Since winning the NASCAR Cup Championship in 2021, Kyle Larson has been unstoppable. He’s been continuously making strides on the NASCAR tracks, in the dirt, and in other disciplines as well. In 2022, driven by his passion for sprint racing, he and his brother-in-law, Brad Sweet, launched a new series. Originally backlashed as a rival to the World of Outlaws, the series has swiftly carved out a niche for itself within just two seasons.
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In its first season, Larson disclosed that the series was born from more than mere adrenaline. He envisioned it as an upliftment for grassroots, sprint car drivers nationwide, aiming to elevate their status and enhance their livelihoods. The initiative was an opportunity for budding racers otherwise sidelined by the financial demands of more prominent leagues.
Kyle Larson has recently unveiled another motive for continually enhancing the High Limit Racing Series. During a conversation on The Dale Jr. Download, Larson articulated his vision to Dale Earnhardt Jr.:
“Just trying to grow the sport, turn it into less of a hobby for these team owners and more something that they could make some substantial money and not lose money every year.”
Larson’s efforts extend beyond merely leveling the playing field for less affluent racers. He aims to establish the High Limit Racing Series as a stalwart in the racing community, where team owners can thrive financially without having to seek alternative ventures due to the series’ financial unpredictability.
The move could transform the series into a mainstay, ensuring its position as a fixture in the racing world that team owners can depend on for consistent profitability.
Larson’s High Limit Racing Series has successfully developed a franchise system
Drawing inspiration from NASCAR’s charter system, Larson and Co. have developed a similar franchise framework for his series, but with a change. He involved all 10 of his team owners in crafting this strategy, valuing their insights to forge a system that allocates $18 million over the next four years.
The approach not only mimics NASCAR’s model but enhances it, granting permanent franchise rights to the owners, which hold long-term value and can be freely sold or transferred.
During his dialogue on The Dale Jr. Download, Larson expressed a sense of accomplishment, stating, “I feel like here lately we were finally able to kind of piece together our which we’re calling it a franchise system now,” taking pride in this endeavor.
According to the newly established system, the top five finishers in the 2024 High Limit Racing Series will be awarded the first five franchises.
The allocation of franchises will continue with five more being distributed at the end of the 2025 season, based on average points over the two years. Additionally, the door remains open for another five franchises to be introduced in the next two seasons, potentially increasing the total to 15.
The franchise system will be in effect at full potential in 2026, with an initial disbursement of $4 million, including $2.6 million specifically reserved for the 10 franchises. By 2029, the total payout is anticipated to exceed $5 million, with up to $4.5 million allocated to the existing and future franchises.
