REDEMPTION: Kofoid Scores Biggest Win of Career in Huset’s High Bank Nationals Thriller

BRANDON, SD (September 1, 2024) – Michael “Buddy” Kofoid entered this year’s BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals presented by Menards with one thing on his mind – redemption.

Last year’s edition served up the ultimate heartbreak. After leading every lap from the drop of the green in 2023, mechanical woes with 10 laps remaining ended his chances at a six-figure payday. The Penngrove, CA native was forced to watch the final laps from the infield as David Gravel celebrated what could’ve been the biggest day of Kofoid’s career.

Needless to say, he was motivated heading to Huset’s this Labor Day weekend, and he got the redemption he was looking for and a huge paycheck to go with it.

Kofoid started second in the 40-lap NOS Energy Drink Feature aboard the Roth Motorsports No. 83 and went to work on tracking down pole-sitter Carson Macedo. He snatched the lead on Lap 24, gave it back up, and then reclaimed it on the 30th circuit. It all came down to a last lap that’ll go down in the history books. Macedo threw a Hail Mary slider in the final set of corners, but Kofoid had the speed he needed to cross him over and beat him to the line for $100,000.

In Victory Lane Kofoid climbed all the way atop the wing of the Roth ride as the huge crowd roared. Emotion overwhelmed the celebration. From devastation to jubilation. He’d done it. A victory he’ll cherish forever and a huge payday.

“I’m so glad we just won this race. Redemption from last year,” Kofoid said. “I’m so blessed to be driving this car. This is for Dennis and Teresa (Roth). Man, I don’t even know. One hundred thousand, that’s a lot of money, but just to win another Outlaw race is awesome. I owe it all to Dennis and Teresa Roth.

“We fought pretty hard, almost turned her over when he slid me before I got back by him, and I thought that was it. I drove back up to him, and I could just maneuver the bottom really well. I feel like that’s what kept me close to him. Obviously, clean air was good, so I wanted to be the one to control the start. Coming down the frontstretch I missed the moisture and thought, ‘I just ruined this one, too.’ I was able to protect and get back up and didn’t see him. I was setting a torrid pace I felt like and could see the screen and saw that they were filming me but there wasn’t someone behind me, so I thought I’d be okay. I was just catching the lappers a little too quick. You can’t back down here because it’s easy to get caught back up to and easy to get passed.”

With the 56th six-figure winner’s check in Sprint Car history going to Kofoid, he became the 25th different driver to visit Victory Lane with that kind of cash on the line. The 22-year-old is up to five career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car victories and two this season. It was also his second at Huset’s Speedway to go along with the first of his career back in 2022. The $100,000 is the most money legendary car owners Dennis and Teresa Roth have scored with a victory.

After beating Kofoid in the final round of the Toyota Racing King of the Hill, Macedo was the one leading the field to green with 40 laps ahead. The Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 jumped ahead to the early lead as Kofoid settled into second.

Kofoid kept pace with Macedo through the opening portion of the main event, patiently waiting for a way to close in.

The patience paid off when the door opened on Lap 24. Kofoid got a strong run off the bottom exiting Turn 2 to pull alongside Macedo. He then fired a slide job in Turn 3 to take the top spot. It was nearly disaster for Kofoid on the next lap when Macedo returned the favor in Turn 3. The two nearly collided as Macedo slid ahead of Kofoid. The No. 83 drifted above the cushion and got sideways, but he managed to hold on and resume the pursuit.

It didn’t take long for Kofoid to reel Macedo back in, and another opportunity quickly arose on Lap 30 for him to bring the battle back to the No. 41. Macedo looked to clear a lapped car with a slider in Turn 3 but couldn’t get by him. Kofoid used the moment to duck under him exiting Turn 4. Macedo tried to shut the door but couldn’t get there in time as Kofoid muscled ahead.

A caution for a slowing Tim Kaeding set up a seven-lap dash to the finish. Kofoid first pulled away when the green lights returned, but as he neared traffic in the final laps, Macedo started to erase the gap.

When the white flag flew Kofoid rolled under a lapper in Turns 1 and 2 allowing Macedo to build one last run as he ripped the cushion. Kofoid slid himself in Turns 3 and 4 but left Macedo the one lane he needed. The Lemoore, CA driver launched under Kofoid and slid ahead of him, but Kofoid managed to get the car turned under Macedo and drive back ahead for an unforgettable triumph and $100,000.

“Carson and I were going at it pretty good,” Kofoid said. “And I could pace him really well in traffic. I’ve said all weekend this car doesn’t really know what dirty air is here. You’d think dirty air wouldn’t be as bad on short tracks, but it can upset your car a lot with how much you spin the tires here. The air here is just super crucial. I knew getting in front of him would be crucial as early as I could.”

Macedo gave it everything he had, but ultimately it wasn’t enough as he and the Jason Johnson Racing crew settled for second. After coming so close to the biggest victory of his career, the runner-up definitely left a bit of a bitter taste in his mouth.

“I was watching the lap counter,” Macedo recalled. “I could see it out of the corner of my eye when I’d leave Turn 2 every lap. I saw we had two to go and knew we were coming for the white. He was closing in on the lapper, and I didn’t know that I was going to have enough really. He got by the lapper. I was hoping he’d try to slide him and not clear him, but the lapper kind of checked up and got tight. It gave me just enough of a run to throw a Hail Mary at it. It was definitely everything I had. I was going really fast at the wall off of (Turn) 4 and knew I was going to clobber it. I knew that was the only shot I had was maybe bouncing it off the fence and getting to the line. I held it wipe open until I got there and hit it, and he must have crossed back over okay and just got me at the line. Hats off to them. Congrats on the win.”

Rounding out the podium was a feel-good story with Bill Balog bringing his personally-owned No. 17B home third. The “North Pole Nightmare” put together a good 40 laps for an impressive showing on a big stage at Huset’s.

“This is huge,” Balog said. “It’s been a really good three days. It’s just a huge night for us. We seem to be going in the right direction with this Triple X car. I pay full price for my engines, but I feel like I’m on an engine deal sometimes. These HP Engines just run great. I’m just super happy with tonight.”

Giovanni Scelzi and Donny Schatz completed the top five.

A 17th to 10th run earned Emerson Axsom the KSE Racing Hard Charger.

NOS Energy Drink Heats One, Three, and Four belonged to Carson Macedo, Donny Schatz, and Giovanni Scelzi. Milton Hershey School Heat Two went to Buddy Kofoid.

Carson Macedo beat Buddy Kofoid in the final round of the King of the Hill.

Christopher Thram won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Tim Kaeding.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars kick off a three-week stretch in California with visits to Stockton Dirt Track on Friday, Sept. 6 and Hanford, CA’s Kings Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 7 for the $21,000-to-win Tom Tarlton Classic. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.

FEATURE RESULTS:

NOS Energy Drink Feature (40 Laps): 1. 83-Michael Kofoid[2]; 2. 41-Carson Macedo[1]; 3. 17B-Bill Balog[3]; 4. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[5]; 5. 15-Donny Schatz[4]; 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[9]; 7. 14H-Chase Randall[6]; 8. 2-David Gravel[7]; 9. 1S-Logan Schuchart[10]; 10. 27-Emerson Axsom[17]; 11. 55-Kerry Madsen[8]; 12. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[11]; 13. 87-Aaron Reutzel[12]; 14. 13-Mark Dobmeier[18]; 15. 2KS-Hunter Schuerenberg[15]; 16. 22-Riley Goodno[16]; 17. 23-Garet Williamson[19]; 18. 14T-Tim Estenson[13]; 19. 22K-Kaleb Johnson[14]; 20. 10-Scott Bogucki[20]; 21. 3-Tim Kaeding[23]; 22. 17GP-Justin Henderson[24]; 23. 24T-Christopher Thram[21]; 24. 83S-Sam Henderson[22]