VADO, N.M. — There’s a lot to follow this week between sprint cars returning to live television on FS1, the Roto-Rooter Midweek Series beginning, three tracks hosting their first Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing event, and the parity in victory lane possibly continuing.
Following three-day weekends at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Central Arizona Raceway, the nine-race season-opening swing for High Limit will conclude with three races at three tracks in three states this week.
It begins with the Roto-Rooter Midweek Series at New Mexico’s Vado Speedway Park on Tuesday, before the weekend leads to Texas’ Route 66 Motor Speedway on Friday and Kansas’ Dodge City Raceway Park on Saturday.
The series has provided an unpredictable start to the 2026 season with six winners in the first six races, a streak that could continue through this week and into April.
LIVE ON FS1
For the second time in series history, Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing will compete on live television this Tuesday night at Vado Speedway Park when the Roto-Rooter Midweek Series opener airs on FS1 at 7 p.m. local time (9 p.m. ET).
Tuesday’s broadcast marks the first of six simulcasts between FloSports and Fox Sports this season. Also scheduled to air live on FS1 later this year are events at Eagle Raceway (April 21), Grandview Speedway (May 19), Red Cedar Speedway (June 3), Eldora Speedway (July 17), and Kokomo Speedway (September 23).
NEW TRACKS
All three venues on the slate this week will be hosting their first Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing event, although, each of them attempted to race last year but Mother Nature altered those plans.
New Mexico’s Vado Speedway Park is no stranger to big time events, having hosted the Wild West Shootout for a number of years.
A pair of World of Outlaws events have been held at Royal Jones’ state-of-the-art facility with Brad Sweet (2022) and David Gravel (2025).
Texas’ Route 66 Motor Speedway, located in the heart of Amarillo off the iconic road, will get the weekend doubleheader going on Friday night.
The track has recently upped their notoriety with a USAC National Sprint Car Series race last fall, and now Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing for the first time. This will be a home game for High Roller Brenham Crouch, who was born and raised an hour down the road in Lubbock, and grew up going to Route 66 as a kid.
Kansas’ Dodge City Raceway Park wraps up the season-opening swing this Saturday night. The beautiful Western Kansas venue is plenty familiar with national sprint car racing, hosting 26 World of Outlaws events.
PLENTY OF PARITY
You never know what you’re going to get when you attend an Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing show. The proof in that pudding comes from the defining stat of the season — six winners in six races.
The year opened with Las Vegas’ SugarBee Blackjack Bash topped by Kyle Larson in the Silva Motorsports No. 57, Corey Day in the Jason Meyers Racing No. 14, and Aaron Reutzel in the Ridge & Sons Racing No. 87.
After that, Central Arizona’s Cactus Classic brought Rico Abreu in the Tony Stewart Racing No. 24, Tanner Thorson in the Rod Gross Motorsports No. 88, and James McFadden in the Tarlton Racing No. 21 to victory lane.
The streak could certainly carry on for an extended period as notable full-timers such as Giovanni Scelzi, Tyler Courtney, Brent Marks, Kerry Madsen, Daison Pursley and Justin Peck have yet to win.
Outsiders such as Ryan Timms, Logan Seavey and Sam Hafertepe Jr. also have the chance to shake things up this week.
SUSTAINING SUCCESS
Through the first six events of 2026, a trio of drivers have yet to finish outside of the top-10 – finding themselves at the top of the early-season championship standings.
Tanner Thorson of Minden, Nev. stands out as the early-season points leader in the Rod Gross Motorsports No. 88.
After exclusively recording all of his national top-five finishes at bullrings or mid-size surfaces, he opened the 2026 season by rattling off five-straight top-fives at big tracks like Las Vegas and Central Arizona. He broke through for his first win of the season last weekend to further cement himself as a true title contender this year.
Rico Abreu of St. Helena, Calif. has wasted no time getting up to speed in the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing, Carquest No. 24 – winning his fourth night out in Arizona. The defending High Limit champion has finished seventh, seventh, third, first, third and 10th to open the new year and he’s the only driver to appear in all six dashes.
Giovanni Scelzi of Fresno, Calif. is another driver finding early success with a new pairing as he’s shined early on aboard the Spire Motorsport, Chili’s Grill & Bar No. 77. With six-time national champion crew chief Eric Prutzman in his corner, “Hot Sauce” has started the year with six top 10 finishes. He’s led a pair of races, but has yet to win as he hopes to become the seventh different victor of the season this week.
