PUSHING THE LIMITS AT LAKESIDE: A HARD NIGHT OF WORK RESULTS IN MACEDO DRIVING FORWARD 20 SPOTS TO COLLECT A RUNNER-UP FINISH IN THE HEARTLAND OF AMERICA HIGH LIMIT SPRINT CAR SERIES MID-WEEK RACE

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS (April 11, 2023) – In a deviation from the normal weekly routine coming off a busy weekend of World of Outlaws competition, the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team of Philip Dietz, Carson Macedo, Clyde Knipp, and Nathan Repetz were at Lakeside Speedway for Shane Stewart’s Heartland of America Showdown $50,000-to-win High Limit Sprint Car Series race on Tuesday night. The High Limit Sprint Car Series, which was launched by Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet back in the summer of 2022, brings together a limited, but potent, mid-week race schedule combined with big money for these traveling stars of the sport of sprint car racing. The excitement in the air could be felt both in the pit area and as the crowd made their way into the speed arena that sits off Wolcott Drive in Kansas City, Kansas just off the banks of the Missouri River. There was a whopping 56 race teams preparing for the night of action at Lakeside Speedway with a $50,000 paycheck awaiting the winner.

For time trials the large field of competitors was split into two equal groups for qualifying with Carson Macedo slated to be the 23rd car out as part of two car qualifying in Group A. Time trials kicked off around this fast racing venue but was paused just after the midway point of Group A for an accident. After a lengthy delay that required extended assistance for Jake Neuman, who was alert and transported to a local hospital for further observation, the engines re-fired and time trials continued. Carson pushed off in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Liquid Trucking/Premium Coach Group #41 Maxim and tripped the clock when he crossed the starting line. He was working hard inside the cockpit and when he completed his first lap the clock showed 14.863 seconds. Carson maintained his momentum and raced forward looking to pick up some time on lap two. When he rolled under the checkers he improved his time to 14.794 seconds, which ended up 13th quick overall out of Group A.

His best time trial lap put him deep in the starting lineup for the first of four 8-lap heat races where only the top five finishers transferred to the high paying feature event. Quick timer of the night, Austin McCarl would start from the pole position with Justin Sanders to his outside. Brad Sweet and Giovanni Scelzi were in row two with Alex Bowman and Ian Madsen pacing behind in the third row. Carson Macedo pulled the Tarlton and Son/Mark Burch Motorsports/BMRS (Brown & Miller Racing Solutions) #41 into his seventh starting spot beside Dylan Westbrook in row four. The remainder of the starting lineup was made up of Ryan Timms, Justin Peck and Blake Hahn. At the drop of the green flag it was Austin McCarl to the lead with Scelzi and Sanders giving chase. Carson moved the Albaugh #41 into sixth in the early stages of the race before a red flag was displayed for Dylan Westbrook who flipped in turn two and collected Ryan Timms. When the drivers went back racing it was McCarl, Scelzi, Sanders and Sweet battling for position with Macedo wheeling the forty-one as he pressured Ian Madsen for the fifth and final transfer position. He would make the pass for the spot on the track, but both Madsen and Peck were right there looking to take it back from the Lemoore, California chauffeur. At the halfway point of the heat race, Justin Peck drove the Buch #13 by Macedo and now was in control of the final transfer spot. Carson, with his front nose wing lying flat on the hood, continued to fight hard and made his way back by Peck for position. Now Macedo held the coveted position, but Justin Peck was working the low side hard and as the two talented racers came to the waving white flag Peck snuck back by Macedo entering turn one. Austin McCarl would go on to take the win over Brad Sweet, Giovanni Scelzi, and Justin Sanders with Justin Peck locking down the fifth and final transfer position. Carson Macedo rode home sixth in the Albaugh #41.

Missing out by one position in his heat race, Carson would run the 12 lap B-Main where he would start third with only the top four finishers earning a spot in the $50,000-to-win A-Main feature. Conner Morrell and JJ Hickle were on the front row with Carson Macedo and Brent Marks in row two, Cole Macedo and Ayrton Gennetten in row three, and Ian Madsen and Hunter Schuerenberg in row four. When the green flag dropped it was Morrell, Hickle and Marks with Carson aboard the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Durst/Engler Machine & Tool #41 Maxim right behind in turn one. Macedo was working the top side and when he exited turn two he remarkably weaved his way by Marks and Hickle before pulling to the outside of Morrell right at the flag stand before taking the lead in turn one. The pass for the lead though was negated though as JJ Hickle and Hunter Schuerenberg made contact on the backstretch bringing out the yellow reverting the restart lineup back to the completed lap one order. When they returned to action Morrell held the lead in clean air over Carson who was able to keep pace, but the action was slowed again when Tim Shaffer spun out. The field restarted and Morrell did a good job maintaining the top spot with Carson Macedo driving the Albaugh #41 hard right behind. Conner Morrell would outlast the field to take the win followed across the finish line by Carson Macedo and Brent Marks with Ian Madsen securing the final transfer position of the night.

