High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes.
 

High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes.


Very good interview with Brad Sweet. Thought it was very informative on what the plan or business model looks like for the series. It will be interesting to see what tracks are on the mini-series schedule and how it all works out. If you have a question or beef about the series, I would say watch the video interview first before you decide to blow a gasket and lose you johnnies over it like one guy did about a month or so back.


Brad Sweet | High Limit Sprint Car Series origin, schedule, issues | DIRTRACKR Conversations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvvprse2OeU

I listened to it Nate and you’re correct, good interview. Going to be interesting where WRG lands on the issue. It’s clear that High Limit is not interested in hurting the Outlaws. I think that there’s a easy compromise, but from this information, WRG is not interested in that, at least not yet. I hope they come to a decision that works before they resort to playing hardball. It’s my opinion that the Outlaws can only lose if they are unwilling to be good neighbors

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

Just hope it turns out to be a good deal for the drivers, teams, fans, & promoters just like the Castrol Flo Racing Night In America is for the late models.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

I saw Brad Sweet interviewed on Winged Nation the other day and he said that he wasn't too sure that he was going to follow the WoO tour next year. That shocked me a little bit, but I think a lot of drivers and teams were a tad jealous of Brent Marks this year. And then there's this High Limit Series that Sweet and Larson are putting on. Could it be a strong-arm tactic against the Outlaws and their exclusivity deal?

I'm not against The Outlaws or World Racing Group, in general, but this might be a little taste of their own medicine after chasing DirtVision dollars this season, if you know what I mean. ;)

I have a feeling the WoO might compromise and allow a set number of exemptions for their guys through the year. It looks like they'd better do so, because I doubt that Sweet is the only one considering this.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

The Winged Nation podcast had Brian Carter, CEO of WRG, on the show last week for a pretty in depth interview, I would guess that based on this interview, the World of Outlaws Platinum drivers will not be allowed to run the High Limit races without consequences. He is focused on protecting the racetracks that host WoO events, he made the comment "we sell full grandstands!" to the promoters. He says they have 20 more tracks wanting dates than they are willing to book, record attendance and participation, etc. so it's hard to argue with his logic at staying the course. It does sound like they are listening to the teams with regard to scheduling (no spring California swing) and are enhancing their programs and purses for their regulars.

What I thought was interesting was teams complaining about mid week shows. So how many teams are really wanting to run this new series? I personally don’t think they need all the outlaw teams for a good show.

I too listened to the interview. One thing for sure is he seems like he’s going to take his time to make a decision, which you certainly can’t blame him for. One has to wonder though about the value of the product if the unsubstantiated rumors would turn out to be true. Obviously the champion could be one that might defect because High Limit is his gig as well. Take another high profile team or two off the tour and what are you selling?

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

So, I have not listened to either podcast, but we have talked about the Outlaws product on this message board many times. They have the stars. They don't go to the same tracks over and over. If you want to see their product, you have to go to their show. I don't see any of that changing. Brad Sweet is not the first driver to get fatigued with the schedule. However, at the end of the day, if you want to make the most money available, you have to run the WOO Sprint car series. I will bet an adult beverage that Brad will be back full time with the outlaws.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

Top Winged 410 money winners 2022:
#1) Brent Marks $642,721
#3) Anthony Macri $412,998

I could go on, but I don't have all day.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

And other than a few trips, Neither ran 2500 miles across country three times, and were probably home 280 days vs other way around.

Marks won most of his money racing with the WoO and won 2 of the 4 biggest races. You’re not going to do that every year. Sweet had a lousy year for a champion and won only 5 races and according to a WoO press release made almost $600k in total winnings. Not too far from Marks absolutely career year.

Macri was local and dominated Port. It’s fair to say he made most of his money in PA. But Marks went to Florida, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana and clearly made most of his money outside of PA.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

Yeah, Never let facts get in a way of a good argument. Please read this article about WOO Sprint car team payouts.

https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcar...nings-in-2022/

For the first time in the 45-year history of the World of Outlaws, four full-time operations earnedmore than a half-million dollars with the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 ($595,075), the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing #15 ($582,765), the Big Game Motorsports #2 ($545,615), and the Stenhouse Jr. / Marshall Racing #17 ($504,525) leading the way.

Beyond the top tier, teams are still earning record numbers throughout the field with nine operations reeling in more than $300,000 this season. The Jason Johnson Racing #41 ($487,565), Shark Racing #1S ($433,275), Shark Racing #1A ($353,175), Roth Motorsports #83 ($345,625), and CJB Motorsports #5 ($307,525) were next in line with the Series.

Prize money is only one metric. What is total benefit of being a platinum member? What are the differences in tee-shirt sales. Sponsorship possibilities? What are difference in costs? What do you prefer in terms of lifestyle? It's more complicated than prize money

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

Add $200K to Marks total as champ, if you haven't already. And not all of the money he made was on the WoO tour. You don't have to run all the tour to make the most money, you can run select races on the WoO tour and run others and still be at or near the top of the money won list.

Huh?

