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Slinging Gold: Rico Abreu Wins 2025 High Limit Racing Title

Rico Abreu

Rico Abreu enjoys the spoils of the 2025 High Limit Championship Weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. (Photo: Jasmine Sharpe | The Podium Finish)

FORT WORTH, Texas — Another season of nail-biting action and great racing concluded at Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, via the Bikini Zone All-In Championship Weekend. Not only did Kubota High Limit Racing Series crown a new champion, but it also said goodbye to a dirt racing legend, who decided to retire from full-time competition. Action commenced Friday evening with the first of two features for the Kubota

Practice was without incident, teasing what was yet to come during qualifying. There were three teams hunting down for the Owner’s Championship, with Rico Abreu Racing ahead of Ridge and Son Racing and Kasey Kahne Racing.

Rico Abreu led the Driver’s Championship with Brad Sweet closely behind with only a 20 point gap. With such a small gap, anything could happen to determine who would come out on top.

The field for the three heat races were determined by qualifying. With only eight laps for each heat, the 410 winged sprint drivers would need to execute perfect technique in order to be a part of the top five, or six, finishers that would advance. While the small amount of laps appeared to be a minuscule amount, plenty could happen within the cockpit of the hard charging vehicles.

High Limit Championship Weekend

Brad Sweet takes to the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track for the 2025 High Limit Championship Weekend. (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)

Heat 1 would finish like the next two in terms of being caution-free. Giovanni Scelzi (7BC) would take first, followed by Brent Marks (19), Austin McCarl (88W), Justin Sanders (14), and Daryn Pittman (69K) would claim fifth. Dashing swiftly, Heat 2 saw Daison Pursley (13) on top followed by Ryan Timms (10), Abreu (24), Brenham Crouch (5), Tanner Thorson (88), and Landon Crawley (45X). Finally, Heat 3 had Sye Lynch (42) placing first, Sweet (49) coming in second, Aaron Ruetzel (87), Ian Madsen (2B), Justin Peck (26), and Hank Davis (12X) filling in the next three spots.

Two anticipated heat races would take place after the seven-lap dash. Pittman, Pursley, Abreu, Scelzi, Lynch, and Ruetzel were the six racers competing. Notably, Pittman won the Dash, helping to set the stage for the evening’s A and B Kubota Features.

Kicking things off, the B feature was a ten-lap sampler of the 25-lap A Main race. Though shorter, it was filled with action as eight competitors battled. Only the top six would move on to the evening’s main race, leaving the last two in the dust and ending the night early.

Ripping through the ten laps, the B feature would crown Chase Randall (9) as victorious. Roger Crockett (11), John Carney II (J2), Ayrton Gennetten (3), Eric Baldaccini (0), and Austin Mundie (4) filled in the other five spots.

Fans packed the stands, waiting on baited breath for the night’s final race, the Kubota A-Main. Battling for a win, 24 winged sprint drivers would have 25 laps to duke things out and decide on who would win $10,000. The top three starters were Pittman, Pursley and Team Owner/Championship contender Abreu.

Luckily, there were no incidents or yellow flags thrown, giving the audience high octane action that ended with Abreu winning. Not only did the win score him his 12th Casm Safety Products Win Sticker, it widened the gap between first and in second places for the Owner and Driver Point Standings.

Taking second place was Pittman, with Scelzi snagging third while Sweet ended up in fourth. The competitors knew the next evening would be the true test, setting their eyes on the 50k first place prize. In the standings, the points situation was interesting.

In the Owner Standings leading into Night 2, Rico Abreu Racing was 25 points in front of Ridge And Son Racing while Kasey Kahne Racing trailed behind by 40 points.

Likewise, Abreu led the Driver’s Championship by 40 points over Sweet while Marks was in pursuit, 185 points back. It was clear that tensions were mounting for an incredible night full of dirt racing.

