PIT GATES OPENED AT KNOXVILLE: CARSON WAS DRIVING THE ALBAUGH – YOUR ALTERNATIVE #41 FORWARD BEFORE HIS EFFORTS WERE THWARTED TO END HIS NIGHT IN THE PREMIER CHEVY DEALERS CLASH AT KNOXVILLE RACEWAY

KNOXVILLE, IOWA (April 19, 2025) – After the storms rolled through the area on Thursday night, the calendar flipped with the clock at midnight to the day everyone had circled. The world became a little better place on Friday, at least for those who trekked to Iowa, as the gates opened at Knoxville Raceway for the first time in the 2025 season. The prestigious track welcomed the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, the stout Knoxville regular competitors, and many of the top teams from across the country to open their season with the first night of the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash under ominous grey skies. They were hoping to get the show in the books as the haulers were already in the pit area. But Mother Nature had different ideas as rain and a persistent mist coupled with dropping temperatures canceled the first night of racing.

While not the end of the world as those in the area could spend time at Dingus Lounge, now it was Saturday that would made everything better in the world – hopefully – for those at Knoxville Raceway. This sanctuary of speed is incredibly special. Knoxville holds such a deep and rich history surrounding sprint car racing. Throughout the years. Knoxville Raceway has continued to grow into one of the preeminent racing facilities in the country. The scenery around “The Sprint Car Capital of the World” changed a bit since the final checkers flew in 2024 with the beautiful new addition of the Dennis Albaugh Suite Tower erected outside turn two beside the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (NSCHoF). It was dedicated and supported by an enthusiastic, driven Iowa native – Dennis Albaugh – who through hard work, dedication and the relentless pursuit of excellence built Albaugh, LLC into the worldwide success it is today, all while maintaining his love for cars and as a supporter of sprint car racing.

Dennis welcomed family and friends into the new suite high overhead in turn two to watch many of the best sprint car teams and drivers open Knoxville Raceway’s new season. There were sixty-five incredibly competitive race teams packed into the infield pit area to put a show on for everyone in attendance. It was time to go racing at Knoxville Raceway!

With a huge field on hand, the gaggle of teams split into two groups for Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying arranged set to go out based on the number they drew in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw. Time trials is such an important part of the race format as it sets the varying strategies for each driver and team depending on how they perform in the speed test portion of the show. Carson Macedo was slated to be the twenty-seventh driver to hit the big half mile piloting the black and green Albaugh – Your Alternative/Prime Composite Innovations/Vortex Racing Products #41 Maxim. There would be two cars out on the track to race against the clock. He pushed off and wound the Kistler Racing Engines power up as he lowered his right foot. Jacob Peterson #80P joined Carson out on the track. Carson was up to speed as he raced under the waving green flag to start his two laps. He navigated through one and two before hustling down the back straightaway. Carson was digging off turn four and tripped the timing light in 16.006 seconds to end his first lap. The 2019 World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year was not done with his work yet though as Carson carried his speed back into turn one hoping to deliver a quicker time on lap two. He completed the second circuit in 15.610 seconds, which was faster than the first lap. The quicker of his two attempts was 14th quick overall in Flight 1.The Simpson Quick Time Award recipient on the opening night of the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash at Knoxville Race was Rico Abreu in the Rothwell Hyde Napa Valley #24 at 15.202 seconds out of Flight 1. The fastest driver out of Flight 2 was Aaron Reutzel #87 with a lap of 15.717 seconds.

The starting lineups for the first five rows in each of the four 8-lap Heat races reflected the top twenty drivers in each of the qualifying sessions for time trials. There were only five coveted transfer spots up for grabs and every driver was eager to secure one of those positions. That aligned the Albaugh #41 with Carson Macedo behind the wheel on the inside of row four of the Real American Beer Heat #2 pacing beside Ayrton Gennetten #3. Emerson Axsom #27 and Tyler Courtney #7BC sat on the front row with Ryan Timms #10 and Spencer Bayston #14 in row two. Row three was made up by Kerry Madsen #55V and Cory Eliason #2KS. Gage Pulkrabek #G5 and Zach Hampton #6 were in row five with Skylar Gee #99 tagging the rear of the field out of the non-qualifiers race.

