Sweet Dominates for First-Ever Kings Speedway Win
Brad Sweet, four-time and defending World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion, delivered another stunning performance Friday night at Kings Speedway, capturing his first-ever victory at the iconic Hanford, California, dirt track. The Tom Tarlton Classic was a night filled with exciting bullring racing action, and Sweet was the star of the show.
In qualifying rounds, the driver of the NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 put down a 13.859-second lap to place seventh overall and set the stage for heat race action. Sweet stared second in his heat race but quickly seized the lead. He secured the heat race win and earned a spot in the Fast Pass Dash.
In the dash draw, the Big Cat pulled the top starting spot. The lucky draw wasn’t enough to avert challenges in the dash, and Sweet finished second when the checkered flag dropped. The result still netted the NAPA driver a solid, second-place spot to start the main event.
The feature allowed Sweet to again demonstrate his exceptional skills. Starting from the front row, the Grass Valley, California, native battled fiercely and, when the time was right, made a spectacular move for the lead. He secured first and held it to the finish, earning his eighth Outlaws win of the 2023 season.
On Saturday, the No. 49 team arrived at Placerville Speedway, Sweet’s home track, for the 49er Gold Rush Classic. The No. 49 logged a lap time of 10.529 seconds, setting a strong foundation for heat race action. The Big Cat was third to start in his heat race, and Sweet maintained the position at the checkers to transfer directly to the feature.
Starting from tenth in Saturday’s main event, Sweet faced fierce competition in the 40-lap feature. He battled valiantly but ultimately finished 11th. Despite the difficulties at Placerville, the No. 49 team has shown remarkably consistent performance throughout the season and maintains the championship points lead. Sweet now holds a 90-point advantage over second place in the standings as the season reaches its closing stages.
Start / Finish:
Friday, Sept. 15, Kings Speedway: 2 / 1
Saturday, Sept. 16, Placerville Speedway: 10 / 11
Points Standing / Total: 1st / 7,964 pts. (+90)
Next Race: Friday, Sept. 22, Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, Ohio
How to Watch or Listen: www.dirtvision.com
NAPA: @NAPARacing
Brad Sweet: @BradSweetRacing
Kasey Kahne Racing: @KKRdirt
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Kasey Kahne Racing View All
Kasey Kahne Racing (KKR), located in Mooresville, NC, was formed in 2005 and employs more than ten people dedicated to sprint car racing. The organization fields two entries in the High Limit Sprint Car Series; Brad Sweet (NAPA No. 49) and former NASCAR Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne (No. 9). Collectively, KKR has 6 World of Outlaws Championships (Daryn Pittman in '13 and Brad Sweet in '19, '20, '21, '22 & '23). Since the team's inception, KKR has amassed over 285+ dirt car wins.