Buddy Kofoid Nabs Pit Stop USA Shootout #3
By Devin Mayo and Rick Faeth
Petaluma Speedway hosted Pit Stop USA Shootout #3 in concjunction with the Sonoma-Marin Sunday Night. Twenty three winged 360’s signed into the pits with the current Petaluma points leader Geoff Ensign setting fast time with a time of 13.008 on a fast and heavy track. Three heat races saw David Lindt Jr, Justyn Cox, and Tony Gualda pick off the 8-lappers. A 6 lap dash saw 15-year old Penngrove gasser Michael “Buddy” Kofoid lead every lap and would start on the pole of the main event. Kofoid led the field to green throwing a slider on Ensign on the first lap to take the lead. Ensign, the current Petaluma Speedway point leader, would have issues in the early going and pull into the infield as the yellow flew for Sparky Howard. Kofoid led the field back to green and started to develop a big lead. Kofoid would hit traffic, allowing Cox and Klint Simpson to close. With 2 laps to go, Cox would make a move to the bottom of turns 1 and 2 for the lead. Contact between he and Simpson, left Cox with a flat right rear. Kofoid would get sweet revenge after leading the KWS/NARC event the night prior and losing the lead because of a left rear shredding with only 5 to go. Sean Becker would weave his way to second and Chase Johnson was third and also was the hard charger of the night.
The Santa Rosa Auto Body 600’s also made their third appearance in as many weeks. David Engstrom and Koen Shaw copped the pair of heat races. George Nielson would lead the field to green for 20 laps. Neilson would build up a strong lead as Anthony Soper, Nick Robfogel, Engstrom, and Shaw had a 4 car battle for second. Shaw would negotiate through and start to run down Nielson. Shaw would make a pass in turn 3 to take the lead from Neilson and never looked back. Shaw would go on to pick up his second 600 victory of the season over Engstrom and Neilson.
Petaluma Speedway returns next Monday, July 3rd, with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Petaluma Auto Parts – NAPA Night. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.petaluma-speedway.com
