Column: Texarkana’s Midweek Opener & TMS’ Stockyard Stampede Reignite High Limit Racing Season

Column By: BRIAN WALKER / HIGH LIMIT RACING – TEXARKANA, AR – After a month off, Kubota High Limit Racing is ready to kick the 2025 season into full swing with 18 races over 35 days; and it all begins at Texarkana 67 Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway this week.

First up is a trip to Arkansas as Texarkana hosts the series for the first time on Wednesday, April 30 with the 11-race Roto-Rooter Midweek Series beginning. After that, Fort Worth’s Texas Motor Speedway is calling as the Stockyard Stampede expands to two nights with racing on Thursday, May 1 and Saturday, May 3 at the TMS Dirt Track.

Let’s look at what’s on the table as we return to racing this week:

GONE RACING: While Kubota High Limit Racing hasn’t held any series events over the last month, the High Rollers have kept themselves plenty busy with action all across the country. Here’s a look at where and how each full-timer performed in April:

• Brad Sweet – Finished 9th with WoO at Knoxville
• Tyler Courtney – Finished 4th with WoO at Knoxville, 3rd with WoO at Tri-State
• Aaron Reutzel – WoO top-5s at I-55 and Knoxville, Won 360 race at Knoxville
• Brent Marks – Finished 6th in Knoxville weekly
• Rico Abreu – Back-to-back wins at Knoxville, one with WoO and one weekly
• Justin Peck – Finished 15th/11th with WoO at I-55, ran 7th in Knoxville weekly
• Kasey Kahne – Successful return to NASCAR Xfinity Series, ran 8th at Port Royal
• Chase Randall – Three features at Knoxville, best finish of 4th in 360 division
• Tanner Thorson – Finished 8th with WoO at I-55, won POWRi race at Creek County
• Spencer Bayston – Ran three WoO races, best result of stretch 10th in Knoxville weekly
• Danny Sams III – Contested I-55 weekend with WoO
• Daison Pursley – Five total events between WoO and USAC, best run 3rd in Midgets at Kokomo
• Brenham Crouch – Competed in four Pennsylvania events, top finish of 8th at Port Royal
• Sye Lynch – Did not race

PICKING BACK UP: Need a refresher on how the point standings stack up following six races out west? We’ve got you covered.

The Kasey Kahne Racing No. 49 team has picked up where they left off with defending champion Brad Sweet building a 47-point advantage thanks to a six-for-six top-10 streak to start the year. Last year’s championship runner-up is his closest contender at the moment with Tyler Courtney and the Clauson-Marshall Racing No. 7BC waiting to pounce. After leaving Las Vegas dead last (14th) in the standings, Aaron Reutzel has willed the Ridge & Sons Racing No. 87 all the way up to third and only 77-points back from “The Big Cat.” Expected title contenders like Brent Marks (-82) and Rico Abreu (-92) remain within reach as we fire up the busiest stretch of the season.

Behind them is Justin Peck (-102), Kasey Kahne (-105), Chase Randall (-157), Tanner Thorson (-159), Spencer Bayston (-177), Danny Sams III (-189), Daison Pursley (-199), Brenham Crouch (-208), and Sye Lynch (-261).

MIDWEEK SERIES BEGINS: An integral part in the creation of the series, midweek racing remains a focus of Kubota High Limit Racing. In 2025, the Midweek Series welcomes Roto-Rooter Plumbing as the title sponsor of the 11-race mini-series which takes racers to eight different states and brings midweek sprint car action to living rooms worldwide.

After being rained out last year, Texarkana’s 67 Speedway is slated to serve as the opener of the Roto-Rooter Midweek Series this Wednesday, April 30. The series begins with a bang as we go four-straight weeks with Roto-Rooter Midweek Series events ranging from Texarkana to 81 to Kokomo and Fremont to Grandview.

