MOTORING IN MECHANICSBURG: IN A RACE FOR THE MORGAN CUP TO OPEN THE C&D RIGGING SUMMER NATIONALS, CARSON MACEDO DRIVES THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 TO A PODIUM FINISH AT THE GROVE

MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA (July 26, 2024) – When Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team visited Williams Grove back in the springtime, Mother Nature was not so kind and washed out both nights of the HVAC Distributors Morgan Cup event presented by Daikin. They were back in town this week and Friday’s race would serve as the make up for the Morgan Cup along with the preliminary feature of the C&D Rigging Summer Nationals with $17,000 set aside for the winner ($12,000 for the Summer Nationals portion plus an extra $5,000 for the Morgan Cup) to go along with the annual pride of ownership of the Morgan Cup trophy. Carson and the crew were eager to get back on the track in an attempt to build on his prior success at the historic Pennsylvania oval during the Preliminary Night of the C&D Rigging Summer Nationals. The team was coming off a hard fought 13th place finish on Wednesday night in the 2nd Annual Bricker’s Bash over at nearby BAPS Motor Speedway. Carson, Philip, Robby and Adam were happy to be back at “The Grove.” This half-mile oval is nestled in the cornfields just south of Mechanicsburg. The Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 team was locked and loaded for another night of World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series racing against the best of the Pennsylvania Posse. The pit area was bustling with 34 race cars all preparing for another night of competition at this paper-clipped shaped joint.

The first item on this evening’s racing agenda after hot laps were completed was Sea Foam Qualifying for each of the drivers. The competitive field of cars would time in one time trial group based on the number of entries. Carson Macedo was slated to be the tenth driver out on the track. Danny Dietrich in the Sandoe’s Fruit Market #48 would also push off to join him on the track for two-car qualifying in time trials. Carson lowered his right foot as he powered under the newly installed bridge, which was erected before the season started and crosses over the backstretch, as he worked his way to the frontstretch to take the green. He raced by the flagstand to start the clock and was laser focused on hitting his marks. As the California driver maneuvered off turn four, he saw the white flag waving and raced by it stopping the clock on his first lap in 16.875 seconds. He had the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Indy Performance Composites (IPC)/Bandy & Associates #41 Maxim cruising as he tackled lap two. This time when he crossed the finish line the clock read 16.821 seconds for his second time trial attempt. Carson turned two consistent laps with the quicker one ending up third quick overall. World of Outlaws series point leader David Gravel sat atop the speed charts at the end of the night as he laid down a lap in 16.676 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award.

It was ‘go time’ for the drivers as those teams in the first of four 8-lap heat races began to push back from their trailers to line up in the respective staging areas throughout the inner and outer pit areas. Carson would be in the third heat race where he would get the Scott Boyd Family/Factory Kahne (FK) Shocks/Wilwood Racing #41 rolling from the front row from the pole position. Jacob Allen in the Shark Racing #1a would pull alongside him. Pennsylvania natives Lucas Wolfe and Brock Zearfoss were in row two, Kelby Watt and Donny Schatz lined up in row three, with Aaron Bollinger and Austin Bishop behind in row four.

The green flag was waving as the starters on the front row exited turn four. The chalk dust flew as the entire field got on the hammer. The field of drivers were all up to full speed by the time they raced down the long front straightaway and into the banking of turn one. Carson pulled out and led lap one followed by Allen and Zearfoss.

Carson continued to show off his speed as put some distance between himself and Allen’s #1a on lap two. He did it again the next time around as he began to check out. He continue his speed cadence sailing in clean air.

When the checkered flag flew to end the third heat race, the scoreboard showed the winner as Carson Macedo in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41. Under him Jacob Allen was listed as the runner-up finisher with Brock Zearfoss, Donny Schatz, and Kelby Watt making a late race pass to secure the final transfer position completing the top five and moving on to the feature.

Moving into the 6-lap Toyota Dash, Carson headed to the frontstretch to test his luck in the “Pill Draw” for his starting position. There are eight numbered pills from one to eight with the lower ones being the coveted pills. When his hand came out of the oversized NOS Energy Drink can he was holding the ‘3’ pill, which put him on the inside of row two with Jacob Allen to his outside. Representing the Pennsylvania Posse on the pole was TJ Stutts with David Gravel to his outside. In row three was Anthony Macri and Freddie Rahmer with Troy Wagaman Jr. and Giovanni Scelzi in row four. When the green cloth waved in the air it was David Gravel to the front with Stutts tracking him from close behind with the forty-one in third. Carson moved the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 in on TJ Stutts and made a few attempts to move by on the low side the next two laps when they entered turn three, but Stutts maintained the runner-up position off turn four. David Gravel was way out front when the checkered flag flew with TJ Stutts being the next driver across the finish line. Carson Macedo came home third, Freddie Rahmer fourth, with Giovanni Scelzi rounding out the top five. Anthony Macri, Troy Wagaman Jr., and Jacob Allen rounded out the finishing order.

