Buddy Kofoid passed Kevin Thomas Jr. for the lead on lap 13 on the way leading the final 18 laps in winning the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series’ Jason Leffler Memorial at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway Tuesday night.
The victory is the 45th national midget feature win for Kofoid, all coming with Keith Kunz Motorsports (KKM) and Toyota. The two-time (2021-2022) USAC national midget champion has since made the transition to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car championship where he was the series runner-up this year for the Toyota-powered Roth Motorsports team.
Starting from the pole, Thomas Jr. immediately moved into the lead, followed by Daison Pursley, while Kofoid started the race in sixth, but quickly began his move up through the field taking over the fifth position on lap one, then up to fourth on the following lap.
Kofoid would move into third on lap four and into second by lap seven when he began to run down Thomas Jr. By lap 12, Kofoid had reeled him in and pulled side by side as he was attempting to pass through turn three and four only to see a caution flag wave.
On the restart, Kofoid would make his move running the top side of the track, passing Thomas down the back straight to take the lead. He’d quickly pull away from the field before another caution waved on lap 15.
Kofoid would bring the field back to green, followed by Thomas Jr. and KKM’s Jacob Denney. Kofoid would open up a one-second lead by lap 18. Behind him, Denney would take over second on lap 21. From there on, it was all Kofoid, stretching out as much as a 1.294 second lead late in the race as he would go on to take the checkered flag with Denney finishing second.
Rookie Steven Snyder gave Toyota three drivers in the top five with a fifth-place finish. Pursley would place sixth, followed by Kale Drake in seventh, Justin Grant in eighth and Brecken Reese in tenth. Series point leader Cannon McIntosh finished 14th.
The USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series closes out the 2025 campaign with the 84th running of the ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix Saturday night at Ventura Raceway with McIntosh, Grant and Denney all still in the running for the championship.
Quotes:
Buddy Kofoid, Keith Kunz Motorsports Mobil 1 Toyota: “This is pretty special. i feel better in a midget than I have in the last couple of years since I’ve been away. Everyone here at KKM does a tremendous job. At the beginning of the day, the bottom was smoother and feeling good. I just kept running the top and it kept getting better and better.”
Toyota-Powered Drivers Bakersfield Speedway Results
Buddy Kofoid – 1st
Jacob Denney – 2nd
Steven Snyder – 5th
Daison Pursley – 6th
Kale Drake – 7th
Justin Grant – 8th
Brecken Reese – 10th
Cannon McIntosh – 14th
Gavin Miller – 15th
Carson Macedo – 16th
Karter Sarff – 17th
Ty Gibbs – 18th
Ronnie Gardner – 20th
Drake Edwards – 23rd
Toyota Drivers 2025 USAC Results (Full-time drivers)
Drivers
Starts
Wins
Top 3
Top 5
Top 10
Career Nat’l Wins with Toyota Power
Cannon McIntosh
22
5
10
14
19
56
Justin Grant
22
3
6
12
14
17
Jacob Denney
22
3
9
10
16
20
Gavin Miller
22
3
6
7
15
10
Kale Drake
22
2
6
8
16
3
Drake Edwards
22
1
3
6
13
1
Steven Snyder
22
0
2
6
12
0
Toyota PR