CIRCLING THE WAGONS: CARSON MACEDO MAKES THE MOST OF THE WoO TOURS FIRST STOP IN OKLAHOMA AS HE CHARGES TO A RUNNER-UP FINISH IN THE SOONER STATE SHOWDOWN AT LAWTON SPEEDWAY

LAWTON, OKLAHOMA (March 28, 2025) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series schedule is in full swing right now as the touring teams take their high speed show across the country. The first stop on this weekend’s schedule took the teams to Oklahoma for some high-speed entertainment at Lawton Speedway on the Sooner State Showdown. This quarter-mile bullring requires the drivers to use some of their cowboy up courage at speed while putting on a show for the fans in the stands. Philip and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team unloaded their Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 speed chariot prepared for the night of action under sunny skies with the wind blowing some velocity. There were 30 race teams on hand throughout the pit area ready to rumble in the Sooner State Showdown.

Immediately following Hot Laps, each night with the World of Outlaws tour begins with Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. Where a driver goes out in the pack for their two laps at speed is determined by how low of a numbered pill the team selects in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw. For Carson Macedo and the JJR #41, that meant the always sharp looking Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Border International/Smith TI Maxim would be the 24th car to hit the track for time trials. When Giovanni Scelzi completed his two attempts in the KCP Racing #18, it was Carson’s turn to wheel and deal. He stomped on the accelerator as his Kistler Racing Engines fired and he took it for a ride. He powered his way by the flagstand as the seconds started rolling on the stopwatch. He hooked the lip of the cushion in turn two and scrubbed quite a bit of speed off. He persevered, completed his first lap to the best of his ability, and clocked in on lap one at 13.438 seconds, which was 21st quick. The wind was flowing over the top of his Vortex Racing Products wings pushing his car down into the track creating speed. Carson’s elbows were up as he was more determined than ever. He carried his speed and momentum through each set of turns and was digging off turn four. This time the clock measured his performance on lap two in 12.834 seconds, which catapulted him to the top of the speed charts for the moment. What a recovery for the talented racer from Lemoore, California. His time as the fastest driver was short lived though as David Gravel pushed off and moved into the number one slot with a recorded a lap of 12.764 seconds, which was the fastest lap of the night to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award at the Sooner State Showdown. His eighth quick time of the season so far. The quicker of Carson’s two laps locked the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 in as the second quickest car overall on the final speed charts.

The qualifying portion of the race agenda continued with the three 8-lap heat races where the top six finishers earn automatic transfer spots into the A-Main. As an added bonus, the winners and runner-up finishers in each of these races move onto the Dash for their chance to race for their starting position in one of the first three rows of the feature.

Carson would get his race started from the pole position in The Greatest Store on Dirt second Heat race. Joining the always smiling West Coast driver in row one was another Californian Buddy Kofoid in the Roth Motorsports #83. The talented front row duo was followed by Chris Windom #7s and Sheldon Haudenschild #17 in row two with Cory Eliason #2KS and Blake Hahn #52 pacing in row three. Jace Park #45X and Ryan Timms #10 were side-by-side in row four with Kyle Clark #9$ and Cole Macedo #2C in row five.

Off turn four, in front of a beautiful sunset that painted the sky in incredible shades of red and orange, the race was on! Buddy Kofoid used the outside lane to charge forward into the lead down the frontstretch and led the field through the first set of turns. Carson was up on the wheel in the second position with Sheldon Haudenschild hustling behind him in the NOS Energy Drink #17.

Before the first lap was completed, the racing action came to an abrupt halt when Blake Hahn clipped Ryan Timms right rear tire sending him for a wild ride. The driver was ok, just disappointed as he had a fast racecar.

It would be a complete restart and when the front row starters hit the chalk stripe Kofoid reclaimed the lead ahead of Macedo to lead the first lap. Haudenschild was running third with Windom staying up in the mix. The driver of the Roth Enterprises/Toyota/Mobil 1 #83 was fast and putting some distance between himself and Carson with each completed lap.

Buddy Kofoid would never look back as he led wire-to-wire to take the Heat race win ahead of Carson Macedo who was 1.5 seconds back. Sheldon Haudenschild came home third followed by Chris Windom and Cory Eliason with Jace Park securing the last transfer spot just ahead of Cole Macedo’s TwoC Racing entry.

