway. He turned hard left into the first turn as second place running Chase Dietz raced to his outside looking to pressure him for the early race lead. Carson picked up two spots in the early going and was running in 17th place right behind brother Cole Macedo, Brent Marks, and Logan Schuchart in the running order.

By lap 5, Carson picked up two additional spots moving by Cole’s TwoC Racing entry and Logan Schuchart with Brent Marks directly ahead and within striking distance. He continued to apply pressure and one mile, or two laps, later the caution flag flew for Logan Rumsey who slowed and headed to the Federated Car Care Work Zone. Race officials decided to make the break an “Open Red” so teams could refuel for the extended lap event.

Carson would restart from the 14th spot with Bill Balog still showing the way over Chase Dietz and David Gravel with 33 laps to go. They would get one lap in the books before the leader, Bill Balog, slowed down the backstretch coming to a complete stop on the front straightaway. After heading to the work area, he rejoined the back of the field.

Chase Dietz inherited the lead with Donny Schatz moving into the runner-up spot ahead of David Gravel, Justin Peck, and Daryn Pittman with Carson scored in the 13th position. The Macedo Brothers were racing hard as both had fast racecars and were moving forward. With a quarter of the race completed, Carson was now running in twelfth looking for more. He had the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 on the move. By lap 12, he raced by Cole into 11th place with Justin Whittall and Brent Marks digging ahead of him.

On lap 17, Brent Marks pulled to the inside of the front straightaway as he slowed to a stop. Carson moved into the top ten with 23 laps to go. The leading winner in sprint cars, Chase Dietz, gassed it back up and led Schatz, Gravel, Peck, and Pittman close behind. Carson had his elbows back up as he gained two more spots moving the forty-one by Ryan Timms and Cole Macedo. He was now running in the eighth position with the Buch Motorsports #13 of Tanner Holmes in front of him.

Donny Schatz kept Chase Dietz close, but the leader continued to cut through the clean air ahead Schatz, Peck, Gravel, and Pittman at the halfway point of the race. Carson continued to march forward and raced by Holmes into the seventh spot now racing behind Sheldon Haudenschild with ten laps to go.

The remainder of the race flew by as Chase Dietz collected the emotional victory over Donny Schatz with Justin Peck pulling onto the front straightaway with a podium finish. David Gravel and Daryn Pittman rounded out the top five with Sheldon Haudenschild fending off Carson to finish in sixth place. Carson raced a heck of a race to finish in seventh place, passing twelve cars and carrying speed from start to finish with his Ford Racing power under the hood. Anthony Macri finished eighth with Tanner Holmes and Logan Schuchart completing the top ten.

With the confetti now embedded in the clay surrounding Victory Lane following Chase Dietz’s impressive win, the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team put the Albaugh – Your Alternative speed machine back in the box after a strong finish as they turned their attention to the next race. The schedule would take the World of Outlaws back to Ohio for three consecutive nights of racing in Sheldon Haudenschild’s Buckeye Brawl at Millstream (10/8), Mansfield (10/9), and Sharon (10/10) next weekend. Watch all the action from the Buckeye State on DIRTVision if you cannot attend in person. #BuckeyeBrawl

Moving and Grooving at Williams Grove Speedway in the Championship Finale of the 64th Annual J&S Classics National Open! 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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