ALL DIRT ROADS LEAD TO NORTH CAROLINA: THE DAVE SMITH MOTORS WORLD OF OUTLAWS WORLD FINALS BEGINS WITH A 12TH PLACE RUN FOR MACEDO AND THE FORTY-ONE AS THE DUST KICKS UP AROUND THE DIRT TRACK AT CHARLOTTE

CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA (November 5, 2026) – The finish line for the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season is now well within eye shot with only three racing remaining at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in the Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals. The first of those final three races was set to push off on Thursday night in Concord, North Carolina. Each of the assigned pit stalls was filled with World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars, World of Outlaws Late Models, and Super DIRTcar Series modifieds as the drivers and teams were all ready to roll at this 4/10-mile, red dirt clay oval carved in the space near U.S. 29 between the famous NASCAR track and the impressive four lane NHRA drag strip. The drivers all completed their qualifying efforts for both the Thursday and Friday shows during a time trail only session held Wednesday evening. The speed chauffeur from Lemoore, California, Carson Macedo, and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team were looking to put a ribbon on their sixth season together, which has been filled with highs and lows throughout the course of the long journey. After shopping outside to purchase their favorite driver’s merchandise, the fans began to navigate towards their seats in the expansive grandstands along the frontstretch for the night of action. There were 43 race teams registered to compete – World of Outlaws (WoO) sprint car style – on the first night of competition at the World Finals in “The Tar Heels State” of North Carolina – World of Outlaws style!

Looking back on time trial qualifying results from a dreary Wednesday night for Thursday night’s portion of the Dave Smith Motors World Finals, the moon had risen high in the sky as the first two drivers in Flight A pushed off to start the clock in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. Donny Schatz #15 and Brandon Spithaler #22 rolled out onto the track in turn three and dropped the hammer. Carson was set to be the fifth speed chauffeur out in Flight A, so he had to be patient before he could hammer down. He waited comfortably in his seat before his opportunity to get out onto the track. The California native waited in the staging line inside his Maxim Racing office for his chance to lay down two good laps around The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Carson was eager and ready to go. Joining him for the accelerated excursion was Brogan Carder #88c. When Logan Schuchart #1s and Parker Price-Miller #71 finished their left turns, the racer from Lemoore was the next driver up. Strapped securely into his Crow Enterprizes safety belts, Carson was ready to embark on a high speed chase against time in his green and black with blue accents Albaugh – Your Alternative/Scott Boyd Family/FK Rod Ends #41. He lowered his right foot to put his Kistler Engines power to work. Carson lowered his right K1 Race Gear boot and raced under the waving green flag to start the clock that closely measured his performance. The driver of the forty-one had his elbows up and was aggressively driving around the racy surface. Carson completed his first lap in just 12.898 seconds. He kept his foot buried on the ‘go fast’ pedal though trying to make more speed during lap two. This time he churned out of turn four pointed towards the black and white checkered flag. Carson crossed the finish line on lap two in 12.799 seconds. The better of his two qualifying laps was sixth quick overall in Flight A when time trials concluded. The fastest driver in that session was David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 with a rapid lap of 12.688 seconds. Rico Abreu piloting the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) #14 earned Thursday night’s Simpson Quick Time Award out of Flight B making his way around The Dirt Track at Charlotte in just 12.584 seconds.

To officially start the action on Thursday afternoon, the sprint car drivers began to buckle in for their time out on the track as their qualifying races were up first. The four Heat races, eight laps around, were up next up on the schedule of events. Each of the drivers completed a few laps around the track to rapidly familiarize themselves with the racing surface before the start of their Heat race after a few Hot Laps earlier on the agenda. Slated to start from the third position in row two, Carson was behind the wheel of the High Performance Lubricants/Pro Power Coating (PPC)/Smiley’s Racing Products #41 Maxim in The Greatest Store on Dirt Heat Race #2. Pulling up beside Macedo on the outside was Spencer Bayston #17 as they both rolled in behind Bill Balog #17B and Tyler Courtney #7BC on the front row. Together in row three were Chase Randall #9 and Donny Schatz #15 with Danny Sams III #24D and Darin Naida #2MD in row four. Row five featured Conner Morrell #28M and Hayden Wise #94 with Dalton Rombough #41R going solo in row six.

