A WIN FOR MCQUINN: THE CALIFORNIA SPEEDSTER RACES THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 MAXIM TO VICTORY IN THE HY-VEE PERKS 40 AROUND THE TOUGH AND TECHNICAL BULLRING OF JACKSONVILLE SPEEDWAY

JACKSONVILLE, ILLINOIS (May 21, 2026) – The westward travel for the team continued Thursday night when the World of Outlaws rolled back into Illinois after a back to back #LetsRaceTwo race nights at Eldora Speedway in Ohio last weekend. The traveling tour planned to stop at Jacksonville Speedway on Tuesday night, but the forecast for more wet weather once again delayed the event for a second time pushing it back to Thursday.

Each year though when the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series schedule comes out, most eyes begin to search down through the dates for Jacksonville Speedway. The reason for this obsessive and alert behavior is this racetrack is the epitome of “all-out” speed excitement from the drop of the green flag to start the night of action until the last truck leaves the pit area, and the lights turn off following the night of incredible entertainment. This is what sprint car racing is all about. Jacksonville Speedway is a 2/10-mile bullring of all bullrings, one of the smallest tracks on the schedule, located just to the west of Springfield, Illinois. It represents everything motorsports entertainment should be – a fast racing surface, challenging, technical, big cushion to lean on if you dare to go up there, tight wheel-to-wheel racing all night, and just as important a call for over-the-top type courage that is 100% required for all the drivers. After being postponed because of rain on the original scheduled race date back on April 17th and again earlier this week, there were 34 race teams and drivers at the track determined they were up to the challenge on Thursday night as they passed through the pit gates to find their parking spots for the night. It was finally ‘the day’ in Illinois at Jacksonville Speedway for the Hy-Vee Perks 40.

The action at this track is so exciting that the fans were already talking about it as they mingled throughout merchandise alley loading up on their favorite driver’s swag. Springfield, Illinois native and JJR’s valued and trusted car chief, Robby McQuinn, has raced at this track himself in the past and is always excited to come back to the area to compete close to home with his family and friends in attendance. The talented wrench handler views this race as a “home game” for the team when they come to town. Robby along with Philip (Dietz) and Adam (Zimmerman) were going about their business preparing to drive success at Jacksonville Speedway with Carson Macedo behind the wheel of the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 Maxim.

To have a good night it usually requires the driver and team to have one of the quicker laps in time trials. Each driver gets that chance in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. Carson pulled into the staging area to await his turn. He would be the 18th driver out on the track to unleash the horsepower under the Prime Composite Innovations carbon fiber hood of the forty-one. The Californian exited turn four to take the green flag buckled up and ready to ride the bull around the cushion. Carson completed the first lap in 10.255 seconds and was hustling the next time around hoping to carve off time, even the slightest bit, if possible. When he blasted out of turn four the final time around Jacksonville Speedway against the clock, he crossed the finish line in 10.162 seconds. The second of his two attempts was his quickest lap positioning him third quick overall on the final speed charts when time trials concluded. David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 ran the only sub-ten second lap as he sat alone at the top of the scoreboard with a lap of 9.999 seconds earning his ninth Simpson Quick Time Award honor of the season to start the Hy-Vee Perks 40 on a high note for their team.

With the solo speed portion of the show in the books it was now time for the four 10-lap Heat Races. These qualifying races are always exciting and extremely competitive. Carson would start from the pole position in WIX Filters Heat Race #3 pulling onto the inside of the front row beside fellow Californian Buddy Kofoid in the Mobil 1/Roth Enterprizes #83. Their wheels were rolling directly in front of row two starters Rees Moran #45X and Brayton Lunch #29 with Darin Naida #2MD and Conner Morrell #28M in row three. Row four found Paul Nienhiser #9X and Logan Julien #85J prepared and ready to get on the gas. The second Heat race was wild, and the excitement would continue with the adrenaline flowing at the track.

