LABOR OF LOVE: WORKING FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE DAY OVER THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND, THE WORLD OF OUTLAWS TEAMS COMPETED IN THE FINALE OF THE HUSET’S SHOOTOUT WITH THE FORTY-ONE COMING HOME IN FOURTH PLACE
BRANDON, SOUTH DAKOTA (September 6, 2026) – With two races down, there was still one important one to be contested in South Dakota to close out the Huset’s Shootout during the Labor Day weekend. On Friday night, Carson Macedo finished fifth in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 racing across the finish line behind race winner Sheldon Haudenschild before competing hard on Saturday evening to secure a ninth place finish as Buddy Kofoid held the checkered flag in victory lane at the end of the night. Carson’s efforts earned him 272 Huset’s Shootout Points after the first two nights, positioning him seventh overall with Sheldon Haudenschild in the KCP Racing/NOS Energy Drink #18 sitting at the top of the standings with 294 Huset’s Shootout Points tying him with Buddy Kofoid. Those two quality finishes for Carson made the team hungrier to work for more success as they prepared throughout the day on Sunday for the final night of racing at Huset’s Speedway. There were 30 tested and proven race teams back in the pit area at this quarter mile bullring for the finale of the L.G. Everist Huset’s Shootout presented by Myrl & Roy’s Paving. It was race day in South Dakota again – World of Outlaws style – made even better because it was on an impressive bullring at a beautiful facility!
There would be no Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying using the format for Sunday’s program.After a brief break in the action, Race//Ready Hot Laps were run before the program progressed into the four 10-lap Heat races. After the Heat races were completed, the top twenty drivers at that time in the combined Huset’s Shootout Points and Heat Passing Points from Sunday would earn guaranteed transfer spots into the A-Main. But a format twist would put the top four drivers from the first two preliminary nights back to the outside of row two with an inversion of four for the start each of the qualifying races on Sunday. The starting grids for each of the Heat races were done. It was now time to determine who would earn the coveted transfer positions to the A-Main and which drivers would move onto the Toyota Dash (Top 8 in Huset’s Shootout Points and Heat Passing Points), C-Main, and the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown. Carson would get the Durst Inc./SmithTI/Saldana Racing Products #41 Maxim started from the inside of row three alongside the red hot Garet Williamson behind the wheel of his Fischer Motorsports #23 in WIX Filters Heat Race #3. They sped up into their spots behind front row starters Kelby Watt #3 and Emerson Axsom #27 as Donny Schatz #15 and Conner Morrell #28M pulled behind in row three. After some scratches from the event, Chris Martin #44 was alone in row four.
Ten laps. Points on the line. Zero messing around. The green flag was out with Kelby Watt jumping out front controlling the top spot ahead of Emerson Axsom and Carson Macedo by the end of the first circuit. Carson had speed and was meticulously dancing around the bottom through the turns on the moist surface looking for an opportunity to take command of the runner-up spot.
The racing lanes were extremely narrow as some of the drivers bravely moved up top to search for speed and racing lanes to no avail. Emerson Axsom though started pressing Watt for the lead and eventually made one of the few passes of the night so far. It was an important one though as it earned him some extra points that would lock him into the Dash after he took the qualifying race win. Kelby Watt held on to second place with Carson coming home third in front of Garet Williamson and Donny Schatz with Chris Martin and Conner Morrell completing the finishing order.
The top eight in Huset’s Shootout Points and Passing Points following the Heat races were: (1) Buddy Kofoid (385 points); (2) Sheldon Haudenschild #18 (373 points); (3) Logan Schuchart #1s (372 points); (4) Garet Williamson #23 (371 points); (5) Ryan Timms #10 (370 points); (6) David Gravel #2 (367 points); (7) Emerson Axsom #27 (359 points); and (8) Carson Macedo #41 (358 points).
