LEBANON, Pa.: It was as quiet as a gentle rain between Christmas and New Year. Maybe it was the lingering stupor from a well-prepared eggnog or food hangover.
Regardless, there wasn’t much Sprint Car news to chew on and digest aside from Conner Morrell announcing his allegiance to High Limit Racing for a full-time assault in 2024. It wasn’t until this week that things started to ramp up.
The long-awaited commitment of Tyler Courtney to the new series got people chirping. Initially, thoughts circulated on the length of time it took Clauson-Marshall Racing to announce the two-time All Star champ was hitting the road full time. A short time later, things shifted in a different direction.
Courtney was the 16th driver to commit to High Limit’s first offering as a national series. It’s a number that seemed to dial up people’s speculation meter, which led to chatter that there are too many teams and low estimates on how many complete the whole tour.
To that, I say, “So what.”
This is a big nothing burger. What does it matter how many initially sign up compared to how many finish? As long as car counts are good across the nation, attendance is decent, and there is interest, it will be a successful season.
But if I were to speculate — and I always like a good wager — there will be 11-to-13 teams finishing the entire schedule. And guess what, that will be just fine with Brad Sweet and the rest of the High Limit brass.
The World of Outlaws know all too well that there is a threshold you don’t want to cross for a full-time roster. In 2004, the series boasted the “Mean 15,” which was probably the breaking point. Since then, the Outlaws have hovered between 12 and 14, which seems to be more manageable for the logistics of a traveling series.
Sweet wasn’t part of the “Mean 15,” but he’s been with the Outlaws for over 10 years. He knows the ins and outs of the business model and understands the logistics. So, if he gets 12, or even 11, to finish the schedule, it’s good. I’m not going to beat up the Outlaws their numbers, and the same goes for High Limit.
I guess it comes down to expectations. New series, taking over the All Stars, a second option to the staple World of Outlaws … sure, people expect and demand more. But that is unrealistic in this age of Sprint Car racing.
There are always going to be twists and turns. Drivers and teams go through changes as the season wears on, and they drop off the tour. No doubt that will happen to five or six current High Limit commitments over an eight-month period. It’s inevitable.
What High Limit has going for them is the schedule. There are 60 races, which is easier to complete than the 86 for the World of Outlaws. More important, Sweet and Co. made that August jaunt to the West Coast worthwhile with a pair of $100,000-to-win races in an eight-day span.
I would walk to California with a Sprint Car on my back for that type of money. And I’m guessing the 11 races in 17 days across California, Oregon, and Washington is a small price to pay for completing the series.
Again, will some drop off … sure. It happened last year for High Limit’s midweek series, which drew some criticism, but that was a different animal. There were more conflicts, and the 12-race schedule was a start, not an ending point.
High Limit still has a long way to go. Sweet and the staff need to find out what works and what doesn’t. One of the last things on their collective minds, at this point, is the number of teams finishing the entire schedule.
Whether it’s 11, 12, 13, or 14, it will be just fine. There is depth and some star power to this line-up, and it should make for a solid first year for the new national series.