BATTLING BACK IN THE BADGER STATE: THE CALIFORNIAN PUTS ON A SHOW WITH THE WORLD OF OUTLAWS TRAVELING TOUR OF SPEED STARS HUSTLING TO A PODIUM RUN IN THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41

WILMOT, WISCONSIN (July 12, 2025) – The team was bummed when Thursday night’s Deer Creek Clash got rained out over in Minnesota, which was supposed to kick off the first of eight important races over the next ten days, but Philip (Dietz), Carson (Macedo), Adam (Zimmerman), and Robby (McQuinn) loaded up their Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 hotrod and continued trucking Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) style over to Wilmot Raceway to help them celebrate the track’s 75th anniversary! They were eagerly anticipating getting back on track again on Friday night, but Mother Nature reared her wet, ugly head again as she had other plans as this race too canceled due to rain. Another bummer, but there is always another day and another race. Carson and the team would try again on Saturday night at Wilmot to get the biggest race of the weekend in before heading to Ohio.

Over the last six weeks, the traveling tour of stars with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series have visited Wisconsin six times. Their visit schedule has taken them from Plymouth to Beaver Dam in early June to Wilmot this weekend, with a stop in New Richmond in between, the Badger State has welcomed the tour with open arms to provide great entertainment for the fans of this great state. This trip was a little extra special as it honored a true hero of the sport in Wisconsin – Larry Hillerud – with the finale of the Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40 promoted by SLS Promotions. They would be joined by the Wisconsin wingLESS Sprints on the evening’s showcard. There were 30 winged race teams signed in at the pit shack for the finale on Saturday. There was also a cool twelve grand in cash (or check) on the line for the winner. It was time to go racing – World of Outlaws style!

It was a new day so each team had to select a numbered pill in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw to determine where they would go out in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. When scanning the time trial order, Carson was set to hit the track as the third driver out piloting the Tarlton and Son/Ben Cook Race Car Products/Greber Racing Components #41 Maxim. He waited patiently in the staging lane as he watched his fellow competitors turn their laps on DIRTVision from the cockpit of his car. When Zach Hampton in the Bill Rose Racing #6 raced under the checkered flag to end his individual timed session, Carson flipped the shield down of his Bell Helmet as the engine came to life to start his run. He lowered his speed foot and throttled down as he worked his way to the green flag. When the driver of the forty-one passed the flagstand he was on the clock. Carson completed the first lap in12.476 seconds and was hard at work during lap two looking for some improvement. He made his way around Wilmot one last time and raced off turn four towards the black and white checkered cloth. This time when he flew by it the clock captured lap two for Carson in 12.294 seconds. His work in time trials positioned him fifth quick overall to start the night. The fleetest driver of the night though was Wisconsin transplant from Alaska Bill Balog #17B, who went out late in the time trial order, earning the Simpson Quick Time Award with a lap of 12.249 seconds.

Each driver’s best lap in time trials positioned them in one of the starting lineups for the three 10-lap Heat races. Carson would get his high speed, wheel-to-wheel adventure in the High Performance Lubricants/Bandy & Associates/Saldana Racing Products #41 going from the second starting spot in Real American Beer Heat Race #2. Fellow Californian, the red hot Buddy Kofoid, pulled his Roth Motorsports #83 into the pole position beside Macedo to start the race. Behind them in row two found Garet Williamson #23 and Jake Neuman #3N with Zach Hampton #6 and Conner Morrell #28M in row three. Blake Nimee #79 and Jereme Schroeder #43 were together in row four with Todd King #47 and Chris Klemko #70 making up row five.

When the green flag came out it was Kofoid accelerating into the lead on the frontstretch with Carson just to his outside as they were wheel-to-wheel entering turn one. Carson got on the brakes as Kofoid slid into the top spot exiting turn two in clean air. Carson and Garet Williamson continued to chase the driver of the Mobil 1/Toyota #83 entry, but Kofoid was fast and continued to extend his lead. There were few contested spots throughout the early and middle stages of the race with Kofoid, Macedo, and Williamson at the front of the pack. Buddy Kofoid would lead from start to finish to take the qualifying race win by 1.304 seconds over Carson who drove home second. Williamson wheeled home third with Jake Neuman, Conner Morrell, and Zach Hampton securing the final three transfer positions.

