DIRTRACKR Daily Podcast - Episode Transcript
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High Limit, WRG both need sponsors; late model ride updates; regional sprint car news | Daily 12-15-2025
Another series is apparently on the hunt for title sponsorship, we'll update some dirt late model ride situations, talk regional sprint car news, and more. Let's go!
It's Monday, December 15th, I'm Justin Fiedler. This is DIRTRACKR Daily presented by Kubota Genuine Parts.
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Just days after it became clear the World of Outlaws late models need a new title sponsor, Jeremy Elliott reported this morning that High Limit is likely about to lose Kubota from the same spot. High Limit has had the tractor and equipment company as their main sponsor for the past two seasons, and not that you probably needed this reminder, but full disclosure, this show also sponsored by Kubota. This was apparently going around the PRI show, and I was first alerted to the situation back on Friday. Contrary to some belief out there, I am not intimately familiar with the nature of the other sponsorship setups out there, so this one surprised me a bit. It's my understanding that Kubota is exiting all of their deals with FloRacing, including High Limit and the FloRacing Night in America series. Jeremy reported that a leadership change at Kubota is why. While it's certainly a momentary PR hit for High Limit, just like it was last week for the World of Outlaws late models, a lot of these bigger racing series aren't made or broken by a sponsorship deal. You'd no doubt rather have them then not, but I wouldn't expect anything to change for 2026 for either the sprint car or late model series. I'm told that High Limit and Flo could have new deals in place soon. And on the World of Outlaws front, World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter told Dirt on Dirt's Kyle McFadden at the PRI show quote "We were excited about Real American Beer, but it just didn't work out. We're looking forward to what we have coming. We've run the series with sponsors and without sponsors. Of course, I'd much rather have a partner that's helping us promote the sport. We're going to have a partner in 2026, I just don't know exactly who it will be. I'd like to have that announced before the end of the year, but it could slip into January. Either way, it's going to be exciting prospects" unquote. These sponsorship deals are cyclical, and end for all sorts of reasons. It's just the nature of the beast unfortunately, but that's why these series have sales people. Definitely a roller coaster of news though over the last few days in and around the PRI show.
A quick sidenote here, and something that doesn't get acknowledged enough around these sponsor deals. The people at Kubota are great, and fans of dirt racing. They've put a lot of resources and time into the sport for the past few years, and while it sucks they could be out, it's been great having them around. Whether on the team and driver side, the track side, or the series side, this sport doesn't go without sponsors and marketing partners, and it's no small feat pulling this stuff off.
Updating the Tanner English, Coltman Farms split, nothing has yet been revealed publicly about what is next for either side. Kyle McFadden had a Dirt on Dirt story about English, who is on the hunt for something new. He found out last week that he's out with the Coltman Farms team wanting to run their entire operation out of their Georgia shop. English had been operating his half of the Coltman team from his shop in Benton, Illinois. And clearing up the confusion, English's shop is in Illinois, while he's from Benton, Kentucky. English was ninth in the Outlaw points in 2025, and had a win and 14 top tens. He also scored victories with MARS, at Poplar Bluff, and at Paducah. Now though, with just six weeks until the World of Outlaws opener at Volusia, he's without a deal. No major openings exist anywhere across top level dirt late model action, so it's likely he'll need a regional owner to step up, or he'll need to start his own team to continue racing at the top level. He may need to cobble things together to get 2026 started, but at least he had the chance to walk around PRI and have those all important conversations. On the Coltman side, we know they had already traded Zack Mitchell for Donald McIntosh, with McIntosh debuting at the Dome with the team. One possible name I've heard as a candidate for the open seat at Coltman is Luke Morey. Morey had sponsorship from Coltman Farms this year, and picked up a win at Tyler County during their Country Roads weekend in August. He and dad Aaron made 30 or 40 starts this year, with their team being partnered up with Carson Brown's. We know it was talked about previously that Coltman wants both cars on a national tour, we just don't know which one or ones yet. It's possible we could see McIntosh back out with a Lucas, and a driver like Morey go Outlaws. It's a situation we'll continue to follow.
In some regional sprint car news, I think we might have our first All Star commitment for 2026. A couple of days ago, Michigan driver Keith Sheffer Jr. announced he's joining Grove Racing to tackle the full All Star slate next year. Sheffer made some late season starts at Atomic in the Grove car, and made 19 total 410 starts in 2025. He won twice in weekly action at Butler, and had an All Star top five at Hartford. He also scattered some non-wing starts, including in the Benic 2B. Sheffer takes over that car from Devon Borden, who finished fourth in the All Star points last year, with a win and 13 top tens in 24 races. Borden shared to Facebook a few weeks ago that he's on the hunt for a new ride for next year, and is selling his merch trailer. The All Star schedule starts in that same traditional April slot at Attica next season, so still a lot of time for that roster to come together.
Out west, the changes are starting to come for the NARC King of the West Sprint Car Series. We know it's now under the watchful eyes of owners Brad Sweet and Kevin Rudeen, and veteran California promoter and track guy Scott Woodhouse is at the helm as series director. We don't have a schedule yet, but the series debuted a new logo over the weekend. It's definitely a significant departure from the previous look, but a very visual representation of things being different for the California and west-coast based 410 series. Their schedule in 2025 didn't start until March, so still some time to put things together. When I interviewed Brad Sweet not long ago, he told me then that they were still waiting on the World of Outlaws schedule to finalize their own. And we know the Outlaw slate was missing their two California weekends when it was released. That could be at least part of the hold-up here. One thing I was alerted to in regards to the Outlaws, especially since one of the rumored California tracks they are looking at was Stockton, was a recent serious car accident for promoter Tony Nocetti. Obviously his health and recovery is much more important than sprint car dates. I'm sure this logo though for NARC isn't the last change we'll see before things get started for 2026.
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Hope you guys have a great Monday out there, we'll see you back here tomorrow!