Austin Kirkpatrick's late models finding more customers, sprint cars vs. supercross, more! | Daily 4-8-2026

This episode of Daily delves into the rising momentum of Austin Kirkpatrick's AK Race Cars, a dirt late model chassis brand gaining traction through high-profile driver partnerships with Skyline Motorsports' Tyler Bruning and Dallin Murty, as well as Tanner English after his split from Coltman Farms. The host highlights AK's operational growth—22 chassis built by March, a larger shop, new CNC equipment, and four full-time employees—underscoring the brand's focus on repeatability and efficient manufacturing. The episode also explores broader trends in dirt racing, including the Rookie of the Year battle in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, where Emerson Aksum leads a tight group of five rookies. A key discussion examines why sprint car racing hasn't achieved Supercross-level attendance, citing fragmentation across sanctioning bodies, lack of centralized marketing, and the dirtier, less polished fan experience compared to stadium events. The conversation then turns to David Gravel’s dominance, arguing he would likely dominate in the High Limit series due to his consistency and coast-to-coast speed, even outperforming legends like Anthony Macri. A final debate questions whether Kyle Larson could beat Gravel in a points race, weighing Larson’s raw talent and funding against Gravel’s consistency and resilience. The episode closes with a look at CJB Racing’s decision to hire Brenham Crouch over Justin Peck, suggesting the move was driven by funding rather than pure talent, with Crouch still developing under new crew chief Tyler Swank and with Donnie Schatz providing a safety net.