The green flag waved as the sprint race around this bullring was on as these eight drivers battled for the five transfer positions available. Carson took command of the top spot aboard the Tarlton and Son/FK Rod Ends/KSE Racing Products #41 at the drop of the green racing ahead of Kofoid and Moran. Now his job was to maintain his speed, hit all his marks, and do his best to fend off the always tough driver behind the wheel of the eighty-three.

Carson would build his lead through the middle stages of the race, but Kofoid was still digging in second. He would close the gap, but Carson would never really be contested for the lead as he raced to victory by 0.589 seconds ahead of Kofoid with Moran, Nienhiser, and Lynch securing the remaining transfer positions in the field.

His win in the third Heat race automatically made Carson eligible for the Toyota Dash where each of the qualifying race winners and runner-up finishers would get a chance to randomly draw for their starting positions in the eight lap dash to determine where they would start the feature. When all the pills in the oversized NOS Energy Drink can were pulled, the starting lineup would find Spencer Bayston in the NOS Energy Drink #17 and Cole Macedo in the TwoC Racing #2c on the front row with Illinois native Will Armitage driving the HighLevel/Smith Plumbing Heating and Cooling #7A and Carson Macedo in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 in row two. Starting in row three were Joel Myers Jr. #19 and Buddy Kofoid #83 with Joe B. Miller #51B and David Gravel #2 in row four.

Cole Macedo pounded the gas when they reached turn four to catapult into the lead ahead of Bayston, Armitage, and Carson on the opening lap with Kofoid, Myers Jr., Gravel, and Miller in line behind them. The driver of the Kelly and Todd Carlile owned #2C had a fast hotrod and was whipping around Jacksonville Speedway putting space between himself and all the other cars. Cole Macedo crossed the finish line 2.648 seconds ahead of Bayston to earn the right to start in the pole position in the feature race. Spencer Bayston came home second with Will Armitage doing a terrific job all race holding off the hard charging driver of the JJR #41 entry. The driver of the #7A beat Carson across the finish line for third by a mere 0.056 seconds. Buddy Kofoid came home fifth with Gravel, Myers Jr., and Miller completing the finishing order.

With all the qualifying action now completed, the teams remained focused as they finished their contributory work in preparation for performance in the 40-lap Hy-Vee Perks 40 feature event. The drivers finish loading tearoffs onto their helmets before putting on their game faces. Cole Macedo in the TwoC Racing/Level Utilities #2C earned the pole position by winning the Toyota Dash with Spencer Bayston #17 on the outside of the front row. Will Armitage #7A started from the inside of row two with Carson Macedo #41 to his outside. The formidable and talented duo of Buddy Kofoid #83 and David Gravel #2 pulled in behind them in row three with Joel Myers Jr. and Joe B. Miller filling the starting spots in the final row.

This is a fun place to race and watch these speed stars do their thing, but things tend to pucker up because of the tight action throughout the race . . . which is a good thing. The fans in the packed stands were on their feet in anticipation of the green flag waving the next time by. Carson was ready to let ‘er rip in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Saldana Racing Products/Jansen Transportation #41 Maxim from his fourth starting spot. When it was finally time to go racing at speed outside front row starter Spencer Bayston jumped into the race lead on the opening lap cruising by the flagstand in front of Cole Macedo. Carson used the outside lane to gain the show position behind his younger brother with 39 more laps remaining. The battle was on, but it would have to wait when the red flag flew for the #37 of Bryce Norris from Terre Haute, Indian who clipped the outside berm on the entry to turn one ending his night.

Race leader Spencer Bayston chose the outside lane to restart the race with Cole Macedo moving to the bottom of row one with Carson going up top in row two directly behind the race leader. The friendly skirmish was about to restart when the green lights illuminated. Bayston reclaimed the lead with Carson moving by Cole into the runner-up position. Buddy Kofoid and Will Armitage ran in the next two spots, but all eyes were focused on the forty-one as he moved by Bayston into the lead on lap three.

