Sweet Expands Points Lead after Jackson Nationals

Brad Sweet and the NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 team traveled to Jackson, Minnesota, for three nights of racing in the 45th AGCO Jackson Nationals at Jackson Motorplex. The 4/10-mile oval, where Sweet is a four-time winner, hosted a series of intense, points-based races culminating in Saturday night’s feature. Although he did not add to his Jackson win count, Sweet padded his lead in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series point standings.

On Thursday, August 17, Sweet secured the ninth spot overall in qualifying when he posted a time of 12.734 seconds. Demonstrating his consistency, the NAPA driver powered through the heat race to maintain a fourth-place finish at the checkers, then climbed from ninth to seventh in Thursday night’s feature.

The momentum continued to build for the NAPA No. 49 team in Friday’s competition. Sweet placed seventh in qualifying with a time of 12.935 seconds. In heat race action, Sweet’s tenacity was evident as he advanced from fifth to third, setting the stage for the Fast Pass Dash. The four-time and defending Outlaws champion drew the seventh starting spot in the dash draw, placing the No. 49 machine in “dirty air” for the six-lap dash. Sweet held that spot to the checkers, then continued to improve, advancing from seventh to fifth in the Friday feature race.

The climactic final day of the Jackson Nationals on Saturday was a showcase of Sweet’s determination and capability. His journey began strongly as he secured the first starting spot in the qualifier heat with the accumulation of points from the previous two nights. Following the green flag for his heat race, Sweet extended his lead to more than three seconds, and the Big Cat held on to first at the checkered flag. During the “King of the Hill” challenge, the NAPA No. 49 powered through to earn the third starting spot in the main event.

The grand finale of the Jackson Nationals was Saturday night’s $25,000-to-win feature. In the exciting last few laps of the race, Sweet traded slide jobs with competitor Carson Macedo for the lead. The NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 ultimately finished in the runner-up position before leaving Jackson with a more robust lead in championship points.

Start / Finish:
Thursday, Aug. 17: 9 / 7
Friday, Aug. 18: 7 / 5
Saturday, Aug. 19: 3 / 2
Points Standing / Total: 1st / 6,568 (+50)

Next Race: Friday, Aug. 25, River Cities Speedway, Grand Forks, ND
How to Watch or Listen: www.dirtvision.com

NAPA: @NAPARacing
Brad Sweet: @BradSweetRacing
Kasey Kahne Racing: @KKRdirt