MINOT, N.D. — Mother Nature had other plans twice, but the long-awaited return to Nodak Speedway proved to be well worth the wait.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series completed the Gerdau Metals Recycling Magic City Showdown on Monday and gave the patient fans their money’s worth with a thrilling duel between two of the best.
A pair of “Golden State” stars in Michael “Buddy” Kofoid and Carson Macedo put on a show in the 30-lap main event.
Macedo started on the pole and took early command in the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41, and the battle commenced on Lap 8 when traffic slowed Macedo and allowed Kofoid to clear a slide job in Turns 1 and 2. Macedo countered with a crossover, and the two made slight contact as Macedo moved back ahead.
The lead changed hands for the third time in half a lap as the Roth Motorsports No. 83 dove under Macedo into Turn 3 and slid back ahead and closed the door.
Lapped cars help set the stage for a wild conclusion as Macedo motored back up to Kofoid’s tail tank in the closing laps. The white flag waved, and the door opened one last time for Macedo in the final set of corners. He fired a slider that cleared and brought the fans to their feet but couldn’t quite make it stick as Kofoid ducked back under exiting the turn and grabbed the checkered flag.
“When I slid him and he crossed me back under, things got a little hairy,” Kofoid explained. “I’m glad that we both were able to just keep going and still put on a good race. It was tricky obviously. I was still pounding the top, and I felt like I was kind of slipping a little bit more and more. I could see it was getting darker and darker, and I was like ‘OK, I need to be down here.’ I think just those two cars coming together let him have a chance. I checked up for them and didn’t know where they were going to go. I kind of gave up on the top, and then after the checkered I ran the top again was like that was still good. I’m just glad to come home with another win.”
The win gave Kofoid sole possession of the most World of Outlaws victories in 2026 as he’s now up to 11 this year and 33 in his career.
The 24-year-old has tallied 31 of those with Roth Motorsports, meaning he’s now just 10 away from equaling Danny Lasoski as Dennis and Teresa Roth’s winningest competitor with The Greatest Show on Dirt.
Macedo settled for the second spot, the fourth podium in the last five races for the Lemoore, Calif., native and the JJR crew.
Sheldon Haudenschild made a late charge to put the KCP Racing NOS Energy Drink No. 18 on the final step of the podium.
Garet Williamson and Spencer Bayston completed the top five.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 83-Michael Kofoid[2]; 2. 41-Carson Macedo[1]; 3. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[8]; 4. 23-Garet Williamson[4]; 5. 17-Spencer Bayston[6]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz[13]; 7. 2-David Gravel[3]; 8. 27-Emerson Axsom[7]; 9. 7S-Chris Windom[10]; 10. 16C-Skylar Gee[9]; 11. 2C-Cole Macedo[12]; 12. 1S-Logan Schuchart[14]; 13. 17B-Bill Balog[5]; 14. 28M-Conner Morrell[16]; 15. 6-Bryce Lucius[17]; 16. 15L-Laela Eisenschenk[18]; 17. 6N-Greg Nikitenko[21]; 18. 51-Steven Snyder Jr[11]; 19. G5-Gage Pulkrabek[15]; 20. 4-Colton Young[20]; 21. 17M-Todd Mickelson[22]; 22. 1-Amelia Eisenschenk[19]
