Buddy Kofoid

American racing driver From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael "Buddy" Kofoid is an American professional dirt track and stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the USAC National Midget Series and POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series, driving for Keith Kunz Motorsports. He is the 2021 and 2022 USAC National Midget Series champion. He also competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports, and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 15 Toyota Camry for Venturini Motorsports. He also has competed with the NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws Sprint car Series. He collected his first win at Huset's Speedway on June 23, 2022.[citation needed]

BornMichael Kofoid
Debut season2018
Current teamKeith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports[1]
Carnumber67
Quick facts Michael "Buddy" Kofoid, Born ...
Michael "Buddy" Kofoid
BornMichael Kofoid
USAC National Midget Series career
Debut season2018
Current teamKeith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports[1]
Car number67
EngineToyota
Crew chiefJarrett Martin[1]
Championships2 (2021, 2022)
Wins36
Best finish1st in 2021, 2022
Finished last season1st
Previous series
2019 to presentPOWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series
Championship titles
2021-2022USAC National Midget Series
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
2 races run over 1 year
2022 position45th
Best finish45th (2022)
First race2022 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt (Bristol Dirt)
Last race2022 Clean Harbors 150 (Knoxville)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
ARCA Menards Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish71st (2022)
First race2022 Atlas 100 (Illinois State Fairgrounds)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
Statistics up to date as of November 5, 2022.
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Early career

Kofoid began racing at the age of five, driving outlaw cars.[2] He began driving sprint cars after receiving his first one when he was ten.[3] He was the youngest driver to win a sprint car A-Main in the New Zealand National Sprint Car Series in 2013, at eleven years old.[4] He competed full-time in the Western Sprint Tour when he was 13, finishing second in the final standings.[5] He won a sprint car race at Placerville Speedway in 2016, which made him the youngest person in history to win at the track.[6] Throughout most of his career, Kofoid primarily has competed in sprint car and midget car racing events, and occasionally late model races.

United States Auto Club

Kofoid attempted to make his USAC National Midget Series debut in 2018, but failed to qualify.[7] In 2019, he joined Keith Kunz Motorsports for a part-time effort. He won in his first career national midget car debut, at Jacksonville Speedway.[8] On December 14, 2019, Kofoid signed a full time effort in the USAC National Midget Series with Keith Kunz Motorsports in 2020, and compete for Rookie of the Year honors.[9] He pulled off an impressive season, scoring three wins, fourteen top-fives, and 22 top-tens. He finished fourth in the final standings, and won Rookie of the Year.[10] He had a breakout season in 2021, finishing inside the top 10 in all but three races. He won the championship with six wins, 28 top-fives, and 37 top-tens.[11] He won two more titles that season, the USAC Indiana Midget Week,[12] and the Make-A-Wish Trophy Cup.[13] As of 2022, Kofoid will continue to race full time with KKM, and defend for a second championship.[14]

POWRi Midget Racing

Kofoid made his POWRi Midget Racing debut in 2019, driving in two races. He finished second and third in both races.[15] He drove in 16 races for KKM in 2020. Despite not driving in four of the races, he managed to finish fourth in final standings, with seven wins, twelve top-fives, and twelve top-tens.[16] He ran half of the season in 2021, scoring nine wins, fourteen top-fives, and fifteen top-tens.[17] As of 2022, he will continue running part-time for KKM.

Late models

In 2021, Kofoid made his debut in late model racing. He ran two races for Racing Dynamiks, finishing twelfth in his first race. He finished third in his second late model start at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.[18]

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West

In 2018, Kofoid signed with Gary Thackeray, and drove in a one off race with his team in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. He started fifteenth and finished 21st due to a mechanical issue.[19]

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

On March 31, 2022, it was announced that Kofoid will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at the 2022 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Kofoid will drive with the same chassis that Martin Truex Jr. drove in the 2021 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt, where he led 105 laps and won the race.[20] Kofoid started 32nd due to an overheating issue during qualifying races. He quickly made his way to the front, and ran as high as third in the final stage. He finished 27th, after spinning in turn 2. Fellow driver Derek Kraus ran into the back of Kofoid's truck as he was trying to avoid the wreck.

ARCA Menards Series

On August 9, 2022, it was announced that Kofoid would make his ARCA Menards Series debut at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack, driving the No. 15 for Venturini Motorsports.[21]

Sprint Car and Midget Racing in New Zealand

Throughout 2018 and 2019, Kofoid raced throughout New Zealand in Sprint Cars with Daniel Anderson Racing. This trip proved successful, as he came away with the New Zealand Sprint Car Title in 2019.

During the 2024/25 season Kofoid again raced in New Zealand but this time in a Midget, driving for Trent Way Motorsport. It was another extremely successful trip, which included wins in the Bay Superstars 30 Lapper and the Bay 51, both at Baypark Speedway, followed by the 50 Lap Classic on the 2nd of January, for his first ever win at Western Springs Speedway. Then two nights later, on the 4th of January 2025, Kofoid won the NZ Midget Championship, also held at Western Springs.

NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws SprintCar Series

Personal life

Kofoid is a fan of 20 time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser and NASCAR drivers Kyle Larson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kofoid is currently a member of the Toyota Racing Development program.[2]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Camping World Truck Series

More information NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results, Year ...
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 NCWTC Pts Ref
2022 Kyle Busch Motorsports 51 Toyota DAY LVS ATL COA MAR BRI
27
DAR KAN TEX CLT GTW SON KNX
11
NSH MOH POC IRP RCH KAN BRI TAL HOM PHO 45th 40 [22]
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K&N Pro Series West

More information NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results, Year ...
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 NKNPSWC Pts Ref
2018 Gary Thackeray 83 Chevy KCR TUS TUS OSS CNS SON DCS IOW EVG GTW LVS
21
MER AAS KCR 58th 23 [23]
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ARCA Menards Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

More information ARCA Menards Series results, Year ...
ARCA Menards Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 AMSC Pts Ref
2022 Venturini Motorsports 15 Toyota DAY PHO TAL KAN CLT IOW BLN ELK MOH POC IRP MCH GLN ISF
2
MLW DSF KAN BRI SLM TOL 71st 42 [24]
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CARS Pro Late Model Tour

(key)

More information CARS Pro Late Model Tour results, Year ...
CARS Pro Late Model Tour results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 CPLMTC Pts Ref
2022 N/A 24K Toyota CRW HCY GPS FCS TCM HCY ACE MMS
5
TCM ACE SBO
4
CRW 18th 57 [25]
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References

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