MO’ SPEED AT PEVELY: AFTER SETTING QUICK TIME, CARSON MACEDO WHEELS THE DURST, INC. #41 MAXIM TO A RUNNER-UP FINISH IN THE FINALE OF THE SPRING CLASSIC AT FEDERATED AUTO PARTS RACEWAY AT I-55

PEVELY, MISSOURI (April 13, 2024) – What can be better in April than one night of racing at the amazing bullring known as Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55? You are correct if you were thinking two consecutive nights of action in the Spring Classic as Carson Macedo and his fellow racers on the World of Outlaws (WoO) tour returned on Saturday night. This facility is simply incredible. Carson Macedo and all of the traveling stars with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series were back at Pevely to entertain the masses with their brand of speed and excitement. There were 37 teams back at the track ready to perform at speed. After his third place run in the opener on Friday night, Carson was eager to jump back in the saddle of the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 Maxim for another whirlwind night of action around the 1/3-mile oval that sits alongside Interstate 55 in Missouri. It was race day at Federated Auto Parts Raceway – take two!

The drivers were in the infield waiting for their turn to push off to compete against the stopwatch in Sea Foam Qualifying. They each would get two timed laps on the track by themselves with the quicker of their two laps representing them at the end of time trials. The qualifying order is set by random draw, which positioned Carson Macedo as the 11th driver out on the track aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Durst Inc./Team Jack Foundation #41. When the always smooth and quick David Gravel, in the Billion Automotive #2, finished his qualifying attempts he was on top of the speed charts. Carson rolled his forty-one entry onto the banking in turn one looking for an all-out speed assault on I-55. He cranked up his speed down the backstretch as he headed toward the timing stripe near the flagstand located on the front straightaway. When Carson arrived the seconds started to race by on the stopwatch as the driver of the forty-one was booking around the track. When he dashed through the timing light to trigger and stop it the first time, he recorded lap one in 10.391 seconds to put his name at the top of the board. He kept his elbows up and was looking to rip another good lap the next time around. His only measure would be the stopwatch. When he stopped the clock after his second lap it was better as it read 10.358 seconds. Lap two was the faster of his two attempts, which ended up being quick time overall. Carson was not fooling around as he went out and blasted both of his laps to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award.

Based on each driver’s best time trial lap, the starting grids were consolidated for the four 10-lap heat races. With the fastest driver on the pole in the first row, the remainder of the starting order was arranged fastest to slowest. For Carson Macedo that meant he would start first in the first heat race. He would pull the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Greber Racing Components (GRC) #41 Maxim into row one beside Logan McCandless from Mercer, Pennsylvania. Another Pennsylvania native, Logan Schuchart, was on the inside of row two with Riley Goodno alongside him. Skylar Gee and Bill Rose made up row three with Jake Neuman, Christopher Thram, Gage Montgomery, and Kyle Bellm filling in the remaining rows.

With only the top five finishers earning a transfer spot out of each heat race, there was no time to lollygag when the green flag came out. The driver of the forty-one rolled in with McCandless to his outside as they approached the chalk stripe. When they arrived, Carson dropped his white K1 Race Gear shoe driving into the clear air ahead of the two Logans – McCandless and Schuchart – heading into turn one. He would lead the first lap and began building his advantage with each completed lap.

By the halfway point, the Californian had built a 2.135 second lead over Logan McCandless. He continued his pursuit of the checkers. The laps were clicking down quickly as the leader began closing in on the rear of the field. Carson would race the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 under the white flag as he quickly came up on Gage Montgomery’s #79. Montgomery drifted up off turn two forcing Macedo to check up momentarily using his Wilwood brake system.

Carson made the pass down the backstretch and cover the remaining distance without being challenged to secure the heat race victory. Logan McCandless came home second as Logan Schuchart, Riley Goodno, and Bill Rose secured the final three transfer spots to round out the top five. Carson Macedo and Logan McCandless earned the spots out of the first heat race to the Toyota Dash for a chance to race for their starting positions in the feature.