The drawing for the six drivers that earned spots in the 8-lap Toyota Dash was up next with Carson set to be the fifth driver to select his number out of the oversized NOS Energy Drink can. When it was his turn to pull a pill, there was a “1” and “5” pill remaining. Would he start on the pole position or back in row three? When his hand exited the top of the can he was grasping the lowest pill available to earn his third straight SPA Technique #1 Redraw. He would start on the front row in the Scott Boyd Family/ISC Racers Tape/FK Rod Ends #41 with Buddy Kofoid #83 to his outside. Bill Balog #17B and David Gravel #2 were in row two with Sheldon Haudenschild #17 and Chris Windom #7s in row three. Just like in the heat race, Kofoid jumped into the race lead early with Macedo and Gravel close behind early. The yellow flag was displayed with one lap in the book when Bill Balog looped his Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup #17B in turn two. Buddy chose the inside lane to restart the race with Carson pulling to the topside. They were back on the gas with the driver of the eighty-three moving back into the lead in front of the drivers of the forty-one and two. He soon raced into another zip code with Macedo and Gravel left dicing for the remaining spot on the front row of the feature. With one lap to go, David Gravel worked his was by the Albaugh #41 to take over the runner-up position. Kofoid raced to the win by 2.374 seconds ahead of Gravel with Macedo coming home third followed by Haudenschild. Chris Windom and Bill Balog rounded out the finishing order to set the starting lineup for the first three rows of the feature.

The horns sounded throughout the pit area as the start of the $12,000-to-win, 40-lap Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40 feature finale loomed ahead. The pit crews finished their jobs before rolling their cars and competitors back away from the trailers to escort them onto the track.

Michael “Buddy” Kofoid in the Roth Motorsports #83 and David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 would pace the field from the front row. Carson Macedo in the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 and Sheldon Haudenschild in the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing #17 were right behind in row two. Chris Windom driving the Sides Motorsports #7s and Bill Balog in B-Squared Motorsports #17B made up row three.

Carson was rolling in the third starting spot sitting poised to get rolling in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/C&R Racing/Schoenfeld Headers #41 Maxim. He was ready to get his elbows up when the green flag waved to start the racing action. When the leaders at the front of the pack exited turn four the race was on at Wilmot Raceway, Kofoid immediately took the lead out front with Gravel, Haudenschild, and Balog providing the pressure from behind in the opening lap as Carson got shuffled back to fifth in the early going. By lap two, Carson drove the forty-one back by Balog to reclaim the fourth spot positioning him within striking distance of the NOS Energy Drink #17.

It was the beginning of a clean and racy thirteen lap duel that culminated with Carson driving under Haudenschild on lap 14 to take control of the show position with Kofoid still leading Gravel racing through lap traffic. Fifth running Bill Balog also tried to move underneath Sheldon Haudenschild entering turn one on the next lap, but his right rear got up over Sheldon’s left front causing damage to bring out the caution. Haudenschild headed to the work area where his team change the front wrong and he rejoined the field.

The leader chose to restart from the inside lane, which position Carson down there too when they went back to green. There were two distinct racing grooves, but the bottom was the preferred line at this point of the race. The field was back up to speed with Kofoid, Gravel, and Macedo racing out front. They recorded two more laps before the yellow flag was back out. This time it was for Conner Morrell as his Tub O’ Towels/Bill Rose Racing #28M slowed.

There was a lot of racing to go in this one when they got back up to speed with Buddy Kofoid doing his thing ahead of David Gravel and Carson Macedo under green flag conditions again. The high speed action was short-lived as the yellow lights illuminated again with eleventh running Hunter Schuerenberg #55 sitting sideways on the back straightaway.

They would try again with the eighty-three powering up as securing the top spot with the drivers of the Big Game Motorsports #2 and Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 keeping the pressure on the leader. This time the green flag stayed out for quite some time as the leaders were showing off their speed and passing skills maneuvering through the slower cars under the extended green flag racing conditions. David Gravel was closing in on the leader vying for position one.

With 38 laps in the books, it was still Kofoid, Gravel, and Macedo up front when the final yellow flag of the race flew when one of the infield tires in turn three moved out into the racing surface. It would be a two lap dash to the finish at Wilmot Raceway. Buddy Kofoid brought the field back up to speed with Gravel giving it his all. Kofoid would not be denied as he led every lap to secure his seventh series victory crossing the finish line ahead of David Gravel and Carson Macedo.

It was Carson and the JJR team’s third consecutive podium finish. After the race, Carson reflected on the lost opportunity in the Dash where he lost a front row starting position in the feature. He then explained, “I was just getting really bad starts. My angle was so bad off four when I would start behind Buddy on the bottom.” He continued, “He would take off pretty early, which I would’ve too, but where I was at, I had to turn twice and then exit right around that tire then I would be in trouble getting into one almost every start.” Another podium and good run for Macedo and the forty-one!

A Podium Finish at the Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40 for Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 Team! 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; 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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