SOME HOME COOKING: TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A REFRESHING SUMMER NIGHT AT LAKE OZARK WITH THE KUBOTA HIGH LIMIT RACING SERIES SERVES UP A MIDWEEK FOURTH PLACE FINISH IN THE 4TH ANNUAL BEACH BRAWL

ELDON, MISSOURI (June 26, 2024) – Sometimes there are opportunities that present themselves that are just too good to ignore. On Wednesday night, Philip Dietz and the Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team took advantage of an opportunity to race in the 4th Annual Beach Brawl at Lake Ozark Speedway with the High Limit Racing Series. The racy, 1/3-mile, high banked dirt oval is located less than 20 minutes away from the team’s race shop in Rocky Mount, Missouri. So why not! It would be the team’s second of four allowable races outside of the World of Outlaws sanctioned races. After getting rained out last weekend at Huset’s Speedway, the team was eager and excited to race again. As an added bonus they would get to do so in front of some of their hometown fans before trucking off to Wisconsin this upcoming weekend to compete at Cedar Lake Speedway with the World of Outlaws in the Independence Day Spectacular. They were not alone at the track near the lake as 44 teams were registered to compete for the $20,000 winner’s share of the purse. It was race day at Lake Ozark Speedway!

The field of quality drivers was split into two separate groups for time trial in Capitol Custom Trailers Qualifying. Carson Macedo would be the seventh driver out on the track wheeling the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Pro Powder Coating (PPC)/Xtreme Body and Paint #41 in Qualifying Flight A. He climbed aboard his Maxim Racing speed machine as he buckled into his Crow Enterprizes safety belts before heading to the staging lane located off turns three and four. As he rolled closer to the front of the line another opportunity awaited him. Two laps. One stopwatch. And, 900+ Kistler Engines horsepower under the hood ready to be put to work. He would be out on the track with Daison Pursley to lay down his laps. It was go time! Carson was waved out onto the track where he took the green flag to begin his solo performance of speed. His elbows were up as his Hoosier Racing Tires dug into the racing surface. The driver of the forty-one was hauling the mail to complete his first lap in 12.125 seconds. He roared past the flagstand to take the white flag with one more lap to go to see if he could enhance his speed and overall performance time wise around Lake Ozark Speedway. This time when he came off turn four the black and white checkered cloth was out for him. When Carson broke the timing stripe on the second lap the stopwatch displayed 11.946 seconds. The quicker of his two attempts positioned him ninth quick overall in Qualifying Flight A to start the night. The fastest driver of the night, with a lap of 11.575 seconds, and quickest overall in time trials was Ryan Timms in the Mystic Lubricants #5T out of Qualifying Flight A. The fastest driver in Qualifying Flight B was Giovanni Scelzi at 11.828 seconds.

The heat races were up next. The lineups for the four 8-lap heat races were quickly consolidated based off of each driver’s best time in qualifying. That put Carson in the TJ Forged first heat race. He would get started from the inside of row three in the fifth position in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Ben Cook Race Products/Wilwood Racing #41 Maxim. He pulled alongside Chris Windom’s NOS Energy Drink #55. Starting on the front row would be Cole Macedo in the Honest Abe’s Roofing #16T and Justin peck in the Avanti Windows and Doors #13. Row two found Rico Abreu and Ryan Timms with Xavier Doney, Daison Pursley, Kyle Bellm, Jace Park, and Samuel Wagner filling in the starting spots behind Macedo and Brown.

When the calmness turned to chaos off turn four it was Cole Macedo hustling in to the lead with Peck and Abreu in his tracks. Carson pounded the gas at the start of the race. He stayed low entering turn one to claim the fourth spot right behind the front trio of cars.

Cole Macedo had started to stretch his legs opening up a big lead out front, but Carson was closing in on third place running Rico Abreu. On lap 6, Carson ducked under Rico Abreu’s Rothwell Hyde Vineyards #24 entering turn three and took control of the show position coming off turn four.

Cole Macedo was not waiting on anyone as he completely dominated the first heat race taking the win by 2.466 seconds over Justin Peck, with older brother Carson driving across the finish line third aboard the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41. Rico Abreu secured fourth with Chris Windom brining his NOS Energy Drink #55 home in the fifth and final transfer spot.

Based off of his finishing position in the heat race, Carson was not eligible to try his luck churning the Honest Abe’s Roofing Redraw Spin Wheel to participate in the FK Rod Ends Dash. He was closely monitoring the evolving track conditions as they prepared for the 35-lap 4th Annual Beach Brawl at Lake Ozark Speedway with the High Limit Racing Series. Carson would start from the 11th starting spot alongside Brian Brown’s Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21.

The action here at Lake Ozark Speedway is fast and furious. Couple that with the cushion building up and it is conducive for creating constant wheel-to-wheel action, so excitement and entertainment are all tied into one package.

Cole Macedo, by virtue of wining the FK Rod Ends Dash, would start from the pole position in the Kevin Newton owned Honest Abe’s Roofing #16T. He shared the front row with the current High Limit point leader, Brad Sweet, in the NAPA Auto Parts #49. Justin Peck and Giovanni Scelzi were right behind in row two for the start of the race. These talented warriors all were finalizing their race strategy as they began pushing onto the track.