Carson would be the first driver to test his luck in the Dash Draw for their starting positions in the 6-lap Toyota Dash. Good thing he doesn’t make a living as a gambler because he chose another high number – 7 – which put him on the inside of row four beside another Californian Giovanni Scelzi to start the dash. Logan McCandless chose the one pill to start from the pole with Donny Schatz to his outside. Buddy Kofoid and Friday night’s winner David Gravel were side-by-side in row two with World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year candidates Landon Crawley and Bill Balog in row three.

Carson was not rattled as he lined the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Sander Engineering/ISC Racers Tape #41 and was ready to stomp on the loud pedal. When the green flag dropped, Buddy Kofoid ducked the Mobil 1 #83 to the bottom and raced into the lead off turn two ahead of McCandless and Schatz to lead lap one. Carson was on the move too as he used the bottom lane to gain two position and was running in the fifth spot, just ahead of David Gravel.

On lap 3, David Gravel drove the Huset’s Speedway #2 back by Macedo for position. The next time around, Macedo returned the favor and regained the spot down the back straightaway.

Buddy Kofoid was on a rail as he checked out up front. He would not be denied as he won to earn the pole position in the feature. Logan McCandless continued his strong night as he came home second followed by Bill Balog and Donny Schatz. Carson Macedo brought the JJR #41 home fifth with David Gravel, Giovanni Scelzi and Landon Crawley completing the finishing order in the dash.

With the night moving through the race event order quickly, the horn sounded so the teams could roll their cars and driver out onto the track for the 40-lap NOS Energy Drink Spring Classic feature finale at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55. The Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 driven by Carson Macedo would start the pursuit of the checkered flag from the fifth starting spot on the inside of row three. He moved into position beside David Gravel for the start of the race.

When the pre-race festivities concluded, the field of talented speed athletes were ready to put on a show in Pevely, Missouri. The yellow lights around the track dimmed and off turn four the green flag was waving. Third starting Bill Balog raced into the lead on the low side of the track ahead of Buddy Kofoid and Donny Schatz. Carson Macedo quickly moved into the fourth position as lap one was recorded in the record books.

With two laps completed, the high speed action was slowed for ninth running Sheldon Haudenschild who was sitting sideway with damage. He headed to the work area and returned, but soon rather than later retired the NOS Energy Drink #17 for the night.

The restart order with 38 laps to go would be Balog, Kofoid, Schatz, Macedo and Gravel with the leader choosing the inside lane for the odd position running cars. The green flag was back out with Balog hustling in the lead with a lot of hungry drivers chasing him like prey.

On lap 10, Carson was motoring and moved the Albaugh #41 into the third spot. One lap later, Donny Schatz moved his Ford Performance #15 by Balog to gain the lead. The ten-time WoO champion was fast and started to put some distance between himself and any of his competitors racing for position. At the halfway point of the race, Donny Schatz was leading Balog and Macedo with Gravel and Kofoid still right there in the mix.

Five laps later, on lap 25, Carson’s mission moving forward continued as he advanced into the runner-up spot moving by Bill Balog on the bottom. The race leader, Donny Schatz, was checked out, but with each passing lap Macedo was able to cut into the margin. They were racing through lap traffic making things a little more challenging, but that is what makes sprint car racing great.

Donny Schatz would race under the checkers first, his 313th WoO career victory, ahead of Carson Macedo who brought the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 home second. Carson was able to close the gap on the leader quite a bit as he crossed the finish line 1.591 seconds behind the race winner. Buddy Kofoid secured the last step of the podium with his third place finish with David Gravel and Bill Balog rounding out the top five.

On the frontstretch, Carson shared his thoughts on the race. He began by stating, “I feel like we had a strong race car there throughout the whole race. I was able to move around a lot in traffic.” The runner-up finisher continued, “Philip Dietz did an incredible job there. I feel like we made some good adjustments in the dash and got even better there in the feature, which feels really good.”

Another good run for Macedo and the forty-one! Carson and the JJR #41 team will be back at it next Friday night in Kentucky at Paducah International Raceway in the Paducah Sprint Car Showdown.

Carson Macedo Drives Forward in the Durst #41 to a Second Place Finish in the Spring Classic Finale at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55! Photo Credit: World of Outlaws

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