When the green flag waved, Bill Balog drove the Anderson Pure Maple Syrup #17B into the lead ahead of Tyler Courtney with Carson locking down the third spot just ahead of Spencer Bayston and Donny Schatz. The track still had some moisture on it from the day of rain and the surface was fast. That combination was made for speed but not passing. The eight laps went by quickly with Balog collecting the win over Tyler Courtney as those two drivers would advance to the Toyota Dash. Carson raced the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 home third with Spencer Bayston and Donny Schatz locking down the final two transfer positions out of the qualifying race.

The sprint car A-Main was first to be followed by the late models with the modifieds finishing the night. Rain was in the area, so race officials kept the show moving along. The air horn sounded as the crew members wrapped up their work before pushing out into the staging lane for the start of Thursday’s 25-lap Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals feature event. Garet Williamson #23 would start from the pole position after winning the Toyota Dash with Bill Balog #17B to his right on the front row. The front row starters paced ahead of Rico Abreu #24 and Tyler Courtney #7BC in row two with David Gravel #2 and Buddy Kofoid #83 perched in the third row. Giovanni Scelzi #77 and Logan Schuchart #1s occupied the fourth row with Buddy Schweibinz #69k and Sheldon Haudenschild #18 back in row five.

Philip Dietz turned the wrench one last time before pushing the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Winters Performance Products/Factory Kahne #41 Maxim back away from the trailer. Carson would get his journey to the checkers started from the 11th position in the sixth row with Tanner Holmes #13 sharing the same real estate to his outside for the start of the race.

The excitement and anticipation could be felt in the air as the yellow lights dimmed indicating they would go green the next time by. The front row starters rolled slowly into turn three and blasted out of turn four to get this party started in North Carolina. Bill Balog led the opening circuit followed by Garet Williamson with Carson tussling just outside the top ten early.

When the first caution flag of the race flew six laps in, Carson had raced all the way up to eighth place in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 with Bill Balog in control of the race at the front of the pack. The race slowdown was for Skylar Gee #16c who spun to s stop in turn two.

They went back to green flag racing with Carson starting on the outside of Logan Schuchart in row four. But the high speed action abruptly slowed down again when Sheldon Haudenschild contacted the outside wall in the last set of turns collecting Buddy Schweibinz ending the forward march for the famous #69k.

Because of the contact on the restart, it would now be a single file restart when racing resumed. The engine roared loudly again with Balog showing the way. Giovanni Scelzi was able to race with Carson to retake the eighth spot on the restart before another yellow was thrown on lap eight for Bryce Lucius #6 who slowed to a stop in the infield just before turn three.

Carson would restart for the ninth position and immediately was immersed in a multi-car battle for position with Sheldon Haudenschild #18 and Steven Snyder Jr. #51. Balog was cutting through the clean air out front, but it was chaos behind him as everyone was racing hard for a better spot.

On lap 12, Sheldon Haudenschild made hard contact with the outside wall at the exit of turn two to bring the yellow flag back out. The restart order would be Balog followed by Courtney, Williamson, Abreu, and Gravel with Carson back in 9th place.

The green lights were back on with Rico Abreu moving into the runner-up spot with race leader Bill Balog within striking distance. Carson got shuffled back two positions and was now running one spot out of the top ten. The battle for positions was fierce from the front of the pack to the back of the pack.

Rico Abreu was pressuring Balog for the lead and with five laps to go made his way into the lead. He muscled his way to the win over Tyler Courtney with Bill Balog finishing third. Rico Abreu wheeling the CARQUEST/Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) #14 opened the World Finals with a $20,000 win followed across the finish line by Tyler Courtney #7BC, Bill Balog #17B and Buddy Kofoid #83 with Garet Williamson #23 rounding out the top five. Carson motored to a 12th place finish in the Albaugh – Your Alternative forty-one.

The race teams will be back in the pit area right here at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Friday night to compete in the second of three nights of racing just outside the Queen City of Charlotte. If you are not in the area to attend the Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals, tune in to DIRTVision so you do not miss one lap from the start of the night to the end of the night. #AllDirtRoads

Starting the Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte with a 12th Place Finish! 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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