Jump to content

Brad Sweet scores WoO Sprint Car Series win at Cotton Bowl


NickHolt

Recommended Posts

 Brad Sweet Scores Second Win of Season at Cotton Bowl

- Jacob Allen Flips While Leading in Pursuit of Second Career Win

PAIGE, TX - March 20, 2021 - Brad Sweet has made his mindset on World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series championships very clear: win races, and the points will fall your way. On Saturday night at Cotton Bowl Speedway, Sweet got back to his winning ways with his 60th career victory and his second of the season aboard the Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts #49.

WG75A0169.thumb.jpg.050583cf8d945c631e56fd9c13e47b7d.jpg

Trent Gower photo

The Big Cat led 28 of 30 laps and cruised to a 1.087-second advantage at the checkered flag. He joined Sheldon Haudenschild as the only two repeat winners of the 2021 World of Outlaws season through the opening eight races.

"It's pretty cool," Sweet acknowledged on his 60th career win. "They've all come with Kasey Kahne Racing too, and we've got Kasey here with us tonight. I can't thank him enough for the opportunity he's given us. It's been a fun ride so far, but it's far from over. It's always fun getting back in victory lane. These guys have been sticking by my side even through all my mistakes of late."

Sweet himself, however, admitted he didn't feel like the #49 was the car to beat on Saturday. He thought that honor belonged to Jacob Allen of Shark Racing, who looked poised for a second career win in the Drydene Texas Two-Step pres. by American Lube Suppy.

Pacing the opening 10 laps, Sweet was in command of the race lead until lap traffic halted his progress and allowed a hard charging Jacob Allen to close quickly. Taking advantage of the back markers, Allen picked off Sweet and took the Drydene Performance Products #1A to the top spot on Lap 11. He controlled two circuits before a mistake entering turn one sent him into the wall, flipping upside down, and eventually on fire.

The lovable Hanover, PA native was heartbroken, dejected, and upset with himself, but he still won over all the fans in attendance and those watching at home on DIRTVision.

"I stepped on it, that's what I did," Allen admitted. "The car felt phenomenal, I just screwed it up. There's no need for that. That's immature racing. I need to take a chill pill and finish these races to get myself a win. I'm racing with one of the very best in Brad Sweet and I need to capitalize, not end up on my lid."

Lap 12 offered the final restart of the race and Sweet promptly used the high-side to his advantage and checked out. Another bout with lap traffic made it interesting on Lap 19, but the two-time and defending Series champion prevailed and survived to run off with his second career win at the Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, TX.

"We've been knocking on the door lately," Sweet spoke on his strings of five-straight podiums. "I think Jake had the better car there, but he just made that mistake in lap traffic. It shows us we've still got to get a little bit better. I still fought some things with the car that I'd like to get fixed."

Brent Marks of Myerstown, PA finished a season-high second aboard his CJB Motorsports #5.

"We just needed lap traffic," Marks mentioned, who almost snookered Sweet in traffic with ten to go. "We got too tight there at the end and I couldn't run turns one and two like I needed to. All in all, a really great night. We've been struggling these last few races, so we needed this run. Make the 20+ hour drive back home a lot easier."

After a disappointing Friday night in the Last Chance Showdown, Cory Eliason and the Rudeen Racing #26 rebounded in a big way on Saturday with their second podium finish of the season.

"After our embarrassment last night we changed a lot off things and got way better tonight. Things really went our way tonight except for that double file restart. A podium for this team is awesome to get our sponsors the exposure they deserve."

Closing out the top five at Cotton Bowl was David Gravel aboard the Big Game Motorsports #2 with a 12th-to-fifth run and Friday's winner Sheldon Haudenschild in the Stenhouse Jr. Marshall Racing #17.

Rounding out the top ten was Logan Schuchart of Hanover, PA, Donny Schatz of Fargo, ND, Aaron Reutzel of Clute, TX, Brock Zearfoss of Jonestown, PA, and James McFadden of Alice Springs, N.T., AUS.

UP NEXT - The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series heads off to Missouri for a Show-Me State doubleheader next weekend. On Friday, March 26, US-36 Raceway in Osborn, MO takes the spotlight. On Saturday, March 27, the Series heads to Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, MO for the $15,000/Win Jason Johnson Classic.

NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps) - 1. 49-Brad Sweet [2][$10,000]; 2. 5-Brent Marks [4][$6,000]; 3. 26-Cory Eliason [1][$3,500]; 4. 2-David Gravel [12][$2,800]; 5. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [5][$2,500]; 6. 1S-Logan Schuchart [9][$2,300]; 7. 15-Donny Schatz [13][$2,200]; 8. 83-Aaron Reutzel [14][$2,100]; 9. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [6][$2,050]; 10. 9-James McFadden [7][$2,000]; 11. 41-Carson Macedo [11][$1,600]; 12. 2C-Wayne Johnson [23][$1,400]; 13. 11-Ian Madsen [16][$1,200]; 14. 19-Parker Price-Miller [22][$1,100]; 15. 18-Gio Scelzi [8][$1,050]; 16. 21-Brian Brown [10][$1,000]; 17. 11K-Kraig Kinser [18][$1,000]; 18. 7S-Jason Sides [15][$1,000]; 19. 2B-Josh Baughman [17][$1,000]; 20. 8M-TJ Michael [19][$1,000]; 21. 33M-Mason Daniel [20][$1,000]; 22. 3-Ayrton Gennetten [21][$1,000]; 23. 42P-Preston Perlmutter [24][$1,000]; 24. 99X-Dalton Stevens [25][$1,000]; 25. 1A-Jacob Allen [3][$1,000]. Lap Leaders:Brad Sweet 1-10, 13-30; Jacob Allen 11-12. KSE Hard Charger Award: 2C-Wayne Johnson[+11]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Crazy how fast these guys are and how much quicker everything happens in those Sprints. They didn't post the full part of Allen's quote. He started it with, "They have a phrase when you step on it." Of course referring to stepping on a certain body part when you get overexcited and overdrive. He was the only one that really had anything for Sweet and would have been awesome to watch those two go at it but Marks was sneaky fast. The sport mod race was great too. Not for the win, JJ kinda pulled away from everyone. A late yellow gave Egbert hope but JJ had them covered. Egbert and Hanusch had a good battle but there were 4-5 cars that were all over each other battling for 4th.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Friday night was a fun night. And when the 17 moved up the track it was all over with. Nobody really followed him. The 49 and the 83 stayed down to the middle and bottom while the 17 was hauling the mail up on the cushion. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As much as I've seen people complaining about track prep etc, they were still flying Saturday. But yes you can tell they were a little slower since Sweet's rear end was glowing like brake rotors at the old Longhorn Speedway. I'd hate (or love) to see these guys at a track like Eldora or Knoxville then, but the show was still good with more technical driving Saturday. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, top_shelf_12 said:

As much as I've seen people complaining about track prep etc, they were still flying Saturday. But yes you can tell they were a little slower since Sweet's rear end was glowing like brake rotors at the old Longhorn Speedway. I'd hate (or love) to see these guys at a track like Eldora or Knoxville then, but the show was still good with more technical driving Saturday. 

Should go to Devil's Bowl Speedway and see them go around there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...