LAST GATOR HUNT AT DIRTCAR NATIONALS: ON THE FINAL NIGHT OF RACING IN FLORIDA, CARSON MACEDO WORKS DILIGENTLY FROM START-TO-FINISH TO BRING THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 HOME WITH A TOP FIVE FINISH

BARBERVILLE, FLORIDA (February 8, 2025) – With three competitive and entertaining nights in the books at Volusia Speedway Park at the 54th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 Sprint Car team was hoping to end the DIRTcar Nationals the same way they started it . . . with a big win. In order to accomplish that goal they would have to use the speed they have shown over the course of the first three nights of action while coupling it with a solid executed plan and race strategy. Moreover, it certainly never hurts to sprinkle a little luck into the equation somewhere along the line. They were not the only ones that were hoping to be the first car to the checkered flag at the end of the night. In fact, there were 49 good sprint car teams eager to put up a fight during the final night of the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park’s ultra-fast half-mile – World of Outlaws style!

In order to have a good night in these type of race formats, each team must get off to a quick start in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. With a little luck, you can usually help your chances if you select a lower number in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw. The large field of competitors divided into two equal groups for time trials based on the pill number they had drawn earlier in the night. For Carson Macedo and the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 team, the pill they drew positioned the Sander Engineering/Motor State Distributors/Full Safe Racing Cells Maxim as the eighth car out in the Flight 2 time trial order. Carson was paired for time trials with his younger brother Cole Macedo #2c for two car qualifying. The Macedo brothers were nose-to-tail in the staging lane. When their engines fired, they hit the track. The slick looking forty-one was on the move as he took the green and leaned his right rear Hoosier Racing Tire up against the building cushion to carry his momentum forward. He vaulted to the top of the speed charts early with his first lap coming in at 13.489 seconds. He continued to race hard against the fleet moving stopwatch during his second circuit. This time he ran a consistent, but slightly slower, time at 13.518 seconds. The quicker of his two laps eventually landed him third quick overall in Flight 2 behind Bill Balog and the fastest driver in that session David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 at 13.319 seconds. Earning the Simpson Quick Time Award was Logan Schuchart in the Shark Racing #1s out of Flight 1 showing his speed with a lap of 13.215 seconds.

The starting grids for the four 8-lap heat races were completed. Based on his best time trial lap, that put Carson and the Border International/Maxim Racing/Jansen Transportation #41 on the outside of the front row for the fourth night in a row with 2014 World of Outlaws Champion, David Gravel #2, to his inside. Behind those to speed stars was a field loaded with other stars. In the second row, Brian Brown #21 and Sheldon Haudenschild #17 paced slowly with the five-time World of Outlaws Champion and 2024 High Limit Champion Brad Sweet #49 and Austin McCarl #88 beside each other in row three. Daison Pursley #13 and Cole Macedo shared row four with up-and-coming stars Sterling Cling #34 and Landon Crawley #17GP in row five. The final row featured Pennsylvania-based T.J. Stutts #11T and Canadian WoO Rookie of the Year contender Skylar Gee #99.

Sparks were about to fly under the nighttime skies in Florida as these speed athletes were prepared to put on a show. The flagman showed them the one lap to go white flag as the yellow lights turned off around Volusia Speedway Park. David Gravel and Carson Macedo lowered their right foot at the chalk stripe in turn four as their engines roared and carried them down the front straightaway. Carson got a bad start as he spun the tires a bit up in the marbles opening the bottom lane entering turn one up from Brown to move into the runner-up position. David Gravel led after the first lap with Brown and Macedo chasing after the Connecticut native.

Carson was sitting in the show position, but Brad Sweet had the NAPA Auto Parts #49 motoring. He raced under Carson to steal the third position away temporarily, but Carson crossed over and retook the position down the frontstretch.

David Gravel was in his own race out in front of the pack as he raced to the heat race win by 2.602 seconds over Brian Brown as both of those drivers locked down spots in the evening’s Toyota Dash.

The final 30-lap feature lineup posted for the finale at the 54th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. Twenty-four drivers earned their way into the feature through the heat races with three teams electing to join the party using a provisional – Giovanni Scelzi #18, Zach Hampton #6, and Hunter Schuerenberg #55. No matter how each driver got into the feature, every speed chauffeur had the exact same thing in mind . . . to win the race. That type of focus and motivation was driving their passion to not only hustle to take over the big check available to the race winner, but also because they each wanted to go home with one of those coveted gator trophies!

