TOUGH TUSSLE IN FLORIDA: CARSON MACEDO CONTINUES TO SHOW HIS DETERMINATION AND GRIT AS HE DRIVES THE MESILLA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION (MVT) #41 TO A 12TH PLACE FINISH ON SECOND NIGHT OF THE DIRTCAR NATIONALS

BARBERVILLE, FLORIDA (February 6, 2025) – After shaking down the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 on Wednesday night to start the season with a flag-to-flag victory in the opening night feature, Philip Dietz along with Carson Macedo, Robby McQuinn, and Adam Zimmerman were ready to get back to work on the second night of the 54th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. Wednesday night’s show paid $12,000-to-win but awarded only show-up points for all participants. The remaining nights, starting with Thursday evening’s show, were full point events towards the World of Outlaws season long point standings. The Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) #41 team was busy preparing for another exciting night of action. There were 52 teams back and parked throughout the pit area as they prepared to compete at Volusia Speedway Park – World of Outlaws style! During the opening ceremony to start the evening, the 14 Platinum Team Drivers came up to the stage for the World of Outlaws 2025 Class Photo.

The drivers in each of the two time trial groups in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying were based off a random draw in the Eloy Gutierrez Pill Draw. That is where each of the teams drew a numbered pill upon arrival at the track. By the luck of the draw, depending on perspective, that positioned Carson as the 19th competitor out in Flight 2 driving the Border International/Sander Engineering/Smiley’s Racing Products #41 Maxim for his two laps racing against the fast moving seconds rolling on the stopwatch. Carson pulled down on his Crow Enterprizes safety belts one last time to cinch them up before flipping the shield down on his new Shifty Illusions custom painted Bell Helmet as the push truck helped fire the power plant under the hood. Carson stepped on the loud pedal and unleashed the horsepower under the hood. He darted under the waving green flag to start his speed session, which ended with his first lap in 13.455 seconds. He stayed on the hammer carrying his speed and momentum forward around Volusia Speedway Park. He was digging hard and kicked the dirt up off turn four as he raced toward the waving checkered flag. When the lap time lit up the scoreboard, it was consistent but slightly slower as the number read 13.566 seconds. The faster of his two attempts at speed was good enough for fourth quick overall in Flight 2. NASCAR star Christopher Bell in the Kreitz Racing #69K was the quickest driver in that group with a first lap time of 13.293 seconds. Earning the Simpson Quick Time Award was another NASCAR star, Kyle Larson, out of Flight 1 with the fastest time trial lap of the night at 13.262 seconds.

When time trials concluded, the World of Outlaws Timing and Scoring officials built out the starting lineups for each of the four 8-lap heat races for the night. Each of the drivers would have to perform well as only the top five finishers in each race would lock into the money paying feature event. It was “stand on the gas pedal time” for these speed athletes against some of the best competition in sprint car racing.

Carson would get started from the outside of the front row in the last of the four heat races. He rolled to the Tarlton and Son/Pro Powder Coating/CASM Safety Products #41 Maxim to the topside of row one with Brian Brown aboard the FVP #21 to his inside. The front row starters would pace at the front of the field ahead of David Gravel #2 and Garet Williamson #23 in row two, Chris Windom #7s and Conner Morrell #28 in row three with Brock Zearfoss #3z, Sam Hafertepe Jr. #15H, Daison Pursley #13, and Kevin Newton #16TH following in the rows behind side-by-side.

The driver’s were all buckled in as their right feet started to fidget with anticipation as the slowly worked their way towards the flagstand in the two-by-two starting formation. The bottom lane proved to be the preferred lane in the previous three heat races, but Carson was poised and ready on the outside of the front row.

The yellow lights turned off around the track and replaced with illuminated green ones. The competitors dropped their right foot and powered off turn four racing under the waving green flag. Carson accelerated in the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 and drag raced Brian Brown down the front straightaway. The driver of the forty-one used his momentum and power on the high side to power into the lead exiting turn two. He was digging down the backstretch. By the end of the first lap, Carson put some space between himself and the runner-up. Brian Brown continued to chase as Garet Williamson was running in third with David Gravel right behind in fourth.