Those eight drivers would be inverted for the 8-lap Toyota Dash with the high point driver starting eighth. Where they finished the Dash is where they would start the A-Main. Carson paced from the pole position in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Team Jack Foundation/Wilwood Racing #41 Maxim with Emerson Axsom #27 to his outside. Two-time World of Outlaws champion David Gravel #2 and the 2026 Huset’s Speedway track champion Ryan Timms #10 rolled together in row two with Garet Williamson #23 and Logan Schuchart #1s together in row three. They all paced in front of the two best cars of the weekend so far with Buddy Kofoid and Sheldon Haudenschild sharing row four. When the green flag waved, Carson drove off the bottom of turn four and into the race lead. He hugged the bottom as Axsom hustled up a lane trying to find clear space. It was still difficult to pass on the track with Carson leading green to checkers to secure the win over Axsom with Gravel and Timms crossing the finish line behind them. Garet Williamson raced home fifth with Haudenschild, Kofoid, and Schuchart rounding out the Dash finishing order.
The twenty-four hot shoes who earned one of the prized starting positions in the 40-lap L.G. Everist Huset’s Shootout presented by Myrl & Roy’s Paving A-Main began to climb into their high speed offices and buckle in. There were no provisional starting spots available for use as this was a show-up points only type of night for the WoO traveling stars. There were 250 Ben Franklin green backs ($25,000) waiting patiently in a suitcase located in Victory Lane to hand over to the winner after they celebrated in the falling confetti. That is what every driver was in pursuit of at Huset’s Speedway on this Sunday night.
After winning the Toyota Dash, Carson Macedo had the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 on the pole position with Emerson Axsom #27 to his outside in the front row. Closely behind in row two was the talented duo of David Gravel #2 and Ryan Timms #10 with Garet Williamson #23 and Sheldon Haudenschild #18 chomping at the bit in row three. The starters in row four were Buddy Kofoid #83 and Logan Schuchart #1s with Bill Balog #17B and Steven Snyder Jr. #51 sharing row five. The colorful cars in the starting field were mesmerizing under the lights, but the action was about to get everyone in the stands to inch up to the edge of their seats.
Carson had his K1 Race Gear gloves wrapped around his steering wheel as he rolled into his front row starting position aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Factory Kahne (FK Shocks)/Winters Performance Products #41 Maxim. The competitive driver from Lemoore, California was primed and ready to push himself and his speed chariot to the limit. All he needed was the flagman to give him and the other competitors the ‘go-ahead’ to stomp on the loud pedal.
The flagman obliged the next time by as the green lights lit up coordinated with the waving of the same colored cloth. Carson charged into the lead ahead of Axsom and Gravel on the initial start, but the yellow quickly came out for Mark Dobmeier #13 who got into the wall after contact with Jacob Hughes #8 in turn two. Dobmeier’s night was over with extensive front end damage.
They would retry this again. This time Emerson Axsom powered from his outside starting spot into the lead ahead of Carson as Ryan Timms moved by David Gravel. The racing surface had speed, and these daredevils were showing off their talents. By the eighth circuit, the leaders were in lap traffic. Axsom was still out front, but Carson was closing the gap quickly on the leader. Ryan Timms, David Gravel, and Garet Williamson though were also getting closer to the driver of the forty-one. Things were getting exciting!
While there was not a lot of passing for position in the top ten, there was certainly a lot of racing. And the race was about to heat up even more right before the halfway point of the event as Carson slid Axsom for the lead as they navigated slower traffic with the driver of the twenty-seven turning back under him to reclaim the spot. Over the next four laps it was an all-out tussle with a four car battle for the lead and other positions at the front of the field. When it all shook out Axsom still held down the top spot with David Gravel squeezing by Macedo for the second position. Ryan Timms held the fourth position as Buddy Kofoid moved into the top five with the pass of Garet Williamson.
On lap 27, all the exciting action up front paused when the yellow flag came out for Christopher Thram #24T who spun in turn four. The drivers could now take a breath and get their heart rate back down as they planned out their race strategy for the final 13 laps of the race.
