HEATING UP IN FLORIDA: OPENING THE 55TH ANNUAL FEDERATED AUTO PARTS DIRTCAR NATIONALS AT VOLUSIA SPEEDWAY PARK WITH SPEED AND A RUNNER-UP PLACE FINISH WHEELING THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 MAXIM

DE LEON SPRINGS, FLORIDA (February 4, 2026) – After a long off-season following the checkered flag dropping back in early November back at the DIRT Track at Charlotte, the temperatures were unusually cold throughout the United States with frigid temperatures and snow wreaking havoc across the country . . . including Florida. With the sun rising over the Atlantic Ocean and the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in town things were about to heat up with new color schemes, new teams for a few drivers, and exciting racing action waiting just ahead.

Philip Dietz, Robby McQuinn, and Adam Zimmerman worked hard all winter preparing the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) racing equipment for their speed chauffer – Carson Macedo – who was back with the team for his sixth season. Carson recently returned from Australia where he competed Down Under as he was eager and ready to climb back into the JJR cockpit with his new paint scheme that had some blue to add a pop to the overall black and green design on the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41.

There were 44 sprint car team signed it at the Pit Shack for the opening night of the 55th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park. It was time to go racing World of Outlaws (WoO) style!

The large field of cars divided into two groups for Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying with the JJR #41 slated to be the 15th car out in Flight A. With his Kistler Racing Engines power rumbling under the hood, Carson was ready to set sail around this fast half-mile oval. He rolled onto the racing surface off turn two and lowered the K1 Race Gear boot on his right foot. He raced under the green flag and was hammer down racing against the clock. He completed lap one in 13.169 seconds and carried his momentum into turn one for his second go round. It took him 13.162 seconds to finish lap two. His second lap of the night was his quickest lap putting him seventh quick overall in Flight A aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Smiley’s Racing Products/FK Rod Ends #41 Maxim. Ashton Torgerson in the Shark Racing #1A laid down the fastest lap of the night out of the first group in qualifying to earn the season’s first Simpson Quick Time Award as he timed in at 13.023 seconds with David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 setting the pace in the second group of qualifying with a lap of 12.264 seconds.

The lineups for the qualifying races posted with Carson Macedo getting the competitive, multi-car racing action started from the fourth position in the first of four Heat Races with the top five finishers from each race advancing into the main event. Carson would pull the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Durst Inc./Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions #41 into row two beside fellow competitor Sheldon Haudenschild in the KCP Racing #18 for NOS Energy Drink Heat Race #1. They paced behind the front row of Ashton Torgerson #1A and Ryan Timms #10 with Emerson Axsom #27 and Daison Pursley #9 directly behind. Row four was home for Parker Price-Miller #71 and Ryan Turner #17GP with D.J. Christie #5c alone in row five.

The flagman turned the yellow lights off around the track and when they came off turn four the field of speed athletes were hammer down in Florida with polesitter Ashton Torgerson darting into the lead followed by Ryan Timms. Carson blasted around the outside of Sheldon Haudenschild off turn four on the opening lap to take the third spot. Sheldon’s right front made incidental contact with Macedo’s left rear tire, but they both maintained their speed with Macedo holding down the third position.

With 7 laps in the books, the caution flag came out for Ryan Turner who slowed and headed to the infield with issues. It would be a green-white-checkered restart with Torgerson, Timms, Macedo, Haudenschild and Pursley barreling like a freight train throughout the last mile of the race. Torgerson collected the win with Timms following him across the finish line. Carson raced home third, Haudenschild fourth, with Pursley finishing fifth. Those five drivers would all advance to the main event at the end of the show card.

After finishing one spot out of a transfer position in his Heat race that would have put him in the Toyota Dash, Carson lined the High Performance Lubricants/Xtreme Auto Body/Sander Engineering #41 Maxim up on the inside of row five for the 25-lap feature at the 55th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. He pulled up to the inside of Spencer Bayston in the NOS Energy Drink #17. Pennsylvania natives Brock Zearfoss and Brent Marks paced together on the front row and would lead the field up to speed when the green lights illuminated with Zearfoss taking the early lead.

Carson was in the same position he started with one lap in the books. Meanwhile, another Pennsylvania driver, Anthony Macri, was pressuring Brock Zearfoss for the lead and took it on lap two. The two Keystone State stars would swap the top spot back and forth with the driver of the Moose’s LZ Bar & Grill #3z taking command.

The first caution of the feature came out on lap 7 for Bill Balog #17B who slowed on and headed to the infield with smoke or steam coming out from under the hood. The remaining competitors went back to racing with Zearfoss leading. He would surrender the lead to Anthony Macri when they got back up to speed as the two competitors were racing hard and putting on a show.

Two laps later another caution flag came out to slow the action. This time the yellow lights shined for David Gravel who made hard contact with the frontstretch wall after contact with Logan Schuchart racing for the third position. There were number of other drivers that incurred damage and headed to the work area before rejoining the field.

Anthony Macri was now the race leader with Carson Macedo restarting from the sixth position. When the green flag came out Macri led Buddy Kofoid, Brock Zearfoss, and Spencer Bayston with Carson driving into the fifth position ahead of Ashton Torgerson.

On lap 12, the racing action paused again when Daison Pursley #9 was off the pace turning into the infield to end his night. It would be Macri, Kofoid, and Bayston up front with Zearfoss and Macedo in race and chase mode. Macri held the point position with Bayston moving into the runner-up slot. Carson gained one position on the scoreboard when they went back racing and was now running fourth with 21st starting Donny Schatz #15 right behind him in fifth at the halfway point of the race.

There were battles for position throughout the field, including the lead. Spencer Bayston drove around the outside of Anthony Macri through the first set of turns to take the lead. Schatz slipped by Macedo, but Carson reclaimed the better position the next time around Volusia.

The fourth caution of the night came out on lap 17 for Tyler Courtney #7BC who had considerable damage in the right rear area of his entry. His night was over as there was too much damage. Carson would restart fourth with Bayston, Macri, and Kofoid just ahead ready to lead the pack back up to speed.

When the green flag waved again, Bayston led the race, but Carson drove underneath Kofoid and Macri to take over second place with 11 laps remaining. He now was attempting to stalk down Bayston for the lead, but the driver of the NOS Energy Drink #17 was flying. Spencer Bayston would not be denied and raced to the win by 3.125 seconds ahead of second place finishing Carson Macedo in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41. Anthony Macri came home third with Buddy Kofoid and Donny Schatz rounding out the top five on night one at the 2026 edition of the DIRTcar Nationals.

A strong start to the season for Carson and the JJR #41 team. The team will rest, wake up and work throughout the day tomorrow servicing and maintaining the JJR #41 before returning to Volusia Speedway Park for the second night of racing on Thursday for the prestigious 55th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals prepared to chase gators.

A Runner-Up Finish to Kick Off the World of Outlaws Season at the DIRTcar Nationals! 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.