ANOTHER NIGHT IN BADGER STATE: CARSON MACEDO AND THE JJR #41 TEAM RETURNED TO CEDAR LAKE SPEEDWAY FOR THE INDEPENDENCE SPECTACULAR FINALE BEFORE MAKING A LATE RUN TO RACE TO A SIXTH PLACE FINISH

NEW RICHMOND, WISCONSIN (June 27, 2026) – After a night of hard work and racing, Carson Macedo guided the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 hotrod across the finish line in fifth place with David Gravel securing the win on the opening night of the Independence Spectacular. After a night of rest, the forty-one driver and team woke up and went back to work to prepare for the finale at Cedar Lake Speedway. Philip, Robby, and Adam worked under the mid-summer sun on a picturesque day in Wisconsin doing the daily maintenance while tending to some adjustments hoping to find a little more speed on night two. The talent throughout the pit area was impressive, separated only by focus and determination. Additionally, the passion for sprint car racing in Wisconsin was on full display as evidenced by the volume of people mingling with buying intent throughout souvenir way prior to the race night even commencing. There were 27 stout race teams unloaded and back in the pit area for the second night of the Federated Auto Parts Independence Spectacular at Cedar Lake Speedway. It was another exciting race day in the Badger State of Wisconsin – World of Outlaws style!

The night always begins with Race//Ready Hot Laps so the drivers can get exposure to the track’s configuration and surface as they prepare for the first official order of business on the race agenda – Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. In time trials, each driver gets time on the track alone to attempt to take two quick laps around Cedar Lake Speedway. The faster of the two would stand at the end of time trials. Carson sat snug in his Fibreworks Composites carbon fiber seat waited in the staging lane sitting as he would be the 17th competitor to push off for his time trial laps around Cedar Lake Speedway. When Kasey Jedrzejek in the Bill Rose Racing/Mr. Heater #6 completed his timed laps, it was Carson’s turn against the clock. His right K1 Race Gear boot was pressing firmly on the accelerator pedal and his left one hovered over the brake pedal just in case it was needed. Speed was the name of the game. He whipped by the flagstand and the numbers on the stopwatch started to tick by at a feverish pace. Carson circled the 3/8-mile oval on lap one in 12.189 seconds. Hammer down, he continued to generate speed as his Hoosier Racing Tires dug into the racing surface for traction throughout his second lap. He exited out of turn four with a full head of steam crossing the finish line to end his session in 12.245 seconds. Lap one was the fastest of his two speed attempts placing him ninth quick overall in time trails. Sheldon Haudenschild in the KCP Racing/NOS Energy Drink #18 scooted around the Wisconsin dirt track on this night in 11.783 seconds the quickest to earn his fourth Simpson Quick Time Award of the season.

Lining the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Saldana Racing Products/Mr. Jim’s Racing #41 Maxim up in the third position in WIX Filters Heat Race #3 alongside Scotty Thiel aboard the McGarry Machine & Welding #31 in row two. Leading the field from row one was Garet Williamson #23 and Buddy Kofoid #83 with Josh Schneiderman #49 and Ashton Torgerson #51 slated to start from row three. Row four found Kasey Jedrzejek #6 and Conner Morrell #28M side-by-side in the starting formation with Will Gerrits #8 all alone in row five.

Ten laps to compete. Six transfer spots are available at the end. Two cars in each row at the start. One track to create speed and race on. The green flag waved, and the front row starters dug out of turn four with their right feet heavy on the loud pedal. The racing action was tight through the first set of turns with Buddy Kofoid darting into the lead going the long way around the track on the topside with Garet Williamson and Carson Macedo in tow. Elbows high and eyes focused forward, Carson cruised through the air with the wind flowing smoothly over the top of his Vortex Racing Products wings.

The cars quickly spread out from the leader to the last place racer. They were all doing their thing at speed hoping to catch someone to make a pass for position on. The race went non-stop from the drop of the green to the waving of the checkers with the Buddy Kofoid taking the win in the Roth Motorsports/Mobil 1 #83. Garet Williamson would cross the finish line second with Carson coming home third. Ashton Torgerson captured the fourth spot with Scotty Thiel and Josh Schneiderman locking down the fifth and sixth place positions to transfer into the A-Main.

With all the qualifying action complete, it was now time for the 35-lap Federated Auto Parts Independence Spectacular feature event at Cedar Lake Speedway. Twenty-four drivers earned an eligible spot in the starting lineup, each eager to show off their speed in Wisconsin. Featured on the front row after running first and second in the Toyota Dash were Bill Balog #17B and Emerson Axsom #27 with Buddy Kofoid #83 and Garet Williamson #18 just behind in row two and Sheldon Haudenschild #18 and Kelby Watt #1K in row three.

The driver of the Albaugh – Your Alternative/FK Rod Ends/Sam I Am #41 finalized his race strategy before climbing into his Maxim Racing office to buckle in. Carson would start on the inside of row five in the ninth spot right beside Logan Schuchart #1s. The JJR crew pushed Carson back from the trailer and escorted him out onto the track to stage for the money paying race. There was $12,000 up for grabs for the winner of the race to go along with the excitement of celebrating under the falling confetti. It was time to go racing at Cedar Lake Speedway!

The track always puts on a historic pyrotechnics display, and the drivers were looking to equal that type of entertainment value when the green flag waved. Polesitter Bill Balog was the first driver on the gas out of turn four as the green flag waved to start the independence Spectacular, but it was Emerson Axsom seizing the lead through the first set of turns as he dashed down the back straightaway into the last set of turns. Axsom led the opening circuit with Balog, Kofoid, Williamson, and Haudenschild completing the top five with one lap officially recorded in the books.

Carson got caught in traffic on the low side resulting in him getting shuffled back to the eleventh position. It would take him two laps to move by Kelby Watt as he took command of the last spot in the top ten with Logan Schuchart and Ashton Torgerson dueling in front of him.

On lap 6, Carson moved up a spot on the scoreboard after he tracked down the driver of the Three Stooges Racing/Moxzy #51. The next time by he moved the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 by Chris Windom #7s for eighth place with David Gravel and Logan Schuchart now set in his sights.

Emerson Axsom was still out in front of the pack with Williamson and Kofoid keeping the pressure on him for the lead. Sheldon Haudenschild was also in the mix making some noise around the top of the racetrack running the edge. Buddy Kofoid took the lead from Axsom on the twelfth circuit with Haudenschild and Williamson following by, too.

On lap 15, all the action was interrupted momentarily when Kelby Watt #1K slowed on the track exiting turn four collecting Spencer Bayston #17. The driver of the NOS Energy Drink #17 headed to the work area to replace a front axle with Watts’ night ending.

Buddy Kofoid in the Roth Enterprises/Toyota Racing #83 led the remaining cars back up to speed with everyone behind him in chase mode. With ten laps remaining at Cedar Lake, it was Kofoid, Williamson, Haudenschild, Balog, and Gravel holding down the positions in the top five with Carson racing from the seventh spot between Schuchart and Windom. The battle between the Albaugh #41 and the NOS Energy Drink #7s was on and lasted three laps. Windom hugged the bottom. Macedo ripped the top. Windom found something and rode it all the way up to fifth place on lap 30 leaving Carson back in eighth place.

Sheldon Haudenschild had a fast hotrod and passed Kofoid for the lead. Over the next three laps, Buddy Kofoid and Buddy Kofoid exchanged the top spot before the driver of the KCP Racing/NOS Energy Drink #18 took control of it for good. When the white flag waved there were tight battles throughout the top ten. The lead was still in jeopardy between Kofoid and Haudenschild while Carson was mired in a five car battle for positions six through ten involving Logan Schuchart, David Gravel, Cole Macedo, and Donny Schatz.

Sheldon Haudenschild was the first driver under the checkered flag to collect his fourth win of the season with Buddy Kofoid coming home second as Garet Williamson, Chris Windom, and Bill Balog rounded out the top five. Carson Macedo came out on top of the battle crossing the finish line in sixth with Logan Schuchart, Cole Macedo, David Gravel, and Donny Schatz completing the top ten. Another good run for Macedo and the forty-one!

Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team, along with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series stars, get a much needed mid-season break until they are back on track at Hartford Speedway for the Pure Michigan Showdown on Thursday, July 9th. Most teams will use the schedule break to regroup, have some fun, and prepare for the busy and money laden month of July. But before Carson and the JJR #41 team get their break started they will truck Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) style to “The Keystone State” to race in the Final Steve Smith Tribute Race paying the winner $50,019 on Monday night at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania as part of PA Speedweek.

Enjoy celebrating the United States’ 250th Anniversary of freedom and independence with family, friends, and loved ones. If we do not see you in Pennsylvania, we look forward to catching back up with you in Michigan at Hartford Speedway at the track. #PureMIShowdown

Moving Forward on the Final Night of the Independence Spectacular at Cedar Lake Speedway! 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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