Carson maintained that lead over the next ten laps, but slower traffic was tightening things up between himself and Spencer Bayston who closed in quickly. The driver of the NOS Energy Drink #17 caught him on lap 13, moving by Carson to reclaim the lead with Cole Macedo staying right with the frontrunners continuing to push them hard.

Spencer Bayston was now the lead navigator as he weaved through slower cars with Carson closing in on him. On lap 18, Bayston got crossed up on the cushion creating an opening for Carson to drive the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 back into the lead. Cole Macedo was still holding down third place with Sheldon Haudenschild roaring into the fourth position from his ninth starting spot. Buddy Kofoid held the last position in the top five with 22 laps to go.

The remaining 22 laps would prove just as exciting as the first 18 laps. The next race slowdown occurred on lap 33 with Carson Macedo out in front of Bayston and his younger brother Cole. The yellow flag was for Zach Daum #92 who spun with assistance on the front straightaway.

The field of stars would try to restart again but the green flag was quickly replaced by the yellow one again with the Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup #17B of Bill Balog sitting sideways on the frontstretch.

Maybe the third time would be a charm. The green lights turned on once again, but the bulbs did not even have a chance to warm up as the yellow lights were turned on for a third straight time for Paul Nienhiser #9X and Garet Williamson #23 this time after they tangled and were sitting on the outside and inside of turn three figuring out how to edit their Christmas card lists. There were still seven laps remaining. Race officials used this break as an opportunity to throw the red flag for an Open Red as track officials tended to the fence in turn three that was mangled in the melee.

When the horn sounded the pit crew members cleared the track and the engines were about to be refired. It would be a single file restart with the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 out front leading Spencer Bayston, and Cole Macedo with Buddy Kofoid and Sheldon Haudenschild behind as they were putting on a show of their own racing for position. Two-time World of Outlaws champion David Gravel was right behind them chomping at the bit too.

Carson continued his dominance out front as he built his lead ahead of Bayston to over one second, but he was catching the back of the pack again which would hinder his speed and race pace. The driver of the NOS Energy Drink #17 was closing the gap when the two-to-go flag was shown with Cole Macedo not too far behind in third place.

Carson raced across the finish line under the waving double checkered flags to capture his second win of the season over Spencer Bayston with Cole Macedo driving a terrific race to earn the right to stand on the last step of the podium. Sheldon Haudenschild finished fourth with David Gravel completing the top five.

Carson was pumping his first as he exited the track. He climbed out of the cockpit in victory lane to celebrate with the JJR #41 team and family members (Jaxx Johnson, Debra Johnson, and Tim Dietz) before celebrating under the falling confetti. This one was special for the team because it was a home win for Robby McQuinn who is a special part of the team. The crowd cheered for McQuinn when Carson mentioned Robby’s name during his victory lane interview.

Macedo then reflected on the race from start to finish stating, “I was able to get to the top before anyone else. I don’t think they knew it was there. Then I just got messed up in lapped traffic, and Spencer was able to get by me. Then he plowed the wall, and I was able to cross back over and get in front of him. That was kind of the race. I knew on that last restart when I had some clean air I was in a good spot. I was hoping it would lock down, but really it didn’t lock down that much.” Carson paused and smiled acknowledging Philip Dietz, Robby McQuinn, and Adam Zimmerman (and Knoxville Newell too!) for all their hard work and dedication as he shared his gratitude by stating “Big thanks to this team.” A great run for Macedo and the forty-one!

The team loaded up the victorious Albaugh – Your Alternative speed machine into the back of the box in one piece and safely truck Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) style towards the black and gold “Hawkeye State” for the first leg of the Stars and Stripes Salute event on Saturday night at Knoxville Raceway located in South Central Iowa before concluding Sunday night at Huset’s Speedway. Tune into DIRTVision for another entertaining World of Outlaws weekend. #KnoxSalute

Carson Macedo Giving It His All in the Hy-Vee Perks 40 at Jacksonville Speedway Results in the W! 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.

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