Sprint Car Free Agency: The Big Picture

Drivers and teams are starting to solidify their 2024 sprint car season plans. This week, we got news that Chris Windom would be taking over the Vermeer no. 55 and bringing his NOS Energy Drink sponsorship with him. The move was a bit of a shock, but I think that combination could surprise a lot of people, as it will be Windom’s best opportunity in a winged sprint car to date. Robbie Price, who spent last season driving the Jason Sides’ no. 7s machine on the World of Outlaws tour, announced via his Facebook that he would not be back and that he is looking for a new opportunity. That leaves another open seat for a team that could occupy a spot on either the Outlaws or High Limit tour.

I have spent a good amount of time researching the potential teams and drivers that could go on a national tour. While doing this research, it became very obvious that the number is very limited and there are not a ton of “free agent” drivers who could contend consistently against the best competition in the country. You also have to factor in what open seats are available and what drivers actually want to spend most of their time away from home.

Using Sprintcarratings.com 2023 driver ratings, here are the best “available” drivers in the country. Some of these drivers are rumored to have rides locked up and others have rides on a local level or a family owned operation. For the purpose of this article, I included some of these drivers based on how much they have traveled and whether or not they have had a national ride in the past. A driver such as Danny Dietrich is not included, as he often indicates that he is comfortable in his current situation and has a business to run at home.

National Guys

• Cory Eliason is rumored to be joining the RSR no. 8 team that houses a car for Aaron Reutzel. Reutzel has indicated that he wants to travel less, leaving the door open for the team to take a second car on the road. Eliason drove the car to end the POWRi 410 season and finished on the podium each night. He is the best “available” driver and makes the most sense for this ride.
• Bill Balog has his own no. 17 team and had a great 2023 season. He just announced that Anderson’s Maple Syrup would be back as his title sponsor. While it is unlikely we see Balog in another car, could he possibly team up with an old All Star team to create a national level operation? Could he go out on the Outlaw or High Limit tour with his current situation?
• Kerry Madsen is out of the Vermeer no. 55 and has not announced any plans for 2024. He is arguably the most experienced driver on this list and could bring some knowledge to a team looking for a spark.
• Justin Sanders impressed some people during his time in the Swindell SpeedLab car and the Macri no. 39m. He has a full time ride in California, but is he looking to go out and run a full national schedule?
• Hunter Schuerenberg was one of the first drivers to lose his full time ride in 2023. He bounced around after that, eventually finding a home in the Zemco. no 1 in Central PA. He’s clearly a guy that would prefer to be out on the road, but is there a ride available?
• Kyle Reinhardt is one of my favorite guys on this list. He ran a full All Star season with his own no. 91 machine in 2022, and also finished last season out in the Grove no. 45 ride. He looked very fast in that car and the combination seemed to gel right out of the gate. Could they team up for a national effort?
• Parker Price-Miller is another guy who bounces around from ride to ride. He has his family-owned no. 9P, but has indicated that he would much rather be driving for a car owner. He has shown flashes of talent, but is he consistent enough to compete with the Outlaws or High Limit regulars?
• Tim Shaffer finished the 2023 season in the RR no. 49x. Like Madsen, Shaffer is one of the most experienced guys on this list. The “Steel City Outlaw” still has some gas left in the tank and has not yet announced his 2024 plans.
• Robbie Price unexpectedly announced that he would not be back with the Sides’ no. 7S ride on the Outlaw tour. Price struggled for most of the year, but it seemed like he was starting to hit his stride and improve as the season progressed. I am not sure that Price is a candidate for a national ride, but he would make a lot of sense for a regional team looking for a new driver.
• Kraig Kinser finished 2023 with the Premier Motorsports no. 70. He was solid in the few starts he made but at this point in his career, does he still want to be out on the road? Like Madsen and Shaffer, Kinser is at the top of the list when it comes to laps at tracks around the country.

Local Legends

• Cap Henry was one of the most dominant drivers in the Ohio region in 2023. He won multiple races in the Jeff Ward no. 33w and also spent time driving the Marc Daily no. 2MD car for select shows. Henry has spent a full season with the All Stars in the past and looked pretty fast when he was in the 2MD car. Depending on what is going on with Conner Morrell, could Daily and team take the 2MD on the road with Henry?
• AJ Flick was at the top of the list for the most wins in 2023. He doesnt travel much outside of Western PA and Ohio, but has indicated in the past that he would love to get an opportunity in a competitive ride. He has certainly made his case, but does his lack of laps around tracks outside of Western PA concern car owners?
• Cole Duncan has been consistently mentioned as an Ohio regular that deserves a shot out on the road. He won 8 races in just 35 starts and qualified for the biggest sprint car race of the year at the Eldora Million.
• Chase Dietz went out and started his own winged and wingless sprint car team. The PA Posse regular won 3 races in just 35 winged starts. He filled in for Jacob Allen last minute at the Knoxville Nationals but doesn’t have the experience around the country that teams might be looking for.
• Brandon Spithaler bounced around filling in for a few teams on the All Star tour at the end of 2023. Spithaler is one of the more exciting sprint car drivers in the country. He won 8 races in his own no. 22 and is one of my favorite candidates to land an open ride.
• Cale Thomas is another guy on this list with a lot of laps around the country. He finished 2023 in the Kiser Racing no. 23, a car that started the year on the All Star tour with Zeth Sabo. Thomas won the inaugural Maverick Winged Sprint Car Series race in Indiana and is another guy on this list who I think would make sense for a national ride.

