By Alex Nieten
CONCORD, NC (January 14, 2025) – Michael “Buddy” Kofoid grew up watching Sprint Car drivers shape legacies with California’s Roth Motorsports.
Now, Kofoid is making his own history in Dennis and Teresa Roth’s famed ride, and he’ll continue to do so as he’s officially set for his sophomore season with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.
“I feel like racing last year with the Outlaws is the most I’ve learned and the most I’ve progressed in my career as far as becoming a better race car driver,” Kofoid said. “And that’s, I think, all because of racing with the Outlaws.”
A major step in Kofoid’s career was taken with he linked with Roth midway through 2023. The pairing ran a pick-and-choose schedule to close out the year before committing to the World of Outlaws in 2024, setting up Kofoid’s first full season with The Greatest Show on Dirt.
Kofoid’s résumé set expectations high. West coasters watched the Penngrove, CA native win 410 Sprint Car races as early as 15 years old. He sat on the pole of the Gold Cup Race of Champions with the World of Outlaws at only 16. Eventually he broadened his horizons eastward and impressed on the ovals of Ohio. He proved his versatility by becoming a two-time USAC National Midget Champion in 2021 and 2022. Fans across the country were ready to see what Kofoid could do during a full season on Sprint Car racing’s biggest stage, and he didn’t let them down.
The result was arguably the best Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year campaign in Series history. Kofoid bagged seven wins, 27 podiums, and 53 top 10s in his Toyota-powered No. 83 car. Those stats led to a fourth-place finish in points, equaling Jeff Swindell, Brad Doty, and Giovanni Scelzi for the highest finishing World of Outlaws rookie.
Highlights included redemption at the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals. After mechanical troubles led to heartbreak in 2023, Kofoid banked the six-figure payday at the South Dakota oval in 2024. He later won three times in a four-race stretch in front of his home state fans of California. Kofoid also conquered the tricky Williams Grove Speedway for the first time.
“It went better than what I expected and not even just the last few months,” Kofoid admitted. “Some say we started out kind of rough, but some of that was stuff that happened out of our control like blowing a tire leading at Volusia or we hurt a motor the first race. Then we kind of struggled a little bit in Texas, but there’s growing pains with developing a motor. I feel like it’s come a long way, and I’ve been with Roth since June of last year. I think that’s helped us do what we’ve been able to do.”
It’s as storybook as it gets for Kofoid as he continues to carve out his path in the sport. He’s not only made it where he’s always wanted to be, but he’s also arrived there with a team that means so much to any Californian with a connection to Sprint Car racing.
“To do this with Roth, which coming from California is an iconic team and a team I looked up to growing up,” Kofoid said. “I also raced against them a lot locally before I moved to the Midwest. So, to do this with them and Toyota and Mobil 1, people I’ve been with before I went back to full-time Sprint Car racing, and continue that relationship with them is so cool. I talk about enjoying where you’re at, and that’s something I’ve learned is extremely important.”
Kofoid is also rising up Roth’s history charts fast. A record 16 different drivers have steered one of the team’s cars to World of Outlaws Victory Lane – Danny Lasoski tops the list with 41. Kofoid’s eight checkered flags have already equaled James McFadden for the third most. And while Kofoid said he enjoys seeing how far he’s come in a short time, he’s already thinking about the next win and many more to follow.
“To have a decent amount of wins and be third on the list is really cool,” Kofoid said. “But at the end of the day, there’s still work to be done, and the job is not over yet. I feel like after Charlotte, Dylan (Buswell) and I looked at each other and were wishing we could just go straight into Florida because of how good we’d been and how enjoyable it’s been and how much we’ve learned and progressed. Hopefully we can keep moving up that list. I’d love to be with Roth as long as I can and with Dylan and the people I’m with and someday hopefully get close to that 41.”
A World of Outlaws title is one piece missing from the Roth Motorsports résumé, and it’s something Kofoid is ready to go after for both he, Dennis and Teresa, and the entire Roth crew.
“I think to be in the conversation of having a chance to win an Outlaws championship is really cool and special after just our first year,” Kofoid said. “I feel like the last half or so of our year was mostly a championship caliber consistency. There are still some things that we could’ve done better, and I could’ve done better. But I feel like our last half is more or less what you need to do to win a championship.”
Kofoid and Roth Motorsports begin the 2025 World of Outlaws season at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 5-8. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
For the full 2025 schedule, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.
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FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink® Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: NOS Energy Drink (Official Energy Product), DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), iRacing (Official Online Racing Game), Milton Hershey School (Official Education Partner), Racing Electronics (Official Radio Supplier), Simpson Performance Products (Preferred Safety Gear Partner), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider), Toyota (Official Vehicle), and VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel); Contingency sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, Evolve Transporters, Federated Auto Parts, KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Award), Lifeline USA, Micro-Lite LLC, MSD, Quartz Hill Records, Stone Country Records, Smith Titanium Brake Systems, and WELD Racing. Manufacturer sponsors include, FIREBULL, and Intercomp, and Sea Foam.
Founded in 1978, the World of Outlaws®, based in Concord, NC, is the premier national touring series for dirt track racing in North America, featuring the most powerful cars on dirt, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Annually, the two series race nearly 140 times at tracks across the United States and Canada. CBS Sports Network is the official broadcast partner of the World of Outlaws. DIRTVision® also broadcasts all World of Outlaws events over the Internet to fans around the world. Learn more about the World of Outlaws.