RIPPING TO END MAY: CLOSING OUT THE WORLD OF OUTLAWS INITIAL VISIT TO NORTH DAKOTA AT RED RIVER VALLEY SPEEDWAY IN THE RUMBLE ON THE RED WITH A RESPECTABLE TOP FIVE RUN IN THE ALBAUGH #41

WEST FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA (May 31, 2025) – Every year it is always refreshing for the World of Outlaws traveling tour of stars to come to North Dakota for the First Leg of the Northern Tour at River Cities Speedway and Red River Valley Speedway. On Friday night, Carson Macedo was up on the wheel in Grand Forks racing to a sixth place finish at the Don Mack Classic at River Cities Speedway. On Saturday, the team would travel south to put on another exciting show at Red River Valley Speedway in the Rumble on the Red presented by Ellingston. When the World of Outlaws traveling tour of speed stars visit this three-eighths mile, semi-banked oval they always deliver a show worth more than the price of admission. Last year Carson and the JJR #41 team walked away with the win. There were 30 competitive sprint car teams lined up in the pit area ready to rumble in the Peace Garden State. It was time to go racing in North Dakota.

After drawing a number in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw the drivers were all slotted in the time trial lineup for Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. That put the Durst/Scott Boyd Family/Engler Machine & Tool, Inc. #41 Maxim with Carson Macedo behind the wheel as the second to last car out on the track for his two-lap excursion. He buckled his Crow Enterprizes safety belts and was ready to go in the staging area. With the assistance of a push truck his Kistler Engines power awoke, and he went to work. He was up to speed when he took the green flag and carried his speed through the first set of turns. After hustling down the back straightaway, Carson navigated through turns three and four before stopping the clock on lap one at 12.306 seconds. The California driver kept his right foot planted to carry his speed around Red River Valley a second time. The numbers were still rolling on the clock and so was Carson. This time when he raced off turn four, the driver of the forty-one entry saw the checkered flag waving to stop the clock in 12.443 seconds. The quicker of his two attempts was the first lap which positioned him fourth quick overall when qualifying concluded. Giovanni Scelzi wheeling the KCP Racing/Aspen Aire #18 earned the Simpson Quick Time Award showing off his speed and skills with a lap of 12.281 seconds.

Each driver’s best time in time trial qualifying positioned them respectively in one of the three 8-lap Heat races on the race agenda for the night. There were only six coveted transfer positions up for grabs in each race, so the drivers knew they would need to be on their game from the drop of the green flag until the checkered flag flew. Carson would start from the outside of the front row from the second starting spot in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Boltz Family/T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication #41. Quick timer on the night, Giovanni Scelzi, would join him as they paced directly in front of Michael Kofoid #83 and Tim Kaeding #3. The top four starters were all Californians, but row three was made up of Canadian Skylar Gee #99 and Jade Hastings #8H from North Dakota. Pacing behind in row four was Jy Corbett #25 and Jacob Peterson #80P with Weston Olson #27 and Alex Truscinski #10 in row five.

The field of competitors were pacing slowly side-by-side as they headed into turn three. When the front row starters reached the chalk stripe in turn four it became all business. Carson ripped when they got permission signal and took the early lead cruising the high line ahead of Scelzi who was working the bottom of the track. Carson led the first lap and was on a mission out in the clean air. He was powering around using his Kistler Engines power hitting his marks around Red River Valley Speedway. Carson led wire-to-wire taking the win by 1.142 seconds over Giovanni Scelzi with Tim Kaeding, Michael Kofoid, Skylar Gee, and Jy Corbett secure the last four transfer spots.

Carson was one of six competitors to move onto the 6-lap Toyota Dash to battle for their starting spots in the feature. Where they would finish in the Dash is where they would start the feature event. The driver of the forty-one would draw the highest pill to put him in the sixth starting spot on the outside of Giovanni Scelzi again in row three. Sheldon Haudenschild #17 would be on the pole flanked by Donny Schatz #15. Sandwiched in between row one and row three was Christopher Thram #24T and David Gravel #2 in the second row. When the green flag waved it was Donny Schatz to the lead ahead of Haudenschild as Carson moved into fifth ahead of Scelzi. The next time by the driver of the Albaugh #41 moved by Christopher Thram to take over the fourth spot with Schatz, Haudenschild, and Gravel just ahead of him. The six laps dwindled quickly with Schatz taking the win over Haudenschild with Gravel and Macedo behind them as Thram and Scelzi completed the finishing order.

With the qualifying portion of show now behind them, the drivers and teams were busy readying for the money paying portion of the show – the 30-lap Rumble on the Red presented by Ellingston feature. The grandstands were bustling with anticipation. The horn sounded indicating there were eight minutes remaining for the teams to get their cars pushed out on the track to stage for the money paying race ahead.

The front row starters were Donny Schatz in the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) #15 and the always formidable Sheldon Haudenschild aboard the slick looking NOS Energy Drink #17 followed by David Gravel in the Huset’s Speedway/JRC Transportation #2 and Carson Macedo in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Border International/Schoenfeld Headers #41 Maxim in row two.

The field of drivers fanned out four wide to say thank you for all the fans in the stands before the racing began at this beautiful North Dakota facility. The drivers re-aligned in the traditional side-by-side starting formation anticipating the green flag coming out the next time by. When polesitter Donny Schatz saw the green flag come out he dropped the hammer.

It was outside front row starter Sheldon Haudenschild jumping into the early lead as he showed the way ahead of Schatz, Gravel, and Macedo during the opening circuit racing in clean air. The trip behind him had a tall task not only trying to track the leader down but also racing with each other for track position.

The racing was clean and green during the first ten circuits with Haudenschild out front and Schatz closing the gap as Gravel was running third. Carson though had his hands full as Tim Kaeding was pressuring him for the fourth spot. The two California chauffeurs were dueling with Kaeding making his way by Macedo on lap 10.

Another California star, Giovanni Scelzi, was also coming fast and was on Carson’s rear nerf bar pressing him for the last spot in the top five. On lap 13, Scelzi made his way by Macedo who was now running sixth. Carson did not like that and returned the favor as he moved the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) #41 back by Scelzi the next time by to move back into the top five.

Carson now had his sights set on getting back by Tim Kaeding’s Lunstra Motorsports/Acres Away Ag #3. He was closing and one lap after the halfway point of the race he moved back into the fourth position. Haudenschild was still out in front of the pack with Schatz and Gravel behind him with bated breath still giving chase as the leaders began navigating lap traffic.

The top five with 20 laps in the books was Haudenschild, Schatz, Gravel, Macedo, and Kaeding. There were ten laps remaining and a lot of racing to go. Schatz closed in on the leader, but Gravel maneuvered by to claim the runner-up position. Giovanni Scelzi also passed Tim Kaeding to move into the fifth position.

Sheldon Haudenschild took the race win with David Gravel and Donny Schatz completing the podium. Carson Macedo brough the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 home fourth with Giovanni Scelzi rounding out the top five at Red River Valley Speedway. Another good run for Macedo and the forty-one! The team will be back in action on Wednesday night at the Jackson Motorplex in the Jackson FENDT Showdown. Catch all the action on DIRTVision.

Roosting Up the Dirt at Red River Valley Speedway World of Outlaws Style! Photo Credit: Cameron Saich – CS Productions

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; 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.

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