The field of cars was side-by-side as they came through turns three and four. At the chalk stripe Emerson Axsom pedaled down and raced into the lead down the long frontstretch as he powered into turn one ahead of Tyler Courtney. Carson quickly moved into the sixth position and started pressuring Kerry Madsen for the fifth and final transfer spot. The heat was on. Carson looked underneath him, but it was not the right time. He peaked high, but just could not mustard up enough speed to make the pass as Madsen’s car started to billow some smoke.

Carson continued to attempt a pass, but Madsen was not having any of it. Emerson Axsom raced to the win by 1.758 seconds ahead of Tyler Courtney with Ryan Timms and Spencer Bayston following. Kerry Madsen raced across the finish line to gain the fifth and final transfer position as Carson brought the Tarlton and Son/Pro Powder Coating (PPC)/KSE Racing Products #41 Maxim home sixth.

After missing the final transfer spot in qualifying action relegated Carson Macedo to the 12-lap Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown where he would start from the fifth position with only four transfer spots up for grabs. The lineup shuffled after outside front row starter, Tasker Phillips #1, could not make the start after a nasty flip down the backstretch. J.J. Hickle #2M and Chase Randall #9 now made up the front row with Bill Balog #17B pulling to the inside of Macedo in row two. When the green flag waved it was Hickle checking out on the field early with Randall trying to keep pace. Carson raced into the show position with Balog not too far behind. J.J. Hickle in the Phillips’ Floors/Academy Roofing #2M would not be denied as he picked up the win crossing the finish line ahead of Randall, Macedo, and Balog. Those four drivers would advance onto the A-Main and start in positions twenty through twenty-four.

The sixty-five total entries whittled down to just 28 A-Main starters, including four drivers who needed to use provisional starting spots to gain access into the field, for the 25-lap Premier Chevy Dealers Clash feature event at Knoxville Raceway’s hallowed grounds.

Carson climbed into his office and buckled into the Albaugh – Your Alternative/FK Rod Ends/Border International #41 Maxim. He was ready to go as he pulled on his K1 Race Gear gloves and headed towards the staging lane to push off. Carson would begin from the twenty-third starting spot in row twelve sharing the row with Bill Balog #17B on his outside.

The winner of the Toyota Dash, Logan Schuchart in Drydene #1s, was on the pole. He shared the front row with Aaron Reutzel #87. Rico Abreu #24 and Tyler Courtney #7BC paired up in row two with Giovanni Scelzi #18 and Brian Brown #21 side-by-side in row three. A pair of twenty-sevens – Emerson Axsom #27 and Carson McCarl #27M – shared row four.

After the impressive field of talent went four-wide to show their appreciation for the fans in the stands and tuning in on DIRTVision, it was time to get down to business at Knoxville Raceway. The green flag waved as Aaron Reutzel drove into the lead with Logan Schuchart sticking with him hounding him so he could stay in contention for the top spot.

Carson gained two spots on the initial lap and was determined to drive forward in the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Walker Performance Filtration/Smith TI #41. By the end of the second time around he had picked up two more spots and was now inside the top twenty.

Not done yet, the California wheelman was still on the move. With ten laps in the books, Carson was now running in the fifteenth spot and still looking for more with Ryan Timms, Spencer Bayston, and Brad Sweet just ahead of him.

On lap 12, the first caution of the feature came out when Parker Price-Miller #71 got over the inside berm in turn four and darted up across the track collecting Donny Schatz.

When they went back to green flag racing, Carson moved up to fourteenth in the running order but was in the middle of all-out chaos. He was in the middle with Cole Macedo in the TwoC Racing entry to the inside and Spencer Bayston in the Sander Engineering #14 to his outside. The forty-one and fourteen touched going down the front straightaway collapsing Macedo front wing and breaking the front axle. Carson headed to the work area, but after the two-minutes expired his drive forward was over . . . and, unfortunately, so was his night. Carson was scored with a 27th place finish and recognized with the Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race. A tough pill to swallow after his focus forward throughout the feature.

Rico Abreu held off the late race charges by Kyle Larson to collect the win with Logan Schuchart rounding out the podium spots. Tyler Courtney came home fourth with Aaron Reutzel rounding out the top five.

Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team will be back on the track next Friday night at Jacksonville Speedway over in Illinois for the Hy-Vee Perks 40. Be sure to tune into DIRTVision to catch the exciting bullring action if you cannot be at the track!

A Tough Pill to Swallow at Knoxville Raceway During at the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash! Photo Credit: Blackbeard

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.