CAPACITY CROWD: FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1981, THE WORLD OF OUTLAWS WERE BACK AT MANSFIELD SPEEDWAY FOR ROUND #2 OF SHELDON HAUDENSCHILD’S BUCKEYE BRAWL WITH CARSON MACEDO RECORDING A PODIUM FINISH
MANSFIELD, OHIO (October 9, 2026) – The state of Ohio loves grassroots racing. After sliding back to an eighth place finish at the opener of Sheldon Haudenschild’s Buckeye Brawl at Millstream Speedway on Thursday night, Carson Macedo and the traveling stars of the World of outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series made their way over to Mansfield to continue the high speed fun for the first time since 1981. The Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team trucked Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) style towards Mansfield, Ohio to compete and entertain the fans in the “Buckeye State,” a nickname derived from the state’s buckeye tree because the nut from the tree resembles a deer’s eye (or buck’s eye). The fans in this state are fiercely loyal and knowledgeable about sprint car racing and motor sports in general. And they most definitely are passionate sprint car racing as they maximized the capacity of the seating by selling it out and moving it to a Standing Room Only (SRO) crowd. The teams pulled their haulers into the line waiting to get into the pit area at the 4/10-mile, moderately banked oval. When all the trucks pulled through the pit gates and parked, there were 47 race teams entering the race at Matt Tifft’s Mansfield Speedway on Friday Night in Round #2 of Sheldon Haudenschild’s Buckeye Brawl event.
Following Race//Ready Hot Laps finished, the official portion of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series show was set to kick off. The fans already spent some of their hard earned money on admission and loading up on their favorite driver’s merchandise. Now they were ready to watch these high speed daredevils get after it around the 16 degree banking on this dirt oval. Zeth Sabo #49X and Darren Dryden #12DD got the action started as they were the first drivers out as part of Flight A of Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. Carson had to be patient though as he was only set to turn his two laps at speed as the 16th driver to go out in Flight B of time trials with Leyton Wagner #38. When Emerson Axsom #27 and Cole Duncan #24 finished their speed circles, the driver of the Durst/All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/KSE Racing Products #41 Maxim got assistance from a push vehicle to start his Kistler Engines Ford Racing power. He motored up to speed as he raced under the green flag and rode the high side through turns one and two. The numbers were moving by fast on the stopwatch as Carson sped forward in his black and green Albaugh – Your Alternative hotrod. Carson completed his first go ‘round in 16.135 seconds and immediately embarked on another attempt. His Hoosier Racing Tires were doing their part trying to grip the surface to be additive to the speed equation. This time when the California born racer roared past with the checkered flag fluttering in the wind to end his session, the clock reported a time of 16.182 seconds on lap two. Carson’s best lap ended up third quick overall in Flight B on the night with Sheldon Haudenschild in the NOS Energy Drink/Aspen Aire #18 being the fastest driver in that session at 15.783 seconds. Cole Macedo in the TwoC Racing/Level Utilities LLC #2c out of Flight A picked up the Simpson Quick Time Award outpacing the field of other competitors with a lap of 15.307 seconds.
Each driver’s best time was then used to assign them to one of the four stout Heat races. Carson climbed into his Fibreworks Composites carbon fiber seat pulling his Crow Enterprizes safety belts extra tight. Starting in the second position in WIX Filters Heat Race #3, Carson pulled the Border International/FK Rod Ends/Greber Racing Components (GRC) #41 to the outside of front row alongside Sheldon Haudenschild in the KCP Racing #18. That speed duo slowly paced ahead of Skylar Gee #16c and Henry Malcuit #70 in row two with Logan Schuchart #1s and Spencer Bayston #17 in row three. Coming together in row four were Brock Zearfoss #3z and T.J. Michael #19 with Larry Kingseed Jr. #21 and Cole Duncan #24 coupling up in row five. In the sixth and final row, Scotty Thiel #39 from Sheboygan, Wisconsin and Geoff Dodge #77 from Colorado Springs, Colorado filled the starting spots in the sixth and final row. Eight laps was the scheduled distance with five transfer spots up for grabs out of each qualifying race moving on to the A-Main.
