MOVIN’ IN MISSOURI: THE WORLD OF OUTLAW STARS PUT ON ONE HECK OF A SHOW WITH SLIDE JOBS, LEAD CHANGES AND ACTION EVERYWHERE AT US 36 RACEWAY WITH MACEDO FINISHING IN THE RUNNER-UP POSITION

OSBORN, MISSOURI (April 7, 2023) – After two races last weekend in Texas, the World of Outlaws (WoO) teams stayed in the Midwest as they headed up to Missouri on Friday night to compete at US 36 Raceway. The “Show-Me” State is somewhat of a home game for the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team as they are based not too far away in Rocky Mount, Missouri. The JJR team has two wins on the season and have been very consistent as they have finished in the top ten in every race they have entered in 2023. That consistency is important and valued, but the driver and team were eager to combine their speed and consistency in an attempt to get back to celebrating in the confetti at US 36 Raceway’s racy and exciting oval. There were 31 cars registered to race at the 3/8-mile high-banked dirt oval as the drivers were attending the pre-race driver’s meeting.

After getting some heat in their engines, the teams started to make their last minute set-up adjustments for Low-E Insulation Qualifying. With the heat still coming off of the Schoenfeld Headers, Carson climbed aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative/C&R Racing/Xtreme Body and Paint #41 Maxim to pilot it for two laps around the demanding Missouri bullring. The Lemoore, California driver already has four WoO quick times to his name this season and was looking forward to what type of speed his Kistler Engines power could generate here at US 36 Raceway. When he got the green light to enter the track surface it was gas and go time for Carson Macedo! He got up to speed and raced by the flagstand and through turns one and two. He was busy inside the cockpit and when he exited turn four he allowed his speed to carry him across the timing stripe. The clock measured lap one in 10.922 seconds. Elbows up, Carson stayed on the hammer looking for anything he may left out on the track the first time around. He found something as lap two came in slightly faster at 10.811 seconds. His best lap positioned him 10th quick overall in the speed rundown when qualifying was complete. Rico Abreu proved to be the quickest driver in time trials on this night with a fast lap of 10.652 seconds.

When the WoO Timing & Scoring officials posted the starting lineups for the three 10-lap heat races, Carson Macedo would line the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Liquid Trucking/High Performance Lubricants #41 up on the outside of row two beside James McFadden in the first heat race. That talented duo followed front row starters Rico Abreu and Jacob Allen. A pair of Indiana invaders, Justin Peck and Spencer Bayston, were in row three with Michael “Buddy” Kofoid, Blake Hahn, Bill Rose, Jack Dover and Noah Gass all ready to get gunning in the remaining rows. When they rolled off of turn four the drivers dropped their right shoes and their engines reacted quickly getting up to high speed action. Jacob Allen moved into the lead with Rico Abreu right behind. Carson was in third focused on closing the gap between himself and the driver of the #24. He was making progress, but simultaneously Abreu was closing in on the leader. Before you knew it there was a three car battle for the lead between Allen, Abreu and Macedo. The laps were winding down with Allen not willing to surrender the lead. Macedo though was tenaciously dogging Abreu as he wanted the second position to advance to the dash. He relentlessly pursued and on the last lap slid by Abreu for position and brought the Albaugh #41 home second behind Allen. Rico Abreu Held on for third with Spencer Bayston, James McFadden and Michael Kofoid all locking down transfer positions out of heat one.

After his last lap pass to earn a spot in the 8-lap Toyota Dash, Carson headed to the frontstretch to test his luck in the draw for his starting spot. He would be the fourth driver to pull a pill out of the oversized NOS Energy Drink can and when his hand emerged out of the can he held the two pill. That would put him on the outside of the front row with Sheldon Haudenschild to his inside. The “Jonestown Jet” Brock Zearfoss started third with Jacob Allen lining up fourth. Fellow Shark Racing speedster Logan Schuchart would get started from the inside of row three with David Gravel to his outside in the Huset’s Speedway #2. They weren’t racing for money but rather their starting position in the feature. The green flag dropped with Sheldon Haudenschild wheeling the NOS Energy Drink #17 into the lead with Carson Macedo battling hard aboard the Border International/Bandy & Associates/Meyers Constructors #41 with Brock Zearfoss in his Moose’s LZ Bar & Grill #3z for the second spot on the scoring pylon. Macedo was in control of the spot but Zearfoss was pressing the forty-one with each completed lap. Sheldon Haudenschild would not be denied as he raced to the win to earn the pole position in the Osborn Sprint Car Showdown feature. He was followed across the finish line by Carson Macedo in the Albaugh #41 with Brock Zearfoss coming home third, David Gravel fourth and the Shark Racing teammates, Allen and Schuchart respectively, completing the finishing order.

Originally scheduled for 35 laps, race and WoO officials decided to shorten the NOS Energy Drink Osborn Sprint Car Showdown featureat US 36 Raceway to 30 laps with concerns around tire wear. It would be the talented duo of Sheldon Haudenschild and Carson Macedo on the front row with Brock Zearfoss and David Gravel in row two. After some track prep the horns sounded to summon the feature eligible starters to the track. The colorful field of cars saluted the fans and realigned side-by-side for the start of the race.

The green flag was in the air with Carson Macedo driving the Tarlton and Son/Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Larry Davis Farms #41 Maxim into the lead over Sheldon Haudenschild to lead lap one. The driver of the forty-one was setting a quick pace and by the fifth lap was closing in on the back of the field when the first yellow came out when one of the infield pylons got kicked out into the racing surface.

