DESTINATION SOUTH DAKOTA: THE OPENING NIGHT OF THE HUSET’S SHOOTOUT WAS FILLED WITH HIGH SPEED ACTION AS CARSON MACEDO WHEELS THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 MAXIM TO A TOP FIVE FINISH

BRANDON, SOUTH DAKOTA (September 4, 2026) – After spending three straight nights in North Dakota last weekend, Philip Dietz guided his Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team to South Dakota for another trio of races this time at Huset’s Speedway over the Labor Day weekend. This incredible facility is owned and operated by Tod Quiring. He and the team here have pampered and evolved this place into one of the best racing venues across the country. The racing action at this bullring demands the absolute best from the drivers and teams to be in the mix at the end of the night and the fan experience is off the charts.

Labor Day began to be recognized back in 1882 as workers sought recognition for their contributions. It evolved to honor the social and economic achievements of American workers and in 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation making the first Monday in September a national holiday. Unfortunately, it also symbolically marks the end of the summer and kids going back to school each year, too. The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car Series and Huset’s Speedway wanted to make sure they put the exclamation on the closing of summer with three competitive nights of racing starting with the first of two preliminary nights in the L.G. Everist Huset’s Shootout presented by D & I Railroad. On Friday and Saturday night there would be Preliminary Event Points tracked for each competitor. The grandstands here in Brandon were packed for the opening night as 34 stout sprint car team haulers parked outside the back straightaway on Friday night ready to put on a show for them. It was time to get down to business in South Dakota – World of Outlaws (WoO) style!

As is usual and customary, the night always kicks off with Race//Ready Hot Laps so each of the drivers get some time out on the track at speed before the official business begins in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. By luck of the draw, Carson selected the ‘50’ pill which put him late in the qualifying order where he would be the 28th driver out on the high banked dirt oval for his two timed laps at speed. When Conner Morrell in the Tub O’ Towels #28M finished his work, Carson clocked in aboard the Tarlton and Son/Bandy & Associates/Sander Engineering #41 Maxim and went to work producing speed. He dashed out of turn four and under the waving green flag as the numbers on the stopwatch monitored his performance. When he crossed through the timing light to end lap one, the clock reported back a time of 10.825 seconds. Unbeknownst to Carson, the California wheelman kept his right foot planted on the speed button and his eyes focused on hitting his marks during his second and final lap. He was digging hard out of turn four this time as the black and white sewn cloth ended his session. His second attempt came in at 10.963 seconds, which ended the night tenth quick overall. Posting the quickest lap of the night out was David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 who collected his twenty-second Simpson Quick Time Award of the year.

World of Outlaws timing and scoring officials posted the starting lineups for each of the Heat races set for the night. The driver’s level of scrappiness would be put to the test as each of these race lineups was loaded with talent. Plus, they only had ten laps to earn one of the five transfer positions out of each race. Carson climbed into the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/CASM Safety Products/K1 Race Gear #41 Maxim where he would get his qualifying journey started from row two in The Greatest Store on Dirt Heat Race #2. He would pull the always well-presented Albaugh – Your Alternative forty-one to the inside of ten-time World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz in the CJB Motorsports #15 in the second row as they slowly paced in behind of Logan Schuchart #1s and Bill Balog #17B in the front row. Together in row three were Cole Macedo in the Rod End Supply/Outlaw Wings #2c and Ryan Timms #10 with Mark Dobmeier #13 and Rees Moran #22M tracking behind in row four. Sam Henderson #83JR was alone in row five ready to race forward when the green flag dropped.

Carson flipped down the shield on his Empire Machinery/Expert Gate Repair/Real-Geese Decoys RS7 Ultra Lite Bell Helmet ready to go to battle at Huset’s Speedway. The flagman showed them to one-to-go flag as the yellow lights turned off around the track. With their feet dancing lightly on the power pedal as they approached the chalk stripe, polesitter Logan Schuchart in the Shark Racing #1s dropped the hammer and set the early pace entering turn one.

Carson looked underneath Balog’s Anderson Pure Maple Syrup #17B attempting to take the second spot early in the race, but “The North Pole Nightmare” fended him off. They would continue to battle through the first few laps before the leaders started to space themselves as they got into a rhythm.

The remaining laps continued to wind down and with nine laps in the books, the white flag was waving with one more lap for the drivers to execute their business plan. Logan Schuchart raced out of turn four and took the Heat race win over Bill Balog as those two earned spots in the Toyota Dash along with the other qualifying race winners and runner-up finishers. Carson crossed the finish line in third in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 with Donny Schatz and Mark Dobmeier locking down the final transfer spots. Ryan Timms raced home sixth followed by Cole Macedo with Rees Moran and Same Henderson both scratching before the race began.

