ROUNDING UP IN TEXAS: A STRONG TOP TEN RUN FOR THE COMPLETE PARTS & EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS #41 TO CLOSE OUT THE 2025 EDITION OF THE TWO-STEP EVENT AT COTTON BOWL SPEEDWAY IN THE LONE STAR STATE

PAIGE, TEXAS (March 22, 2025) – After finishing in third place on Friday to open the Federated Auto Parts Texas Two-Step show at Cotton Bowl Speedway on Friday night, Carson and his JJR #41 team were back at the track ready to go racing. Philip (Dietz), Robby (McQuinn), and Adam (Zimmerman) were already working hard getting Carson’s speed machine prepped for the night of racing. Chad and Amber Newell were out at the merchandise trailer making sure the fans got what they wanted from tee shirts to hats to anything JJR. The southern sun was peeking out all day, so the track crew was adding moisture to the surface and meticulously working it into the surface. There were 26 sprint car teams parked in the pit area. It was time to go racing gain at Cotton Bowl Speedway – World of Outlaws style!

Texas is a big state. In fact, Texas is the second largest state in the United States by both area and population. It seemed like most of that population came out to the track as it was bustling with eagerness, energy, and excitement. After pulling his numbered pill in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw, Carson would be the 22nd car out on the track to test his speed times in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. When Chris Windom #7s ended his two time trial laps, the engine fired under the hood of the Scott Boyd Family/High Performance Lubricants/Engler Machine & Tool #41 Maxim. Carson had a plan and was pushing hard to realize the speed outcome as he hustled under the waving green flag. His Hoosier Racing Tires were gripping the surface propelling him forward. He darted off turn four to stop the clock on lap one at 13.896 seconds. Peering through the shield of his Bell Helmet, Carson stayed laser focus on hitting his marks. He carried his speed and momentum throughout lap two and tripped the timing light to finish his session with a time of 14.015 seconds for lap two. His quickest lap was good enough for tenth quick overall on the speed charts with David Gravel setting a New Track Record (NTR) to pick up the Simpson Quick Time Award for the night with a lap of 13.334 seconds.

The WoO Timing and Scoring officials finalized the starting lineups for each of the three Heat races. Carson and the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 would get their 8-lap qualifying journey started from the fourth position in row two in the first and fastest Heat race. Quick timer, David Gravel, would start from the pole position with Giovanni Scelzi joining him on the front row in the KCP Racing #18. Fellow Californian Buddy Kofoid pulled his Roth Enterprises #83 to the inside of row two beside Macedo’s entry. Row three on the grid found Zach Hampton #6 and Hunter Schuerenberg #55 with Landon Crawley #17GP, John Carney #J2, and Ryder Laplante #88R occupying the spots in row four and five.

The competitors were side-by-side pacing slowly towards the waving of the green flag. The winner and the second place finisher would advance onto the Dash with positions three through six transferring directly to the feature. When the starters in the front row exited turn four, David Gravel quickly seized the top spot and pushed through the clean air just ahead of Buddy Kofoid. The air was flowing over the Vortex Racing Products wings on the JJR #41 creating the downforce needed to create speed. Carson was making tracks and not looking back from the fourth position with one lap recorded as he was tracking down Giovanni Scelzi.

The native of Lemoore, California was right there for the third position on lap two, but Scelzi still owned the position at the line. Carson had the low line secured and entered turn one low. When the two talented racers exited turn two, the forty-one now was in the show position with Gravel and Kofoid out ahead of him. When the last lap was completed, David Gravel raced to the victory with Buddy Kofoid coming home second, as those two would advance to the Toyota Dash. Carson Macedo finished third followed by Giovanni Scelzi and Zach Hampton with Hunter Schuerenberg locking down the final transfer position.

The 8-minute horn sounded to summon the teams to the track to stage for the 30-lap Federated Auto Parts Texas Two-Step feature finale. The Toyota Dash finish established the front three rows in the starting lineup. That put David Gravel #2 and Sheldon Haudenschild #17 on the front row. Sam Hafertepe Jr. #15H and Logan Schuchart #1s were in row two with Buddy Kofoid #83 and Donny Schatz #15 in row three.

Carson Macedo would get his thirty-circuit journey started aboard the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Durst/Bandy & Associates #41 Maxim from the inside of row four with Christopher Thram #24T right beside him.

All of the qualifying was behind them. It was now time to race for the Ben Franklins. After saluting the fans, it was time to go racing at Cotton Bowl Speedway in The Lone Star State! Off turn four David Gravel led the pack towards turn one in his Big Game Motorsports #2. Carson was racing amidst Donny Schatz, Sam Hafertepe Jr., and Buddy Kofoid for position behind the race leader, Sheldon Haudenschild, and Logan Schuchart.

On lap 7, Schuchart moved the Shark Racing #1s by the NOS Energy Drink #17 into the runner-up position with two slower cars between himself and the leader.

On lap 12, the yellow flag flew for Jace Park #45X and Cory Eliason who made contact in turn four sending the Eliason’s #2KS spinning in turn four. David Gravel was out front with Logan Schuchart to his outside. The green flag came back out, but was quickly replaced by another yellow flag for Conner Morrell #28M and Logan Julien #73 who made contact spinning Morrell and leaving Julien with a flat tire.

It would be Gravel, Schuchart, Kofoid, Haudenschild, Schatz, and Carson Macedo I order as they came back up to speed. The speedy action would soon come to an abrupt halt when Donny Schatz #15 lost his left rear tire causing the car to roll on its side on the inside of the back straightaway. The 10-time WoO champion was ok, but the car was too damaged to continue.

There were still 18 laps to go in the Texas Two-Step when the green flag came back out with Gravel leading the field. Logan Schuchart was still contending behind the Connecticut driver in the lead with Carson wheeling the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 from the fifth position.

The field was able to record another lap in the books before the yellow flag was back out on lap 19. Landon Crawley #17GP headed to the infield with Bill Balog #17B spinning on the frontstretch. Sam Hafertepe Jr. pulled up alongside Carson Macedo in row three for the restart as they paced slowly behind Gravel, Schuchart, Kofoid, and Haudenschild in anticipation of the green flag.

The flagman waved it as the field quickly got back up to speed. David Gravel was still showing the way as Buddy Kofoid raced by Logan Schuchart into second place. Carson was in a tight battle with Hafertepe and Haudenschild who were in front of him with Emerson Axsom pressuring him from behind.

The flagman soon held out his hand displaying his five fingers to let the drivers know there was that many laps to go. They soon would be able to catch their breath though as the yellow flag was back out, this time for Conner Morrell again as he spun into the infield. It would be a five-lap dash to the finish with the winner being awarded with a $12,000 check.

David Gravel is red-hot and led each one of the remaining laps without being contested as he crossed the finish line ahead of Buddy Kofoid and Sam Hafertepe Jr. who rounded out the podium positions. Logan Schuchart faded late to come home fourth with Sheldon Haudenschild rounding out the top five.

Carson Macedo was scored sixth with his brother Cole Macedo wheeling the Two C Racing #2c to a seventh place finish. Garet Williamson finished eighth with Emerson Axsom and Hunter Schuerenberg completing the top ten. The team always has a goal of winning but on this night of competition, the sixth spot was the best they could do after battling all night. Another good run for Macedo and the forty-one team.

Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) team will be back on the track, and live streamed on DIRTVision, next Friday night (May 28) at Lawton Speedway in Oklahoma for the Sooner State Showdown.

A Top 10 Run for Carson Macedo and the Forty-One at the Texas Two-Step Finale! 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.

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.