The Others

• Joe B. Miller has been on my radar for a few years. It doesn’t matter if it is a winged 410, a micro sprint, or a midget, Joe B will get the most out of the car. He mainly stays around the Midwest, but I think he would be a great pick for a car owner in 2024.
• Garet Williamson shockingly lost the ride that he began the 2023 season in. I say shockingly because while he got caught up in a few messes during the season, he is clearly a young driver who could thrive with the right opportunity. When I think of Williamson, I think he could potentially have a 2023 Chase Randall type of season in 2024.
• Scott Bogucki really put together an impressive stretch around the Knoxville Nationals. He was very fast in the no. 84 and the no. 10 that he split time with in 2023. We don’t get to see Bogucki very often, so I am not sure he is a candidate for a national ride.
• Sye Lynch could qualify for the national section of this breakdown, but he doesn’t quite branch out as much as the others. Lynch runs a ton of races and has laps at tracks all over the country, which could make him attractive to car owners.
• Dylan Norris doesn’t quite qualify as a local legend, so this is where the young driver ends up. He was solid in Central PA in 2023, but the Gobrecht Motorsports team has shut its doors and Norris has not announced his 2024 plans. At just 20 years old, Norris proved he can win races against some of the best local talent in the country.
• Tanner Holmes is one of the most interesting names on this list. His social media following alone makes him a great candidate for a team looking for some sponsorship help. He performed well enough in the Shark Racing no. 1T that I think a team could take a chance on him.
• Scotty Thiel started the 2023 season with the All Stars and the Premier Motorsports no. 70. The pairing was not a match, and they parted ways midway through the year. Thiel didn’t run much after that, but he did win some races.
• JJ Hickle drove a few different cars in 2023. I think he is another guy that would do well with the right opportunity. The Home Pro Roofing no. 50YR is scaling back their operation and Hickle is still looking for a ride.
• Zach Hampton announced that he would be drastically scaling back his own no. 35 team in 2024. Hampton had his ups and downs in 2023, but when you factor in that he was basically a one man operation on the road, you can see that the talent is there.

The Top Open Rides

With well over 25 “free agent” drivers potentially looking for a ride for 2024, how many open seats are available? The real answer is, not many. It’s hard to predict what some of the smaller teams that ran the All Star tour will do. It is also unclear if some teams are keeping the same driver for 2024.

National Tour Teams

Crouch Motorsports no. 11

The top team on the market without a driver for 2024. Crouch Motorsports is a young and hungry team that proved they have the right tools to win races against the best.

• Expectation: High Limit
• Best Fit: Justin Sanders
• Rumors: Donny Schatz. James McFadden.
• Wild Card: Hunter Schuerenberg

Jason Sides Motorsports no. 7s

It is somewhat surprising that this seat is currently open, as many thought that Robbie Price would be back. I am not sure what Jason Sides plans to do with his team, but he has been loyal to the Outlaws for years and I think they make the most sense financially.

• Expectation: World of Outlaws
• Best Fit: Kerry Madsen or Tim Kaeding
• Rumors: None
• Wild Card: Tanner Holmes

RSR no. 8

This team housed a one car team for Aaron Reutzel in 2023. They stayed pretty local to Knoxville but also ran a “pick and choose” style schedule for most of the year. It is rumored that Reutzel wants to continue with a local schedule and that the team could be looking to add a second car for a larger schedule. Cory Eliason drove a second car during the final week of the season and is the favorite to be the second driver if it happens.

• Expectation: High Limit & Local
• Best Fit: Aaron Reutzel & Cory Eliason
• Rumors: Cory Eliason
• Wildcard: None

Potential National Tour Teams

Lane Racing no. 4

With Chris Windom and his NOS Energy Drink sponsorship going to the Vermeer no. 55, the Lane Racing no. 4 that has followed the All Star circuit in recent years is looking for a new driver. The team is likely a candidate to run a local schedule similar to what Danny Dietrich does in PA. However, if a driver can come in with some sponsorship or funding, the team might be able to commit to a national schedule.

• Expectation: 60+ locally based races
• Best Fit: Kyle Reinhardt and his sponsorship to go High Limit racing. JJ Hickle to follow an aggressive, locally based schedule.
• Rumors: Hunter Schuerenberg
• Wildcard: Brandon Spithaler

D3 Racing Group (Marc Daily) no. 2MD/28M

The Marc Daily racing team is an interesting one. The team followed the entire All Stars schedule with Conner Morrell and struggled for most of the year. They occasionally fielded a second car for Cap Henry, and showed some signs of speed. I am not sure what the plans are for 2024, but if they went with a single car team, it seems like they could follow a national schedule.

