PODIUM RUN IN THE PIGEON HILLS: CARSON MACEDO AND THE JJR #41 TEAM RACE HARD ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND EXIT PENNSYLVANIA WITH A RUNNER-UP FINISH IN THE KEYSTONE SHOWDOWN AT LINCOLN SPEEDWAY

ABBOTTSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA (October 12, 2024) – After securing their second National Open victory together last Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway, Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team were back in Pennsylvania for the last race in the Keystone State this season with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. The traveling series and competitors returned to the Fabulous Lincoln Speedway one more time to race at the 3/8-mile dirt oval that is located in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania. The promoters and track officials were prepared and ready to host the World of Outlaws Keystone Showdown on a beautiful October Saturday evening. With mild and seasonal fall temperatures in the area with the sun shining high overhead, it was an absolutely perfect day for a sprint car race with some of the best in the business here to battle the exceptional local talent known as the Pennsylvania Posse. There was a total of 40 race teams parked throughout the pit area off turn two and down the back straightaway as the crowd of sprint car fans made their way through the ticket area and to their seats for a night of high speed entertainment at Lincoln Speedway. It was race day in the Keystone State – World of Outlaws style!

With more than 38 cars signed in at the pit shack across Kinneman Road, the entrants would be split into two equal groups for Sea Foam Qualifying to make it more balance with changing track conditions for each of the competitors. Team owner and crew chief Philip Dietz was fine tuning the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 along with Robby McQuinn and Adam Zimmerman to get the hotrod ready for their driver to work his magic. Carson Macedo climbed into his Fibreworks Composites carbon fiber seat and nestled comfortably into his Sharp Advantage custom fitted insert. He was buckled in as his Maxim Racing machine was pushed back and rolling into the staging lane. The Lemoore, California speed chauffeur would be the tenth driver to get up to speed in Group B. After Jordan Givler #90 completed his timed attempts, Carson jumped on the loud pedal as he raced towards the flagstand to start his first lap around. He whipped through the first set of turns throwing the dirt up before digging down the backstretch. Off turn four he hustled the forty-one across the start/finish line to stop the clock in 14.164 seconds. Carson continued to rip around Lincoln Speedway trying to maximize his efforts in the shortest amount of time. When he crossed underneath the waving checkered flags the numbers on the scoreboard popped up 13.956 seconds for lap two. The quicker of his two circuits ended up second quick overall in Group B behind Chase Dietz. Dietz ripped an impressive lap in 13.664 seconds in Group B to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award with Sheldon Haudenschild sitting atop the speed charts in Group A with a lap of 13.676 seconds.

The lineups for the four 10-lap heat races were compiled using each driver’s best lap in time trials. Only the top five finishers in each of the qualifying races would lock into the feature at the end of the night with the winners and runner-up finishers advancing onto the Dash. Carson would get the Scott Boyd Family/Sander Engineering/Engler Machine & Tool #41 Maxim started from the pole position in the fourth and final heat race as he paced beside Landon Crawley in the Sides Motorsports #7s. Donny Schatz #15 and Troy Wagaman Jr. #27 were behind in row two with Freddie Rahmer #8 and Chad Trout #1X in row three. Jordan Givler #90, Tim Glatfelter #69, Chris Arnold #23A, and Dallas Schott #35 filled in the remaining positions in the starting grid.

It was now time to go World of Outlaws racing under the lights at Lincoln Speedway. When the front row starters reached turn four they accelerated and carried their momentum through the first set of turns. Carson accelerated off the bottom and had the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 out front on the opening lap followed by Landon Crawley and Freddie Rahmer in the early going.

On lap 2, the first of many yellow flags was thrown for Landon Crawley who spun and backed his racecar into the outside wall. That would put Freddie Rahmer up alongside Carson for the restart with 9 laps remaining. Carson chose the inside lane and again drove the forty-one into the lead, but the start was called off when Landon Crawley spun again to slow the action.

They would try it again with the California ace doing it again leading Rahmer and Schatz into the first set of turns. The high speed action was short-lived when Jordan Givler and Dallas Schott both flipped after contact entering turn one. They were both uninjured, but their heat race competition were over.

