SUDDEN STOP AT THE GROVE: A STRONG AND SPEEDY RUN FORWARD QUICKLY ENDED COMPETING AGAINST THE PA POSSE IN THE HVAC DISTRIBUTORS MORGAN CUP AT WILLIAMS GROVE IN AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT

MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA (May 10, 2025) – After racing Wednesday night just down the road at Lincoln Speedway where Carson finished in sixth place, Mother Nature canceled the opening night of racing scheduled for the HVAC Distributors Morgan Cup at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night. The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car Series kept their nomadic group of speed stars in Central Pennsylvania to race at another iconic track – Williams Grove Speedway – on Saturday night. In a span of three weeks, the tour has raced at three of sprint car racing’s iconic facilities: Knoxville Raceway in late April; Eldora Speedway last weekend; and now Williams Grove Speedway this weekend.

This historic, half-mile paperclip shaped track is nestled in the cornfields just south of Mechanicsburg. It is truly a gem on the schedule and has shined the spotlight on winners for almost nine decades. Known for its unique shape and pedestrian bridge that crosses the back straightaway, “The Grove” has hosted sprint car racing since May 21, 1939, when Williams Grove Park Owner Rich Richwine built the track to host dirt track racing. Since then so many drivers have circled the famed oval looking for victory and a little taste of fame. Forty-three (43) race haulers parked in both pit areas – one located in the infield along the front straightaway and one situated outside of the backstretch. It was finally race day again at Williams Grove Speedway!

With thirty-eight or more cars on hand, the field of entries separated into two equal groups for Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying. This format idiosyncrasy evens out the time trial format for the competitors to accommodate for the changing track conditions. Each driver had drawn a number randomly at the World of Outlaws Command Center in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw to determine which group and where they would go out for their timed laps in qualifying. Two cars would be on the track at a time with enough space separating them, so each driver has an unimpeded track ahead of them. The goal here seems simple but is difficult to execute . . . circle Williams Grove’s tricky half mile oval as fast as possible and hope the time is better than everyone else’s in your qualifying group. Carson would be the second driver out on the track in Flight 2. Joining him would be Ryan Taylor #1W from Pennsylvania as the engines fired and they entered the track at the end of the front straightaway. Carson stomped on the gas to get the Tarlton and Son/Prime Composite Innovations/Saldana Racing Products #41 Maxim moving. He built up speed on his way over to the waving green flag where the clock began to tick to measure his performance. He carried his speed around the facility with his Hoosier Racing Tires digging in off turn four. The clock displayed a time of 16.932 second at the completion of the first circuit. Carson stayed focused and carried his speed through the first set of turns racing around the inside lane before shooting down the long backstretch. This time when he came off turn four Carson saw the black and white checkered cloth waving to end his session with a better lap time of 16.786 seconds. His qualifying efforts placed him as the seventh quickest overall in Flight 1. Anthony Macri driving the J&S Classics #39M sat at the top of the speed charts in Flight 2 turning a lap in 16.515 seconds, but it was Logan Schuchart piloting the Shark Racing/Drydene #1s laying down the fastest lap of the night out of Flight #1 at 16.471 seconds to earn the Simpson Quick Time Award.

The starting lineups for each of the four 8-lap Heat races posted in the pit area as well as on MyRacePass. Carson would be in WIX Filter Heat #3 where he would get the Complete Parts and Equipment/Boltz Family/CASM Safety Products #41 Maxim started from the fourth position alongside Chase Dietz in the Treyco Metals #23D in row two. Anthony Macri #39M and Bill Balog #17B sat on the front row with Skylar Gee #99 and Austin Bishop #35 rolling in row three. Sheldon Haudenschild #17 and Freddie Rahmer #51 were side-by-side in row four with Derek Hauck #39, Ryan Newman #66, and Daryn Pittman #69k completing the starting grid.

Williams Grove is known for the speed it displays. Passing for positions is at a premium, so the drivers focused inside their cockpits for the initial start so they could gain favorable track position at the drop of the green flag. The polesitter, Anthony Macri, powered off the inside front row to lead Bill Balog and Carson Macedo into turn one.

Carson worked his way around the outside of Balog to gain the second position, but Balog was up on the wheel not content or even thinking about just following the Albaugh #41. He wanted the runner-up position back and the next time around he worked his way by Macedo to reclaim the spot.

Meanwhile, Anthony Macri had a fast hotrod and was checking out at the front of the field. He was uncontested throughout the eight-lap affair winning by 3.910 seconds over Balog as those two locked into the Toyota Dash. Carson Macedo raced home third followed by Sheldon Haudenschild and Freddie Rahmer who locked down the final two transfer positions.

After the fireworks show ended and the smoke cleared, the fans were abuzz with anticipation as the crew members feverishly finished their work in preparation for the 30-lap, $20,000-to-win HVAC Distributors Morgan Cup feature. The fiercely loyal and always supportive crowd of PA Posse fans inhabiting Beer Hill, located outside the catch fence in turn three, were playfully taunting those fans who elected to stand in the infield. They were hoping for one of the local Pennsylvania drivers to knock off the evil invaders here with the World of Outlaws.

The twenty-four drivers who earned a starting spot in the starting grid were joined by two drivers taking a provisional starting spot – Lance Dewease #12 and T.J. Stutts #11. The drivers began to buckle in for the purse paying competition. The first four rows of the feature lined up according to the Dash finish which put Bill Balog #17B on the pole with Anthony Macri #39M to his outside on the front row. Logan Schuchart #1s and Donny Schatz #15 paired up in row two. David Gravel #2 and Danny Dietrich #48 paced from row three with Justin Whittall #67 and Conner Morrell #28M in row four.

Carson pulled the Albaugh – Your Alternative/Sander Engineering/All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads #41 into the tenth starting spot on the grid. Buddy Kofoid in the Roth Motorsports #83 pulled up beside Macedo on the inside primed and ready to roll.

When the green flag was in the air, Anthony Marci ripped into the lead as Carson quickly accelerated into the seventh position at the end of lap one racing by Kofoid, Morrell, and Whittall. He has a fast racecar and quickly set his sights on sixth running David Gravel.

With one lap in the books, the first race slow down under caution occurred when second place running Bill Balog spun to a stop. That regrouped the field two-by-two for the restart with Carson on the outside of Gravel in row three. The green was back out with Macri showing the way ahead of Schatz and Dietrich. Carson drove into fifth place and was in hot pursuit of Logan Schuchart who was just in front of him.

Lap 12, Carson drove the forty-one by Schuchart into fourth which put him just behind third place running Danny Dietrich. He raced by Dietrich momentarily, before the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania driver drove back by as the two exchanged the show position.

The race was on . . . at least that is what it was looking like as the leaders were navigating the slower cars at the back of the field. T.J. Stutts looped his car between turns three and four as the front group of fast cars blasted through the turn racing for positions. Carson had nowhere to go as his right rear tire clipped Stutts sending him in the air as Logan Schuchart got collected. It was a hard crash that was unnecessary and ended all three drivers’ night of racing. Carson’s strong and speedy run ended abruptly and scored with a twenty-fourth place finish earning the Smith Titanium Brake Systems Brake of the Race.

Anthony Macri went on to defend the Pennsylvania Posse’s turf taking the Morgan Cup win ahead of David Gravel with Danny Dietrich completing the podium.

An Abrupt End to Carson Macedo’s Strong Run Forward in the HVAC Distributors Morgan Cup Feature Aboard the Winters Performance Products #41! 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; 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.

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