I’m a newcomer to Sprint racing. I left the TV tuned to FOX after an IndyCar race and turned it on later that evening to find an episode of Dirt airing. I was fascinated and a little confused. How did these cars work? How are they turning the wheel to the right and going left up and down a bumpy dirt track that looked about as long as my high school running track – at 100+MPH?  How were these cars not flipping over? And there was so  much  dirt  flying everywhere. It was the most fun I’ve had watching a race in ages. To me, it was new, fast, and unpredictable, and I was all-in.

I found Dirt on YouTube and binged both seasons. I had a crash course (literally and figuratively) on the who’s who and the how’s how. I figured out the heroes and the villains, the OGs and the up-and-comers, and learned about the crown jewel races and coveted trophies. I would come to realize that the first night I had been watching midgets and that the major competition was at the 410 winged sprint level. So I signed up for Flo Racing to catch all of the action. I’ve since watched most of the High Limit Racing and World of Outlaw series this season, learned a little more, and formed some of my own opinions and favorites.

Among those favorites is Brad Sweet. I didn’t realize I was watching his last laps this season. Seeing his retirement announcement at the High Limit awards banquet last evening was a little soul-crushing. It was hard to watch how much it meant to him to give up full-time racing, and it was sad for me to realize I might never see him race in person. I was late to the party.

Brad struggled to hold back the emotions during his speech, and anyone who was watching was crying along with him. “Racing has been my whole life”, Brad said. “Walking away from full-time driving is not easy, but I know this: I gave it everything I had: every lap, every season, every championship. This isn’t goodbye to racing, it is just the end of being behind the wheel full time. I will still be around supporting this sport that we all love and giving back as much as I can to the next generation.”

After five World of Outlaws championships, a High Limit Racing championship, two Kings Royal victories, and Knoxville Nationals title, what’s next for Brad? As co-owner of SLC Promotions, he’s in charge of the day-to-day and promotion of the legendary Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California. I imagine he’ll continue to make the Gold Cup a marquee event. He also recently partnered with Kevin Rudeen to purchase the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC), the West Coast’s premier 410 Sprint Car series. It’s not yet clear how, or if, NARC and High Limit Racing will overlap, but the general consensus is that the series is in good hands. 

Brad’s sprint racing journey may be coming to a close, but mine is just beginning. I’m thrilled with Rico Abreu’s Championship win, and keeping tabs on Tyler Courtney’s recovery for a potential return at the Sunshine Nationals at Volusia, which I will attend in person next February. I can only hope that Brad still wants a Golden Driller in his trophy case and that I’ll see him at the Chili Bowl.