SHUFFLED BACK AT SHARON: A CHALLENGING NIGHT IN EASTERN OHIO AS MECHANICAL TROUBLES SIDELINE THE FORTY-ONE TEAM EARLY IN THE FEATURE AT SHARON SPEEDWAY RESULTING IN A 22ND PLACE FINISH

HARTFORD, OHIO (September 24, 2022) – When the black and white checkered flag flew over the feature at Eldora Speedway on Friday evening, Carson Macedo and the JJR #41 team did not have a lot of time to reflect on their fifth place finish as they prepared to travel from the northwest part of the Buckeye State over to the eastern side to Dave Blaney’s Sharon Speedway for the WoO sanctioned race there on Saturday night. On the schedule this was intended to be the WoO’s second stop at the track, but the May race was canceled due to Mother Nature. Sharon’s reconfigured 3/8-mile track has produced some exciting outcomes and is a race the drivers on the tour look forward to competing at when races are scheduled there. Last year when the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car Series stopped here, Carson was able to secure a podium finish with a third place run behind Dave Blaney and Sheldon Haudenschild which featured an exciting ending. He was looking to replicate that type of performance as 35 teams were registered throughout the pit area to shuffle the deck and go after the $10,000 share of the purse that goes to the winner. It was race day at Sharon Speedway!

The time trial lineup for My Place Hotels Qualifying was posted about one hour before the scheduled event start time with hot laps. Carson Macedo would be the 32nd speed athlete to stand on the gas in qualifying. Each driver would have two laps around the track with the same goal – circle the oval in the least amount of time. When Brett Brunkenhoefer finished his two laps against the clock, Carson rolled onto the track in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads/Winter Performance Products #41 Maxim. He raced under the waving green flag and was searching for the best line to turn the quickest lap. He raced around the top of the track through the first set of turns and replicated that line in the last set of turns. His WELD Racing wheels were churning his Hoosier Racing Tires as he navigated the technical track. He completed lap one in 13.583 seconds, following that up with a lap of 13.747 seconds the second go ‘round after making contact with the outside wall through turns three and four. The quicker of his two circuits placed him sixth overall when time trials concluded with Ohio native and speedster Sheldon Haudenschild setting the fastest lap of the night in the NOS Energy Drink #17 at 13.349 seconds.

World of Outlaws Timing and Scoring officials used the time trial results to establish the starting lineups for the four 8-lap heat races. The driver of the JJR #41 would begin the second heat race from the outside of the front row aboard the Boltz Family/Durst Inc./Team Jack Foundation #41 with David Gravel’s Big Game Motorsports #2 to his inside on the pole. Noah Gass and Dale Blaney rolled from the second row with Bob Felmlee, George Hobaugh, Brandon Matus, Darren Pifer and David Kalb pacing behind. When the green flag waved over the field it was David Gravel to the top spot with Carson right behind. Macedo was staying close to the #2 car as the top two drivers started to pull away from the field with Gass, Blaney and Hobaugh running in positions three through five. David Gravel would not be denied as he race to the heat race win over Carson Macedo by 1.526 seconds with Noah Gass coming home third, Dale Blaney fourth, and George Hobaugh rounding out the top five.

The top two finishers from each heat race earned a spot in the 6-lap DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash. They would draw for position where luck, both good and bad, comes into play. Donny Schatz and Brad Sweet were the lucky ones as they would start on the front row. David Gravel and Brock Zearfoss were the unlucky ones, at least from a draw perspective, as they would start in row four. Sheldon Haudenschild, James McFadden, Spencer Bayston and Carson Macedo were sandwiched in the middle two rows to start the dash. These six laps usually fly by, but on the opening lap Zearfoss’ bad luck was magnified as they yellow was thrown for him as the came to a stop with a broken front end. When they went back to green, Donny Schatz held the four-leaf clover as he drove into the lead over Sweet, McFadden and Haudenschild. The bad luck shifted to Carson Macedo on lap 4, when the yellow was thrown for him as he slowed on the frontstretch with mechanical woes ending his dash run in the Liquid Trucking/Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/Greber Racing Components (GRC) #41 Maxim. When they got back up to speed, Donny Schatz raced the TSR #15 to the win over the last two laps as he crossed the finish line ahead of Brad Sweet, James McFadden, David Gravel, Sheldon Haudenschild and Spencer Bayston with Carson Macedo and Brock Zearfoss being scored seventh and eighth respectively.

After hustling to change an engine following the dash, Carson and the JJR #41 team were hoping the pendulum of luck would swing their way during the 35-lap feature event at Sharon Speedway. The 8-minute air horns sounded as the cars rolled towards the racing oval ready to put on a show for the fans. It was a packed house and the stars of the sport were ready to shine. The Kistler Engines power fired under the hood of the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Mr. Jim’s Racing/Jansen Transportation #41 Maxim as the cars rolled slowly around the racing surface. After the four-wide salute to the fans the field re-ordered themselves in the two-by-two starting order. The green flag came out with polesitter Donny Schatz racing into the lead, but the yellow lights came on quickly for Carl Bowser who had a flat right front tire. At the same time, AJ Flick also had a flat left front tire after making contact with the inside barrier tires. They would try again to get the race started, but that attempt too was halted as Logan McCandless was stopped on the track with heavy front end damage. During this caution, the JJR #41 crew summoned their driver to the work area as they were experiencing some issues they were trying to address. He was able to rejoin the field but would have to start from the rear in the 22nd position. The third time was a charm as the luck now shifted to Brad Sweet as he charged into the lead over Donny Schatz, David Gravel, Sheldon Haudenschild, and James McFadden. Brad Sweet had a fast and racy NAPA Auto Parts #49 and by lap five he already caught the rear of the field and started to put drivers a lap down. Carson was able to pick up a few spots in the running order when the yellow again reappeared on lap 11 for ninth running Noah Gass who hit the outside wall and had extensive damage. During this yellow flag, Carson Macedo made his way back to the work area as the problems continued. The driver of the forty-one was able to rejoin the field again at the rear of the field and when Brad Sweet got the field back up to speed the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 was off the pace and pulled into the infield as he was forced to retire for the night resulting in a disappointing 22nd place finish. Brad Sweet would lead the remaining cars back to the green flag and set sail from that point forward as he cruised to the win over Donny Schatz and Sheldon Haudenschild with David Gravel and James McFadden rounding out the top five. Carson and the JJR #41 team will refocus on their goals and turn their attention eastward as they travel to Central Pennsylvania for next weekend’s Williams Grove National Open on Friday and Saturday night.

A Night Filled with Challenges Ends with a 22nd Place Finish at Sharon Speedway! Photo Credit: Cameron Saich

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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.