Michael "Buddy"Kofoid (born December 2, 2001) is an American professionaldirt track andstock car racing driver. He competes full-time in theUSAC National Midget Series andPOWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series, driving forKeith Kunz Motorsports. He is the 2021 and 2022USAC National Midget Series champion. He also competed part-time in theNASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 51Toyota Tundra forKyle Busch Motorsports, and part-time in theARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 15Toyota Camry forVenturini Motorsports. He also has competed with the NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws Sprint car Series. He collected his first win at Husets Speedway on June 23, 2022.

Kofoid began racing at the age of five, drivingoutlaw cars.^[2] He began drivingsprint cars after receiving his first one when he was ten.^[3] He was the youngest driver to win a sprint car A-Main in theNew Zealand National Sprint Car Series in 2013, at eleven years old.^[4] He competed full-time in theWestern Sprint Tour when he was 13, finishing 2nd in the final standings.^[5] He won asprint car race atPlacerville Speedway in 2016, which made him the youngest person in history to win at the track.^[6] Throughout most of his career, Kofoid primarily has competed insprint car andmidget car racing events, and occasionallylate model races.

Kofoid attempted to make hisUSAC National Midget Series debut in 2018, but failed to qualify.^[7] In 2019, he joined Keith Kunz Motorsports for a part-time effort. He won in his first career national midget car debut, atJacksonville Speedway.^[8] On December 14, 2019, Kofoid signed a full time effort in theUSAC National Midget Series with Keith Kunz Motorsports in 2020, and compete for Rookie of the Year honors.^[9] He pulled off an impressive season, scoring three wins, fourteen top-fives, and 22 top-tens. He finished fourth in the final standings, and won Rookie of the Year.^[10] He had a breakout season in 2021, finishing inside the top 10 in all but three races. He won the championship with six wins, 28 top-fives, and 37 top-tens.^[11] He won two more titles that season, theUSAC Indiana Midget Week,^[12] and the Make-A-Wish Trophy Cup.^[13] As of 2022, Kofoid will continue to race full time with KKM, and defend for a second championship.^[14]

Kofoid made hisPOWRi Midget Racing debut in 2019, driving in two races. He finished second and third in both races.^[15] He drove in 16 races for KKM in 2020. Despite not driving in four of the races, he managed to finish fourth in final standings, with seven wins, twelve top-fives, and twelve top-tens.^[16] He ran half of the season in 2021, scoring nine wins, fourteen top-fives, and fifteen top-tens.^[17] As of 2022, he will continue running part-time for KKM.

In 2021, Kofoid made his debut inlate model racing. He ran two races for Racing Dynamiks, finishing twelfth in his first race. He finished 3rd in his second late model start at theNashville Fairgrounds Speedway.^[18]

In 2018, Kofoid signed with Gary Thackeray, and drove in a one off race with his team in theNASCAR K&N Pro Series West at theLas Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. He started fifteenth and finished 21st due to a mechanical issue.^[19]

On March 31, 2022, it was announced that Kofoid will make hisNASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at the2022 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt, driving forKyle Busch Motorsports. Kofoid will drive with the samechassis thatMartin Truex Jr. drove in the2021 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt, where he led 105 laps and won the race.^[20] Kofoid started 32nd due to an overheating issue during qualifying races. He quickly made his way to the front, and ran as high as third in the final stage. He finished 27th, after spinning in turn 2. Fellow driverDerek Kraus ran into the back of Kofoid's truck as he was trying to avoid the wreck.

On August 9, 2022, it was announced that Kofoid would make hisARCA Menards Series debut at theIllinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack, driving the No. 15 forVenturini Motorsports.^[21]

Throughout 2018 and 2019, Kofoid raced throughout New Zealand in Sprint Cars with Daniel Anderson Racing. This trip proved successful, as he came away with the New Zealand Sprint Car Title in 2019.

During the 2024/25 season Kofoid again raced in New Zealand but this time in a Midget, driving for Trent Way Motorsport. It was another extremely successful trip, which included wins in the Bay Superstars 30 Lapper and the Bay 51, both at Baypark Speedway, followed by the 50 Lap Classic on the 2nd of January, for his first ever win at Western Springs Speedway. Then two nights later, on the 4th of January 2025, Kofoid won the NZ Midget Championship, also held at Western Springs.

Kofoid is a fan of 20 timeWorld of Outlaws championSteve Kinser andNASCAR driversKyle Larson andDale Earnhardt Jr. Kofoid is currently a member of theToyota Racing Development program.^[2]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

(key)

• Official website
• Buddy Kofoid driver statistics at Racing-Reference

• 2001 births
• Living people
• NASCAR drivers
• ARCA Menards Series drivers
• Racing drivers from Sonoma County, California
• People from Penngrove, California
• Kyle Busch Motorsports drivers
• 21st-century American sportsmen
• CARS Tour drivers

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata