BANGING THE CUSHION: KICKING OFF THE WEEKEND IN ILLINOIS AT ONE OF THE MIDWEST BULLRINGS SEES CARSON MACEDO RIDING THE RAILS TO A THIRD PLACE FINISH IN THE HY-VEE PERKS 40 AT JACKSONVILLE SPEEDWAY

JACKSONVILLE, ILLINOIS (April 25, 2025) – Coming off a disappointing early season visit at Knoxville Raceway last Saturday night, Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 team were hungry and excited to get back to the track Friday night. This one was half the size of Knoxville but may deliver twice the excitement. The Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) race team trucked, Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) style, from their home base in Rocky Mount, Missouri across Interstate 70 to Illinois eventually arriving at Jacksonville Speedway for the Hy-Vee Perks 40. This elbows up, quarter mile circle of speed creates an entertainment product that is highly engaging for the fans and equally as demanding for the drivers. There were 35 race teams registered at the pit gate willing to take on the challenges presented by Jacksonville Speedway as they all wanted to the $12,000 winner’s share of the purse. It was race day – World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink style – at Jacksonville Speedway!

After hot laps ended, the first order of business on the race agenda was Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. Each driver would get a chance in the solo portion of the schedule to create speed out on the racetrack. The drivers would be racing against the clock with the goal of turning a lap in the lowest amount of time possible. Not surprisingly, the driver of the NOS Energy Drink #17 – Sheldon Haudenschild – currently holds the one lap record here at Jacksonville Speedway with a lap of 9.990 seconds that he turned back on April 21, 2021.

After randomly selecting a number in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw, the time trial order was complete. Carson Macedo would be the twenty fifth driver to take the track for his speed session driving the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Sander Engineering/Engler Machine & Tool #41 Maxim. He waited patiently for his turn in the staging lane. When Joey Moughan #31 out of Springfield, Illinois ended his last qualifying lap, the Kistler Racing Engines power under the hood of the forty-one came to life and Carson was ready to take it for a ride. He buried his right foot on the speed button as he raced off turn four towards the waving green flag as he worked his way through the first set of turns. Down the back straightaway, Carson set up his entry into turn three and escape plan off turn four. When he passed the flag stand this time to end lap one, the clock displayed 10.368 seconds. His white K1 Race Gear shoe was still dancing on the accelerator as he wrestled his way around Jacksonville Speedway one last time. Carson was digging off turn four and raced across the finish line to end lap two in 10.667 seconds after catching the lip of the cushion in turn four. The better of his two attempts positioned him fifth quick overall on the night in time trials. Buddy Kofoid driving the Roth Enterprises/Toyota #83, ran an impressive lap in 10.124 seconds, to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award for the night at Jacksonville Speedway.

Watching fast race cars in time trial is fun, but everything was about to get a little more exciting as these stars battle each other for one of the five transfer spots out of each of the four 10-lap Heat races. Based on the final spot Carson earned in the time trial order, the Californian would get the Scott Boyd Family/Vortex Racing Products/Motor State Distributing #41 started on the outside of the front row beside quick timer Buddy Kofoid #83 in Nos Energy Drink Heat #1. Pacing right behind them in row two was Max Guilford #16C and Kyle Larson with Chris Windom #7s and Emerson Axsom #27 in row three. Gage Pulkrabek #G5 and Kelby Watt #1K were side-by-side in row four with Tyler Duff #9 alone in row five.

The field was set. The fans were inching up on their seat. The flagger unfurled the green flag as the all-Californian front row of Kofoid and Macedo brought the field up to speed. Carson used his JOES Racing Products Matador Steering Wheel to race around the outside lane behind Kofoid who seized the early race lead the end of the first circuit.

Carson was close to the leader and entering turn three dove low and slid the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 up in front of the Roth Motorsports #83 off turn four to take the lead after bouncing off the mound of dirt. The two talented racers touched bumpers and stayed on the hammer with Macedo leading lap two. Kofoid ducked underneath Macedo entering turn one, but Carson crossed over and ducked back under Kofoid off turn two to reclaim the lead. They were side-by-side racing for the same real estate at Jacksonville Speedway through turns three and four with Kofoid getting up over the cushion allowing third running Kyle Larson to claim the runner-up position.

These top three were all California bred racers and showing off their talents and skills on this demanding bullring. The racing on these small tracks is much different for these open wheel racers than it is on the bigger tracks. They race hard and respectfully, not intentionally, bang wheels because the quarters are tight on these quarter mile tracks.

With half of the laps in the books, the on-track action was now had put the fans in the stands on the edge of their seat. Carson Macedo was leading Kyle Larson and Buddy Kofoid with battles for the final two transfer spots happening behind them.

When all was said and done after 10 laps, Carson Macedo took the Heat race win crossing the finish line 0.619 second ahead pf Kyle Larson. Those two drivers would advance into the Toyota Dash with Buddy Kofoid, Emerson Axsom, and Max Guilford locking down the final three transfer positions out of this qualifying race.

The starting lineup was set for the 8-lap Toyota Dash after the eight pills were randomly drawn from the oversized NOS Energy Drink. David Gravel #2 would start on the pole and share the front row with Logan Schuchart #1s. Brady Bacon #21 and Garet Williamson #23 were partnered in row two with Bill Balog #17B and Carson Macedo #41 in row three. Kyle Larson was on the inside of row four with Sheldon Haudenschild #17 to his right side. When the green flag waved, David Gravel seized the early lead with Schuchart stalking him from behind. Carson quickly moved the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 into fifth place on the opening lap moving ahead of Balog. He then set his sights on the driver of the Fischer Body Shops #23, Garet Williamson, who was running in the fourth position. On lap 3, Carson claimed that position and quickly turned his attention to the blue and silver #21 of Brady Bacon looking to take over the show position. He raced hard but ran out of laps as Gravel took the win over Schuchart and Bacon. Carson came home fourth followed by Williamson, Larson, Balog, and Haudenschild who completed the finishing order.