The luck of the draw would determine the starting lineup for the drivers who qualified for the 6-lap Toyota Dash. The lucky wheelman of the night was Bill Balog #17B who drew the one to start on the pole. Buddy Kofoid #83 joined Balog on the front row. Carson Macedo would get the Scott Boyd Family/ISC Racers Tape/Winters Performance Products #41 Maxim started from the third spot with Logan Schuchart #1s to his outside. Emerson Axsom #27 and David Gravel #2 would pair up in row three. The track was heavy and fast, so passing was still at a premium. The drivers were looking to steal a position early before the beasts under their hoods took command. The green flag waved with Kofoid moving out in front of Balog and Macedo as David Gravel moved into fourth. It would be non-stop action as the driver of the Roth Enterprises #83 raced to the win to earn the pole position starting spot in the feature. Bill Balog came home second 1.469 seconds back with Carson crossing the finish line third. David Gravel finished fourth with Logan Schuchart and Emerson Axsom rounding out the Dash finishing order.

The final field of sprint cars was set for the 35-lap Sooner State Showdown feature event at Lawton Speedway. Carson climbed into his office and was ready to get to work. He pulled on his Shifty Illusions custom painted Bell Helmet and headed trackside. He sat calmly in the cockpit visualizing his race strategy where he would get the Albaugh – Your Alternative/FK Rod Ends/Sander Engineering #41 started from the third starting spot.

The engines were beginning to fire as Carson reached up with his K1 Race Gear gloves to flip down the shield ready to do battle at Lawton Speedway in front of the great fans of Oklahoma. Buddy Kofoid and Bill Balog were out front leading the field. Carson was pacing alongside David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 in row two as they field split into the four-wide salute to the fans.

With the drivers realigned in their side-by-side starting formation, the front row starters mashed the gas when they arrived at the chalk stripe laid across turn four. Buddy Kofoid darted into the lead with Carson Macedo, Bull Balog, and David Gravel all battling for the second spot in turn one. Carson had the low line and used that to dig off turn two and seize the runner-up position from Balog entering turn three.

Carson then quickly turned his attention to the leader. He was tracking him from close behind while balancing his patience and speed to hit his marks on the low side in the turns at both ends of the track. He was closing, but on lap 5, the red flag came out for a multi-car incident in turn two that involved Christopher Thram #24T and Jace Park #45X with Cole Macedo #2C flipping on his side.

Race officials made the decision to make all restarts single file due to track conditions. Nose-to-tail the field came back to the green flag with their engines roaring. Kofoid held onto the lead with Carson staying within striking distance. David Gravel moved into the third spot as he raced by Bill Balog. Sheldon Haudenschild was moving forward as he too raced by Balog into the fourth position the next time around.

The track was demanding full attention from the drivers. Because it was heavy, it was fast. The leaders quickly caught up to the back of the pack and began racing through them lap cars. That interference enabled Carson to close in on the race leader. It was getting exciting.

A little further behind the top four racers though there was a driver capturing everyone’s attention. Emerson Axsom was on the move as he worked by Giovanni Scelzi, Bill Balog, and Logan Schuchart to move into the top five. He was not done yet though as he passed Haudenschild for fourth. Then, with less than five laps to go, he drove by David Gravel on the outside to take over third.

Carson was staying close to the race leader and at times able to enter the turn lower and get his right front tire up beside the driver of the Roth Motorsports #83, but Kofoid closes the door. The white flag flew and Carson made a last ditch attempt to steal the lead to no avail. Buddy Kofoid raced to the victory with Carson Macedo holding off Emerson Axsom who rounded out the podium. David Gravel and Sheldon Haudenschild rounded out the top five in the finishing order.

After dueling for the lead with Buddy Kofoid to come home with a runner-up finish, Carson explained, “I don’t think I needed anymore. My car was phenomenal.” He continued, “I think I had the best car on the track. I felt just solid anywhere I went, especially down in one and two. I could squeeze and grab the bottom really nice and get a lot of speed. But he (Kofoid) just did a really good job.” Another good run for Macedo and the forty-one!

Carson Macedo Shines at the Sooner State Showdown with a Second Place Run in the Forty-One! Photo Credit: World of Outlaws

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.

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