The competitors paced slowly down the backstretch as they headed into the final set of turns before the green lights around the track lit up. Off turn four Cole Macedo dropped the hammer and the race was on with Peck and Scelzi hounding him from behind.

Carson maintained his starting spot at the end of the first circuit, but the next time around was momentarily relegated back one position on the scoreboard.

On lap 5, the first caution flag of the night was displayed for the #77 of Jack Wagner who slowed up against the outside wall in turns three and four after making racing contact with James McFadden.

When the field went back under green flag racing conditions, Cole Macedo stayed out front with 30 laps to go with Peck, Scelzi, Sweet and Brent Marks rounding out the top five. Carson used the restart opportunity to gain two positions on the track as he held down the last spot in the top ten. Two laps later, he moved into the ninth position before surrendering the position back the next time around as he raced with Kyle Larson.

The leaders had caught up to the rear of the field and Justin Peck was closing in on race leader Cole Macedo. On lap 13, Peck drove his #13 under Cole Macedo off turn four to take the lead. He was recorded as the leader before the yellow flag came back out for Brent Marks who was off the pace with a flat right rear tire. He headed to the work area, but various crew members pushed the car backwards rapidly into the turn four opening to the work area. Unfortunately, the car rolled over the leg of one of Marks’ crew members, Dennis “Fud” Christ, ultimately injuring him and the red flag was thrown while medical crews attended to the injured crew member.

The restart order with 23 laps to go would be Justin Peck, Cole Macedo, Brad Sweet, Corey Day who started way back in the 15th starting spot, and Giovanni Scelzi rounding out the top five.  There were battles for positions out on the track from the front of the pack to the back of the pack. Carson would get restarted from the ninth spot.

The green flag was back out with Carson moving into the seventh position as Corey Day drove into the race lead ahead of Peck and Cole Macedo. Carson was in a spirited battle for position with Kyle Larson as the driver of the Finley Farms #57 drove by him for track position. These two talented California racers were battling and putting on an entertaining high speed show for the fans.

On lap 20, the third yellow flag of the night came out for Chris Windom who came to a stop on the track. It was Corey Day, Justin Peck and Cole Macedo out front with Carson Macedo holding down the eight position in the running order with 15 laps to go.

When the green lights turned back on around the track, Carson Macedo started to march forward in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Sander Engineering/CS Productions #41. He moved into seventh, but now was contending with a fast James McFadden in the Roth Motorsports #83. The two aggressive racers would exchange the seventh spot multiple times before the driver of the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 seized it for good on lap 23.

The fourth yellow flag of the night came out with 12 laps to go for Hunter Schuerenberg who spun in turn two. Carson would restart from the seventh position just behind Kyle Larson as Corey Day brought the field back up to speed. The restart this time was not an advantage for Carson as he got shuffled all the way back to tenth. Undeterred, he just refocused and went back to work.

On lap 26, the yellow caution lights were back on again for Brent Marks who slowed with right rear tire issues ending his night of racing.

Corey Day again fired them up to speed out front with Carson moving quickly back up to eighth in the running order as he passed Zeb Wise and Giovanni Scelzi on the restart. James McFadden was now just ahead of him and Carson immediately started to track him down and apply pressure.

On lap 30, Carson made the pass on McFadden and was now running seventh. Corey Day was still showing the way around Lake Ozark Speedway in the Driven to Save Lives #14. The lap was recorded before another yellow flag had to be displayed, this time for fourth place running Cole Macedo who exploded a right rear tire tarnishing a great night of racing results for the blossoming young sprint car star. Under the yellow, Tyler Courtney also headed to the work area in his NOS Energy Drink #7BC.

Corey Day would lead Justin Peck, Spencer Bayston, Brad Sweet and Kyle Larson back to the green flag with 5 laps to go. Carson was wheeling from the sixth position, but would make his way by Kyle Larson to move into the last spot in the top five.

On lap 31, the final caution of the night slowed the race again when Zeb Wise spun out in the first set of turns. Corey Day had four laps between himself and the checkered flag with Peck, Bayston, Sweet and Macedo still holding out some hope.

The flagman waved the green flag with Corey Day hunkering down as he raced off into the lead again. Carson rolled the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 underneath Brad Sweet into turn one on the restart and exited turn two in fourth place. It was Corey Day’s night for sure as he raced the remaining distance to claim the $20,000 winner’s check by 2.5 seconds over the second place finisher. He was joined on the podium at Lake Ozark Speedway by runner-up Justin Peck and third place finisher Spencer Bayston.

Carson and the JJR #41 team worked extremely hard all night and came home fourth, with Brad Sweet rounding out the top five. It was the forty-one team’s 23rd top five finish of the season, a 71.88% top five success rate year-to-date. Another good run for Macedo and the forty-one!

A Little Midweek Fun with the High Limit Racing Series at Lake Ozark Speedway Delivers Another Top 5 Run for Macedo and the Forty-One! Photo Credit: High Limit Racing

JJR’s Valued Sponsorship Partners: 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; Buckwalter Trucking; 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; Indy Performance Composites (IPC); ISC Racers Tape; Jansen Transportation; K1 Race Gear; KSE Racing Products; LogoDaddy; Motor State Distributing; Mr. Jim’s Racing; Premium Coach Group; Saldana Racing Products; Sam I Am; Schoenfeld Headers; 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.