When the traveling tour of speed stars stopped here last year, David Gravel was the one holding the checkered flag and winner’s check after an exciting battle with Kyle Larson. Who would be the winner this year? Everyone in attendance would soon find out as the horn sounded summoning the race teams to the track for the 40-lap Hy-Vee Perks 40 feature finale at Jacksonville Speedway.

The action up until this point of the night was well worth the price of admission and was about to get better. Current Last year’s race winner and current WoO Point Leader David Gravel was on the pole with Logan Schuchart #1s right beside him as they paced the field from the front row. Brady Bacon #21 was on the inside of row two with Carson Macedo getting his money run and World of Outlaws point pursuit started from the fourth position in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Wilwood Racing/Factory Kahne Shocks #41 Maxim. Garet Williamson and Kyle Larson #57 shared row three as the field of talented sprint cars drivers were looking to making some noise and provide some high-speed entertainment in “The Prairie State” of Illinois.

The twenty-four starting cars filled the racing surface. As the front row starters arrived in turn four the cars in the back of the pack were still at the end of the backstretch. The leaders most certainly would have to navigate the slower cars throughout the race in their drive to victory. When Gravel and Schuchart reached the chalk stripe in turn four, the flag man gave them the signal to let it rip. Logan Schuchart jumped into the early lead with David Gravel giving chase from close behind at the end of the first lap. Carson moved the Albaugh #41 into third with Brady Bacon and Kyle Larson rounding out the top five.

The drivers were working multiple lanes across the track all the way up to the white wall separated by a vertical red line painted every so often when the first yellow flag of the night came out. Logan Schuchart would bring them back up to speed with Gravel and Macedo in hot pursuit. Carson stomped on the loud pedal and raced by the Big Game Motorsports #2 into the runner-up position. Brady Bacon and Kyle Larson also worked their way forward with Sheldon Haudenschild moving into the top five as he too raced by Gravel.

On lap 6, the #7A of Will Armitage slowed entering turn three to bring out the yellow flag for a second time. The race leader would choose the outside lane for the restart putting Carson Macedo down low. They went back to green flag racing, but only for a moment as there was a multi-car pileup in turn two involving Conner Morrell, Tanner Holmes, Rees Moran, and Skylar Gee.

They would try again. This time Carson used his speed and instincts to take over the top spot as he led lap seven with Schuchart, Larson, and Bacon all behind him. Kyle Larson was on the move though as he also worked by the driver of the Shark Racing/Drydene/Take 5 Oil Change #1s to take over the second spot in the running order.

On lap 14, the yellow lights came back on when fifth running Sheldon Haudenschild #17 slowed off turn two. Carson had the lead, but Larson wanted it bad and was right on his rear nerf bar when they restarted the race. Carson was good too and was able to fend him off to lead lap 15, but the talented NASCAR and Indy Car star dove underneath Macedo entering turn one and drifted up cleanly to steal the lead on lap 16.

Two lap later, lap 18, the yellow flag was back out for the #9X of Paul Nienhiser who wheelied into the infield but never stopped as he blended back into the field.

Kyle Larson would lead the field back up to speed with Macedo and Bacon chasing from behind. It did not take long for the driver of the Silva Motorsports #57 to open up a three plus second lead over the second place running Carson Macedo. Larson was wheeling it above the cushion and scraping the wall as he entertained at speed. He was moving through lapped cars like a hot knife through butter. Carson at times was able to use that to his advantage to close the gap a bit, but Larson checked out.

Carson now had to move to the bottom to protect his position as Brady Bacon was inching closer to him for the second position. With three laps to go, Carson missed the bottom slightly opening the door for Bacon to take over the lower numbered position.

Kyle Larson raced to the win by just over four seconds ahead of Brady Bacon with Carson rounding out the podium. Logan Schuchart came home fourth with David Gravel rounding out the top five. On the front straightaway after the race, third finishing Carson Macedo reflected with a smile, “I don’t know how Kyle does it. It’s pretty amazing. When I was behind him, pacing him after the restart, which wasn’t very long, he was running above it (the cushion).” He continued, “It looked like he was wall grinding the fence. I just don’t know that I can do that for all forty laps and hold it all together and still finish these races.”

Carson raced a good race as he led some laps, eight to be exact, and raced forward with speed all night. Another good run for Macedo and the forty-one! They will be back at another bullring on Saturday night over in Indiana at Tri-State Speedway. Be sure to tune into DIRTVision if you can not be there to watch it live.

Battling it Out at Speed Around Jacksonville Speedway in the Hy-Vee Perks 40 Delivering Entertainment for All! Photo Credit: Trent Gower Photography

JJR’s Valued Sponsorship Partners for 2025: 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); RaceDiecast.com; 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; C&R Racing; ChalkStix; Crow Enterprizes; CS Productions; Engler Machine & Tool, Inc.; Factory Kahne (FK Shocks); Fibreworks Composites; FK Rod Ends; Fuel Safe Racing Cells; Greber Racing Components; 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; 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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