The cars that locked themselves into the A-Main staged around Huset’s Speedway in anticipation of the opening night, $15,000-to-win/$1,750-to-start L.G. Everist Huset’s Shootout presented by D & I Railroad preliminary night feature. With a nudge from one of the push trucks, the engines began to fire on the twenty-four cars that made the field. Thirty five laps. A big check awaited the winner in Victory Lane. Series points were on the line. Event points were up for grabs. It was elbows up time in Brandon, South Dakota.

Pacing the field from the front row after finishing one two in the Toyota Dash were Garet Williamson #23 and Sheldon Haudenschild #18 followed closely by David Gravel #2 and Logan Schuchart #1s in row two. Bill Balog #17B and Spencer Bayston #17 were side-by-side in row three with Buddy Kofoid #83 and Sean Rayhall #16D doubled up in row four. Carson settled into his tenth starting position ready to guide the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Engler Machine & Tool/Motor State Distributing #41 Maxim forward when given the signal. After going four-wide around the track to recognize all these hard working fans in the stands and those tuning in on DIRTVision, the racers hustled back into their starting positions in the two-by-two formation.

The next time by the green flag was out with Williamson, Haudenschild, and Gravel drag racing down the front straightaway and through the first set of turns. They whizzed by the pink lettered Flyboy Donuts sign on the back stretch and before you knew it lap one was already done. Garet Williamson led the opening circuit followed by Gravel, Bayston, Haudenschild, and Schuchart to complete the top five. Carson had the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 in eighth place as he was dicing for position with Buddy Kofoid and Steven Snyder Jr.

The red flag waved for the #16D of Sean Rayhall after he got into the wall and flipped. He was ok and the safety crew quickly cleaned up the accident scene so racing could resume. Garet Williamson led the field back up to speed when green flag racing resumed with Gravel and Haudenschild keeping him within their sights.

On lap two, the yellow flag came out for a three car tangle involving Donny Schatz, Chris Windom, and Kaleb Johnson. When that situation was addressed, the green flag was waving over Williamson again. Gravel and Haudenschild were fighting for second place with Carson racing back and forth with Steven Snyder Jr, for eighth place. Emerson Axsom was right behind them as he entered the mix.

On lap 12, Sheldon raced past Williamson for the lead in traffic. The driver of the NOS Energy Drink #18 had a hotrod and was showing off the orange and blue colors out front. A little further back, Carson started to get his mojo going and four laps later moved the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 into sixth place as he moved by Spencer Bayston and Emerson Axsom.

The red flag was back out on lap 17. This time Riley Goodno #16 got into the outside wall in turn two flipping right in front of the race leader. Sheldon Haudenschild miraculously squeezed between Goodno’s car and the fence to avoid contact. The restart order up front would be Haudenschild, Williamson, Kofoid, Gravel, and Balog with Carson sitting in seventh place behind Logan Schuchart.

The green flag was back out with half the race ahead of them. Sheldon Haudenschild controlled the point position with battles unfolding for position behind him. Carson raced by Schuchart to reclaim the sixth spot as he eyed up Bill Balog next for a chance to enter the top five. At the end of lap 19, Carson successfully moved by Balog’s #17B and was now running in fifth place.

On lap 21, Skylar Gee slowed to a stop with extensive front end damage a smoke surrounding the #16c entry. Certainly, a really bad night for any and all the cars with sixteen numbered on them as all three were involved in incidents ending their night.

With 14 laps remaining, it would be Sheldon Haudenschild, Buddy Kofoid, Garet Williamson, David Gravel, and Carson Macedo up in the front of the class showing the way. The NOS Energy Drink #18 was on point, but Kofoid has been the master at this place recently. The green was back out, and the show was back on. Haudenschild led Kofoid with Williamson lurking behind. Meanwhile, Carson was searching for a way around Gravel.

Sheldon Haudenschild held on and was the first car under the double checkered flag taking the win over Garet Williamson who snuck by Kofoid on the last lap to come home second with Buddy Kofoid, David Gravel, and Carson Macedo rounding out the top five. Spencer Bayston powered his way home sixth followed by Bill Balog, 18th starting Ryan Timms, Logan Schuchart, and Emerson Axsom to complete the top ten. Carson was up on the wheel all night collecting his 27th top five of the season (a 42.86% top five success rate) after night one at the Huset’s Shootout.

Philip debriefed with Carson after the race with his Schoenfeld Headers still emitting heat from the night of racing. They had a plan and were eager to get back on track on Saturday night. With one night officially recorded into history at the Huset’s Shootout, Carson and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 Sprint Car team would spend Saturday preparing for the second night on Huset’s battlefield of speed. No matter where you are spending the Labor Day holiday weekend, grab a drink, sit down, relax, and watch these talented racers and the travelling stars make their way around this bullring on DIRTVision. It will be time well spent. #HusetsShootout

Legally Speeding in South Dakota on the Opening Night of the Huset’s Shootout! 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.