The demand is simple, and there’s no changing that. “ I want to see Kyle Larson,” said Tony Clarke, an avid racing fan who follows the high-limit co-founder and NASCAR Cup champion through FloRacing and local media. It’s no secret that Kyle Larson’s High Limit Racing event in Australia is capturing attention worldwide, and what’s better than hearing from a fan themselves?

Tony Clarke, an octogenarian from Adelaide, made the epic journey, “28 hours and just two sleeps,” to see High Limit International at the Perth Motorplex. In just its second year, the event is already becoming one of the most talked-about motorsport spectacles down under, and Kyle Larson may be the reason.

Clarke hadn’t visited Western Australia since 1975. Still, after experiencing the inaugural sprint car event in 2024, he was determined not to miss the world’s top dirt trackers competing for bragging rights and a record AU$110,000 purse.

Kyle Larson’s involvement with the organization has significantly amplified the event’s global profile. His visit to Perth Motorplex has drawn large crowds, with fans flocking to see him race and purchase merchandise, underscoring his strong international appeal.

Larson has praised the venue, calling it “probably one of the top three best facilities and best racetracks.” It might even be the best,” and described the Australian fans as super supportive, emphasizing how their passion has fuelled the event’s growth.

But apart from wanting to see the Hendrick Motorsports ace up close, Clarke is equally enthusiastic about other drivers, too, such as High Limit champions Rico Abreu and Brad Sweet, as well as Kiwi sensation Shane van Gisbergen and Australian World Series Sprintcars champion James McFadden, whenever the race is in Australia or abroad.

Clarke represents the kind of devoted fan Perth Motorplex hopes to attract, not just locally but globally, over the three-day spectacle.

Interest in the international event has skyrocketed over the past year, particularly with the return of Abreu and Carson Macedo after last-minute injuries sidelined them in 2024.

Thrilling moments like Buddy Kofoid’s dominant Boxing Day win and Corey Day’s comeback from 28th to 2nd have only intensified the anticipation for more USA versus Aussie showdowns.

Chris Mitchell, marketing coordinator for Perth Motorplex, credits the event’s growth to the collaboration between the speedway, FloSports, and High Limit.

“It’s huge because of the marketing and network reach that FloRacing has by tapping into America,” he said. “There are so many American patrons who are going to come for this event, who are spending their hard-earned money on being tourists to our part of the world. It’s huge.”

Moreover, Larson’s star power is undeniable. High praise has also come from drivers. McFadden ranks high-limit International among the world’s top three sprint cars, while Day calls Perth Motorplex one of the top three dirt tracks he’s ever raced.

Fans are drawn not only to the grandstands but also to the pit experience, where they can get up close to their favorite drivers, an opportunity unmatched in other venues. The event’s economic impact is equally impressive.

With over $3 million in revenue, Perth Motorplex earned the Business of the Year (Tourism and Hospitality) award for 2025 from the Rockingham Kwinana Chamber of Commerce.

“I’m overwhelmingly proud and excited about what the future can bring,” said general manager Gavin Migro. “What Kyle and Brad (Sweet) and the team at High Limit have done to grow High Limit in such a short amount of time is really exciting.”

Migro’s vision is ambitious. Following a $10,000 increase in this year’s purse and Larson’s dramatic helicopter delivery of the winnings, he plans $20,000 prizes for next year’s preliminary nights. But as for the 33-year-old driver, he’s more nervous than ever.

Kyle Larson admits to nerves ahead of High Limit event

Larson wowed fans on Sunday with a dramatic and unexpected entrance at the second annual high-limit International. The event, which began on December 28, could have been a quiet affair, but Larson, 2025 NASCAR Cup champion and co-founder of the league, made sure it wasn’t.

Spectacularly, he descended from a silver helicopter onto the racetrack before the first race of the three-day series, carrying a briefcase with AU$110,000, the largest prize ever offered in Australian sprint car racing.

Dressed in a red fire suit, Larson personally delivered the prize to Perth Motorplex general manager Gavin Migro, setting the stage for the upcoming main event on Tuesday.

“I was actually nervous because of how windy it is,” Larson admitted while walking to the infield. “That was probably the smoothest helicopter ride I’ve ever been on.”

The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion also noted that he is more accustomed to leaving tracks via helicopter, a nod to his famous double-duty days, where he raced both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

The first preliminary race of the series followed, featuring top drivers from the US facing off against elite Australian racers for a $15,000 prize.

Larson’s HMS teammate, Corey Day, claimed victory, edging out Australian Kaiden Mandela by just half a second.

Day, who started fourth, briefly lost the lead after Larson triggered the race’s only caution with a flat right rear tire on lap 22, adding an extra layer of drama to the action-packed opener.