Carson would restart beside Haudenschild again and when they went back to green flag racing it was Macedo in the Albaugh #41 back to the lead with Haudenschild and Zearfoss closing quickly. Within two laps though Sheldon Haudenschild was all over Carson Macedo for the top spot as the stars of the sport were shining bright early in the race. On lap 8 another caution was thrown, this time for debris up in turn four, with Macedo leading Haudenschild, Zearfoss and Gravel at the front of the field.

 They went back to green and the already hot action started heating up even more amongst the leaders. There was action all throughout the field, but nothing more exciting than the three-wide battle for the lead between Macedo, Haudenschild and Gravel. Depending when you looked up Macedo was leading, then Gravel briefly, and when they exited turn four Haudenschild used the high line and made it three across at the flagstand as he raced into the lead with Macedo holding down the second spot after dicing with Gravel.

The leaders were back in traffic on lap 14 when Aaron Reutzel spun the RSR #8 in turn two coming to a stop and slowing the action under yellow flag conditions. It was Sheldon Haudenschild at the front with Carson Macedo, David Gravel, Brad Sweet and Logan Schuchart comprising the top five. With 16 laps to go, the green flag was again waving over the field of powerful sprint cars with Carson driving the Albaugh #41 back by Haudenschild into the lead. It was back and forth at the front as depending on where they were on the track determined who was in the lead. There were clean slide jobs and courageous moves lap after lap, but these stars were impressive and putting on a show worth more than the price of admission.

On lap 17 though the high speed action came to an abrupt stop when Kasey Kahne sat upside down in turn three, the driver was ok, but the remaining drivers used the pause to recollect their thoughts and think about what was next. It was Macedo at the front with his black with green and silver stripes #41 with Sheldon Haudenschild, Brad Sweet, David Gravel and Spencer Bayston right behind. Carson chose the inside lane for the double file restart as he maintained the lead when they went back racing. Brad Sweet used the low side of the track to race by Haudenschild into the second position and used that same line to track down the leader.

Carson Macedo was on the high side. Brad Sweet was on the low side. And Sheldon Haudenschild was racing hard in third waiting to pounce. The completed lap 20 and the race for positions throughout the field was still ultra-competitive. One lap later though fourth running David Gravel got sideways at the end of the frontstretch and backed into the turn one wall before landing back on the track in the racing lane leaving Spencer Bayston nowhere to go.

With 9 laps to go it would be Macedo, Sweet, Haudenschild, Schuchart and Zearfoss as the top five coming back to the green flag. When they were back up to speed Carson kept the Albaugh #41 in the lead with Sweet and Haudenschild stalking his every move like hungry prey. On lap 24, Sheldon Haudenschild drove around the “Haud Line” into the lead with Macedo and Sweet battling for the better step on the podium. Sheldon Haudenschild collected his first win of the season crossing the finish line ahead of Carson Macedo and Brad Sweet with Logan Schuchart and Brock Zearfoss rounding out the top five.

Carson led 18 laps on the night and was oh so close to the win, but even though he did not get to celebrate in the confetti he was smiling as he knew he and his fellow competitors put on an incredible show for the fans in the stands. The Lemoore, California driver reflected, “Tonight was probably really exciting to be a fan, but stressful for me in the car.” He continued, “Brad kind of got me talked out of the top, which was a mistake, I think. And when I moved down, Sheldon ripped around me. I feel like all-in-all it’s tough to be upset with second, I feel like I had the car to win there and didn’t get it done.” Nonetheless, another good run for Macedo and the forty-one!

After Leading 18 Laps at US 36 Raceway, Carson Macedo Drives the Albaugh #41 to a Runner-Up Finish! Photo Credit: World of Outlaws

Albaugh, LLC; Border International; Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT); Saich Family; Tarlton and Son Inc.; Boltz Family; Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions; Durst Inc.; Liquid Trucking; Bandy & Associates Accountancy Corporation; Buckwalter Trucking, LLC; Jansen Transportation; Larry Davis Farms; Meyers Constructors Inc.; Mr. Jim’s Racing; RaceDiecast.com; Sam I Am; Team Jack Foundation; Mark Burch Motorsports; T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication; Tiger Towing; All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads; AutoMeter; Bell Helmets; BMRS (Brown & Miller Racing Solutions); BR Motorsports; C&R Racing; Crow Enterprizes; Engler Machine & Tool, Inc.; Factory Kahne (FK Shocks); Fibreworks Composites; FK Rod Ends; Greber Racing Components; High Performance Lubricants, LLC; Hoosier Racing Tire; Indy Performance Composites (IPC); ISC Racers Tape; K1 Race Gear; Kistler Racing Engines; KSE Racing Products; Maxim Racing; Motor State Distributing; Premium Coach Group; Pro Powder Coating (PPC); Saldana Racing Products; Schoenfeld Headers; Smith Titanium; Vortex Racing Products; Walker Performance Filtration; Weld Racing; Wilwood Racing; Winters Performance Products; and, Xtreme Body and Paint.

To stay connected with Jason Johnson Racing (JJR), go to www.jasonjohnsonracing.com.

To stay up-to-date with Carson Macedo and his success journey on and off the track, as well as to purchase his gear and merchandise directly, visit www.carsonmacedoracing.com.