Not only would the A-Main Winner earn $50,000, the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track brought two other companies into the fray. They partnered with Parker County Beef Company, presenting the exquisite Longhorn Skull Trophy. There would also be a handcrafted cowboy hat gifted from the American Hat Company.

Truly the real eye on the prize was the 250k team check to whoever won the championship, penning their name forever into the sport’s legacy, and helping to shape its future within the world of Motorsports. The series was created in 2022 by Sweet and Kyle Larson, both World of Outlaws Series drivers, with Sweet being a multi-time Championship winner.

A 25-point gap was in-between Rico Abreu Racing the leader, and Ridge And Son Racing, with Kasey Kahne Racing only 40 points back.

Friday evening arrived, the stands were brimming full of excited fans, and the stage was set for a night packed with intense 410 winged sprint car action. The top three finishers of the previous evening were exempted from qualifying, giving them a small break. Brad Sweet was on top of the chart leading into the three heat races.

Beginning strong, Heat 1 would have Sweet, Lynch, Ruetzel, and then Abreu in the top four starting positions. Just like the previous night, eight laps would be each heat length, helping to determine not only who would participate, but where the drivers would be starting for the A/B Mains. Rico was able to clinch third, knocking Ruetzel back to fifth, and Crawley took fourth.

Charging ahead, Heat 2 had Marks and Crockett on the first row while Pittman was in the second row in the fourth starting position. The eight competitors blazed through the heat, Pittman would win followed by Crockett and Marks for the podium spots.

Lastly was the third heat. Row 1 consisted of Sanders and Crouch with Row 2 seeing Thorson and Scelzi putting up a great fight, along with the other four racers. Mid heat, Heath Nestrick (4X) would hit the wall and flip, bringing out a caution. The scene was quickly cleaned with Nestrick emerging OK, restarting with a few laps to go. In the end, Sanders, Scelzi, and Timms finished in the top three.

Dashing into the night’s Dash, six drivers prepared to battle. The starting order began with Pittman, Abreu, Crockett, Sweet, Sanders, and lastly Scelzi. Seven laps full of many slides and glides upon the dirt surface concluded, Pittman and Abreu kept their spots and Sweet snuck up to the third place.

Then, it was time for the A-Main. An entire season full of action came down to a 30-lap race, determining not only a race winner, but a champion. The field was filled, bringing together 24 racers together for a clash on dirt. The top three starters were Pittman, Abreu, and Sweet.

Ripping and slinging on the Texas dirt track, the laps ticked down and no cautions were waived. Without any wrecks or incidents, the top runners easily ran down the field, using lapped cars to their benefit. These slower winged sprints were the key for Abreu. The racing veteran kept his competitors at bay, weaving around lapped traffic to the checkered flag.

Rico Abreu

Rico Abreu, with Brad Sweet (right) and Daryn Pittman (left), pose after Saturday evening’s High Limit Championship Weekend feature. (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)

Abreu not only earned his 13th Casm Safety Products Win Sticker, but won the Driver and Owner Championship in a sweeping motion. Filled with tears and emotion, Abreu was interviewed after climbing from his vehicle in Victory Lane.

“This team just fights through adversity…My family is here tonight. My team, you know, the people that really believe in my ability to drive racecars,” Abreu said.

Thanking the team, his family and wife, Abreu not only won the $50,000 first place cash prize, but also won both Championships; earning a $250,000 check. This was the first career national tour title the California native won. Pittman finished second to earn $20,000 while Sweet grabbed third place. He won $10,000 while placing second in the Driver Point Standings.

Marks ended third in the Driver Point Standings. In the Owner Standings, Ridge And Son Racing took second, and Kasey Kahne Racing clinched third. Celebrations would carry over into the next evening at the banquet, but the major news would be an announcement by Sweet.

Sweet, through teary eyes, stated that 2025 was his last year racing full-time. While he may not be competing in every race, the legend would not fully step away from the sport. 2026 will be full of even more thrills and teeth clenching action as the Kubota High Limit Racing Series prepares for its next year of racing events.

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