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A race fan couldn’t ask for much more than what Saturday’s finale of Shane Stewart’s Heartland of America Showdown delivered at Kansas City’s Lakeside Speedway.
With the nation’s best Sprint Car drivers going toe-to-toe for $50,000 – the highest payday of the year, to date – fans saw three different leaders and an intense finale restart to decide the biggest win of the young Kubota High Limit Racing campaign.
After driving straight to the dirt track following NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying, Kyle Larson promptly earned the pole position thanks to a win in the FK Rod Ends Dash. With teenage sensation Corey Day starting to his outside, it was “Yung Money” and “New Money” leading the field to green for 30 laps.
Day established control off the jump, clearing a slider on Larson through turn three to lead the opening circuit. The Jason Meyers Racing, Sander Engineering #49 controlled the first 14 laps before business really picked up as Larson and Sweet made it a three-car battle for the lead while dealing with thick lap traffic.
Larson made his move on Lap 14 when he went side-by-side with Day down the fronstretch and secured the lead. It wouldn’t last long, however, as Sweet came breathing down his neck and made a big move to take the lead away on Lap 18 with a deep slider into turn three.
Sweet led the final 13 laps but it was not without a fight as Larson threw everything he had at the #49 on the final three restarts. It just wasn’t enough, though, as “The Big Cat” secured his fourth win of 2024 with Kubota High Limit Racing and banked a $70,000 weekend with the Wilkerson-Forge Bonus.
With the win, the Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts #49 moved past the Clauson-Marshall Racing, NOS Energy Drink #7BC to become the new championship leader through 12/57 races.
Kyle Larson settled for a P2 finish behind his brother-in-law, cashing a $20,000 check for the Silva Motorsports, Finley Farms #57. He’ll now turn his attention back to the NASCAR Cup Series tomorrow afternoon as he gets back in the Hendrick Motorsports #5 at Kansas Speedway down the road.
Making a move on the final restart, James McFadden earned his first-career podium with Kubota High Limit Racing. A third-place finish for the Roth Motorsports #83 paid out $10,000 on Saturday night.
Corey Day and Justin Peck closed out the top-five while Brent Marks, Rico Abreu, Tyler Courtney, Kasey Kahne, and Ryan Timms rounded out the top-10.
THE ALL-IN NOTEBOOK (5/4/24)
Lakeside Speedway (Kansas City, KS)
Capitol Custom Trailers QuickTime – Brian Brown (13.941 seconds)
TJ Forged Heat One Winner – Brian Brown
DMI Heat Two Winner – James McFadden
BR Motorsports Heat Three Winner – Rico Abreu
Winters Performance Heat Four Winner – Corey Day
FK Rod Ends Dash Winner – Kyle Larson
B-Main Winner – Hunter Schuerenberg
Jake’s Golf Carts Fastest Lap Award – Brad Sweet (14.281 seconds)
Hard Charger – Hunter Schuerenberg +9, 21st-to-12th
Lap Leaders – Corey Day 1-13; Kyle Larson 14-17; Brad Sweet 18-30.
Kubota A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet[6]; 2. 57-Kyle Larson[1]; 3. 83-James McFadden[5]; 4. 14-Corey Day[2]; 5. 13-Justin Peck[12]; 6. 19-Brent Marks[3]; 7. 24-Rico Abreu[8]; 8. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[7]; 9. 9-Kasey Kahne[11]; 10. 5T-Ryan Timms[17]; 11. 1A-Jacob Allen[15]; 12. 19H-Hunter Schuerenberg[21]; 13. 27B-Jake Bubak[9]; 14. 88-Tanner Thorson[23]; 15. 55-Chris Windom[20]; 16. 52-Blake Hahn[19]; 17. 26-Zeb Wise[22]; 18. 9P-Parker Price Miller[18]; 19. 51B-Joe B Miller[24]; 20. 3-Ayrton Gennetten[14]; 21. 21-Brian Brown[4]; 22. 5-Spencer Bayston[13]; 23. 8-Cory Eliason[10]; 24. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[16]
Updated Championship Standings (After 12/57 Races):
- Kasey Kahne Racing #49 – Brad Sweet (816 PTS)
- Clauson-Marshall Racing #7BC – Tyler Courtney (-8 PTS)
- Murray-Marks Motorosports #19 – Brent Marks (-61 PTS)
- Jason Meyers Racing #14 – Corey Day (-69 PTS)
- Rico Abreu Racing #24 – Rico Abreu (-171 PTS)
- CJB Motorsports #5 – Spencer Bayston (-175 PTS)
- Shark Racing #1A – Jacob Allen (-179 PTS)
- Roth Motorsports #83 – James McFadden (-211 PTS)
- PPM Racing #9P – Parker Price-Miller (-212 PTS)
- Buch Motorsports #13 – Justin Peck (-224 PTS)
- Rudeen Racing #26 – Zeb Wise (-252 PTS)
- Rod Gross Motorsports #88 – Tanner Thorson (-263 PTS)
- Kasey Kahne Racing #9 – Kasey Kahne (-268 PTS)
- Ridge & Sons Racing #8 – Cory Eliason (-313 PTS)
- Vermeer Motorsports #55 – Chris Windom (-330 PTS)
- Crouch Motorsports #1 – Brenham Crouch (-369 PTS)
UP NEXT: Next weekend, Kubota High Limit Racing will return to a pair of tracks that hosted the series last year during the Midweek Money Series.
On Friday, May 10, it’s 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA. On Saturday, May 11, it’s Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, IL. Both races will pay $12,000-to-win, $1,200-to-start.
Article Credit: Brian Walker
