Note: The editorial staff at IMS.com is taking a look back at the 10 biggest moments of 2022 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in this year-end series, with one installment appearing on the site per day in countdown fashion from Dec. 22-31.
Buddy Kofoid showcased every bit of his prowess as the reigning USAC National Midget champion with a sensational victory Aug. 5 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Driving the No. 67 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports entry, Kofoid pushed the cushion and outdueled Cannon McIntosh to win the fourth edition of the Driven2SaveLives BC39 at The Dirt Track at IMS.
A capacity crowd was on hand to witness a memorable 39-lap feature as the two drivers were locked in a thrilling battle, exchanging the lead on numerous occasions while pushing the top lane so far it led to bouncing off the Turn 4 wall. In the end, though, Kofoid bested the No. 08 Dave Mac Dalby Motorsports entry of McIntosh and kissed the Yard of Bricks mounted on the finish line wall.
“This is the biggest midget win of my career,” Kofoid said. “It’s something special, and I feel like it hasn’t even sunk in yet.”
While Kofoid’s right-side tires were frequently tapping the wall, the final restart nearly saw him concede the lead after a tense moment drifting in Turn 4.
“I started ripping the fence and if I put (the car) upside-down, I put it upside-down,” Kofoid said. “Luckily, that didn’t happen.”
The runner-up result for McIntosh came after he led the majority of the first half of the race. Although it wasn’t a victory, he was left relishing the battle with Kofoid.
“It was fun racing with him there,” McIntosh said. “I feel like we were able to push each other to the limit without going over the limit. That was a cool battle.”
Thomas “T-Mez” Meseraull ended up third, followed by Zach Daum and Jacob Denney.
With the result, Kofoid became the third “Buddy” to win a major event at IMS, following Buddy Lazier (1996) and Buddy Rice (2004) in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
There were 86 entries for the two-night BC39 event, which honors the late Bryan Clauson, a five-time USAC champion who led three laps in the 2016 “500.” This event also promotes organ donation through the Indiana Donor Network. Clauson, who died in a racing accident in August 2016, saved five lives as an organ donor.
Ahead of tasting the gritty bricks, Kofoid took a moment with the Clauson family in Victory Lane.
“We won at probably the coolest track in the world (with) great fans, and it was cool to see a packed house,” he said. “To honor Bryan Clauson and the whole Clauson family, plus Driven2SaveLives, it’s hard to put into words what that means.
“Also, (winning) $15,000 is pretty damn cool, too.”
