The world of sprint car racing was swept with emotion following the announcement that one of its titans, Kyle Larson’s brother-in-law, Brad Sweet, would be stepping away from full-time racing. The seismic news, which came during the High Limit Racing awards banquet, detailed that Sweet would no longer compete full-time in sprint car racing, effectively ending an era of unprecedented dominance in the sport.

His powerful reflection was simple yet profound: “Racing has been my whole life. Walking away from driving full-time. It’s not easy, but I know this. I gave it everything I had, every lap, every season, every championship,” he said, holding back tears.

“This isn’t goodbye to racing, It’s just an end of a chapter behind the wheel full-time. I will still be around supporting this sport we all love and giving back as much as I possibly can to the next generation. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he continued, receiving applause from the audience. His competitive fire and ambition fueled his incredible career from a very young age, and his team is more than thankful for his endeavors.

Kasey Kahne shares candid thoughts on Brad Sweet’s exit

Following the announcement, Kasey Kahne Racing team owner, Kasey Kahne, wrote in a statement on X, “Brad Sweet has meant everything to KKR over the years. Brad came to KKR in 2007 with the drive and determination to be the best sprint car driver at a national level, he accomplished that and sustained it year after year.”

“He is an incredible, one-of-one talent, and person. As an owner, I am thankful for his hard work and dedication that has resulted in 130+ wins and 6 national championships. As a friend, it’s been a joy and a heck of a ride being able to talk racing and celebrate achievements in the sport we both love, while celebrating personal accolades and growing families,” he further continued. Driving the No. 49 car, Steve had a stunning run of consistency and excellence that few in any motorsport can claim.

The decision to step back marks a significant change for the competition pool and leaves the stories KKR No. 49 team searching for a competent successor. “Brad is woven into the fabric of KKR and I look forward to more wins in the future with him on a part-time schedule,” Kahne concluded. Sweet’s own farewell message revealed the deeply personal nature of his decision, highlighting the lifelong commitment that defined his journey from a hopeful youngster to a champion.

High Limit Racing also posted a video of Sweet, with the caption, “It’s the end of an era. @BradSweetRacing has announced his retirement from full-time competition — moving to a part-time schedule, focusing on his family and businesses. A hall of fame career fueled by a childhood dream & unstoppable work ethic. Now for the next chapter.” This resonates with the kind of dedication that was necessary to achieve his numerous accolades, including his monumental 2018 Knoxville Nationals victory.

That 2018 win was an emotional highlight, with Sweet holding off legends like Donny Schatz in a dramatic 2-lap dash to the finish. In the video, Sweet was seen reminiscing about his career, saying, “Literally, if you ask every teacher from, you know, third grade on, what are you going to be when you grow up? Race car driver. All you can do is just work as hard as you possibly can, and that’s kind of my mantra at this point.”

This singular focus carried him through his development, which included stints as a JR Motorsports development driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series before he found his true home in the dirt track world with KKR.

“That’s just who I’ve become, and I’m just excited for where that’s going to take me in life. Those pressure-packed situations, like, that defines who you are. You know, are you the clutch guy? You’re the guy that crumbles when it comes down to those moments. That’s who you are,” he said.

This mentality was on full display in his final World of Outlaws championship 2023, where he entered the season-ending World Finals with the points lead and closed out his “Drive for Five” by winning the final race in a dramatic finish at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

The Big Cat proved time and again that he was the clutch guy, and his transition will now focus on shaping the future of sprint car racing through High Limit Racing mentorship. But his legacy wasn’t built overnight without sacrifices by his own team.

When Kasey Kahne stepped away from driving for the Brad Sweet

Earlier this year, Kasey Kahne made headlines after deciding to pull his own No. 9 sprint car from competition and channel all resources into Brad Sweet’s No. 49 team for the remainder of the 2025 season. The decision came at a crucial point in the racing calendar, just weeks before the Knoxville Nationals. It reflected a deliberate shift in focus within Kasey Kahne Racing, emphasizing performance optimization and tighter team coordination.

When explaining the move, Kahne had said, “It was all me. Just needed to be more in charge, more part of our teams,” and continued, “I just felt like with me being the owner, I needed to be more in charge, more and more part of our teams. Just go down to one team and focus on one team with the group that I worked with this year.” His words underscored his intent to strengthen leadership and ensure Sweet received the full backing of the team’s resources.

The shakeup saw Sweet inherit Kahne’s No. 9 crew, including his crew chief Andrew Bowman and members Tayte Williamson and Kyler Kerkvliet. Kahne believed this structure would provide Sweet with “the best, most consistent, strongest deal we can throughout the rest of the year.” 

As the season intensified, the change positioned Sweet for a stronger finish, while Kahne transitioned further into a leadership role dedicated to maximizing his team’s overall potential.