Carson flipped the shield down on his Clem’s custom painted Expert Gate Repair/Empire Machinery/KIWI Motorsports/Clenin Farm Supply Bell Helmet as the flagman showed the field the one-to-go flag. The engines were purring with anticipation. The driver’s right feet were softly dancing over top of the accelerator. When they reached the temporary white chalk stripe in turn four, the power under the hood awoke and roared to life as they dropped the hammer. Sheldon Haudenschild seized the lead down the front straightaway before maneuvering through the first set of turns. He completed the first circuit at Mansfield leading the driver of the forty-one and Spencer Bayston with Henry Malcuit and Logan Schuchart behind in the top five.
These drivers meticulously worked their way around the slick racing surface with the leader starting to check out over the field. Carson was still running in second place with Bayston equal distance behind. But behind the top three racers Henry Malcuit, Logan Schuchart, and Skylar Gee were racing three wide for position four. Skylar Gee won that battle moving int fourth place as Schuchart continued to work on Malcuit. In the latter stages of the race, the driver of the Shark Racing #1s made the pass to take the last transfer spot.
Exiting turn four the last time, Sheldon Haudenschild in the NOS Energy Drink #18 was the first racer to see the black and white checkered cloth hanging off the pole. He captured the victory by 1.983 seconds ahead of second place finisher Carson Macedo in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 as they both advanced into the Toyota Dash. Spencer Bayston came home in third place with Skylar Gee and Logan Schuchart locking down the final two transfer spots out of this qualifying race. The other winners of the qualifying Heat races and the runner-up finishers would also advance to the Toyota Dash: Heat #1: Cole Macedo #2c/Donny Schatz #15; Heat #2: David Gravel #2/Nate Dussel #1; and Heat #4: Emerson Axsom #27/Greg Wilson #W20.
After the redraw was completed on the front straightaway, the lineup for the 6-lap Toyota Dash was set and ready to go with Greg Wilson #W20 (Ohio) and Emerson Axsom #27 (Indiana) followed by Sheldon Haudenschild #18 (Ohio) and Nate Dussel (Ohio) in the second row. Alongside each other in row three was David Gravel (Connecticut) and Donny Schatz (North Dakota) with the two Macedo brothers Carson Macedo (California) on the inside of row four with Cole Macedo (California) to his outside. The four home grown racers were obviously the crowd favorites, but the other four competitors were going to do their best to melt their ice cream. The green flag waved with Emerson Axsom using the outside lane to jump into the race lead followed by Greg Wilson, Nate Dussel, and Donny Schatz with Carson scored in last position behind Haudenschild, Gravel, and his brother Cole. Emerson Axsom was on point and flying around this place with Dussel moving into the runner-up position after moving by Wilson. Carson snuck back around his brother to regain the seventh spot as he quickly closed in on Gravel. Emerson Axon won the Toyota Dash by 1.423 seconds over Nate Dussel with Sheldon Haudenschild, Donny Schatz, and Greg Wilson rounding out the top five. Completing the finishing order were David Gravel, Carson Macedo, and Cole Macedo.
The twenty-five car field, with the addition of Bill Balog #17B who elected to use provisional starting spot to tag the rear if the field, was locked and loaded for the pinnacle race of the night, 30-lap, 18,000-to-win Round #2 A-Main of Sheldon Haudenschild’s Buckeye Brawl at the Mansfield Speedway. The eight minute horn sounded throughout the pit area alerting the crews to finish their work and assist getting their cars and drivers out onto the track to stage for the start of the purse paying race. Carson would start from the seventh spot on the grid aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Scott Boyd Family/CS Productions #41 Maxim sharing row four with his brother Cole Macedo in the TwoC Racing/Level Utilities, LLC #2c.
Starting on the front row were the top two finishers in the Toyota Dash, Emerson Axsom #27 and Nate Dussel #1 followed by Sheldon Haudenschild #18 and Donny Schatz #15 in row two. Set up in row three were Greg Wilson #W20 and David Gravel #2 with Carson Macedo #41 and Cole Macedo #2c behind excited to get moving from row four. Row five featured Creed Kemenah #15K and Spencer Bayston #17 with row six occupied by Parker Price-Miller #71 and Cameron Smith #1a.
