DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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Sprint car racing's bad guy, track changes and unpaid debts, late model series choices | Daily 3-13-2025
Several late model drivers are still on the fence about their series choice, and we'll run through the list. Plus we'll talk the High Limit opener, Outlaws in Texas, and is Brad Sweet really a villain in sprint car racing? Let's go!
It's Thursday, March 13th, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.
I don't know how you guys feel, but these next few days feel like our first big time racing weekend of the 2025 season. We've got the national tours racing, we've got more tracks opening, regional stuff. Central PA, Ohio, California, Oklahoma, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas. It should be a fun couple of days to either get to the track, or post up on the couch with the streaming services. We have a lot of ground to cover today, so settle in.
After what was sort of a second offseason after speedweeks, a lot of the main national touring late model drivers will be back in action this weekend with the World of Outlaws late models headed to Smoky Mountain for two nights. Following five nights over two weekends at Volusia, Ryan Gustin your current Outlaw championship leader, with Ricky Thornton Jr. second and Bobby Pierce third. With so few races run though, everyone from Tristan Chamberlain in 22nd and up is still within 100 points of the lead. The Outlaws haven't been to Smoky Mountain since 2022, when Jimmy Owens was the winner. Before that, Chris Madden and Mike Marlar won in 2021 and 2020. A lot has changed since then though, including a revamp of the track, which was a 4/10 mile, but is now a 3/8. Lucas races at the track last season were won by RTJ and Brandon Overton. There is still a lot to shake out in terms of series choices for several drivers, and barring weather, this is the last weekend where drivers can still be committed to both series. Next weekend is our first conflict with the Outlaws in Georgia, and Lucas in Ohio and Indiana. Dirt on Dirt's Kevin Kovac says there are probably eight drivers right now who are undecided, even though there are several more committed to both the Outlaws and Lucas. That list of eight includes Max Blair, Kyle Bronson, Carson Ferguson, Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, RTJ, Drake Troutman, and Daulton Wilson. Owens signed on this past week with Hunt the Front, so I wouldn't expect a national tour run for him, especially given his struggles. The rest of the drivers seem content to wait, although several are sitting significantly better with one side. I think it's highly likely Blair and McCreadie go Outlaws. And I do have a hard time believing Thornton doesn't stay Lucas by the time everything shakes out. I think several of the others are legit coin flips at the moment. But again, nobody really has to decide until late next week when their trailers leave their shops.
Other late model action to check out this weekend includes the Northern All Stars opener at Florence on Saturday. They've got $10k to win, and this is now the opener after two attempts at Brownstown were hindered by weather. The Comp Cams Super Dirt Series will take on Tulsa Friday and Springfield Saturday. And drivers not lured to Tennessee with the Outlaws can instead go to Lancaster in South Carolina for $7500 to win with the Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series.
Out in Las Vegas, the Kubota High Limit sprint cars begin their 2025 calendar tonight. They'll take Friday off, and then race again Saturday as well. No lack of storylines around High Limit at the moment, including all the starpower racing this weekend, Kasey Kahne and his crew chief splitting, what's happening with that second RSR car, and a quote "major announcement" scheduled for 6PM eastern today. We'll obviously be paying attention to that later on today. Brad Sweet begins his title defense, and we'll see if anyone can make a serious run at him. Sweet does have a reworked team with Tye Wolfgang now crew chief, but I wonder if this is really that big of a deal. Three top fives in four nights at Volusia showed this team has plenty of speed. The departure of Prutzman though does mean that Wolfgang doesn't have that veteran boss to lean on. From there, who else can step up. Is it Tyler Courtney again? Rico Abreu, Brent Marks, or maybe the newcomer Aaron Reutzel. I like Justin Peck, but there are questions around that team, including their struggles with Zeb Wise in 2024, and a weird engine situation playing out. And I think the jury is very much still out on Spencer Bayston. We know what the 14 team is capable of after a strong year for Corey Day, but can Bayston become a serious contender? Were the CJB struggles him, that team, or a combo of both? I think we are going to learn a lot about who he is in 2025. We'll also get to see a fun rookie battle between Daison Pursley, Danny Sams, Sye Lynch, and Chase Randall. And underlying all of this will be the quest for a High Limit charter. This will also be your first opportunity to place bets on High Limit races, and as expected, the High Limit rulebook does include wording about competitors, employees, staff, contractors, and others being barred from wagering on events. There is also a gambling integrity form that must be filled out.
