Ever since NASCAR’s bruising fight with team owners over the issue of permanent charters, Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet, co-owners of the sprint car racing series High Limit Racing, had revealed that they were working on an alternative system for their racing property.
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Ahead of the season-opener in Las Vegas, they gathered the press to provide an update. The first details of the landmark ‘franchise system’ they devised have left motorsports fans abuzz with excitement. And NASCAR’s not going to be thrilled, either.
The Ten High Limit Racing Series owners will also be a part of the franchise system. The promotion will distribute $18 million in value across the next four years. It will be a lot like NASCAR’s charter system, but the franchises are a permanent deal to the team owners. They will create long-term value and can be sold or transferred at will.
Veteran reporter Jeff Gluck announced the details from the press conference on his X handle, generating a tide of responses from fans. One fan wrote, “This very much feels like a stab at the charter system… for some reason…”
NASCAR had been fighting tooth and nail with its team owners about permanent charters. While it won that fight and made a majority of the team owners sign the new charter agreement, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have filed litigation against it.
Perhaps Larson and Sweet learned a valuable lesson from NASCAR’s destructive reluctance to make charters permanent. One fan took a sarcastic jibe at the financial model of NASCAR. “Why would any racing body try to do business smartly? This is anarchy!”
Another fan added, “NASCAR gonna be livid seeing Larson call them “franchises” lmfao.” The alternate branding, calling the charter a franchise, was a wise decision. Especially considering the negativity surrounding the whole charter discussion.
Planning for the future
The five highest finishers of the 2024 High Limit Racing Series will receive the first five franchises. The other five franchises will be given out at the end of the 2025 season. They will be secured based on the average points finishes from 2024 and 2025.
“He and Brad are smart. Larson planning for the future,” a fan declared.
The annual franchise rankings will be determined by the two-year average points finishes. They have kept the opportunity open for five additional franchises to be given out in 2026-2027, bringing the number of franchises up to 15.
When the system comes into effect in 2026, it will pay $4 million, which will include $2.6 million to the 10 franchises. By 2029, it is expected that the system’s pay will grow above $5 million, with up to $4.5 million going to future franchises.