The first two seasons of the Midweek Series have provided intense championship battles with Kyle Larson besting Rico Abreu by a mere seven points in 2023 and then Tyler Courtney topping Brad Sweet via tiebreaker in 2024.

Roto-Rooter Midweek Series Schedule:

• Wednesday, April 30 – Texarkana 67 Speedway (Texarkana, Arkansas)
• Wednesday, May 7 – 81 Speedway (Park City, Kansas)
• Monday, May 12 – Kokomo Speedway (Kokomo, Indiana)
• Wednesday, May 14 – Fremont Speedway (Fremont, Ohio)
• Tuesday, May 20 – Grandview Speedway (Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania)
• Tuesday, June 3 – 141 Speedway (Francis Creek, Wisconsin)
• Wednesday, June 4 – Red Cedar Speedway (Menomonie, Wisconsin)
• Tuesday, June 10 – Eagle Raceway (Eagle, Nebraska)
• Wednesday, June 25 – Lake Ozark Speedway (Eldon, Missouri)
• Tuesday, July 22 – Lernerville Speedway (Sarver, Pennsylvania)
• Wednesday, October 15 – Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, Missouri)

Texas Tune-Up: With the Stockyard Stampede being elevated to a two-day spring show – this Thursday and Saturday – at Texas Motor Speedway, it offers teams an extra night to prepare for the All-In Championship Weekend on October 17-18. Tickets are already on-sale for the $50,000-to-win Kubota High Limit Racing season finale, too.

Last year, Brent Marks was the most consistent High Roller at TMS, topping a POWRi show and then finishing 6th-4th-1st with High Limit, including that big $50,000 final check. Brad Sweet was another winner at the Fort Worth facility, as was Aaron Reutzel, who swept POWRi’s fall weekend in his home state.

NASCAR NAMES: Sharing the slate with the NASCAR Truck Series (SpeedyCash.com 250 at 7pm Friday), NASCAR Xfinity Series (Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at 1pm Saturday), and NASCAR Cup Series (WÜRTH 400 at 2:30pm Sunday), it’s a dream weekend for race fans at Texas Motor Speedway as Kubota High Limit Racing also brings Sprint Cars to the dirt track on Thursday and Saturday night.

Kyle Larson, already a 12-time winner in 2025 with eight podiums in eight Sprint Car starts, will be with the series all week from Texarkana to TMS in the potent Silva Motorsports No. 57. A three-time NASCAR Cup Series winner this year in his Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20, Christopher Bell will try again to make his Kubota High Limit Racing debut on Thursday night at TMS in the Kreitz Racing No. 69K.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is expected to at least compete at Texarkana on Wednesday in his NOS Energy Drink No. 17JR Sprint Car. Corey Day, who won the season-opener at Las Vegas, will return to the Jason Meyers Racing No. 14BC for at least Thursday at TMS before getting back on the pavement as a Hendrick Motorsports development driver.

CBell is scheduled for Thursday only, opening the seat for Daryn Pittman on Saturday, who has led laps in all three of his Kubota High Limit Racing attempts in the Kreitz Racing No. 69K. Last fall, Pittman, the 2013 World of Outlaws champion, finished P2 both nights at Texas Motor Speedway.

MAKE YOUR PICKS: As Kubota High Limit Racing returns to the track this week, remember that you have the chance to win real money on the series in 2025. Between betting on outright winners or making better/worse picks, you can now level up your interest on the action. If you head to NXTBets.com/PlayHLR, you’ll find exclusive sign-up bonus offers and learn how/where to play.

Through the first six races, Aaron Reutzel’s victory at Perris Auto Speedway supplied the biggest payday to those who picked up his +1500 opening odds – meaning a $10 bet would pay $160 or a $20 bet would pay $320. Heading into Texarkana on Wednesday, the current favorites include Brad Sweet (+266), Kyle Larson (+310), Rico Abreu (+585), Tyler Courtney (+1289), and Brent Marks (+2429).