After the accident scene was cleaned up, the engine re-fired and they realigned for the restart. Carson was back on the throttle and raced into the lead again with Rahmer and Schatz battling for the second position. Macedo had built a sizable lead, but Freddie Rahmer and Donny Schatz were still sparring for the runner-up position.

Schatz eventually wrestled the second position away, but Carson was too far out to catch him as he raced to the win by 2.968 seconds ahead of Schatz. Freddie Rahmer raced home third with Troy Wagaman Jr. and Chad Trout secure the final transfer positions out of heat race four. 

Earning his way into his 42nd Toyota Dash, Carson headed to the frontstretch to pull a pill to determine where he would start the 8-lap Dash that determines where they start the feature. There were eight spots and eight numbers. When all of the numbers were selected he would get the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Winters Performance Products/ISC Racers Tape #41 Maxim started from the fourth starting position with Kyle Reinhardt #91 to his inside. Sheldon Haudenschild #17 and Tyler Ross #5R were at the head of the field with Donny Schatz #15 and Anthony Macri #39M in row three. The final row was made up of Chase Dietz #2D and Buddy Kofoid #83. When the green flag waved it was Haudenschild into the lead with Reinhardt, Ross, Schatz, and Macedo pursuing from behind. Behind them though was a hard-charging Kofoid coming fast with a full head of steam. He raced by Macedo and Schatz and before too long took over the third spot in the running order all the way from his eighth starting spot. Sheldon Haudenschild raced to the easy victory winning by a whopping 3.909 seconds over Tyler Ross with Buddy Kofoid, Kyle Reinhardt, and Carson Macedo rounding out the top five. Anthony Macri raced home sixth, Donny Schatz came home seventh, and Chase Dietz came across the line eighth to complete the Dash finishing order.

With all of the eligible cars now locked into the 35-lap World of Outlaws Keystone Showdown feature, it was time to see who would pick up the $20,000-to-win event at Lincoln Speedway. Carson would get his quest for the victory started from the fifth starting position aboard the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/FK Rod Ends/Greber Racing Components (GRC) #41 Maxim. Sheldon Haudenschild, representing the World of Outlaws in the NOS Energy Drink #17, sat on the pole beside Tyler Ross #5R who was the proud representative of the Pennsylvania Posse in row one. They were followed by another split series affiliation row with Buddy Kofoid #83 and Kyle Reinhardt #91 in row two.

The field would go four-wide to salute all of the fans that showed up to see them show out for the last time in Pennsylvania this season. The salute to the fans formation is always impressive no matter how often you see it. It represents who did their best to this point of the night to make it to the money paying portion of the evening as they give kudos to the fans in the stands and watching on DIRTVision.

When they raced back into the two-by-two starting formation, the front row of Sheldon Haudenschild and Tyler Ross paced the field slowly in anticipation of the start when they arrived at the chalk stripe over in turn four. When they arrived the orderliness turned to high speed and exciting chaos. The driver of the NOS Energy Drink #17 led when the green came out, but the initial start was slowed when Ryan Smith #6R and Justin Whittall #23 tangled coming off turn four at the start.

They would try again with Sheldon Haudenschild jumping into the lead early before third starting Buddy Kofoid snuck under him to take the lead entering turn four on the low side with Tyler Ross behind them both watching the action unfold. Carson moved the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 into the fourth position.

The red flag came out for a multi-car crash off turn four that involved David Gravel #2, Kody Hartlaub #39, Mark Smith #19R, and Cameron Smith #75. David Gravel’s team was able to make all of the necessary repairs so he could rejoin the field, but the same was not true for the others involved as their nights were over.

The restart order would be Kofoid, Haudenschild, Ross, Macedo, Schatz and Reinhardt when the green flag came back out with 33 laps to go. Sheldon Haudenschild used his outside front row starting spot to race around the top and back into the lead with Kofoid right behind. Carson Macedo moved the forty-one into third as he maneuvered by Tyler Ross for the show position.