Plus those Woo numbers don’t include tow money, point funds, and their bonuses they pay to their Platinum Members.

Everyone talks about all these big paying shows guys could run not being a Woo member but remember only 1 guy a night makes that money. Everyone else behind the winner is not making as much. If 5 guys drop off the Woo trail not all can make Marks and Macri money if not winning.

Has anyone done the math on what it costs to run the whole series as a Platinum member vs. what they are making? I would bet a 6 pack Marci and Marks netted more money than all but three outlaw guys.

If you think Marks and Macri’s budgets to compete are not par of that of a Woo team you are mistaken. Both have full time crew chiefs and crew members, same cost of engines, tires, etc as any Woo team when they put the trailer down to race. Marks made the bulk of his money winning big Woo races he traveled too and Macri won some big PA All Star and Woo shows to bump up his number.

Yes, is the cost of travel higher heading to California twice and everywhere else, yes. There is tow money to compensate towards that with Woo. Listen to Winged Nation’s interview with Brian Carter from WRG, I found it interesting

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

The other factor that is interesting is you have to find a minimum of 3 crew guys that want to live the Outlaw life for little pay and not much time off. I honestly think there would be more teams out there if this wasn't an issue.

I don't think I'm mistaken. You made my whole point, and Brad Sweet illuminated it in his interview why people want High Limits races.

Those two teams barely left home and made $1M in total. Yes, Macri and Marks spend as much on their cars as the Outlaw guys, but where they don't spend there money is in travel. It probably takes $200K or more to go up and down the road and with rising costs of diesel, hotels and food.

I once had a driver who ran WoO and All Stars and other races throughout his career and said his bank account had more money in it when he ran the All Stars vs. the Outlaws cuz he didn't have to travel and could get home more often and didn't need a motorhome with the All Stars. This is the point I'm driving home. The gross numbers look great, but the net numbers aren't as robust.


I did listen to Brian Carter. His points were one sided, right? He wants to make sure that you're seeing it the way he wants you to see it. Are they making more than previously, yes They still only get $500 tow money per race. On a two day show they get one tow money fee and then they have to pay for the crew to stay at hotel and feed them for two nights, right? It takes anywhere between $1M-$1.2M to run the full deal at a competitive level, now some teams don't spend that and it shows, but the top teams do.
The math doesn't add up. The top teams use the sponsorships to cover their operational gaps financial.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

Finally, someone brought up the sponsorship side of the equation.
I imagine NOS, Drydene or any of the other top teams sponsors wanting maximum value for their advertising dollars. I would think teams would be having some conversations with their sponsors on whether they prefer sponsoring a team exclusive to WoO or a team running both WoO & High Limit.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

What percentage do the drivers get on a topWOO team? I don't know but that has to be taken off the prize money. So the owners are getting a lot less then the posted numbers. And do tewam owners get any cut off shirt sales? TIA

It’s not true that Marks “barely left home”. He made more money outside of PA than inside.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

Brent Marks did leave "home", but not for large stretches of time. The difference with The Outlaws are stretches like this:
Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 1-3 – Skagit Speedway
Monday, Sept. 5 – Grays Harbor Raceway
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 9-10 – Silver Dollar Speedway
Friday, Sept. 16 – Keller Auto Speedway
Saturday, Sept. 17 – Placerville Speedway

Your World of Outlaws team isn't going back to the shop between those events. So, just in this one portion of the schedule, your team will incur 9 days of expenses where no events are scheduled. And your team will receive all of $2500 "tow money" for that entire trip.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

I just had to be sure how much Marks traveled this past season, so I found the facts on the admirable @BillV99's website, http://www.sprintcarratings.com/Driv...x?DriverID=104

Looks as if he made a grand total of 4 trips where he "traveled" that was more than a day trip: Florida last winter, an early season trip to Texas/Missouri, and twice to Knoxville including The Nationals. Pretty limited. He made almost all of his money in Pennsylvania and states that adjoin it. So, not a ton of expenses related to travel.

Yep! Thanks for validating my perspective with the data. This aligns with what I saw in 2022. For a professional sprint car team, Brent Marks didn't travel based on the way professional sprint car teams travel.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

Plus $500-$1000 of bonus money per race payable only to WoO platinum members.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

Eldora is literally 8 hours from Central PA. "The states that adjoin it" lol

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

I included that.
"And your team will receive all of $2500 "tow money" for that entire trip."

It's a day trip.

i.e. You sleep in the toter home for a couple hours, at most.

That's why I didn't include The World Finals @ Charlotte since it's about the same as Eldora for them.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

I remember Richard Hoffman telling me his Western World/Oval Nationals trip was close to 20k and that was at least ten years ago. Not including the hauler blowing up on the way home.

Re: High Limit Series. Interview with Brad Sweet. 45 Minutes
 

[QUOTE=Charles Nungester;559431]I remember Richard Hoffman telling me his Western World/Oval Nationals trip was close to 20k and that was at least ten years ago. Not including the hauler blowing up on the way home.[/QUOTE I guestimated that trip racefan wise. 12 days round trip from hoosierville. 3600.00 :23: