World of Outlaws Badger State Triple

The two Californians make contact in the closing laps, and Abreu hangs on for eighth win in last 15 Sprint Car races

The stands were packed. The pits were packed. The atmosphere was off the charts for Friday’s World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series return to Plymouth Dirt Track after 20 years away. And the night’s finale met every bit of the hype.

The box score is going to show Rico Abreu led all 35 laps of the Feature, but that far from tells the story. The St. Helena, CA native had to fight several battles throughout an eventful Feature to win the war including almost being in a crash in the closing laps.

The first was finding a way by one of the best race car drivers in the world, Kyle Larson. “Yung Money” lined up on the pole with Abreu in second, and Abreu fired a slider that got the job done on the opening lap. But a red flag flying before the trip around was complete forced a complete restart. Abreu was up to the challenge once again as he ripped the topside of Turns 1 and 2 around Larson for the early lead.

A rear axle issue sent Larson flipping on the seventh circuit and served up a new challenger. Michael “Buddy” Kofoid lined up alongside Abreu for the restart. He wasn’t able to make a move at Abreu on the first try, but a few more cautions supplied more opportunity. Eventually Kofoid stuck a slide job for the top spot, but Abreu promptly crossed over to reclaim it.

The final battle for Abreu to conquer was heavy traffic as the laps wound down bringing Kofoid to his tail tank. With less than three laps to go, Kofoid took his shot and launched a huge slider in Turns 3 and 4. He made contact with Abreu’s No. 24 sending him sideways and nearly around. But Abreu made a miraculous save that wound up being worth $12,000 as he maintained the lead and held off Kofoid for the final two laps. Night one of the Badger State Triple belonged to Abreu.

“Hats off to this team,” Abreu said. “The track prep crew did an amazing job tonight. I’m just so fortunate to be racing in Wisconsin with the best fans in the country here. Everybody is so loyal and passionate. Thank you, World of Outlaws, for putting a race on this weekend. This team, they do an unbelievable job. We put ourselves in position, and that’s what makes everything happen right.”

Abreu’s 19th career win with The Greatest Show on Dirt gave him sole possession of 33rd all-time. He joined Joey Saldana (2004) and Tim Kaeding (2005) as World of Outlaws winners at Plymouth. The 33-year-old continued his recent hot streak as Friday marked his eighth Sprint Car triumph in his last 15 races this season.

The runner-up spot went to Kofoid as he also kept things together following the contact with Abreu. The Roth Motorsports No. 83 is now up to eight podium finishes this season. The Penngrove, CA native thought he might’ve had a better shot at sealing the victory if the race could’ve provided some longer green flag runs to allow for more action in traffic.

“They were really good in clear air, but I feel like once we got to traffic my car kind of came to life or stayed consistent,” Kofoid said. “I didn’t know we were coming to two to go, and I got a really good run out of (Turn) 2 when he was on the bottom and I was on the top. I was wanting him to move down in traffic, so I could have a lane to stay up and try to do what I did and slide him there. Of course, I didn’t mean to make contact but got so far across and thought I had him cleared. I was damn near to the cushion and had no idea he’d be there.”

Tyler Courtney took the final step of the podium in the Clauson Marshall Racing/NOS Energy Drink No. 7BC. The Indianapolis, IN native showed speed all night and might’ve been in line for a win had Abreu and Kofoid not been able to both save their machines from spinning.

“I knew the bottom was going to get there eventually,” Courtney said. “The lapped cars were just kind of piled up down there, so you had to keep running the top. I cleared him there and was able to rip one lap there on the bottom and get close to Buddy. Just all in all a great night for us.”

Carson Macedo and Brad Sweet completed the top five.

Sheldon Haudenschild went from 18th to sixth to collect KSE Racing Products Hard Charger honors.

Rico Abreu earned his 20th career Simpson Quick Time in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying.

Heat Races belonged to Danny Sams III (NOS Energy Drink Heat One), Carson Macedo (Real American Beer Heat Two), Kyle Larson (WIX Filters Heat Three), and Tyler Courtney (TheGreatestStoreonDirt.com Heat Four).

The SPA Technique #1 Redraw went to Kyle Larson.

Larson also topped the Toyota Dash.

Hunter Schuerenberg won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to David Gravel.

UP NEXT: The centerpiece of the Badger State Triple takes the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars to Beaver Dam Raceway on Saturday, June 7 for the $20,000-to-win Jim “JB” Boyd Memorial. Then on Sunday, June 8 it’s over to Sun Prairie, WI for the Series’ second ever visit to Angell Park Speedway. 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 (35 Laps): 1. 24-Rico Abreu[2]; 2. 83-Michael Kofoid[4]; 3. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[3]; 4. 41-Carson Macedo[8]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet[5]; 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[18]; 7. 17B-Bill Balog[10]; 8. 88-Tanner Thorson[6]; 9. 15-Donny Schatz[15]; 10. 7S-Chris Windom[19]; 11. 23-Garet Williamson[22]; 12. 2C-Cole Macedo[9]; 13. 9-Chase Randall[13]; 14. 27-Emerson Axsom[20]; 15. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[11]; 16. 1S-Logan Schuchart[12]; 17. 39M-Anthony Macri[23]; 18. 24D-Danny Sams III[7]; 19. 3-Ayrton Gennetten[16]; 20. 17GP-Tim Shaffer[24]; 21. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[21]; 22. 2-David Gravel[14]; 23. 57-Kyle Larson[1]; 24. 6-Zach Hampton[17]