With Macedo comfortably out front, David Gravel kept the pressure on Garet Williamson and eventually made the pass to take over the show position. Carson never looked back as he raced to the heat race victory by 2.270 seconds ahead of Brian Brown, as those two would move onto the Toyota Dash. David Gravel raced home third with Garet Williamson and Chris Windom completing the top five to transfer to the feature.

For the second consecutive night, Carson made the Dash. He would be the fourth driver to draw a number for his starting position in the 6-lap Toyota Dash. There would be five pills remaining when he arrive up on the stage. When all of the pills were drawn, the starting lineup found Christopher Bell #69K and Logan Schuchart #1s on the front row with Emerson Axsom #27 and Brian Brown #21 right behind in row two. Carson Macedo #41 and Kyle Larson #57 shared row three with Danny Sams III #24D and Bill Balog #17B coupled up in row four.

Six laps with the finishing position determining each of the drivers starting position in the feature. Carson was locked and loaded sitting snugly in the Albaugh – Your Alternative/BR Motorsports/Factory Kahne (FK) Shocks #41 Maxim. He pulled to the inside of Kyle Larson in the third row. When Polesitter Christopher Bell picked up the pace off turn four, he led Logan Schuchart through the first set of turns. Carson stayed low as Larson drove around him into the top five early. Up at the front of the pack Logan Schuchart was hounded Bell for the lead. He was looking for any opportunity to make the pass to no avail. Christopher Bell went on to win the Dash with Schuchart following him across the finish line. Emerson Axsom raced home third with Kyle Larson coming home fourth. Brian Brown rounded out the top five with Bill Balog racing by Macedo to finish sixth. Carson settled for seventh with Danny Sams III finishing eighth.

The horn sounded throughout the pit area summoning the twenty-four drivers who earned a starting spot in the show to the track for the 25-lap feature on the second night at the 54th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. A pair of Pennsylvania-based cars would be on the front row – Christopher Bell in the Kreitz Racing #69K along with Logan Schuchart in the #1s. Carson would get his race started from the inside of row four pacing to the inside of Danny Sams III.

After the four-wide salute to the fans in the stands and watching on DIRTVision, the field settled back into their correct starting position. All the qualifying was behind them. Now it was time for them to race to see how big of a check they would earn after 25 laps.

The green flag was out as the engine sent a thundering boom as they roared down the frontstretch. Christopher Bell led lap one as he was racing ahead of Emerson Axsom and Logan Schuchart. Carson was scored in the seventh position aboard the Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions/Team Jack Foundation/Walker Performance Filtration #41 Maxim.

Second running Emerson Axsom was making progress and closing on the leader. On lap 6, Axsom was right there and moved by Bell to assume the lead. Just behind them though was the hard charging Kyle Larson who was coming at full steam. Carson was battling with 13 starting Donny Schatz for the seventh position. The ten-time World of Outlaws champion moved by on lap eight relegating Carson back to eighth in the running order.

A little further front Emerson Axsom was proving to be in a league of his own with 20 laps in the books. However, just two laps later, heartbreak happen when he entered turns three and four around the bottom and spun bringing out the yellow. Christopher Bell inherited the lead followed by Kyle Larson, Logan Schuchart, Donny Schatz, and David Gravel.

There was three laps to go when the green flag came out. The two dirt track racing stars that evolved into the top tier of NASCAR were putting on a show racing again in a sprint car. Christopher Bell would not be denied taking the win by the slimmest of margins over Kyle Larson with Logan Schuchart, David Gravel, and Brad Sweet rounding out the top five.

Carson had a wing slider break, but hung on to bring the Albaugh – Your Alternative #41 home with a 12th place finish. He and the JJR crew will regroup and get back in the fight Friday night for the third night at the 54th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.  

Carson Macedo Continues to Show his Strength Grinding Out a 12th Place Finish! Photo Credit: Trent Gower

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.

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