PUSHING FORWARD AT ELDORA: RACING AROUND THE HIGH BANKS OF “THE BIG E” TO OPEN THE #LETSRACETWO WEEKEND RESULTS IN A TOP TEN RUN FOR CARSON MACEDO AND THE MESILLA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION (MVT) #41

ROSSBURG, OHIO (May 2, 2025) – After battling last weekend on two impressive bullrings at Jacksonville Speedway and Tri-State Speedway, Carson Macedo, and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team traveled East and were ready to unleash the power at Eldora Speedway’s fast half-mile speed plant. “The House that Earl Built” in Northwest Ohio never disappoints when the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series comes to town. The USAC Sprint Cars joined the World of Outlaws at the track, which always produce amazing wingless action. When the gate opened on the back straightaway, 34 haulers with winged sprint cars drove down the banking into the infield pit area. Once parked, the race teams unlocked and lowered the back gates of their trailers to roll out each of their speed machines. It was the first of two nights of racing in the traditional #LetsRaceTwo event at Eldora Speedway for the World of Outlaws and USAC Sprint Cars.

With less than 38 teams registered, the field of competitors would compete as one group in time trials for Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. Where each driver would go out in their group was determined by the numbered pill they had drawn in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw. For Carson Macedo, that meant he would have to be patient as he pulled a high numbered pill. He would be the 33rd driver to smash the accelerators around the big half-mile oval. Logan Schuchart in the Drydene/Shark Racing #1s from Hanover, Pennsylvania joined Carson out on the racing surface for two-car qualifying. The Lemoore, California wheelman blasted off turn four and raced under the waving green flag as the numbers started to roll on the stopwatch. There is no grace at this place. The bottom had some stickiness early in the session, but the track was changing with each set of cars on the track. Drivers must hit every mark, and the teams must have their machines setup and tuned in perfectly to produce optimal results. When Carson exited turn four again, he charged towards the waving white flag. His first lap was recorded in 13.541 seconds. Not done yet, Carson carried his speed and momentum through the first set of turns and down the back straightaway one last time. He hustled through turns three and four and crossed the finish line on his second lap in 13.463 seconds. The faster of his two attempts positioned him 25th quick overall. Series point leader David Gravel in the Big Game Motorsports #2 turned the quickest lap of the night to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award showing off his speed and consistency with a lap of 13.093 seconds.

The World of Outlaws Timing and Scoring officials quickly went to work to structure the starting lineups for each of the four 8-lap Heat races. The fastest drivers in qualifying would start up front of these races with everyone else forced to chase them. The driver of the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/BR Motorsports/Wilwood Racing #41 Maxim would have his work cut out as he would have to pursue one of those coveted transfer positions starting from the seventh starting spot in NOS Energy Drink Heat #1. Tanner Holmes pulled the California-based, black, and gold Tarlton and Son #21 to the outside of the forty-one in row four. Quick timer David Gravel #2 pulled into the pole position with Buddy Kofoid #83 to his outside. The two speedsters were following in row two by Hunter Schuerenberg #55 and Jimmy Light #23L. Row three was comprised of Kalib Henry #101 and Skylar Gee #99 with Kasey Jedrzejek #11N pacing along back in row five.

Five rows of eager racers as the field of talented athletes worked their way towards turn four. When the front of the field arrived at the chalk stripe, Gravel dropped his right foot and accelerated up to speed in the Huset’s Speedway/JRC Transportation #2. Everyone was in chase mode as Tanner Holmes and Carson moved quickly into the fifth and sixth spots displacing Skylar Gee and Kalib Henry.

Carson was still one spot out of a transfer position. He was following Holmes who had a fast hot rod and moved into the third position on lap three. Carson was racing with Jimmy Light who was ripping the top side. Macedo drove hard into the bottom entering turn three and stuck it to create speed. He carried that off turn four into the fifth and final transfer spot.

David Gravel checked out at the front of the pack with over a two second lead on Kofoid. Carson though was hoping to have a chance at the show position as third running Tanner Holmes and fourth running Hunter Schuerenberg were within striking distance. With a limited number of laps left the pursuit continued.

