INVADING THE HORNET’S NEST: HAVING A LITTLE FUN IN THE “HEART OF DIXIE” ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE WORLD OF OUTLAWS DEGA DUEL RESULTS IN A TOP FIVE RUN FOR MACEDO AND THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41

EASTABOGA, ALABAMA (March 7, 2025) – The early race season started off in Florida, but this week the race teams started to navigate across the south stopping at Talladega Short Track, affectionately called the Hornet’s Nest and located off Speedway Boulevard, in Alabama for the World of Outlaws Dega Duel. This racy, 1/3-mile red dirt high-banked oval was set to highlight Dirt Trackin’ Southern Style. Philip Dietz guided the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team to the “Heart of Dixie” on Friday evening looking to stir up the Hornet’s Nest. There were 30 race teams situated throughout the pit area preparing to put on an entertaining show – World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series style. It was time to go racing at the Talladega Short Track!

The lineup order for Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying was set based on the pill number each team selected in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw. For Carson Macedo, that meant he would be the fourth speedster to hit the track driving the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Sander Engineering/Saldana Racing Products #41 Maxim entry. He climbed into his high-speed office and buckled into his Crow Enterprizes safety belts. Carson rolled into the staging lane to await his turn to show off his Kistler Racing Engines speed. With a slight tap on his rear nerf bar, his speed session commenced as he raced towards the waving green flag on the frontstretch. The numbers were rolling on the stopwatch measuring his speed, as the California-born racer mashed the gas. Carson completed his first lap in 12.637 seconds and followed that up with a lap two time of 12.138 seconds. The quicker of his two laps positioned him second quick overall on the final speed charts when time trials concluded. David Gravel was the quickest competitor on this night with a lap of 12.073 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award at the Talladega Short Track.

The qualifying portion of the night’s agenda helps establish the starting lineups for the three 10-lap heat races where only the top six in each race earn transfer spots into the feature at the end of the evening. Based on Carson’s best timed lap he would get the Durst Inc./Xtreme Body & Paint/ISC Racers Tape #41 started from the inside of the front row. Cole Macedo #2c, Carson’s younger brother, joined him on the front row as they paced ahead of row two starters Giovanni Scelzi #18 and Donny Schatz #18. Garet Williamson #23 and Anthony Macri #39M shared row three with Derek Hagar #44, Austyn Gossel #16G, Landon Crawley #17GP, and Bryce Lucius #32 tucking in behind.

When they got the go sign from the flagman, Carson drove the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 into the lead just in front of Cole Macedo. Carson had his right foot dancing on the accelerator as he maneuvered around Talladega Short Track with his right rear facing the red and white painted outside wall.

Controlling the top spot was paused on lap 3 when the red flag came out. When the yellow lights turned back on, the engines fired with seven laps to go in the Heat race. Carson again pointed the forty-one out front followed by Cole Macedo and Giovanni Scelzi. Donny Schatz raced the Ford Performance #15 by Scelzi to claim the show position as the latter encountered some mechanical issues.

Carson was smooth and relentless throughout the remainder of the race collecting his fifth Heat race victory of the season by 1.865 seconds over Cole Macedo as the two brothers locked themselves into the Dash later in the evening. Donny Schatz came home third with Garet Williamson, Anthony Macri, and Bryce Lucius grabbing the final three transfer positions.

The six drivers that earned spots in the 8-lap Toyota Dash drew for their starting positions. Cole Macedo #2c would start from the pole position with Logan Schuchart #1s to his outside. Carson Macedo #41 would be on the inside of row two with Bill Balog #17B side-by-side in row two. David Gravel #2 and Spencer Bayston #14 paired up in row three. Where they finished would be where they would start the feature event. When the green flag waved, it was Cole Macedo taking the top spot with Schuchart and Carson chasing the 2025 WoO Rookie of the Year contender. The driver of the Two-C was fast and never was challenged as he raced across the finish line first followed by Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Balog, Gravel, and Bayston.

The action to this point of the night was worth the price of admission, but the best was yet to come as the 24 drivers who earned a starting position in the field for the 35-lap World of Outlaws Dega Duel were staging. The fans had packed the stands. The teams had worked tirelessly to give their driver’s the best chance to compete. In addition, these talented athletes were ready to put on show to remember on the beautiful red dirt at the Talladega Short Track. It was time to go racing for the money in Alabama!

The Albaugh – Your Alternative/Border International/High Performance Lubricants #41 machine with Carson Macedo behind the wheel would get rolling from the third starting position. He was ready to go as they paced under yellow flag pre-race conditions as they waited for the sign to go four-wide to salute the fans.

When they came off turn four and saw the green flag, the race was on. Cole Macedo maneuvered into the early race lead with Logan Schuchart and Carson Macedo chomping at the bit behind him. Cole was fast early and using the clear track ahead of him to show off his speed. Carson was searching high and low to see if there was an opening to move into the runner-up positions, but Schuchart was cagey and fast.

There was a lot of great action early from the front of the pack all the way throughout the field. On lap 5, all of the speed entertainment all came to a halt as three cars went up and over the banking in turns three and four. The drivers involved – Austin McCarl #88, Chelby Hinton #G6, and Howard Moore #40 – were all ok.

The restart order up front with 30 laps remaining was Cole Macedo, Logan Schuchart, and Carson Macedo in the Albaugh #41, Bill Balog, and David Gravel. Cole Macedo chose to restart from the inside row with all the drivers in odd running positions dropping down behind him. They went back to green and Cole continued him impressive run early out in front of the field.

Bill Balog was pressuring Carson for the third spot when they went back to green flag racing and the heat was on. Carson fended him off for a bit, but “The North Pole Nightmare” Bill Balog drove his speed chariot into third. The Alaskan-born driver was not done as the next circuit he moved by Logan Schuchart into the runner-up position and set his sights on the leader.

It did not take long for the race leader to have company. Cole Macedo had the lead and Bill Balog wanted it. He attempted a slide job, but Cole drove around the outside with his elbows up. Behind them Schuchart, Carson, and David Gravel were nose-to-tail watching all of the action unfold.

On lap 15, David Gravel would move by the driver of the forty-one to take over fourth as he began his march forward with Cole Macedo, Bill Balog, and Logan Schuchart still in front of him.

Bill Balog was still hungry for the lead and on lap 17, he finally was able to make his pass attempt for the lead stick as he moved by Cole Macedo into the top spot. David Gravel was now pressuring Logan Schuchart for third and on lap 22, he moved by and eventually made his way into the runner-up spot as he disposed of Cole Macedo.

Bill Balog was the shining star on this night as he drove a clean and aggressive race to take the win over David Gravel and Logan Schuchart. Cole Macedo came home fourth with Carson Macedo locking down the final position in the top five.

The traveling tour of World of Outlaws speed stars will be back on the track Saturday night over in Columbus, Mississippi at Magnolia Motor Speedway for the Black Ice Brawl. If you do not have plans to be there live to catch al of the action, tune in on DIRTVision.

Stirring the Pot at Talladega Short Track on Friday Night Results in a Fifth Place Finish! Photo Credit: Trent Gower

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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