FLORIDA FRIDAY FUN: THE FORTY-ONE TEAM GETS BACK ON TRACK AT VOLUSIA SPEEDWAY PARK AS MACEDO HUSTLES TO A TOP TEN FINISH IN ROUND THREE OF THE 54TH ANNUAL FEDERATED AUTO PARTS DIRTCAR NATIONALS

BARBERVILLE, FLORIDA (February 7, 2025) – With a win on the opening night of the 54th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals followed by a 12th place finish on night two after having some issues with the wing slider, Carson and the JJR #41 team were looking to continue the positive momentum to kick off the weekend on Friday evening. After a day of maintenance, Philip Dietz and the crew had the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 tuned in for the high-speed adventure that awaited them. There were 49 race teams pulled back through the pit gates ready to take on Volusia’s fast half-mile oval. It was night three of the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park – World of Outlaws style!

The first order of business was Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. The field again split into two equal groups for time trials based on the pill number they drew in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw. That positioned the Scott Boyd Family/High Performance Lubricants/KSE Race Products #41 Maxim driven by Carson Macedo as the 16th driver out on the track in Flight 1. He joined Kasey Kahne #9 on the track in two car qualifying. Carson was ready to go and when it was his turn to go out, it was time to show off the Kistler Racing Engines speed measured by the clock. He hustled his way around the half-mile track to take the green flag with his right foot planted on the power pedal. He was making tracks and not looking back. He stopped the clock on lap one in 13.395 seconds. He was not quite done with his speed adventure so he stayed on the gas looking to see if he could find some more speed on lap two. When Carson drove off turn four, he spied the waving checkered flag and raced under it in 13.365 seconds. The quicker of his two laps ended up third quick overall in Flight 1. Danny Sams III #24D was the fastest driver in that session with a lap time of 13.288 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award. Topping the speed charts in Flight 2 was Kyle Larson #57 circling Volusia in 13.448 seconds in Flight 2.

The top 40 drivers in time trials were slotted in one of the starting lineups for the four 8-lap heat races. When perusing the lineups there was talented loaded into each race. The top two finishers from each race would advance into the Toyota Dash with finishers three through five locking down a transfer position to the feature later in the evening. It was time to go racing at Volusia Speedway Park!

The JJR entry would be in the first heat race where Carson would get the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Boltz Family/Ben Cook Race Products #41 Maxim started from the outside of row one. With a tap on his rear nerf bar, the engine under the hood fired as Carson slow rolled into his starting spot beside Danny Sams III #24D. Behind them found Giovanni Scelzi #18 and Bill Balog #17B. Sheldon Haudenschild #17 and Daison Pursley #13 made up row three with Hunter Schuerenberg #55 and Justin Peck #26 following in row four. Brady Bacon #16T, T.J. Stutts #11T, Kameron Key #12, Landon Crawley #17GP, and Ryan Harrison #97UK rounded out the remainder of the starting grid.

These competitors live for these type of moments when they get to race with each other. The drivers were brimming with excitement as the yellow lights turned off as that meant it was soon time to make speed and pass cars. Carson focused on executing his early race strategy when the green flag waved off turn four. Upon arrival, the Lemoore, California native stomped on the accelerator and entered turn one as he raced with Sams for the lead.

When the first laps was in the books, Carson held the top spot with Sams and Haudenschild right behind him with a bit of space separating the leader from the following two cars. The next laps was recorded too before the caution flag flew. That race slow down regrouped the field with six laps remaining.

When the field went back to green flag racing it was all Carson Macedo. He was in clean air and enjoying the ride like a dog with their head out the window of a car. The California speedster enjoyed the remaining laps as he raced to the win by just under three seconds over Danny Sams III. Those two drivers would move onto the Toyota Dash later in the night with Sheldon Haudenschild, Bill Balog, and Justin Peck earning the remaining transfer positions to the feature.

Making his way into the Toyota Dash for the third night in a row, Carson headed to victory lane to test his luck pulling a pill for his starting spot. When his hand exited the oversized NOS Energy Drink can he Held Jaxx Johnson’s favorite number – 5 – which positioned the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Tarlton and Son/All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads #41 Maxim on the inside of row three beside Brad Sweet #49. Upfront in the first row was Thursday night’s top two finishers, Christopher Bell #69K and Kyle Larson #57, with David Gravel #2 and Danny Sams III #24D in row two. In the fourth and final row was Ryan Timms #10 and Brian Brown #21.

When the green flag unfurled, Kyle Larson raced into the top spot, as the outside lane was dominant on there-worked track surface. Christopher Bell was tracking him from the second position with Danny Sam III and David Gravel also in pursuit. Carson was racing from the sixth position.

Kyle Larson led from start to finish earning the pole position in the feature. Christopher Bell crossed the finish line second followed by Danny Sams III and Brad Sweet with David Gravel rounding out the top five. Carson Macedo finished sixth, Ryan Timms seventh, with Brian Brown scored eighth.

The field of twenty-four cars that had earned a spot in the 25-lap feature lineup were joined by and additional three provisional starters – Donny Schatz, Chris Windom, and Zach Hampton – for the third night of racing at the 54th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

The fans were excited. The teams were finishing their part of the speed equation in the pit area. The drivers were excited to put on a show in front of the packed grandstands at Volusia Speedway Park. They showed their appreciation to these fans going four-wide to salute them.

Carson was starting from the outside of row three aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Engler Machine & Tool/Hoosier Racing Tire #41. The front row of Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell were the first drivers to see the waving green flag. It was Larson finding his way to the front on the first lap with Danny Sams III and Christopher Bell in tow.

Carson moved into the last spot in the top five on the opening lap just ahead of David Gravel. With Kyle Larson in form control out in front of the pack, the fans were watching battles for position behind the race leader. The pace was fast at Volusia. When the leaders caught the back of the field, they had to show off their passing skills.

On lap 14, David Gravel began his march forward as he moved by two cars, one of which was Carson, into the fourth position. The next time around, Carson raced back into the fifth spot.

No one was going to derail Kyle Larson as he went on to win the race and collect his first gator for earning the checkered flag. Christopher Bell came home second with David Gravel occupying the show position. Brad Sweet and Ryan Timms rounded out the top five. Carson brought the Albaugh #41 home sixth after losing his position in the top five to Timms on the final night.

Carson and the JJR #41 team will be back in action on Saturday night at Volusia Speedway Park for the final night of the 54th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. If you cannot make it out to the track, be sure to tune into DIRTVision.

Returning from a Little Bit of Adversity the Previous Night, Carson and the JJR #41 Rebound with a 6th Place Finish on Night Three of the DIRTcar Nationals! Photo Credit: Trent Gower Photography

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.

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

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