BLOWING THROUGH KANSAS: CARSON MACEDO THROTTLES UP THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 IN THE “QUEEN OF COWTOWNS” AT DODGE CITY RACEWAY PARK HUSTLING IN THE GUNSLINGER STAMPEDE TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE IN FOURTH PLACE
DODGE CITY, KANSAS (September 12, 2026) – The first stop of the annual trek to the West Coast started on Saturday night. The forty-one team loaded up their speed equipment, luggage, and supplies as they began their journey to the “Jayhawker State” traveling to Dodge City Raceway Park, the premier Kansas Dirt Track, for the Gunslinger Stampede. It was the premier tour’s first return visit at the track since coming here in 2020. This 3/8-mile, semi-banked clay oval, located in Ford County in southwestern Kansas, opened back in 2000. This portion of the country is historically famous because it was a wild frontier town of the Old West, which is fitting as the teams prepared to continue westward across the plains following the race for their stop in Colorado before continuing on to California. This area evolved over time into a hub for cattle trade and ironically is known as the windiest city in the United States. There were 23 race haulers parked in the pit area outside of turns three and four ready to use that tricky air as downforce at Dodge City Raceway Park in the Gunslinger Stampede. It was finally race day in Dodge City – World of Outlaws style!
The drivers began to climb into their offices in preparation for Race//Ready Hot Laps where they all get a chance to get up to speed around the track. Those winds were whistling as the drivers added the roar of their 410 cubic inch engines to the harmony. Following some practice laps, the drivers lined up in the staging area based on the number they randomly drew for determining when they would go out for time trials in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. For Carson, which meant he would be the first speed chauffeur set to go out behind the wheel of the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Smiley’s Racing Products/Xtreme Body and Paint #41 Maxim. After Hot Laps ended it was Carson’s turn to make speed “Dirt Driving in Dodge City” as he attempted to make speed and set a high bar for the remaining competitors. With a shrug and roll of his shoulders and tap on his rear nerf bar the driver of the forty-one was off. With his speed built up he carried that momentum under the waving green flag and around Dodge City Raceway Park the first time in 13.161 seconds. It was a good lap, but he was gunning for more speed the next time around. When he galloped out of turn four this time he saw the flagman displaying the checkered flag to end his race against time session. This time his work was measured in 13.335 seconds. The quicker of his two trips around this Kansas oval was the first one positioning him third overall when the engines silenced at the conclusion of time trials. It was Bill Balog wheeling the Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup #17B sitting at the top of the speed charts at 13.067 seconds to earn his fifth Simpson Quick Time Award so far in 2026.
The program for the night kept moving along as the cars began to stage for the first of three qualifying races. Based on his best time trial lap, Carson was in WIX Filters Heat Race #3 where he would get started from the pole position on the front row with recent winner Emerson Axsom #27. Behind them in row two was Bryce Lucius #6 and Garet Williamson #23 with Ashton Torgerson #45x and Spencer Bayston #17 together in row three. Alone in row four was Bryan Gossel #6G who was ready to get popping from row five.
Slowly pacing the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Vortex Racing Products/Jansen Transportation #41 after gassing it up to catch up to the Toyota Pace Truck, Carson was ready get his elbows up. The slow cadence of the pitter patter from his Ford Racing Kistler Engines under the hood was about to turn into an intense, heart pounding roar when the field arrived in turn four. The green flag was out to start the 8-lap Heat race with Emerson Axsom using the dominant outside lane to take control of the top spot early on ahead of Carson’s Albaugh – Your Alternative entry and Garet Williamson who slid into the third spot.
It did not take long to get into rhythm around this surface as the cars began to get in line to ride the high line. Lap after lap they began to put equal distance between each of themselves. By the last lap, the field had spread out with Emerson Axsom in clean air heading towards the checkered flag to take the win. Carson crossed the finish line in second place and would join Axsom in the Toyota Dash out of this Heat race. Racing home in third place was Garet Williamson with Spencer Bayston coming home fourth as Bryce Lucius locked down the fifth spot. Ashton Torgerson crossed the finish line sixth with Bryan Gossel scored in seventh place.
