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Photos by Johns Racing Photos
Bud Kaeding wins 30 grand at Budweiser Oval Nationals
By Gary Thomas
Lake Perris, CA - November 5, 2007...Going into the 12th annual Oval Nationals Campbell, Calif’s Bud Kaeding had one goal in mind and that was to become the first driver to reach three wins in the prestigious event held at the Perris Auto Speedway. The 27 year-old had won the big race twice before earlier in the decade, but came into this year’s running having not been a full time non wing sprint car driver in 2007.
That didn’t matter however, as Bud showed that he can adapt back quickly and he beat the best in the business on Saturday night utilizing a crowd pleasing last lap pass to win his third career Oval Nationals title. "I’m just so excited right now I can’t believe it, my wife is pregnant so this will definitely help buy some diapers, a crib and more," Bud said following the race. "I’m so happy for this whole team I’m taking everyone to Disneyland."
The Budweiser Oval Nationals as an event began in 1996 and it has grown into being arguably the biggest non wing sprint car race in the country. The 12th installment of the event kicked off on Thursday November 1 and saw a talented field of 68 wingless 410 sprinters sign into the back gate at the immaculate Perris Auto Speedway in Southern California. The three night show uses a points format to set line-ups for Saturday and it makes for some very competitive action during the preliminary night’s. On opening night Bud qualified eighth quickest in the stacked field aboard the Kaeding Performance, BK Motorsports, High Five Pizza No. 29. An eighth place finish in his heat then put him into the B-main where he finished third to transfer into the feature.
Starting 10th in the 25 lap prelim main event Bud was able to hold his own on a track that was rather tough to make movement on and was able to bring home an eighth place finish to earn a solid point night. He and the 29 team came back on Friday looking to gain more points and have a better starting position come Saturday night. The second prelim night didn’t go quite as well as the first, but all in all it didn’t hurt too much since many of the other top point earners from Thursday had problems of their own. Bud qualified 32nd fastest in the field to earn a front row starting spot in his heat race. The hard charging Campbell native wasn’t about to let the good starting spot go to waste and he proceeded to show the way around the ½ mile oval and picked up the heat win aboard the MDR Machine, Bell Helmets, MPD Racing Products No. 29.
Bud was then was forced to start way back in the 22nd spot and after being involved in a couple different issues during the feature, he soldiered on and sat in 15th when the checkered flag flew from the starters stand. When points were tabulated from the first two nights Bud found himself sitting in the 10th position in the overall standings. The top five rows of the $30,000 to win main event featured some ultra talented drivers including brother Tim who started from the second row. Bud lurked back in row five and steadily made his way forward as the race went on. Using a little bit of attrition and some good hard driving, Bud put himself in position to pounce as the laps wound down.
The current USAC Silver Crown Series point leader sat in third place with just 10 laps remaining in the 40 lap contest and on lap 30 he was able to get by his brother Tim to move into the runner-up position. Bud stayed close to leader Casey Shuman during the last handful of laps and as the white flag was waving he gassed the Puma, BK Motorsports No. 29 to the high side and drove by Shuman to take the lead and went on to claim the $30,000 victory.
It was a terrific turn around for Bud who suffered a frightening crash last weekend in Las Vegas with USAC/CRA. He’ll now take this momentum into Phoenix, Arizona this coming weekend where he’ll look to wrap up his second straight K & N Filters USAC Silver Crown Series Championship. Bud goes into the event at Phoenix International Raceway leading the standings by 54 digits over Wayne Reutimann Jr. In addition to action in the Silver Crown car, Bud is also expected to take part in the USAC National Sprint Car Western World Championships at Manzanita. He is a two-time winner of the Western World and will look to make it number three next weekend.
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