Balog Rebounds With High Bank Nationals Prelim Score

BRANDON, S.D. – Bill Balog put the pain of just missing out on Thursday night’s Huset’s Hustle victory behind him with a convincing score in Friday’s BillionAuto.com High Bank Nationals presented by Menards preliminary feature.

After pulling the two-pill to line up on the outside of the front row for the 35-lapper, Balog soared past polesitter Garet Williamson on lap two of the caution-free affair and never looked back.

The ‘North Pole Nightmare’ led the remaining 34 circuits at Huset’s Speedway uninterrupted for his third career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series win and second this season.

Balog’s week thus far at Huset’s has tested his small team and his equipment, but he’s continued to rise to the occasion at the three-eighths-mile dirt oval.

“This is another wore out motor, but it runs really good,” Balog said. “I just probably put a couple nights on it buzzing it there. It was good. We made a couple little tweaks to the car. I think we ran probably a little different gear. We were really good. This is just awesome.”

For Balog, an Alaska native now living in Hartland, Wis., it was a big moment that could lead to an even bigger moment by the end of the weekend.

He ranks atop the event points table going into Saturday’s $250,000-to-win High Bank Nationals finale, granting him the pole position for the first heat race and a shot to win that heat – which would guarantee Balog a front-row starting spot for the big-money bash.

But Balog’s mind wasn’t quite on that part as he stood in victory lane with a $20,000 check in hand and confetti fluttering around him – not yet, at least.

“These (Outlaws races) are just about impossible to win,” he noted. “We’re going to enjoy it for a minute and then turn the attention to Saturday.”

Balog held a one-point edge over Thursday-night winner Buddy Kofoid, who already has two six-figure checks from Huset’s in his career and wants to add a third by winning the High Bank Nationals.

Kofoid’s Roth Motorsports machine was efficient late, using a perfect drive to the inside of turns three and four on the final lap to wrest runner-up honors away from Williamson by .047 seconds.

He was just .487 seconds back of Balog at the checkered flag, meaning he’ll be a threat for a payday that ties the largest winner’s share in World of Outlaws sprint car history.

“Good points night again,” Kofoid said. “Really happy for Bill. He’s really, really good here. Happy for that whole team. I would’ve liked to be a spot better, but obviously now the big picture is tomorrow.”

Williamson stalked Balog for much of the race, particularly once the leaders caught traffic on lap nine, and had a shot to pull alongside for the top spot five laps later. Balog, however, was too strong on the top groove.

From there, Williamson got a touch overzealous on the final lap, opening the door for Kofoid to pounce but still finishing on the podium in his own right as well.

“We got back to lapped traffic and I felt I paced (Balog) great,” said Williamson, who tied his career-best World of Outlaws finish. “I was closing in on Bill the last few laps. I’m just really happy with the car. Thank you to the Quiring Family for putting on this great event to race for this great (amount of) money.”

Defending Outlaws champion David Gravel finished fourth for the third night in a row, chased by Sheldon Haudenschild, who surged from 13th on the grid to fifth.

Logan Schuchart, Gio Scelzi, Ryan Timms, Tyler Courtney, and five-time Outlaws champion Brad Sweet closed out the top 10.

After having to race in through the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown, 10-time titlist Donny Schatz placed an uncharacteristic 20th in the Friday feature – one lap down to the leader at the finish.

Schatz owns the most six-figure paydays of any driver in professional sprint car history with 13, but he’s never captured such a check from Huset’s, though he does have four Outlaws victories at the track.

Kerry Madsen set the overall fast time of 11.259 seconds to open the program, with Schuchart, Sweet, Conner Morrell, Hunter Schuerenberg, Christopher Thram, and Courtney topping their respective heats.

Kaleb Johnson won the 10-lap C-Main and longtime USAC ace Brady Bacon led the transfer cars out of the Last Chance Showdown into the Friday-night main event.

Action at Huset’s wraps up Saturday with the Huset’s High Bank Nationals presented by Menards finale, paying out a quarter-million dollars to the winner. Hot laps begin at 7:30 p.m. CT live on DIRTvision.

Gravel – who drives for car owner Tod Quiring, also the track owner – is the defending event champion.

The results:

NOS Energy Drink Feature (35 laps): 1. 17B-Bill Balog (2); 2. 83-Michael Kofoid (3); 3. 23-Garet Williamson (1); 4. 2-David Gravel (5); 5. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild (13); 6. 1S-Logan Schuchart (8); 7. 18-Giovanni Scelzi (4); 8. 10-Ryan Timms (16); 9. 7BC-Tyler Courtney (10); 10. 49-Brad Sweet (9); 11. 24T-Christopher Thram (6); 12. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg (14); 13. 9R-Chase Randall (7); 14. 41-Carson Macedo (22); 15. 1A-Ashton Torgerson (17); 16. 2C-Cole Macedo (12); 17. 55V-Kerry Madsen (15); 18. 21H-Brady Bacon (21); 19. 2KS-Ian Madsen (18); 20. 15-Donny Schatz (23); 21. 39M-Anthony Macri (19); 22. 21-Brian Brown (24); 23. 28M-Conner Morrell (11); 24. 16-Riley Goodno (20).

Lap Leader(s): Garet Williamson 1, Bill Balog 2-35.

Hard Charger: 17-Sheldon Haudenschild (+8)