Sweet Fights Through Adversity on High Limit Western Swing

Brad Sweet and the NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 team continued an important High Limit Racing swing on the West Coast last week, kicking it off at Douglas County Dirt Track in Roseburg, Ore., before heading north to Burlington, Wash., for the high-stakes Skagit Nationals.

Making only its second appearance at Douglas County, the Kasey Kahne Racing NAPA team entered the night carrying a 15-point lead in the High Limit championship standings. Qualifying presented an uphill battle with a 16th-quick effort out of 27 cars, but Sweet wasted no time digging in. After moving from sixth to fifth in his Heat to secure an A-Main berth, Sweet rolled off 13th in the 35-lap feature. From there, the NAPA No. 49 steadily charged forward, slicing through traffic to bring home a strong, fifth-place finish. The resilient top-five result marked a valuable points night in the championship hunt.

From Roseburg, the team traveled north to Skagit Speedway for the richest sprint car event ever held on the West Coast — the $126,000-to-win Skagit Nationals. With combined points across three nights setting the stage for Saturday’s finale, every lap carried weight.

The NAPA No. 49 came out fast on Thursday, timing in fourth quickest out of 39 cars. But contact with the wall in the Heat race caused heavy damage to the NAPA machine, forcing the crew into repair mode. Sweet clawed back through the B-Main to transfer into the feature. He ultimately drove from 23rd to 17th in the A-Main, salvaging critical points in a compromised machine.

The NAPA crew wasted no time getting back on track Friday night, unloading with speed once again. Sweet qualified third-quickest out of 39 entries, setting the team up with strong event points early. After lining up sixth in Heat 3, Sweet’s night took an unfortunate turn just a few laps in when a mechanical failure sidelined the No. 49 and forced an early exit from heat race action.

Back in the pits, the crew went to work — performing a complete engine change to prepare for the B-Main. Despite their efforts, the car was unable to fire in the allotted time, forcing the team to utilize a provisional starting spot for the feature. Rolling off 25th in the 30-lap A-Main, Sweet put on a show. Methodically working through the field, the NAPA No. 49 stormed forward 12 positions to finish 13th, earning the Hard Charger Award for passing the most cars in the race.

On Saturday, Sweet advanced through his Qualifier, racing from fourth to third to secure a spot for the NAPA team in the $126,000 main event . Starting 16th, Sweet was on the move before being spun early, relegating him to the rear. Undeterred, Sweet raced back up to 19th at the checkered. While the finishes didn’t reflect the team’s full potential, the weekend was a testament to the crew’s grit and determination under pressure.

After a demanding West Coast stretch, the NAPA No. 49 hauler now points east toward Pennsylvania for the prestigious Tuscarora 50 weekend at Port Royal Speedway. With three nights of High Limit competition ahead, the event presents a major opportunity to rebound and regain ground in the championship chase, where Sweet currently sits third overall.

Start / Finish:
Monday, Aug. 25, Douglas County Dirt Track: 13 / 5
Thursday, Aug. 28, Skagit Speedway: 23 / 17
Friday, Aug. 29, Skagit Speedway: 25 / 13
Saturday, Aug. 30, Skagit Speedway: 16 / 19
Points Standing / Total: 3rd / 1,928 pts. (-35)

Next Race: Thursday, Sept. 4, Port Royal Speedway
How to Watch or Listen: FloRacing

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