The 24 cars that earned a starting spot in the feature field, along with an additional two provisional starters, pushed back from their haulers during pre-race festivities as they headed out to the track following an incredible fireworks display that brought so much glee and join to the pride of Paxtonville (in Snyder County) as he watch with his eyes glimmering with excitement from the pit area. As the cars rolled onto the track for the $17,000-to-win, 25-lap preliminary night C&D Rigging Summer Nationals feature in a race for the Morgan Cup trophy at Williams Grove Speedway the anticipation and excitement was building to a new level. The grandstands were full and the action was about to heat up.

Carson Macedo would get the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Border International/T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication #41 started from the third position with PA Posse member Freddie Rahmer to his outside in row two. David Gravel and TJ Stutts paced the field from the front row. When they went four-wide it was a 50/50 split on the front row with two representatives from the World of Outlaws and two representatives from the Pennsylvania Posse.

The fans were ready to see their local stars of the sport race against the World of Outlaws invaders. Who would be visiting victory lane when the checkered flag flew? There were mixed emotions and opinions in the stands, but the drivers would determine the answer. Everyone would soon find out as the field of talented speed stars were pacing side-by-side towards turn four ready to see the green flag come out.

When polesitter, David Gravel, came out of turn four the race was on. It was a drag race down the front straightaway through the wide sweeping first set of turns. TJ Stutts led the first lap ahead of David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports with Carson holding down the show position on the track.

The race was at full sprint over the first nine laps as the leaders approached the slower traffic. It was about to get interesting, but the yellow flag flew for Justin Whittall who spun in turn four. Under caution, Daryn Pittman in the famous #69k headed to the pit area and would not rejoin finishing in the 26th position.

The restart running order would be TJ Stutts, David Gravel, Carson Macedo, Freddie Rahmer, and Anthony Macri. The green flag was back out and TJ Stutts raced back into the lead. But the high speed affair was brief as the yellow was back out when Buddy Kofoid spin in turn three on the low side of the track.

They would line up again and Stutts would again race into the clean air with Gravel right behind looking to seize the lead. Carson tried looking low to get by Gravel entering turn one but could not make the pass as he settled back into the third position on the track.

Anthony Macri had the J&S Classics/C&D Rigging #39M in hot pursuit mode as he moved by Freddie Rahmer into fourth and on lap ten was looking for a way by Carson for a podium position. He moved by the driver of the forty-one and continued to focus forward with speed trying to track down Gravel for second.

The laps were winding down with TJ Stutts continuing to lead. David Gravel was tenacious and attempted a slide job for the lead through turns three and four but the driver of the #11T turned back under him to retake it out of turn four. Behind the front two Macri and Macedo were closing in.

Those same two were still battling for the position that would place them on the final step on the podium. Carson saw an opening when Macri entered low and drove around him off turn two into third on lap 24. TJ Stutts drove a fabulous race from start to finish as he maneuvered through lap traffic to perfection over the last five laps to earn his first career World of Outlaws win against the Outlaws to keep the Morgan Cup in Pennsylvania for the next year. David Gravel came home second with Carson Macedo garnering a third place finish. Anthony Macri raced home fourth and Freddie Rahmer rounded out the top five on night one of the C&D Rigging Summer Nationals.

On the frontstretch with Conner Wade, a satisfied but still determined Carson Macedo reflected on his team’s performance rebound, “It definitely builds some confidence.” He continued, “I feel like we were pretty good. I think that ultimately just starting on the front row tonight probably would have helped. It’s crazy at The Grove how much air makes a difference. You get close to somebody and it just totally changes the way you feel in the car.” Carson concluded, “Hats off to Philip Dietz. He turned this thing around. We were struggling a little bit at BAPS and he came in here and gave me a great race car all night. And I feel like Robby McQuinn and Adam Zimmerman worked really hard too.”

Carson and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team will be back in Mechanicsburg at Williams Grove Speedway on Saturday night for the finale of the C&D Rigging Summer Nationals with $20,000 on the line for the winner. If you are unable to make it to the area to watch the race at the track in person, be sure to tune into DIRTVision to catch all of the action.

A Fast and Competitive Night of Racing at Williams Grove Ends with a Podium Finish for the Forty-One During the Preliminary Night of the Summer Nationals! Photo Credit: World of Outlaws

JJR’s Valued Sponsorship Partners: 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; Buckwalter Trucking; 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; Indy Performance Composites (IPC); ISC Racers Tape; Jansen Transportation; K1 Race Gear; KSE Racing Products; LogoDaddy; Motor State Distributing; Mr. Jim’s Racing; Premium Coach Group; Saldana Racing Products; Sam I Am; Schoenfeld Headers; 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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