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5 Time World of Outlaws Defending Champion Brad Sweet Will Run Full Time in High Limit Racing

Published 11/07/2023, 12:14 PM EST

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Under the glaring lights of Charlotte, North Carolina, Brad Sweet stormed the dirt track, clinching his 5th consecutive World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Championship. A streak second only to the legendary Steve Kinser’s six straight championships. With an 11th win of the season and a staggering 90th of his illustrious career, Sweet left the competition eating his dust. His victory lap was nothing short of a mic-drop moment, as he exclaimed, “It’s just really neat to cap it off with a win like this, and it’s basically like a walk-off home run.

But hold on to your helmets, because that’s not all. Bombshells have been dropped like confetti, teasing us with tantalizing tidbits about what’s in store for the 2024 season. The man of the hour, the five-time champ, is about to take center stage.

Brad Sweet adding to his storied legacy in the making as he steps into a new cockpit for 2024

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As the checkered flag falls on the 2023 racing season, the roar of engines signals a new chapter in the racing world. Brad Sweet, is about to embark on a thrilling journey of dual-duty domination. But he’s not just joining any race; he’s steering his very own ship in the dust-choked world of sprint car racing and dirt tracks, where the excitement kicks up more than just dust.

In a sport dominated by cold, unyielding concrete and the unforgiving asphalt of mainstream racing, the happenings in the dust and dirt of sprint car racing are making headlines. At the helm is the High Limit Racing Series, a relative newbie on the scene, having burst onto the scene just two years ago in 2022. This isn’t just any racing series; it’s the brainchild of two titans, the racing A-listers themselves, Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet.

As the calendar flips to 2024, the series is poised to make history. They’re going national, and first on their checklist is a rebrand. What was previously known as the High Limit Sprint Car Series has been reborn as High Limit Racing. That’s just the tip of the tire as plans are already in motion to host over 50 events throughout the year, promising a jam-packed calendar

But the real pièce de résistance is the lineup of drivers. While Larson will pop into the cockpit when his tight NASCAR schedule allows, the showstopper is Sweet himself. The Grass Valley native is revving up to conquer the newly expanded series behind the wheel of a full-time seat.

HMS star, Larson, opened up about their vision for the series, as he expressed, “Brad [Sweet] and I literally grew up in this sport, and our passion for sprint car racing runs deep. The 2023 High Limit season went well, but we saw room for growth and more opportunities that were out there to make this division of racing stronger. Not only are we going to continue to run tight, highly entertaining races for the fans, but we’re going to do it while raising purses and making the sport more financially viable for drivers and teams. I can’t think of a much better situation for all involved.” 

Kyle Larson will also have another responsibility on his shoulders after completing a huge takeover.

Watch This Story: Kyle Larson: A Racing Prodigy’s Dream Journey 

Tony Stewart surrenders keys to Circuit of Champions after 8 years in charge

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It’s clear that the changes behind the scenes have been brewing like a storm for quite some time. The first lightning bolt struck when two heavyweights, the 2023 NASCAR Championship 4 finalists, Larson and Christopher Bell, took a stand. They boycotted the much-criticized Chilli Bowl’s Midget Nationals, and what lit the fuse was the paltry $10,000 prize money.

For Larson, this marked the start of a personal quest to address the woefully inadequate incentives in weekend WoO races. He’s on a mission to jack up those purses and make things more lucrative for the teams. In his words, “Our goal is to definitely raise the purses […] I think there’s more risk for sure on our end with a much larger schedule that we’ll hopefully have but again Brad [Sweet] and I and everybody involved in the High Limit want the best for the sprint car racing and I think our goal is to definitely put it there.” 

Adding to the winds of change was the acquisition of the personal property of 4-time champion and Stewart-Haas Racing team owner, Tony Stewart, who had been the custodian of the All-Star circuit since 2015. But 2023 brought a change of keys, and the torch was passed to Larson himself.

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With unwavering confidence, Stewart shared, The time is right to pass the torch to Kyle and Brad [Sweet]. I have had many conversations with them both on their overall vision for 410 racing and I am confident that with their leadership, the sport will continue to thrive into the foreseeable future.”

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Said foreseeable future is taking shape. The High Limit Racing series is set to offer more than $5 million in prize money and $250,000 for the champion from a $1 million points fund. It’s clear that the journey is well underway. As Sweet exclaimed last weekend, “It’s just unbelievable that we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve been able to accomplish.” With such illustrious plans on the horizon, it seems there are quite a few more items to tick off on the accomplishment checklist.

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Written by:

Rashi Shetty

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I've always considered myself an author, but it wasn't until recently that, with the help of my knack for research, I developed a passion for sports writing. I've dipped my toes into various sports like gymnastics, martial arts, and swimming. But then, I craved something that would keep me in the fast lane, and that's when NASCAR entered the picture.
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Edited by:

Abhishek Ramesh