Last night in Las Vegas around the High Limit opener, FloRacing did premiere the first episode of the second season of their DIRT series. DIRT II is set to take fans behind the scenes of the 2024 High Limit season, and I got an early look at episode one before it's available everywhere later today. The first episode follows the teams to California, where they race at Tulare and Hanford, and we get to hear from Brad Sweet and Kyle Larson, James McFadden, plus a heavy focus on Corey Day, among others. Just like season one, things are very well produced, great added footage, behind the scenes stuff, and a lot of commentary. These episodes will be definitely be a fun ride for the next five weeks as they premiere on Flo. Highlights for me included Brad Sweet saying he loves quote "being the villain", and the fireworks between Justin Sanders and Corey Day that the Flo cameras caught after their dustup at Hanford. I also liked Jason Meyers being asked about trusting Corey Day in his race cars. I won't spoil his great response. You can watch episode one tonight at 6PM central time before High Limit hits the track at Las Vegas. The last four episodes will be available each of the next four Wednesdays.
On that point of Brad being the villain, I'm curious if you guys view him that way. I wonder if the negativity that Brad faces sometimes isn't born more out of his domination of the Outlaws for five seasons, and now it's just carried over. It does feel like when things happen with High Limit, he seems to bear more of the brunt of that negativity, versus his series co-owner in Kyle Larson. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
In Texas, the World of Outlaws sprint cars are headed for Kennedale Speedway Park for two nights. Carson Macedo the winner there in 2024, and he needs another victory this weekend to try and keep pace with David Gravel. Gravel has won three of the last four Outlaw races, and is riding a 14 race top five streak, and a 19 race top ten streak. If some of these other guys don't find some speed fast, Gravel's championship lead could get ugly. Currently just Macedo and Logan Schuchart in striking distance. Slow starts from the rest of the field see Buddy Kofoid in fourth and on back all already triple digits behind. Outside of the series regulars, I'd expect a solid field of travelers and regional guys this weekend. That includes Emerson Axsom, Sam Hafertepe, Anthony Macri, Jace Park, and more. I'd think mid 30s at least for a car count.
Other racing to check out his weekend includes the opener at Attica Raceway Park. They've got sprint cars and late models tomorrow night. The FAST series sprint cars open Saturday at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. $4000 to win, and some track upgrades awaiting fans and competitors there. The USAC CRA sprint cars are at Imperial Valley Speedway for two nights, Placerville Speedway's weekly schedule starts on Saturday, and Lincoln Speedway is racing.
At Port Royal, the Short Track Super Series is in town for the Speed Showcase. This opens the south region championship season, and the weekend will also include pro stocks and sportsman. It's tough to gloss over this event being $12,000 to win this year, when it was previously $50,000 to win. Especially given that the October weekend at Port was cancelled, and some of the chatter around series owner Brett Deyo. Just last night, Deyo announced he's out at Utica-Rome Speedway, and this comes not all that long after he also lost control of Georgetown Speedway. This Utica-Rome news won't help quiet the narrative, and I've been sent several messages about it. Deyo's previously addressed some of the issues from 2024, including unpaid debts, but told Dirt Track Digest's Ken Bruce in January they are in a better place for 2025. His quote was "Can I say we are 100% out of the water? Absolutely not. But are we in a really, much, much, much better place for 2025? That is a certainty." I guess we will find out in due course if he's right.
That's the Daily show for this week. Hope you guys have a great Thursday and weekend out there, we'll see you back here on Sunday!