Sweet Takes NAPA No. 49 to Victory in Kansas
The Kasey Kahne Racing NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 team delivered a clutch weekend in Kansas City, posting a podium and a victory during the High Limit Racing doubleheader at Lakeside Speedway. With the season winding down and championship stakes at their highest, Brad Sweet and the NAPA crew rose to the occasion, cutting crucial points from the deficit and keeping their bid for a seventh consecutive national title alive.
Entering the weekend 52 points out of the High Limit championship lead, Sweet and the NAPA team were confident heading into one of his historically best tracks. The night started strong with a second-place effort in Qualifying Group A, placing Sweet fourth in Heat 2. He advanced two positions to secure a Dash berth, where he started and finished third and earned a second row starting spot for the 25-lap Feature.
Sweet battled inside the top three all night, ultimately driving into second late before being edged out in the final corner to finish third, his 16th podium of the season. The strong run trimmed the championship gap from 52 points to 39 heading into Saturday.
Momentum carried over into night two, where the NAPA No. 49 team was automatically locked into the fourth starting spot in Heat 2 thanks to Friday’s podium run. Sweet once again advanced two positions in Heat Race action to earn a spot in the Dash, where he drew the third starting position and finished fourth, securing another second-row starting spot, this time for the $15,000-to-win A-Main.
When the green flag dropped, Sweet immediately charged forward, moving into third within five laps. With 20 laps to go, “The Big Cat” made a stunning move on the bottom groove, passing both leaders in one corner to take command. From there, Sweet never looked back in the NAPA No. 49, leading the final 20 laps en route to a clutch victory and the team’s fourth High Limit win of the season. Sweet also collected a $17,500 payday as the “Durst Dice Roll Driver” of the race.
The Kansas triumph couldn’t have come at a better moment. The NAPA No. 49 team now sits just 30 points behind championship leader Rico Abreu and only 10 points out of second as the title fight intensifies. With only three races remaining, the team turns its attention to a championship-deciding week ahead—racing Wednesday at Lucas Oil Speedway in Missouri before the High Limit All-In Championship Weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, October 17-18.
Start / Finish:
Friday, Oct. 10: 3 / 3
Saturday, Oct. 11: 4 / 1
Points Standing / Total: 3rd / 2,677 pts. (-30)
Next Race: Oct. 15, Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO
How to Watch or Listen: FloRacing
NAPA: @NAPARacing
Brad Sweet: @BradSweetRacing
Kasey Kahne Racing: @KKRdirt
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Kasey Kahne Racing (KKR), based in Mooresville, NC, was formed in 2005 and employs more than ten people dedicated to sprint car racing. The organization competes full-time in High Limit Racing and is led by team owner and former NASCAR Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne. For the 2026 season, KKR fields the NAPA Auto Parts No. 9, driven full-time by Daison Pursley in High Limit Racing. KKR has 7 World of Outlaws and High Limit Racing Championships (Daryn Pittman in ’13 and Brad Sweet in ’19, ’20, ’21, ’22, ’23 & ’24). Since its inception, KKR has earned 295+ national dirt car victories, solidifying its status as one of the most successful teams in modern sprint car racing.