After missing a spot in the coveted Toyota Dash for the first time this season, Carson would start the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 from the tenth starting position aboard the Durst, Inc./Schoenfeld Headers/BR Motorsports Maxim. He occupied the outside of row five with Brock Zearfoss in the Moose’s LZ Bar & Grill #3z flanking him on the left side. After running first and second in the Dash, Tyler Courtney #7BC and David Gravel #2 paced the field from row one with Bill Balog #17B and Kyle Larson #57 together in row two. In row three, it was the home for Logan Schuchart #1s and Buddy Kofoid #83 for the start of the race with Brian Brown #21 and Parker Price-Miller side-by-side in row four.

It was time to race for all the marbles on the fourth and final night of the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. As the drivers calmly made their way down the back straightaway, the time was nearing when the silence was about to be broken. Off turn four, Tyler Courtney mashed the gas pedal, as did David Gravel. Everyone behind them followed suit and the race was on at Volusia Speedway Park.

David Gravel drove the Jackson Motorplex #2 into the lead on the opening lap with polesitter Tyler Courtney right behind in the runner-up position and Kyle Larson stalking in third place. Carson was in ninth place with the first half-mile in the books.

Kyle Larson continued his charge forward as he moved around Tyler Courtney into second place. Just behind them, fourth place running Bill Balog hopped the cushion in turn four and the car bounced around sending him into a series of hard flips. He was ok, but his night was over after a strong showing.

The restart order would be Gravel, Larson, Courtney, Kofoid, and Schuchart with Macedo getting the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 started from the eighth spot. They went back to green flag racing with Logan Schuchart able to move by Kofoid into fourth place.

Carson was battling for the seventh spot with Parker Price-Miller. On the fifth circuit, the driver out of Lemoore, California raced by the Indy Race Parts #71. He was looking for more and he was not the only one. A little further front Kyle Larson was all over David Gravel for the lead. The next time by the driver of the fifty-seven was your new leader.

There was passing everywhere on the track. With 10 laps in the books and Larson out front, Buddy Kofoid #83 moved by Tyler Courtney to take over the fourth spot. A few laps later on lap 13, Logan Schuchart drove the Shark Racing #1s by David Gravel to take command of the runner-up position. Then the next time by it was Carson Macedo hustling the JJR #41 into sixth as he worked underneath Donny Schatz entering turn one. There was action and entertainment from the front to the back of the field.

At the halfway point, Kyle Larson was still the race leader ahead of Schuchart and Gravel with Buddy Kofoid and Tyler Courtney rounding out the top five. Just behind Courtney’s NOS Energy Drink #7BC was Carson in the black and green #41.

With 10 laps to go, the running order up front had not changed. But, Carson was still hard at work trying to find a way around Courtney’s fast racecar as the yellow flag came out for Conner Morrell #28 who was slowing on the inside of turns three and four as he limped back to the infield pit area.

Carson would restart from the sixth position with eight laps remaining in the race. Kyle Larson brought the field back up to speed with Logan Schuchart keeping him within striking distance. Carson drove the Albaugh #41 under Courtney to move into the top five, as the field got back up to speed.

When the white flag waved, Kyle Larson was still valiantly fending off Schuchart for the top spot. Gravel was running third with Kofoid and Macedo pursuing the top three. Larson went on to capture the feature win over Schuchart and Gravel. Carson made a last lap, last corner pass to finish fourth when Buddy Kofoid cut down a right rear tire. Tyler Courtney also squeezed by to complete the top five. A good run for the forty-one!

Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 team will next be back in action on March 2nd (Sunday) and March 3rd (Monday) back here at Volusia Speedway Park for the Bike Week Jamboree races. Make plans to come join them, but if that plan does not work out, be sure to tune in to catch all of the World of Outlaws exciting action throughout the season on DIRTVision.

Working the Late Shift on the Final Night at Volusia Nets a 4th Place Finish at the DIRTcar Nationals! Photo Credit: CS Productions – Cameron Saich

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.

Check out ShopJJR.com to buy all your new Carson Macedo and JJR gear and merchandise.