The NASCAR Cup Series has made its charter system well-known since the sport implemented it in 2016. It guarantees that 36 cars are locked into the field at every race. It has also become quite a topic of discussion because the price to own one of those 36 charters is so expensive. That doesn't seem to bother Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet as they prepare to adopt a similar system in their High Limit Sprint Car Racing Series.
According to the Sports Business Journal the pair plan to implement a franchise model that will be fully operational by the 2026 season.
High Limits has quickly become the biggest competition to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. In its first full season competing against the Outlaws, some of the biggest names in sprint car racing will drive in High Limit.
That includes co-owner Brad Sweet, who will pilot his No. 49 car for Kasey Kahne Racing, much like he did in Outlaws. Kasey Kahne has also committed to running the 60-race schedule in his No.9 machine.
Rico Abreu will also chase the High Limit Championship behind the wheel of his No. 24 car.
Larson will compete in some of the races, after winning the inaugural 10-race series championship in 2023, but he will likely only run 25 of the 60 events.
Larson and Sweet have devised a franchise, or charter model, to attract big names and teams that will eventually allow them to cap the number of teams participating in the series, and then allow those owners to buy and sell their charters.
The initial plan by 2026 will be to have given 10 charters based on the championship results from the next two seasons. Therefore, the top five teams in the final 2024 standings will be awarded a charter based on merit, as will the top five teams in 2025 who have yet to earn a charter the previous season.
Sweet spoke with Sprint Car Unlimited about their ultimate plan but doesn't have all the details yet. He does know they already have 10 teams signed up, and that number could climb higher before the season starts in Florida in February.
"We have an idea of what we want to accomplish. but it's going to take time to get every detail out to the public," Sweet said. "I'm sure we are going to get some things wrong and have to make some adjustments, but I think you're seeing how much the car owners are believing in what we're trying to do with how they're signing up."
Larson and Sweet surely have a tall task ahead in competing head-to-head with the World of Outlaws, but with its 60-race season, broadcast contract with FloRacing and the potential for a charter system to entice potential car owners, they have the best chance yet to come up on top of the sprint car world.
