FIGHTING FOR EVERYTHING: CARSON MACEDO AND THE JJR #41 TEAM OVERCOME OBSTACLES AS THEY RACE FORWARD ON NIGHT ONE OF THE NATIONAL OPEN AT WILLIAMS GROVE TO COLLECT A TOP TEN FINISH

MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA (October 1, 2021) – With the fall season delivering a beautiful day for racing in Central Pennsylvania, Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 sprint car team headed to Central Pennsylvania for the two-day 59th Annual National Champion Racing Oil National Open at the historic Williams Grove Speedway. The National Open commenced back in 1963 and still remains the biggest sprint car race on the East Coast today. After spending the week preparing at Tammy and Kyle Boltz’s beautiful Jonestown KOA, the JJR team was ready to hit the half-mile, paper clipped shape oval in their Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/High Performance Lubricants/WELD Racing #41 Maxim. The infield and backstretch pit areas were filled with 49 teams on Friday night ready to compete for the win in opening night action.

With a large field of competitors, the groups were split into two separate flights for Slick Woody’s Qualifying at “The Grove.” When the numbered ball rolled out of the bingo cage at the World of Outlaws (WoO) Timing and Scoring trailer it determines your time trial slot. When every driver had received their number it placed the Lemoore, California driver as the 16th driver out for his two laps at speed in Flight A. He climbed into the cockpit of his Maxim Racing machine and pulled on his black K1 Race Gear Flex Gloves as he prepared for the solo portion of the show. Carson patiently waited in the push off lane for his turn around Williams Grove. When it was his turn his Kistler Engines power fired and he got up to speed as he headed for the green flag. He exited turn four as his Hoosier Racing Tires were gripping into the clay surface. The nine time WoO winner this season wisped by the flagstand and was on the clock. He was motoring and hitting his marks. When he raced under the waving white flag, indicating one more lap to go, the clock recorded his first lap in 16.961 seconds. He stayed on the loud pedal looking to find anything and everything his car and the track had to give him. His second lap was slightly quicker at 16.940 seconds. His best lap held up to be ninth overall in Flight A as Lance Dewease established quick time in Flight A and overall on the night with a lap of 16.733 seconds.

The lineups for the four 8-lap Drydene Heat Races were tabulated and posted based off of each driver’s best lap in time trials. That put Carson in the Tarlton and Son/Albaugh – Your Alternative/Mr. Jim’s Racing #41 Maxim on the inside of row three beside Daryn Pittman in the Swindell SpeedLabs #39 in the first heat race. Lance Dewease and Justin Henderson, who was driving the Indy Race Parts #71, were in row one. Ryan Smith and Pat Cannon followed in row two with Giovanni Scelzi, Kraig Kinser, Wayne Johnson, and Kyle Moody in rows four and five. The green flag waved as they came off turn four with Dewease moving into the clean air first. From the start Carson was in the middle of a battle for the fifth and final transfer position with Daryn Pittman and Ryan Smith. Pittman would get by and continue to advance forward through the field. Carson was fighting as he was digging to try and wrestle the position away from Smith in the waning laps. Dewease went on to take the win by 1.5 seconds over Justin Henderson with Pittman coming home third, Pat Cannon fourth, and Ryan Smith in the final transfer position. Missing out on the transfer spot by one, Carson headed back to the pit area and quickly turned his attention to the Last Chance Showdown (LCS).

When the lineup was posted for the 12-lap Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown, Carson would get rolling from the inside of row two behind polesitter Danny Dietrich and fellow front row starter Dylan Norris. He shared the second row with James McFadden with Brent Shearer and Rico Abreu in row three, Kraig Kinser and Brad Sweet in row four, Devon Borden and Jacob Allen in row five, with Giovanni Scelzi, Aaron Bollinger, Robbie Kendall, Chad Trout, Kyle Moody, Freddie Rahmer, and Steve Buckwalter completing the starting order. When they went racing it was Dietrich to the lead as Carson drove the Liquid Trucking/AutoMeter/Buckwalter Trucking #41 off the inside and into the runner-up position. A few cautions slowed the action but with each successive restart it was Dietrich maintaining his lead over Macedo in the running order. When the black and white cloth flew over the field it was Dietrich taking the win over Macedo as Dylan Norris came home third and James McFadden collected the final transfer position after getting by his Kasey Kahne Racing (KKR) teammate Brad Sweet.

