Rico Abreu, shown here celebrating a win at Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, in September will join Tony Stewart Racing for the 2026 season.
Submitted photo
Two powerhouse presences in the sport of Sprint Car Racing will become one in 2026 as Rico Abreu joins Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing, bringing the TSR No. 24 to Kubota High Limit Racing full-time next season. In 2025, Abreu captured the Kubota High Limit Racing Championship.
For Abreu — who is arguably the most popular driver in Sprint Car Racing today — this marks the beginning of his next chapter as a major influencer in the sport by driving for arguably the most iconic team in Sprint Car Racing today. It’s a match made in heaven for Kubota High Limit Racing fans, with every event being streamed live on FloRacing.
For Stewart — who will lease a Franchise from Rico Abreu/Curb-Agajanian Racing under the new High Limit Franchise System — this marks a brand-new era in his 25-years of owning Sprint Cars. The Brownsburg-based team is the most successful organization of this century, winning 300-plus World of Outlaws races and nine championships to go along with 100-plus USAC wins and 14 more championships. In 2026, they will attempt their first campaign with Kubota High Limit Racing.
“Rico is the kind of driver that I love,” Stewart said on his 2026 pilot. “He’s always positive, excited, and you know he’s going to give you 110% every time he’s in the car and that’s what we need right now. He understands the ownership side, the partnership side and taking care of your sponsors. He’s turned into the full package. For us, that’s an important deal as we’re representing Fortune 500 companies. To have someone mindful of that, while also being as talented as he is behind the wheel, it’s a big aspect in what has made TSR successful, and Rico fits that mold.”
“This is not just an opportunity to drive for a great race team, but really one of the best teams ever assembled in Sprint Car Racing history,” Abreu said on TSR. “Tony is not just an accomplished driver and team owner, but a friend and role model who inspires me to take the sport to the next level. I have been extra committed to the growth of our sport for a long time. As I’ve gotten older and appreciated the little things more, it’s becoming more than just getting to drive race cars for me.
“These needle-moving moments I have been fortunate enough to be part of are incredible to navigate and experience,” he added. “The state of Sprint Car Racing is unbelievable right now. The stands are packed nationwide, FloSports has amazing viewership, I’ve noted an increase in youth at the races, the shows are becoming more efficient, FS1 is giving us a chance to be on live television and so many more great things are happening. Partnering with Tony inspires me to continue pushing for more.”
A key component in Abreu’s move to the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing banner is that his core crew will remain together. For more than four seasons now, Ricky Warner (crew chief), Zack Middlebrooks (car chief) and Brady Forbrook (tire specialist) have been by Rico’s side through it all – and they’ll remain with him at TSR in 2026.
“I value team chemistry and believe that success is nowhere close to just about being a driver,” Abreu said. “It’s important that Ricky, Zack and Brady believe in my vision to make this switch to Tony Stewart Racing, and they’re going to be a big part of this with me. We’ve built a culture internally that I’m proud of, and we’ll continue growing as a team.”
The addition of Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing to the Kubota High Limit Racing roster in 2026 currently puts TSR in a category alongside fellow franchisees Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb, Clauson-Marshall Racing, Murray-Marks Motorsports, Ridge & Sons Racing, Jason Meyers Racing, Buch Motorsports, Rudeen Racing, Rod Gross Motorsports and CJB Motorsports.
“Obviously, this move brings TSR to High Limit, and I feel like that will have a huge impact for the series,” Abreu mentioned. “The new Franchise System is already proving to elevate the series, and I’m confident the growth of the series will continue with another top-tier team switching.”
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As the exclusive streaming partner of Kubota High Limit Racing, every lap of every race will be live on FloRacing. Subscribe to FloRacing for High Limit, NASCAR, USAC, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, CARS Tour coverage and more.
This week in racing history
From 60 years ago in 1965, Dick Gaines was named the super modified track champion at Lawrenceburg
From 50 years ago in 1975, Bob Kinser won the sprint car title at Kokomo.
From 40 years ago in 1985, the track champions at Lawrenceburg were Greg Staab (sprints) and Gary Herbert (late models).
From 30 years ago in 1995, the track champions at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt were Gary Hayhurst Jr. (sprints) and Doug McCammon (late models).
James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Republic. Send comments to sports@therepublic.com