On lap 9 the yellow flag was back out, this time for Logan Schuchart #1s who slowed on the frontstretch with issues and pulled to the infield. Sheldon Haudenschild would bring them back up to speed again with 26 laps to go, but the roar of the engines was only temporary as the yellow flag was out again for Chad Trout who spun to a stop in turn four.

It would be a single file restart this time as Sheldon Haudenschild led the field back up to speed at Lincoln Speedway. Carson raced around the top side of the track as he was looking to carry his speed and momentum into the runner-up position. He moved by the Roth Motorsports #83 to gain the position, but the battle was far from over. The two California sensations continued to battle with the driver from Lemoore holding off the driver from Penngrove.

On lap 11, the yellow lights were back on for Matt Campbell #X who rolled to a stop off the exit of turn two with an apparent fuel leak. It would be Haudenschild, Macedo, and Kofoid up front as they mashed the loud pedal to get going with 24 laps remaining. Haudenschild had the NOS Energy Drink #17 out front with the two Cali drivers in hot pursuit. But, Donny Schatz was quietly sneaking up in the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) CARQUEST #15. Schatz passed Kofoid and now was in control of the third position.

Carson was able to stay close to the seventeen early, but Sheldon was fast in clean air and started to add to his lead lap after lap. Sheldon was working the top hard each and every lap carrying his speed. The yellow flag was out yet again, this time for Landon Crawley who sat sideways on the inside of turn four.

Race officials used this opportunity to have and Open Red to refuel the cars to insure they could finish the remainder of the race. After a quick race stoppage, the horns sounded to summon the crew members off the track before the drivers re-fired their engines.

Sheldon Haudenschild was on the point for the restart with 20 laps to go with Carson Macedo, Donny Schatz, Buddy Kofoid, and Chase Dietz directly behind the NOS Energy Drink #17. When the yellow lights dimmed and the green lights came on, Sheldon mashed the gas and raced out in front of the pack. Carson was ripping the top trying to keep pace as Donny Schatz delicately, but aggressively, made speed around the bottom.

On lap 18, Donny Schatz moved by Carson to take over the runner-up position just before the yellow flag was displayed for Brock Zearfoss’ Moose’s LZ Bar & Grill #3z who rolled to a stop after losing his brakes. It would now be Haudenschild, Schatz, and Macedo in the top three positions when they came back to the green flag with 17 laps to go.

Haudenschild stomped on the accelerator and took off with the remainder of the field chasing. With ten laps to go, it was Haudenschild, Schatz, Macedo, Kofoid, and Dietz all running in the top five with the driver of the NOS Energy Drink #17 just dominating. That would all change when the leader entered turn three and caught the outside fence sending him flipping to bring out the red flag.

Donny Schatz would inherit the lead with Macedo, Kofoid, Dietz, and Danny Dietrich now entering the mix. It would be a single file restart with 10 laps to go with the ten-time World of Outlaws champion leading the way. The champion pedaled down to fire off into the lead as Macedo and Kofoid continued their pursuit of the top spot. Carson was working the cushion with Kofoid navigating the bottom.

The driver of the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) #15 was on a mission and had a fast racecar. He led the remaining distance and took the win by 2.627 seconds over Carson Macedo who brought the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 home second. Buddy Kofoid rounded out the podium with his third place run.

On the frontstretch, Carson reflecting on his second place finish and his night of competition. He started by giving a shout out to his team, “Hats off to Philip Dietz, Adam Zimmerman, and Robby McQuinn. They gave me a great race car.” He continued, “I felt like I was really competitive the whole race. I started fifth and was able to kind of march up through there. Happy to put this JJR #41 back on the podium.”

The team will now truck back to the shop in Rocky Mount, Missouri to prepare for next weekend’s two day show at the Dirt Oval @ Route 66 in the Route 66 Showdown.

Whipping Around Lincoln Speedway in the Keystone Showdown Entertaining the Pennsylvania Fans in the Stands! Photo Credit: Cameron Saich – CS Productions

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.

Check out ShopJJR.com to buy all your new Carson Macedo and JJR gear and merchandise.