The drivers were given the signal to go four-wide to salute these impressive fans who not only showed up but also showed out. The crowd was huge as they packed the grandstands. It was Standing Room Only (SRO) at Mansfield Speedway. After re-aligning into the traditional two-by-two starting formation, outside front row starter Nate Dussel slowed his roll to align with the polesitter Emerson Axsom expecting to drop the hammer out of turn four. When he arrived, he did just that blasting down the front straightaway and through turns one and two. Dussel continued to hustle down the backstretch and when lap one was in the books he led Axsom and Haudenschild with Wilson and Schatz completing the early top five.
Carson got shuffled back to eighth at the start of the race then rallied on the fourth lap back by Cole Macedo to regain seventh place. He then turned his attention to sixth place running David Gravel and began to close in on the Big Game Motorsports #2 quickly railing around the thin cushion at the base of the candy cane painted red and white outside wall around the track.
On lap 8, Carson moved by Gravel and immediately went to work on Ohio’s own Greg Wilson. The next time around Mansfield Speedway, he moved into the top five and was now racing behind Dussel, Axsom, Haudenschild, and Schatz. Carson continued to push the limits around the top edge of the track on a razor thin cushion.
Third place running Sheldon Haudenschild was applying pressure on Emerson Axsom for the runner-up spot and on lap 10 moved the NOS Energy Drink #17 into position two behind Nate Dussel who was running an impressive race. Haudenschild stayed patient though and carried his speed forward inching closer with each completed lap.
At the halfway point of the race, it was Nate Dussel still leading a very hungry bunch of Outlaws chasers with Sheldon Haudenschild right behind him as Donny Schatz, Emerson Axsom, Carson Macedo, David Gravel, and Cole Macedo all were in line racing at speed.
The next time around the track, lap 16, Carson drove into fourth place disposing of Emerson Axsom the same way he passed all the other cars . . . around the extreme top of the racing surface. Up ahead of him Sheldon Haudenschild was tiptoeing around the bottom with speed and precision, and two laps later took the lead from Nate Dussel.
Carson had a fast Albaugh – Your Alternative hotrod and was in contention to challenge Nate Dussel for third after Dussel lost the runner-up spot to Donny Schatz with ten laps to go. Carson moved by Dussel into the show position on lap 22 and still had Schatz within striking distance. He then slipped over that thin cushion he was challenging through turns three and four pounding the wall hard with his right rear breaking the Jacobs ladder in the process. Carson maintained control of his forty-one machine and kept his momentum moving in the right direction but lost a lot of ground to Schatz with Axsom and Gravel licking their chops as they sense opportunity.
Sheldon Haudenschild went on to race to his tenth World of Outlaws win of the season crossing the finish line 2.610 seconds ahead of Donny Schatz with Carson Macedo holding on to finish third just beating Gravel to the finish line as Emerson Axsom completed the top five. Nate Dussel finished sixth followed by Buddy Kofoid, Cole Macedo, Logan Schuchart, and Garet Williamson who raced home in tenth place.
With the heat still coming off his Schoenfeld Headers, Carson signed autographs after debriefing with Philip Dietz and Adam Zimmerman (NOTE: Robby McQuinn was off attending his friend’s wedding). There was still one more race left to do this weekend with the next stop being Sharon Speedway for third and final round of Sheldon Haudenschild’s Buckeye Brawl on Saturday night. This nifty little 3/8-mile track is known to produce exciting racing. If you are in the area, be sure to mark out your calendars so you can be there to watch all the action live. Otherwise, be sure to tune in and catch every lap on DIRTVision as you grill your favorite dinner. #BuckeyeBrawl
Moving Around Ohio All Night During Round #2 of Sheldon Haudenschild’s Buckeye Brawl to Earn a Podium 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.
Go to ShopJJR.com to look at all our offerings and buy your new JJR and Carson Macedo gear and merchandise.