The field was now set for the 30-lap, $50,000-to-win Heartland in America Showdown High limit Sprint Car Series feature at Lakeside Speedway. Carson Macedo would get started from really deep in the field from the 22nd starting position. Tyler Courtney and Donny Schatz would lead the field from the front row as the 24 car field saluted the fans in the packed grandstands at Lakeside Speedway. When the green flag waved overhead it was Tyler Courtney to the lead over Donny Schatz. Carson quickly picked up two spots up and was running in the 20th position aboard the Boltz Family/Meyers Constructors/Walker Performance Filtration #41 Maxim. The racing action was fast and furious.

On lap 8, the engines slowed under yellow flag conditions for a three-car accident involving Scott Bogucki, Ian Madsen and Conner Morrell. When the loaded field of stars got rolling again Tyler Courtney was now dealing with the red-hot Rico Abreu who was charging hard working the cushion. Abreu wanted what Courtney had – the lead. Rico Abreu got it on lap ten and was moving at the front of the pack in his white #24. Meanwhile, Carson picked up two more positions on the restart and astutely began his workmanlike effort to move forward with each passing lap. By lap 13 he had moved the Albaugh #41 into the top 15 when a yellow was displayed one lap later regrouping the field.

It was the top five of Rico Abreu, Tyler Courtney, Spencer Bayston, David Gravel and Donny Schatz bringing the field back to the green flag. Carson Macedo quickly went back to work picking up a number of positions on the track by the time the next lap was completed. He was now inside the top ten running in 8th place and digging for more as the JJR #41 was fast. Carson was showcasing his talent and tenacity from the comfort of his Fibreworks Composite seat with a custom Sharp Advantage insert. Carson was in “all-out” assault mode. He wasn’t done yet though as he moved forward into the sixth position on lap 24, just before the yellow flag was thrown again for a slowing Chase Randall. Things got even more interesting when problems evolved for the race leader, Rico Abreu, who had a flat right rear tire and headed pit side.

With 5 laps to go, Carson would restart from the fifth position with Giovanni Scelzi inheriting the lead followed by McCarl, Courtney and Gravel. They went back to green and Scelzi raced off with the lead. Carson moved the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) #41 into fourth and was now working directly behind Tyler Courtney and David Gravel. With two laps to go, the Lemoore, California hotshoe made a 2-car pass to move on his fellow competitors into the runner-up spot and quickly started to close the gap on Scelzi in the top spot.

On the final lap, it was Scelzi ahead of Macedo, Courtney and Gravel with Kyle Larson who had raced his way into the top five. Giovanni Scelzi was exiting turn four on the final lap when a caution was thrown for debris (a pylon from the infield) on the track giving Macedo one last chance on the green-white-checkered restart to steal the win. The lights turned green one last time, but Giovanni Scelzi would not be denied as he raced to the $50,000 win over Carson Macedo, Tyler Courtney, David Gravel and Kyle Larson.

It was one heck of recovery for Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 team who never gave up all night here at Lakeside Speedway in their first High Limit Sprint Car Series race. Their 22nd to 2nd run to the front was simply amazing and a lot of fun to watch earning them the Tezos Hard Charger Award for the night. In addition to his purse winnings he earned for his second place finish, Carson earned another $100 per car passed netting him an extra $2,000 for his runner-up effort. During his interview on the frontstretch, Carson stated, “My racecar was incredible there. We (the entire JJR #41 team) fought all night to find our balance.” He continued, “I was able to rotate off the bottom and get a good run off the turns. I passed a lot of cars on the bottom.” Indeed he did resulting in another great run for Macedo and the Albaugh – Your Alternative forty-one!

A Strong Run Forward for the JJR #41 Team in Shane Stewart’s Heartland of America Showdown High Limit Sprint Car Series Race! Photo Credit: High Limit

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.