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High Limit team makes crew chief change, what's happening with sprint car series choices | Daily 12-3-2025

Coming up today, we'll talk sprint car series choices and a few updates, a High Limit driver will have a new crew chief next year and I think most completely missed the announcement, plus other sprint car and late model news, let's go!

It's Wednesday, December 3rd, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.

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Not that there was ever a doubt about his series choice, but David Gravel confirming today he's making a run at World of Outlaws championship number three in 2026. In a post to social media talking about the PRI show, they said they will be quote "laying the groundwork for a massive 2026 World of Outlaws championship run" unquote. Again, this wasn't in doubt, but public acknowledgement nonetheless. I think next week at the PRI show, and around it, we should get a lot more clarity on some of these ride announcements and series choices. With Gravel's post, I did want to do a quick update on where we stand with series choices, because there are a few notable things to mention. We obviously know the High Limit franchise teams will all return there next year, and the main Outlaw guys should all be back. I know we talked quite a few times about the potential for a guy like Carson Macedo to maybe be the one driver who could surprise us and jump, but I have not heard any recent chatter about that actually happening. Given the non-franchise team package that High Limit announced, there is probably a financial case to be made for him to do so, especially if he can win the title. But the Jason Johnson Racing team continues to pump World of Outlaws social posts, the Jason Johnson Classic will remain an Outlaw show, and there are no indications a swap is incoming. I think we are easily looking at the top five in the Outlaw standings returning, and as long as Donny Schatz gets his ride lined up, it will be top six. You can also throw in Chris Windom with Sides and Cole Macedo. I'd assume Bill Balog and Garet Williamson as well, but I could see a scenario where they at least peak at the High Limit paperwork. I guess we'll see how good of a salesman Brad Sweet is. I think Kerry Madsen and Vermeer are in play on both sides, and we don't know future plans for Sye Lynch and Danny Sams. Madsen and Vermeer were one I'd heard previously would stay Outlaws, but I think they could be a coin toss either way. I'd also heard Sam Hafertepe's name mentioned as a possible 410 national tour guy, and that he was investigating things. But his Hill's Racing Team posted to social today they are looking for crew members for the 2026 ASCS season, so I'd say he's staying there. Headed towards the show next week though, I think several of these situations will get wrapped up.

Some news today for a High Limit full time team and driver that definitely flew under the radar a bit. And it flew under the radar, because the news was a bit disguised in a release about some other news. The release came from Rudeen Racing, who announced that Levi Hillier will move up to 410 competition next season, running something like 40 races. Hillier was a regular at Skagit, but also made 360 starts at Grays Harbor, Cottage Grove, and Coos Bay. He also raced the Trophy Cup in California at season's end. A schedule for him wasn't announced, but I'd assume more of the same, including regular races at Skagit, plus 410 shows down to California. The disguised part of the news is that Tyler Tessemaker will be Hillier's crew chief next season, and that's noteworthy, because Tessemaker had been the crew chief for the Rudeen 26 out on the road in recent seasons. He was the boss on Zeb Wise's crew that won the All Star title in 2023, continued with the team in 2024 out with High Limit, and was paired with Justin Peck in 2025, after Rudeen parted with Wise. I'd heard in recent days this move was coming, but instead of Tessemaker being fired completely, he's being moved to Hillier's car. Since winning that All Star title, the Rudeen car has struggled to find it's footing on a national tour. In 2024 with Wise, they were 11th in the standings, with just a pair of top fives plus 17 top tens in 46 races. Wise was out at season's end, and still hasn't come back to a seat. His name is one that pops up regularly from fans and in comments, but as he told Jeremy Elliott a couple months back, he was only interested if it was a good deal to be full time, and at a high level. He's not interested in running locally or regionally. Justin Peck ended up in the Rudeen 26 after the deal he thought he had with CJB Motorsports went sideways fast at the end of 2024. He made a deal at Trophy Cup with Kevin Rudeen, and was in the car for World Finals. This season, the performance of the 26 did tick up, they had a pair of wins, along with 16 top fives and 27 top tens in 48 races. That was good enough for fourth in the driver standings and sixth in the owner standings. But while this was an improvement for the 26, they were never in title contention, and Peck was actually better the year before in the Buch 13. He did have one more win this season and one more top five, but less top tens, a worse time trial average, a worse average feature start, and a worse average feature finish. I don't think that's what either side was expecting. The team did battle engine issues all season with the Ford, and periodic swaps to a Chevy-based 410. That included at World Finals. There were plenty of bright spots and bursts of consistency, but also plenty of struggles along the way. We'll see if Peck can find more speed and consistency with a different crew chief, but clearly they need to get the engine program sorted. As I've said here on the show previously, the Ford program isn't dead, and I've even heard rumors of another builder getting involved, but Rudeen got involved with Ford through Tony Stewart Racing, and with TSR not using them anymore, I'm not sure where that leaves Rudeen. One possibility for Peck's new crew chief is Brandon Hickman. He's been the car chief on the 26, and is a veteran crew member having worked previously for Dominic Scelzi and Roth Motorsports among others. This team though will need to take a step forward for 2026, as I don't think High Limit's going to get any easier, with Tyler Courtney hopefully back to full strength, Aaron Reutzel healthy, Rico looking to repeat, and Gio Scelzi joining.

One other sprint car note for you, The Johnny Herrera-owned 45X team has hired Rees Moran to replace the departing Landon Crawley. It wasn't all that long ago that we found out Crawley was leaving for the Beaver 12X. Moran made 46 410 starts last year, and picked up a POWRi Elite series win at Texarkana 67. He scattered 20 combined starts against the Outlaws and High Limit, and raced 19 times with the POWRi 410 series, where he had two top fives. No schedule was announced, but the release says they'll compete full-time across various series and major 410 shows. They'll also run the Chili Bowl in January.

Updating a late model situation we've mentioned a few times in recent days, Brenden Smith's move to JCM Motorsports is now official. He'll debut in the 19M this weekend at the Gateway Dirt Nationals before tackling the full Lucas schedule in 2026. Smith didn't run the Lucas tour in 2025, but was a rookie in in 2024, when he finished 15th in the final standings. That season he raced in his family-owned car. JCM had been searching for a new driver after a deal with Hunt the Front's Joseph Joiner didn't come together. Joiner ran the 19M at multiple Lucas races towards the end of this past season after Spencer Hughes departed the ride. Joiner will continue in the Hunt the Front ride, and now Smith gets the call-up. Smith spent this season picking and choosing, but did run Summer Nationals, where he had three top tens. In a story from FloRacing's Kyle McFadden, JCM team owner Colten Miller said Smith has been running the same combo of cars and shocks he has, and that they've been able to secure some extra crew help. The Lucas season starts later in February next year.

That's all for today. Appreciate the support as always, and thanks for tuning in.

Hope you guys have a great Wednesday out there, we'll see you back here tomorrow!