Rico Beats Larson in Red Cedar Photo Finish to Remain Undefeated in Roto-Rooter Midweek Series

Rico Abreu Bob Buffenbarger Photo

By Brian Walker
It might as well be rebranded Rico’s Roto-Rooter Midweek Series considering Abreu’s domination of the mini-series in 2025.

The fan-favorite native of St. Helena, California made it three-for-three with the Roto-Rooter Midweek Series on Wednesday night, beating Kyle Larson in a thrilling race that resulted in a photo finish at Menomonie, Wisconsin’s Red Cedar Speedway.

Coming from the fourth starting spot, Abreu trailed Kyle Larson and Tanner Thorson in the early running after a dramatic moment saw pole sitter Justin Peck drop out of the race when the green flag waved.

Larson – fresh off a three-week stint pulling double duty between IndyCar and NASCAR – quickly returned to form in Paul Silva’s #57 Sprint Car as he controlled the opening 16 laps of Wednesday’s 30-lapper.

Abreu came to life at the halfway restart as he swooped by both Larson and Thorson to steal the lead with a slider on Lap 16. From there, he cruised down the closing stretch until lap traffic allowed Larson to catch up and make it tight on the final lap.

In the end, the margin of victory was a narrow 0.133-seconds between Abreu and Larson at the checkered flag – making Red Cedar home to the fourth-closest finish in Kubota High Limit Racing history. In fact, the three Roto-Rooter Midweek Series events in 2025 have provided the third, fourth, and fifth closest finishes in history – with Abreu coming out on the winning end each time.

Larson came home with a runner-up result as Tanner Thorson rounded out the podium in third-place, marking his third-career podium with Kubota High Limit Racing in the Rod Gross Motorsports #88.

Closing out the top-10 at Red Cedar Speedway was Aaron Reutzel, Brad Sweet, Brent Marks, Spencer Bayston, Daison Pursley, Tyler Courtney, and Chase Randall.

THE ALL-IN NOTEBOOK (6/4/25)
Red Cedar Speedway (Menomonie, WI)

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps – Tanner Thorson (12.676)
Capital Custom Trailers QuickTime – Daison Pursley (12.732)
TJ Forged Heat One Winner – Tanner Thorson
DMI Heat Two Winner – Justin Peck
BR Motorsports Heat Three Winner – Chase Randall
FK Rod Ends Dash Winner – Justin Peck
Winters Performance B-Main Winner – Max Guilford
Jake’s Golf Carts Fastest Lap Award – Kyle Larson (13.351)
Rod End Supply Hard Charger – Tyler Courtney +9 (18th-9th)
Lap Leaders – Kyle Larson 1-16; Rico Abreu 17-30

Kubota A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 24-Rico Abreu[4]; 2. 57-Kyle Larson[2]; 3. 88-Tanner Thorson[3]; 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel[7]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet[12]; 6. 19-Brent Marks[10]; 7. 14-Spencer Bayston[15]; 8. 13-Daison Pursley[5]; 9. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[18]; 10. 9R-Chase Randall[6]; 11. 88W-Austin McCarl[11]; 12. 9-Kasey Kahne[9]; 13. 3-Ayrton Gennetten[8]; 14. 14BC-Corey Day[20]; 15. 39M-Anthony Macri[13]; 16. 24D-Danny Sams III[16]; 17. 5-Brenham Crouch[17]; 18. 19H-Joel Myers Jr[21]; 19. 74N-Luke Nellis[23]; 20. 42-Sye Lynch[14]; 21. 4-Jeremy Snow[24]; 22. 87A-Austin Hartmann[22]; 23. 16C-Max Guilford[19]; 24. 26-Justin Peck[1]

NEW 2025 Kubota High Limit Racing Championship Standings (After 17/52 Races):

Kasey Kahne Racing #49 – Brad Sweet (1,047 PTS… +2)
Clauson-Marshall Racing #7BC – Tyler Courtney (1,045 PTS… -2)
Rico Abreu Racing #24 – Rico Abreu (1,037 PTS… -10)
Ridge & Sons Racing #87 – Aaron Reutzel (1,017 PTS… -30)
Murray-Marks Motorsports #19 – Brent Marks (1,016 PTS… -31)
Rudeen Racing #26 – Justin Peck (947 PTS… -100)
Kasey Kahne Racing #9 – Kasey Kahne (793 PTS… -254)
Rod Gross Motorsports #88 – Tanner Thorson (791 PTS… -256)
Jason Meyers Racing #14 – Spencer Bayston (763 PTS… -284)
Chase Randall Racing #9R – Chase Randall (742 PTS… -305)
Buch Motorsports #13 – Daison Pursley (691 PTS… -356)
CJB Motorsports #5 – Brenham Crouch (668 PTS… -379)
Randerson Racing #24D – Danny Sams III (667 PTS… -380)
Mosites Lynch Racing #42 – Sye Lynch (607 PTS… -440)

UP NEXT: Another night in Wisconsin awaits Kubota High Limit Racing as the Roto-Rooter Midweek Series moves three-hours down the road to 141 Speedway in Maribel, Wisconsin on Thursday, June 5 for the $26,000-to-win, $1,500-to-start Rayce Rudeen Foundation Race. Fans can buy tickets at HighLimitRacing.com.