OHHHHHH SO SATISFYING: CARSON MACEDO HUSTLES THE MESILLA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION (MVT) #41 MAXIM HOT ROD TO A NEW TRACK RECORD AND WINS THE INAUGURAL “BIG O SHOWDOWN” AT OGILVIE RACEWAY

OGILVIE, MINNESOTA (June 3, 2023) – When the engines quieted over at River Cities Speedway in North Dakota on Friday night, a race that saw David Gravel race to the win over James McFadden with Carson Macedo bringing the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 home in fourth place, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series teams headed over to Minnesota for some more action on Saturday. After trekking almost 300 miles the teams arrived at Ogilvie Raceway for the first time in their storied history. The dirt track is located north of Minneapolis in Kanabec County. This beautiful facility houses a 3/8-mile dirt oval and it is evident that every detail has been paid attention as they welcomed the fans to see some of the best sprint car drivers in the country for the first time in history running of the inaugural “Big O Showdown.” There were 27 race teams and drivers ready to have some fun in The North Star State racing at the track who slogan states “Your Saturday Night Home.” And, the grandstands were packed full to its’ capacity as it was a Standing Room Only (SRO) event. Everyone was ready to go racing and shine at Ogilvie Raceway under the stars!

It would be individual, single group qualifying in Low-E Insulation Qualifying with less than 38 cars entered to race at Ogilvie Raceway. Each driver tested their gambling skills when they pulled their pill to set the time trial order for the night. For Carson Macedo, that meant he would go our mid-pack as the 11th car out in the Tarlton and Son/Bandy and Associates/Sam I Am #41 for his two laps racing by himself and against the fast moving second hand of the stopwatch. He climbed into the cockpit of his Maxim Racing chassis and buckled into his Crow Enterprizes safety belts before heading off to the staging lane. After James McFadden completed his time trials laps, as Zach Omdahl didn’t push out for his laps, the push truck rolled forward gently tapping the rear new bar on the Albaugh #41 entry to fire the Kistler Engines power plant under the hood as he rolled out of the infield into turn one. All systems were go as Carson gassed it and got up to speed. The flagman waved the green flag as the Californian cruised under it to start the clock. He rolled around the cushion and carried his momentum down the billboard lined backstretch and through the last set of turns before stopping the clock on lap one at 11.743 seconds. It was a New Track Record (NTR) for Carson Macedo! He stayed on the hammer and was digging for more to see if he could find even more speed the next time around. Peering through the shield of his new and sweet looking Shifty Illusions custom painted Bell Racing helmet he exited turn four and saw the checkered flag. This time 11.843 seconds flashed up on the scoreboard screen as the time recorded on his second lap. The better of Carson’s two time trial laps was not only the quickest lap of the night, his 9th Simpson Quick Time Award of the season, it was also a New Track Record (NTR) at Ogilvie Raceway. That is Carson’s and the JJR #41 team’s second NTR of the 2023 season, as they also established a new speed mark at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Mississippi back on March 25. A great start to the night for the team!

His fourth quick time in a row meant Carson would again get the Liquid Trucking/Engler Machine & Tool/Indy Performance Composites (IPC) #41 started from the pole position in the first of three 8-lap heat races. For the second night in a row, Carson would get started in the front row beside the reigning and 4-time WoO Champion Brad Sweet. The first heat was loaded with some fast cars and crafty drivers. Giovanni Scelzi and Robbie Price rolled around Ogilvie Raceway in row two with Sheldon Haudenschild and Cody Ihlen in row three. Bill Rose and Zach Omdahl paced in row four with Brendan Mullen being the lone starter in row five. When the initial green flag waved, Carson drove the Albaugh #41 into the lead over Sweet, but the action was stopped when Sheldon Haudenschild bicycled and made hard contact with the outside wall resulting in him flipping after almost making contact with Robbie Price. They tried again and this time the green stayed out as Macedo drag raced Sweet into turn one with the forty-one getting there first. Carson was led the first lap and quickly went to work to build his lead over the talented Sweet. By the crossed flag point of the race, four laps in and four laps to go, Carson had built up a 1.25 second lead over Sweet. The track was still fast and Carson never looked back as he dominated the heat to take the win over Sweet, Scelzi, Price, Ihlen and Rose.

Earning his way into his 21st Toyota Dash, Carson headed to the front straightaway to draw for his starting spot in the 6-lap race whose finishing order sets the starting lineup for the first three rows of the feature later in the night. He put his hand down in the oversized NOS Energy Drink can and pulled out the two pill, which put him on the outside of the front row to start the dash. He would line up alongside Shark Racing’s Logan Schuchart with Spencer Bayston and David Gravel right behind. With a total of 14 WoO championship between them, Brad Sweet and Donny Schatz lined up together in row three. The field was set and the green flag was unfurled to get the action started. Schuchart drove the Drydene #1s into the lead ahead of Carson Macedo in the High Performance Lubricants/Xtreme Body and Paint/Pro Powder Coating (PPC) #41. Bayston was running in the third position with David Gravel in fourth. Brad Sweet was on the move as he made his way by Gravel for position. Right behind was Donny Schatz who moved by too. Up front Logan Schuchart was fast and working the bottom of the racetrack as he was extending his lead over Carson. Schuchart would be the first driver to the checkered flag taking the dash win over Macedo and Bayston with Sweet, Schatz and Gravel rounding out the finishing order.