Typical of the fall season, the temperatures were dropping making the evening a bit cool, but it was about to heat up with the 25-lap World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink preliminary night feature being called to the track. Philip Dietz debriefed one last time with his driver and made some last minute adjustments before rolling the car back from the trailer. Carson headed out onto the racing surface as he finalized his race strategy as he would be starting deep in the field. With the engines fired, including the provisional starters, a total of 28 of the best sprint car drivers in the country found their spot in the starting lineup. It was now time for the World of Outlaws against the Pennsylvania Posse – National Open style in the opener of the 59th Annual Champion Racing Oil National Open! Carson Macedo would get started in row eleven from the 22nd starting spot with Danny Dietrich to his inside. Kyle Larson and Logan Schuchart sat on the front row and would bring the field to the green flag followed by Anthony Macri and Donny Schatz.

When the yellow lights dimmed around the track, the engines came to life off turn four as the field raced towards the green flag. It was go time at Williams Grove Speedway! It would be Larson to the lead early as Carson quickly navigated the Jonestown KOA/Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Smith Titanium #41 Maxim into the 18th position. With one lap in the books, the yellow flag flew for the first time as Brad Sweet spun in turn one. When they restarted, Larson maintained the lead over Schuchart who was now battling with Schatz for the runner-up position. By lap six the leaders had caught up to the back of the field and were starting to navigate lap traffic. Based off hi starting position Carson was already embroiled in racing with a lot of cars around, but the talented California driver was displaying patience and persistence as he moved forward. At the front of the pack, Schuchart was pressuring Larson for the lead with 15 laps in the books when the second caution waved over the field, this time for Kraig Kinser. The field got back up to speed with Larson still on point in front of Schuchart as Schatz, Macri, and Brent Marks were close behind. Green flag racing was short-lived as Sheldon Haudenschild and Justin Henderson made contact on the track and headed to the work area. The green flag was back out and Larson was again your leader. Carson had now moved into the top 15 and was looking for more. He continued to march his way forward when opportunity presented itself on the track. Logan Schuchart was now challenging Larson for the lead with 5 laps to go. The race for the lead was on when the final caution of the night flew for David Gravel. They restarted in single file order with Larson racing the field back to the green flag. Carson took advantage of the opportunity to race into the 11th position and started to track down tenth running Dylan Cisney with two laps to go. Larson went on to take the opening night win over Schuchart and Schatz with Anthony Macri and Brent Marks rounding out the top five. Carson made a last lap, last corner pass on Cisney to earn a tenth place finish on the night. A challenging, but rewarding night as the team fought for everything they got and ended up with a top ten finish. A good run for the forty-one!

A Top Ten on the Opening Night of the 59th Annual Champion Racing Oil National Open! Photo Credit: Cameron Saich

Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT); Tarlton and Son Inc.; Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions; Albaugh – Your Alternative, Saich Family; Border International; Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution; Jonestown KOA; Durst Inc.; Maxim Racing; The Boyd Family; Liquid Trucking; Meyers Constructors Inc.; Tiger Towing; Pro Powder Coating (PPC); Waco Metal; High Performance Lubricants, LLC; Kistler Engines; Team Jack Foundation; Mark Burch Motorsports; All Pro Auto Reconditioning; K1 Race Gear; AutoMeter; Bandy & Associates Accountancy Corporation; Bell Racing USA; Blackbeard LTD; BR Motorsports; Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS); Buckwalter Trucking, LLC; C&R Racing; Chalk Stix Torsion Bars; Crow Enterprizes; 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; KSE Racing Products; Larry Davis Farms; Logo Daddy Graphics; Mr. Jim’s Racing; MSD Performance; RaceDiecast.com; Sam I Am; Schoenfeld Headers; Smith Titanium; T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication; Vortex Racing Products; Walker Performance Filtration; Weld Wheels; Wilwood Racing; and Winters Performance Products.

To stay connected with Jason Johnson Racing (JJR), go to www.jasonjohnsonracing.com.

To stay up-to-date with Carson Macedo and his success journey on and off the track, as well as to purchase his gear and merchandise directly, visit www.carsonmacedoracing.com.