By T.J. Buffenbarger
KNOXVILLE, Iowa. (August 3, 2018) — KNOXVILLE, Iowa. (August 3, 2018) — Jason Johnson Racing returned to victory lane on Friday night in a story book ending as Carson Macedo picked up the feature victory during the second night of action during the 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank at Knoxville Raceway. The race was the first for the team since Johnson’s fatal accident in June. Macedo helped solidified JJR had not missed a beat taking the lead just past the halfway point for the victory.
After the feature Macedo immediately credited the preparation of Jason Johnson Racing for the victory under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
“For this JJR team to come back first night out and win a race like this just speaks a lot for this team. They are so well put together. They do things the right way,” said Macedo. “I’m just thrilled to be in the race car and after everything Jason was able to do in this car to be able to step into it and have success I’m just honored for the opportunity.”
Cole Duncan took the lead early on with Macedo behind him. After an early race caution Macedo found himself under fire from Joey Saldana making the pass for the second spot and by time Saldana got to turns three and four to pass Duncan for the lead.
“On that restart I just didn’t make a good decision and it cost me a little ground,” said Macedo. “Luckily I was able to make good decisions after that and put my race car where it needed to be. I could turn off the top in the middle of one and two and drive across the corner into turn two and pick the bottom up and really make speed down the backstretch. I think that’s what won us the race. Late in the race I knew if we got to traffic Joey (Saldana) it would dirty up his air a bit and maybe I could have a chance.
Macedo clawed his way back up to second and ran down Saldana through slower traffic and took the lead on lap 11. Macedo then drove away through slower traffic to win by 2.546 seconds. Saldana held on for second with Terry McCarl, Tim Kaeding, and Giovanni Scelzi rounding out the top five.
Afterwards Macedo was very aware of the impact of the moment he helped create with Johnson’s team.
“I’m thrilled. This race team, being able to meet Jason’s family and all of his guys, and to be a part of all of this.”
360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank
Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour presented by sawblade.com
Knoxville Raceway
Knoxville, IA
Friday August 3, 2018
Qualifying: 1. 3 – Nate Van Haaften, 16.507; 2. 26 – Joey Saldana, 16.665; 3. 71 – Gio Scelzi, 16.864; 4. 24 – Terry McCarl, 16.893; 5. 3K – Tim Kaeding, 16.901; 6. 7 – Carson McCarl, 16.909; 7. 23 – Seth Bergman, 16.914; 8. 44S – Trey Starks, 16.940; 9. 2 – Bill Balog, 16.942; 10. 2C – Wayne Johnson, 16.987; 11. 2M – Matt Moro, 16.999; 12. 41 – Carson Macedo, 17.011; 13. 25 – Dylan Peterson, 17.107; 14. 12N – Cole Duncan, 17.121; 15. 17W – Harli White, 17.152; 16. 20 – AJ Moeller, 17.161; 17. 14T – Brooke Tatnell, Aus, 17.201; 18. 53D – Jack Dover, 17.219; 19. 45X – Johnny Herrera, 17.238; 20. 1B – Jac Haudenschild, 17.246; 21. 5H – Sammy Walsh, 17.253; 22. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 17.253; 23. 8L – Tom Lenz, 17.263; 24. 13M – Josh Higday, 17.276; 25. 21AU – Jordyn Brazier, 17.299; 26. 88 – Scottie McDonald, 17.308; 27. 44 – Chris Martin, 17.311; 28. 35 – Skylar Prochaska, 17.329; 29. 94 – Jeff Swindell, 17.354; 30. 95 – Matt Covington, 17.427; 31. 13JM – Jordan Martens, 17.460; 32. 47X – Dylan Westbrook, 17.507; 33. 56N – Davey Heskin, 17.526; 34. 40 – Clint Garner, 17.539; 35. 17H – Jared Horstman, 17.565; 36. 1 – Travis Rilat, 17.584; 37. 63 – Geoff Ensign, 17.599; 38. 11 – Roger Crockett, 17.636; 39. 17 – Mitch Faccinto, 17.638; 40. 77X – Alex Hill, 17.677; 41. 86 – Tony Bruce Jr, 17.681; 42. 26S – Dalton Steed, 17.709; 43. 13 – Mark Dobmeier, 17.731; 44. 17B – Ryan Bickett, 17.882; 45. 52 – Blake Hahn, 17.998; 46. 1A – John Anderson, 18.409; 47. 7 – Michael Bookout, 19.015; 48. 49 – Scott Kruetter, 17.563.
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 88 – Scottie McDonald, 2. 20 – A.J. Moeller, 3. 3 – Nate VanHaaften, 4. 5H – Sammy Walsh, 5. 7 – Carson McCarl, 6. 2M – Matt Moro, 7. 1 – Travis Rilat, 8. 13JM – Jordan Martens, 9. 86 – Tony Bruce Jr, 10. 1A – John Anderson. (First four finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 44 – Chris Martin, 2. 41 – Carson Macedo, 3. 14T – Brooke Tatnell, 4. 26 – Joey Saldana, 5. 47X – Dylan Westbrook, 6. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 7. 23 – Seth Bergman, 8. 63 – Geoff Ensign, 9. 07 – Michael Bookout, 10. 26S – Dalton Steed. (First four finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 53D – Jack Dover, 2. 71 – Giovanni Scelzi, 3. 8L – Tom Lenz, 4. 35 – Skylar Prochaska, 5. 44S – Trey Starks, 6. 13 – Mark Dobmeier, 7. 11 – Roger Crocket, 8. 56N – Davey Heskin, 9. 25 – Dylan Peterson, 10. 49 – Scott Kruetter. (First four finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps): 1. 45X – Johnny Herrera, 2. 94 – Jeff Swindell, 3. 24 – Terry McCarl, 4. 12N – Cole Duncan, 5. 40 – Clint Garner, 6. 2 – Bill Balog, 7. 17 – Mitch Faccinto, 8. 17B – Bill Balog, 9. 13M – Josh Higday.
Heat Race #5 (8 Laps): 1. 95 – Matt Covington, 2. 2C – Wayne Johnson, 3. 3K – Tim Kaeding, 4. 17W – Harli White, 5. 17H – Jared Horstman, 6. 52 – Blake Hahn, 7. 1B – Jac Haudenschild, 8. 77X – Alex Hill, 9. 21AU – Jordyn Brazier. (First four finishers transferred to the A-Main)
C-Main (10 Laps): 1. 21AU – Jordyn Brazier, 2. 25 – Dylan Peterson, 3. 86 – Tony Bruce Jr, 4. 07 – Michael Bookout, 5. 49 – Scott Krueter, 6. 1A – John Anderson, 7. 26S – Dalton Steed, 8. 13M – Josh Higday. (First four finishers transferred to the B-Main)
B-Main (12 Laps): 1. 44S – Trey Starks, 2. 7 – Carson McCarl, 3. 2 – Bill Balog, 4. 23 – Seth Bergman, 5. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 6. 2M – Matt Moro, 7. 40 – Clint Garner, 8. 56N – Davey Heskin, 9. 47X – Dylan Westbrook, 10. 11 – Roger Crockett, 11. 1B – Jac Haudenschild, 12. 63 – Geoff Ensigh, 13. 17H – Jared Horstman, 14. 25 – Dylan Peterson, 15. 13 – Mark Dobmeier, 16. 86 – Tony Bruce Jr, 17. 07 – Michael Bookout, 18. 52 – Blake Hahn, 19. 17 – Mitch Faccinto, 20. 31JM – Jordan Martens, 21. 77X – Alex Hill, 22. 21AU – Jordyn Brazier, 23. 1 – Travis Rilat, 24. 17B – Ryan Bickett. (First four finishers transferred to the A-Main)
A-Main (20 Laps): 1. 41 – Carson Macedo, 2. 26 – Joey Saldana, 3. 24 – Terry McCarl, 4. 3K – Tim Kaeding, 5. 71 – Giovanni Scelzi, 6. 12N – Cole Duncan, 7. 14T – Brooke Tatnell, 8. 17W – Harli White, 9. 2C – Wayne Johnson, 10. 45X – Johnny Herrera, 11. 44S – Trey Starks, 12. 7 – Carson McCarl, 13. 94 – Jeff Swindell, 14. 53D – Jack Dover, 15. 5H – Sammy Walsh, 16. 23 – Seth Brahmer, 17. 2 – Bill Balog, 18. 3 – Nate VanHaften, 19. 95 – Matt Covington, 20. 20 – A.J. Moeller, 21. 44 – Chris Martin, 22. 88 – Scottie McDonald, 23. 35 – Skylar Prochaska, 24. 8L – Tom Lenz.