The starting lineup was set for all 24 A-Main starters for the inaugural 30-lap NOS Energy Drink “Big O Showdown” feature at Ogilvie Raceway. Who was going to drive to victory in front of the fans in the stands here to see the stars of the sprint car world put on a show? Only time would tell when the checkered flag flew at the end of the night, but the engines were firing and it was time to go racing World of Outlaws style in Minnesota.

Carson Macedo lined the Complete Parts and Equipment Solutions/Boltz Family/Tiger Towing #41 Maxim up on the outside of the front row beside the Pennsylvanian native Logan Schuchart in preparation for the Whiskey Myers salute with Schuchart, Bayston, Sweet and Macedo going four-wide. But before the race could get started, the engines were turned off as the ambulance and safety crew were needed to attend to a medical emergency in the pit area off turn four. The drivers waited patiently and they crews entered the track as it was an open red.

When they got the signal to re-fire their engines, the field aligned in their two-by-two starting formation. The green flag finally was displayed to the field with Schuchart and Macedo tussling to see who would exit the first set of turns with the lead. It was Carson Macedo as he drove the Albaugh #41 under Schuchart exiting turn two and down the backstretch. Carson would lead the opening lap. With one lap in the books, the first yellow flag of the night came out for Zach Omdahl who spun off of turn four and came to a stop.

It was Macedo leading Schuchart, Gravel, Sweet and Bayston back to the green when racing resumed. Philip Dietz, Clyde Knipp and Nate Repetz gave Carson a fast hot rod and by lap six he was already in lap traffic. The track was fast around the top, which was the preferred lane. Sprint car racing is always exciting, but when you have speed differences between the leaders and the lap cars it can become even more exhilarating . . . at least for the fans.

On lap 8, Carson worked his way by Tim Estenson on the outside in turn two to clear him. Estenson spun on the bottom side almost collecting second running Logan Schuchart, but left Brad Sweet and David Gravel nowhere to go as they were caught up in the melee. Both were able to head to the work area and rejoin the field.

With 22 laps to go, Carson Macedo was at the point with Logan Schuchart ready to compete for the lead. They went back to speed with Macedo driving the Albaugh #41 back into the lead over Schuchart. Behind the front two it was mayhem with Giovanni Scelzi taking over third and Spencer Bayston moving into fourth. Donny Schatz was working the low line and soon there was a three car battle for the show position.

Carson raced under the crossed flags indicating the halfway point of the race at the front of the pack. He was again in traffic with 15 laps in the books. Carson was about to put Gravel a lap down when David spun low in turn two. The driver of the Big Game Motorsports #2 was doing an incredible job driving and handling his car to the best of his ability with the front wing flattened from the earlier incident. He headed back to the work area where his crew was attempting to replace the front wing. He unfortunately was caught in the pits as the race went back to green before the crew was able to complete the necessary repairs.

Back to green flag racing, but before a lap could be completed Bill Rose slowed to a stop off turn two. David Gravel’s misfortunate a few minutes before quickly turned into some well-deserved Lady Luck for him and his team as and he was now able rejoined the field and tag the rear of the lead lap cars.

The field got back up to speed again as Carson continued his dominance on this night as he was racing again in clean air. The black Albaugh #41 was a rocket and the Californian was having fun driving it. Logan Schuchart was still in command of the runner-up position with James McFadden now in the mix aboard the Roth Motorsports #83. Macedo was alone at the front of the pack as McFadden raced by Schuchart to take over second.

The laps were winding down and Carson was in control. But just behind him there was a five car battle to determined positions two through six between McFadden, Schuchart, Scelzi, Schatz and Bayston. With two laps to go Carson was comfortably leading, but the show was on behind him. Logan Schuchart raced forward to take the second spot over again. With one lap to go the remaining four drivers dueled to see who would get the higher finishing spot. Donny Schatz worked the bottom and coming off turn four passed McFadden and Scelzi and was underneath Schuchart at the line coming up just short to finish third. Giovanni Scelzi rode home fourth with James McFadden rounding out the top five.

After crossing the scales, Carson Macedo pulled the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Tarlton and Son Maxim into victory lane to celebrate under the falling confetti with his JJR trusted warriors. The smiling winner at Ogilvie Raceway quickly pointed out, “My guys did an incredible job. This thing was a dream to drive. I knew I was in pretty good shape. I was trying to pace myself in lap traffic and not do anything stupid. I had an idea of where other guys were and was just trying to pace my race as best I could. Hats off to Philip Dietz, Clyde Knipp, and Nate Repetz. They gave me a hot rod there.” The win was his third WoO win and fourth overall this season. It was also his 31st career WoO win in his still young career. Another great run in the forty-one!

Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 Team Set a New Track Record and Collect the Inaugural Win at Ogilvie Raceway on Saturday Night! Photo Credit: Trent Gower Photography

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.