The race leader never looked back taking the win in the first Heat race crossing the finish line ahead of Buddy Kofoid. Hunter Schuerenberg got by Tanner Holmes to finish third, with Holmes and Carson rounding out the top five to earn the eligible transfer positions.

The 8-minute horn sounded indicating it was soon time to highlight the 30-lap #LetsRaceTwo opening night feature at “The Big E.” Twenty-four drivers earned a starting spot in the race with an opportunity to pocket $12,000 if they won the race. Carson Macedo climbed into the cockpit of the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Kistler Racing Engines/Greber Racing Components (GRC) #41 Maxim primed and ready to compete. He would get this high-speed affair started from the inside of row nine pacing alongside Chris Windom in the Sides Motorsports/NOS Energy Drink #7s.

The front four rows of the starting lineup reflected the finishing order in the Toyota Dash. David Gravel #2 and Sheldon Haudenschild #17 paired up in the front row with Zach Hampton #6 and Giovanni Scelzi #18 together in row two. Bill Balog #17B and Buddy Kofoid earned the honor in row three with Kelby Watt #1K and Ashton Torgerson #1a locking down the two spots in row four.

After the World of Outlaws honorary four-wide salute to the fans, the field realigned in their starting positions side-by-side. They were pacing slowly in anticipation for the signal to let ‘er rip, but Ashton Torgerson who was scheduled to start eighth had mechanical issues that forced him to visit the work area. That relegated him to the back of the field as the starting lineup shuffled.

When the front row starters reached the chalk stripe laid down across turn four the leaders were hammer down as the engines under the hood sang a new tune down the frontstretch and into turn one. The song was a brief one as the yellow flag came out for a false start as it was determined that Carson was too high and started too soon on the initial start. Penalized two starting positions in the restart order put Carson back a row as the field would try it again.

This time David Gravel hustled back into the clean air and led the opening lap with Zach Hampton flexing his muscles in the Bill Rose #6 on the low side to drive into the runner-up position ahead of Haudenschild and Balog.

Carson was determined and quickly on the move piloting the Albaugh #41 from the 14th position in the running order after picking up four spots on the opening lap. His younger brother Cole Macedo was directly in front of him in the TwoC Racing entry as the siblings were looking for a path to the front of the field.

Carson was on a methodical journey at speed. On lap 3, he picked up a spot in the running order when he moved by Brady Bacon #21. Two laps later he gained another position passing Kelby Watt #1K. Then he made his way into the eleventh spot when he passed Garet Williamson #23.

Cole Macedo and Bill Balog were directly ahead of him racing hard. Carson was closing on lap 10 when the yellow flag displayed for Balog who had a broken front end and was sitting sideways in turn one. Carson would restart from one spot out of the top ten when racing resumed.

David Gravel brought the field of cars back up to power as he continued to lead the race with Hampton, Haudenschild, and Scelzi all trying to keep pace. Carson had a good restart and so did Cole. Carson moved into the top ten with Cole driving all the way up to sixth place.

At the hallway point of the race, fifteen laps in/fifteen laps to go, David Gravel was still out front with a commanding lead ahead of Hampton, Schatz, Haudenschild, and Cole Macedo. Carson was running in the tenth position battling with Parker Price-Miller #71. Both drivers would continue to advance forward with Carson up to ninth place with ten laps to go when he moved by the NOS Energy Drink #17 driven by Sheldon Haudenschild.

Carson would continue to race hard over the last five miles to bring home a solid eighth place finish after starting way back in the pack and driving forward in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41. David Gravel went uncontested to pick up the win, his series leading sixth of the season, with Donny Schatz coming home second and Cole Macedo standing on the last step of the podium with an impressive third place run.

The drivers and teams just beat Mother Nature as it started to rain as Gravel celebrated in victory lane. They will all be back at the track on Saturday night for the back end of the #LetsRaceTwo weekend assuming Mother Nature cooperates. If you are not at Eldora Speedway, watch the exciting World of Outlaws action on DIRTVision.

A Little Extra Work Needed to Open the #LetsRaceTwo at Eldora Speedway on Night One! Photo Credit: Trent Gower Photography

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.

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