Emerson Axsom would be at the front of the pack and lead the field back up to speed followed by Gravel, Macedo, Kofoid, and Williamson. Everyone was in hot pursuit of Axsom just like Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane used to do trying to chase down Bo and Luke Duke in the General Lee in every Dukes of Hazzard episode. Carson stayed right in the mix running in the third position with 12 laps to go, but the “Huset’s Master”, Buddy Kofoid in the Roth Motorsports #83, was pressuring him hard for the show position.
Sheldon Haudenschild was also moving forward as he rolled by Williamson into the top five with 11 laps remaining. That is when things started to get interesting. Brendan Mullin #11M got into the outside wall in turn one hard right in front of the leaders. The driver of the NOS Energy Drink #18 had now where to go and turned on his side to bring out the red flag. He headed to the Federated Auto Parts Work Zone before tagging the rear of the field for the restart of the race.
They would go back green with Axsom fending off Gravel. Carson was trying to do the same to Kofoid when they got back up to speed. They both were successful as the pace was still fast, but the leaders started to catch up to the back of the pack again. More traffic. They artfully weaved through it at speed and kept their pace. The laps began to click down with less than five to go.
On lap 37, the red flag flew again for seventh place running Ryan Timms who flipped hard into turn one after hitting a bump in the racing surface. Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart, and Bill Balog were all involved with each suffering some minor damage. Cooter Davenport, the mechanic and “wreckster” driver from The Dukes of Hazzard arrived at the scene to tow the carnage back to Cooter’s Garage located in Hazzard County Square better known as the infield pit area at Huset’s Speedway. Timms night was done after a strong showing in South Dakota.
Emerson Axsom would have to hold off the ultra-talented racers behind him again. The green flag waved and Axsom executed his job to perfection as he maintained the lead over Gravel. Behind the top two though now found Buddy Kofoid and Garet Williamson charging hard after they both drove underneath Carson on the restart relegating the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 driver back to fifth place with the two-to-go flags out.
The next time around though Cooter’s services were gonna be needed again as the red flag was back out for Bill Balog in the Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup #17B was upside down in turn four ending his night. “The North Pole Nightmare” was running in seventh place at the time of his incident. He climbed out of the car and was ok.
This race stoppage added a lap to the race as it would be a green-white checkered finish. Forty-one laps versus the scheduled forty, but Axsom up until this point owned his role as the race leader like a champ. The young star from Franklin, Indiana was not about to give it up though as he had his first World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series win in his grasp. David Gravel wanted it though and Buddy Kofoid was right behind in third place, which is always an imposing threat. Carson would restart from the fifth spot behind Garet Williamson.
The green flag was back out to commence the final two circuits. Emerson Axsom was on the gas. The show at the Huset’s Shootout in South Dakota was almost over now as the white flag waved over race leader with David Gravel and Buddy Kofoid still in tow. Carson was racing close to Williamson for position with Spencer Bayston right behind.
Emerson Axsom raced to the popular $25,000 win in the finale of the Huset’s Shootout crossing the finish line ahead of Buddy Kofoid and David Gravel who joined the race winner on the podium. Carson made his way past Williamson to bring home a fourth place finish with Spencer Bayston rounding out the top five. Running a good race from start to finish was sixth place finishing Garet Williamson who had an incredible weekend of results with Logan Schuchart, Steven Snyder Jr., Chris Windom, and Ashton Torgerson completing the top ten.
Next up on the docket for Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team schedule wise is the Gunslinger Stampede at “The Premier Kansas Dirt Track” in Dodge City, Kansas next Saturday (9/12) night. The trip will be the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series first visit back at this facility since 2020. This event is a welcome addition back on the tour’s journey this season, so make plans to attend if you are near that cool area of the country. If not though, do not miss the opportunity to watch all the action unfold at speed on DIRTVision! #GunslingerStampede
Wrapping Up the Huset’s Shootout in South Dakota with Style and Speed! 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.
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