• Expectation: A true “outlaw” pick and choose schedule with no commitment to either national series.
• Best Fit: Cap Henry for a full High Limit schedule
• Rumor: None
• Wildcard: Parker Price-Miller

Bryan Grove Racing no. 45

Another team that followed the entire All Stars schedule in 2023. They parted ways with Tim Shaffer toward the end of the season and called upon Kyle Reinhardt to close out the year. Reinhardt won a race and was very strong in the short amount of time behind the wheel. If he can bring along the Coors and Capitol Renegade sponsorship, this team might be able to follow a national schedule.

• Expectation: An aggressive local schedule
• Best Fit: Kyle Reinhardt for a national or local schedule
• Rumor: None
• Wild Card: Zane DeVault

McCandless no. 29

This team went through a couple different drivers in 2023 during their first full season with the All Stars. They struggled to put together consistent finishes and lacked speed on occasion. If they can improve their program for 2024, they could be a good candidate to follow an aggressive “pick and choose” style schedule.

• Expectation: Pick and Choose / FAST
• Best Fit: AJ Flick
• Rumor: None
• Wildcard: Dylan Norris

Kevin Newton no. 16TH

It seems unlikely that Newton would want to follow a national schedule, especially after he started his own series because he wanted to stay local in Indiana. However, Newton has four cars and four motors. Could he pair with a driver that has some resources to go out on tour? My gut says he continues fielding cars for various drivers, with a pick and choose schedule primarily based in Indiana.

• Expectation: Local pick and choose
• Best Fit: Cale Thomas, Kevin Thomas Jr.
• Rumor: Cale Thomas
• Wildcard: Cole Duncan

Local / Pick and Choose Teams

Seeling Motorsports no. 97

The Seeling Motorsports team has followed the All Stars with JJ Hickle and Greg Wilson the past two seasons. With the All Stars gone, I don’t see this team joining the Outlaws or High Limit. I see them staying in Ohio and finding a local guy to win the FAST Series or AFCS championship.

• Expectation: FAST / AFCS
• Best Fit: Zeth Sabo or Zane DeVault
• Rumor: None
• Wildcard: Robbie Price

Premier Motorsports no. 70

After starting the year with Scotty Thiel and the All Stars, the team ended the 2023 season with Kraig Kinser. With Kinser, they followed a more pick and choose style schedule and looked to have a little bit more speed than they did to start out the year. I don’t see this team committing to a schedule full time, but I do see them skipping around to most of the big races.

• Expectation: Pick and Choose
• Best Fit: Kraig Kinser
• Rumor: None
• Wildcard: JJ Hickle

Rudzik Racing no. 49x

Typically the RR no. 49x runs a limited, pick and choose style schedule. They started last season with Cale Thomas and finished the season with the familiar Tim Shaffer. I have not heard any news surrounding Shaffer, but I think it is safe to assume he will be back for 2024.

• Expectation: High Limit Midweek Shows / Pick and Choose
• Best Fit: Tim Shaffer
• Rumor: None
• Wildcard: Kerry Madsen

Running Boxer Farm no. 101

The Running Boxer Farm no. 101 usually fields a car for Australian drivers that are coming over to the states to race for the summer. Cody Maroske drove the car for most of 2023, but the pairing didn’t work out. Kalib Henry filled in, but we didn’t see much of the 101 after Knoxville. I don’t expect this team to ramp up their program, and wouldn’t be surprised to see another Australian driver in the car next season.

• Expectation: Pick and Choose
• Best Fit: JJ Hickle or Jock Goodyer (Australia)
• Rumor: None
• Wildcard: Cale Thomas

Jay Kiser Racing no. 23

One of the strongest cars in Ohio, the Jay Kiser no. 23 won the Maverick Winged Sprint Series opener with Cale Thomas behind the wheel. There has been no indication about their 2024 plans, but it would make sense if they continued their local schedule with Thomas. I could see them branching out a bit, but nothing on a national level.

• Expectation: Agressive local schedule
• Best Fit: Cale Thomas
• Rumor: None
• Wildcard: JJ Hickle

Brandon Ikenberry no. 25

The Ikenberry no. 25 is always fast. They teamed up with Lachlan McHugh last season, and had a few solid runs. The team qualified for the Knoxville Nationals with JJ Hickle in 2022. I expect them to continue with McHugh for the big races during the summer, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

• Expectation: Small schedule, hitting the big summer racers
• Best Fit: Garet Williamson, Lachlan McHugh
• Rumor: None
• Wildcard: Tanner Holmes

With under 15 potential open seats in the sprint car world, most drivers will be limited in how many races they can attend. I think we will see a local series emerge as a replacement for the All Stars to fill the regional void. Most of these teams cannot afford to run a national schedule and I believe that there is a big opportunity for a series to come in and become the home for many of these regional teams. There is a lot of talent out there waiting for their chance to shine and we need a regional series to help develop these drivers. Stay tuned for all of the offseason sprint car news.