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The streets of Bakersfield belonged to “The Big Cat” on Friday night as Brad Sweet dominated the Kubota High Limit Racing debut at the Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway.
After setting the top time in Flight B of Capitol Renegade Qualifying and then coming from fourth-to-second in BR Motorsports Heat 3, the redraw wheel put Sweet’s Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 on the pole of the FK Rod Ends Dash. From there, he dominated the seven-lapper and led all 30 laps of the Kubota A-Main.
The win marked Sweet’s 11th of his career with Kubota High Limit Racing, one short of Rico Abreu’s series-high 12 victories. His first trip to Whiskey Myers Victory Lane this season makes it three different winners in three races – all Californians: Corey Day of Clovis, CA, Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, CA, and Sweet of Grass Valley, CA.
Extending his early-season championship lead, thanks to consecutive finishes of third, second, and first, Sweet’s triumph marked the first national win for new crew chief Tye Wolfgang.
Earning the first 1-2 finish by any team in Kubota High Limit Racing history, teammate and car owner Kasey Kahne followed Sweet to the line with the KKR No. 9 right behind the No. 49. The runner-up effort established a new career-best for the driver of the Kahne Screen Print, HendrickCars.com No. 9.
On the final step of the podium in Bakersfield was Brent Marks of Myerstown, Pennsylvania – almost 3,000 miles away from his home base. The third-place effort was Marks’ first-ever podium in the state of California, which has long been a challenging destination for the PA Posse star.
Closing out the top-five was a pair of California teams with Tanner Holmes taking the Tarlton Racing No. 21 to fourth-place – putting them third in the series standings after three races – and Hanford’s D.J. Netto with a career-best fifth-place outing against the High Rollers.
Finishing out the top-10 on Friday night was Tyler Courtney (from 22nd), Tim Kaeding (from 14th), Tanner Thorson (from 15th), Dominic Scelzi (from 21st), and Justin Peck.
THE ALL-IN NOTEBOOK (3/21/25)
Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway (Bakersfield, CA)
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps – Austin McCarl (12.043 seconds)
Capital Custom Trailers QuickTime – Austin McCarl (12.021 seconds)
TJ Forged Heat One Winner – Chase Randall
DMI Heat Two Winner – Brent Marks
BR Motorsports Heat Three Winner – Sye Lynch
DIRT II Heat Four Winner – Tanner Holmes
FK Rod Ends Dash Winner – Brad Sweet
Winters Performance B-Main Winner – Dominic Scelzi
Jake’s Golf Carts Fastest Lap Award – Brad Sweet (13.080 seconds)
Rod End Supply Hard Charger – Tyler Courtney +16 (22nd-to-6th)
Lap Leaders – Brad Sweet 1-30
Kubota A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet[1]; 2. 9-Kasey Kahne[2]; 3. 19-Brent Marks[5]; 4. 21-Tanner Holmes[7]; 5. 88N-DJ Netto[12]; 6. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[22]; 7. 0-Tim Kaeding[14]; 8. 88-Tanner Thorson[15]; 9. 41-Dominic Scelzi[21]; 10. 26-Justin Peck[10]; 11. 3-Kaleb Montgomery[16]; 12. 87-Aaron Reutzel[19]; 13. 73-Ryan Bernal[20]; 14. 9R-Chase Randall[4]; 15. 2X-Justin Sanders[24]; 16. 10X-Dominic Gorden[17]; 17. 17W-Shane Golobic[13]; 18. 24-Rico Abreu[9]; 19. 5-Brenham Crouch[25]; 20. 88W-Austin McCarl[8]; 21. 14-Spencer Bayston[18]; 22. 21P-Robbie Price[11]; 23. 24D-Danny Sams III[23]; 24. 42-Sye Lynch[6]; 25. 13-Daison Pursley[3]
NEW 2025 Kubota High Limit Racing Championship Standings (After 3/59 Races):
- Kasey Kahne Racing #49 – Brad Sweet (217 PTS… -)
- Clauson-Marshall Racing #7BC – Tyler Courtney (181 PTS… -36)
- Murray-Marks Motorsports #19 – Brent Marks (166 PTS… -51)
- Rico Abreu Racing #24 – Rico Abreu (158 PTS… -59)
- Kasey Kahne Racing #9 – Kasey Kahne (154 PTS… -63)
- Rudeen Racing #26 – Justin Peck (149 PTS… -68)
- Chase Randall Racing #9R – Chase Randall (147 PTS… -70)
- Rod Gross Motorsports #88 – Tanner Thorson (137 PTS… -80)
- Ridge & Sons Racing #87 – Aaron Reutzel (131 PTS… -86)
- Randerson Racing #24D – Danny Sams III (113 PTS… -104)
- CJB Motorsports #5 – Brenham Crouch (99 PTS… -118)
- Jason Meyers Racing #14 – Spencer Bayston (97 PTS… -120)
- Buch Motorsports #13 – Daison Pursley (89 PTS… -128)
- Mosites Lynch Racing #42 – Sye Lynch (89 PTS… -128)
UP NEXT: A quick swing through California will conclude on Saturday, March 22 when Kubota High Limit Racing hits SoCal for the first time. The Southern California Home of Major League Sprint Car Racing, Perris Auto Speedway, is where all the action resides. Fans can purchase tickets for future Kubota High Limit Racing events by clicking here.
Article Credit: Brian Walker