The three Heat race winners and the runner-up finishers all came to the frontstretch to redraw for their starting positions in the 6-lap Toyota Dash. Carson would get what was left over as he would be the last driver up and would get whatever was left in the oversized NOS Energy Drink Can. When he finally arrived to speak with Conner Wade, Carson knew he would start on the outside of row two beside Sheldon Haudenschild #17 as only the four disc remained in the can. They paced behind Emerson Axsom #27 and Buddy Kofoid #83 who were on the front row and in front of David Gravel #2 and Bill Balog #17B in row three. Five different states represented as they were all gunning for their starting positions in the feature. The green flag was out, and polesitter Emerson Axsom darted into the race lead ahead of Kofoid, Haudenschild, and Carson. Just like the qualifying races, there were not a lot of passing opportunities, so the drivers hunkered down and held their foot to the floor to maintain their positions in the running order. They finished exactly as they started with Axsom winning the Dash followed by Kofoid, Haudenschild, Macedo, Gravel, and Balog.
As the entertainment show card in Dodge City got closer to the end, the engines began to fire for the start of the 30-lap Gunslinger Stampede A-Main feature at Dodge City Raceway Park. Coming to this part of the country is rewarding for the traveling tour of stars because of the inordinate amount of passion and support these fans show when the World of Outlaws are in town. In fact, Hall of Fame WoO announcer, Johnny Gibson, announced that it was the largest crowd in Dodge City Raceway Park. Simply incredible. From buying merchandise to cheering on their favorite driver, these fans show their appreciation, but they also showed out. In return the twenty-three cars that made the feature went four-wide to show their gratitude to the fans in the stands. There was not an empty seat in the house. It was time to go racing World of Outlaws style in Kansas!
Emerson Axsom #27 and Buddy Kofoid #83 led the field of talented speed athletes from the front row with Sheldon Haudenschild #18 and Carson Macedo #41 tucked in behind in row two. David Gravel #2 and Bill Balog #17B were set for their pursuit of the win beside each other in row three with Logan Schuchart #1s and Donny Schatz #15 biting their lips in anticipation from row four. It was about to go down in this impressive cowboy town.
The green flag was out, and order turned into chaos immediately. Emerson Axsom accelerated into the lead position at the drop of the green flag with Kofoid and Haudenschild trying to keep pace attempting to corral the top spot way from him. The Albaugh – Your Alternative/Team Jack Foundation/Factory Kahne Shocks (FK Shocks) #41 Maxim with Carson behind the wheel was running in the fourth spot dueling with Gravel for position with one lap in the books.
Second place Buddy Kofoid pressed the leader and made his move for the lead on the second lap to drive by Axsom into first place. David Gravel also raced underneath Carson into the fourth spot. The top five were now Kofoid, Axsom, Haudenschild, Gravel, and Macedo with Bill Balog lurking close behind in sixth place.
On lap 10, the always patient driver from Watertown, Connecticut gained another spot as he drove into the show position in the Big Game Motorsports #2 passing the Nos Energy Drink #18. He was now behind Buddy Kofoid and Emerson Axsom with Haudenschild and Carson all still within striking distance of each other.
It stayed that way with the driver of the Roth Enterprises/Toyota Racing/Mobil 1 #83 way out in front as the second through fifth place running drivers all stayed close enough to each other as they raced through slower traffic to exchange pleasantries.
On lap 22, the order shuffled up front for the final time when Gravel moved by Axsom into the runner-up position and Carson raced by Haudenschild to regain the fourth spot as well. You could have still thrown a blanket over those four drivers as they were close enough to keep all these fans on the edge of their seats with Kofoid dominating out front with a 4.870 second lead.
No one would even remotely ever even challenge the Penngrove, California racer up front as Buddy Kofoid raced to his 13th World of Outlaws victory of the season ahead of David Gravel who came home second. Emerson Axsom kept his strong runs lately going as he held Carson Macedo off at the finish line to gain the lowest step of the podium in third place with Carson scored in fourth place and Sheldon Haudenschild rounding out the top five. Another good run for the forty-one!
As the teams loaded their speed machines back into their haulers to continue their trip to the West Coast, the white glow of the backup lights lit up the area so their headlights could guide their way as they travelled to Colorado for a quick stop at El Paso County Raceway for the Rocky Mountain Rumble on Monday night. Follow the World of Outlaws (WoO) tour and every lap of exciting racing action on DIRTVision if you cannot make it out to the track. #RockyMountainRumble
Kicking His Boot Spurs and Slinging Dirt with Another Good Run at Dodge City Raceway Park! 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.
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