2/16/2026
High Limit Racing
Kerry Madsen Brings International Flavor to High Limit Racing in Vermeer Motorsports Ride
MOORESVILLE, NC. (February 16, 2026) – Australia’s diehard Sprint Car fanbase will once again have a homegrown star to cheer for when watching Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing on FloRacing in 2026.
A native of St. Mary’s, New South Wales, 55-year-old Kerry Madsen has already cemented himself as one of the greatest Sprint Car drivers ever produced by “The Land Down Under.” However, it’s a legacy the now resident of Knoxville, Iowa is as passionate as ever about continuing to build as his next chapter puts him on the High Limit tour for the first time in Tony Vermeer’s No. 55 machine.
The 2026 season presents arguably the most change in recent memory for Vermeer’s operation after recent years of competing with the All Star Circuit of Champions, running High Limit in 2024 with Chris Windom, and tackling the World of Outlaws campaign in 2025 with Hunter Schuerenberg. New this year, the team relocated to a Central Pennsylvania shop under the guidance of crew chief Tye Wolfgang and crew members Doug Rankin and Harley Berry.
“I’m super optimistic about this season and the crew we have built,” Madsen said on the High Limit Room show. “You can’t emphasize enough how important the people on your race team are, it’s the difference between not only winning but even running good anymore. As sprint car racing has grown, there are no short cuts anymore. The list of great teams and talented people in sport is bigger than ever.”
The Vermeer Motorsports No. 55 is one of four teams (Randall, Randerson, Lynch) currently committed to battling for the ‘Joker Fund’ this year, and more importantly, chasing High Roller Club membership which can be obtainted via a top-three points finish in 2026 or 2027, or a top-eight points finish in both years.
“The reality with sprint car racing these days is that you have to take it one step at a time,” Madsen noted. “It’s only February now, so we’re fully focused on executing the preparation stages the right way. Then we have to hit the track running, we have to be quick out of the gates, we have to qualify well each night, and we have to finish races. There’s a lot to put in place before we get too concerned about where we’ll end up in points. We have lofty goals and high expectations, but the team has done great so far.”
While Wolfgang, Rankin, and Berry have been relocating and reloading for the new year, Madsen has kept himself fresh with 20 races back home in Australia. The four-time Australian Sprintcar Champion and three-time Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic winner has collected podium runs at Perth, Tolmer, Borderline, and Avalon during his time down under.
Madsen will have 60+ attempts this season to join James McFadden, of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, as the second Australian to win with Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing.
“I don’t really think of it as being the weight of the country on my shoulders, but it is an extreme honor to represent so many,” Kerry added on the Australian support of his American career. “Everyone down under always cheers extra hard for the natives and so many follow everything that happens over here. They’ve got the good end of the stick with the time difference, so they can have a nice weekend BBQ while watching our racing.”
As a Kings Royal champion, 360 Knoxville Nationals winner, and victor of 29 World of Outlaws features since he first appeared in America in the early 1990s, Madsen understands the sprint car scene in the USA as well as anyone in the country. As he embarks on joining a new national tour, he says the sport is healthier than ever.
“Last year I would have considered us a regionally-based team in Iowa and we could hit 80+ shows between High Limit, Outlaws, Knoxville, Huset’s, and everything else if you’re up to it,” he added. “I don’t think there has ever been a better time as a driver or as a fan of sprint car racing. The diversification is incredible.”
Among the 33 tracks on the 2026 High Limit calendar, Madsen will return as a winner at six of them - Lakeside (KS), Eagle (NE), Port Royal (PA), Gondik Law (WI), Eldora (OH), and Skagit (WA) - while making his first-ever appearance at another six - Central Arizona (AZ), Route 66 (TX), Red Cedar (WI), Stateline (NY), Santa Maria (CA), and Douglas County (OR).
Madsen’s 2026 Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing season officially opens with the SugarBee Blackjack Bash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 12-14 during NASCAR weekend. The 65-race tour will criss-cross the country for eight months before concluding with the All-In Championship Weekend at Texas Motor Speedway on October 16-17. Fans can buy pre-sale event tickets, which enters you for a chance to be selected for the DURST Dice Roll, by clicking here.
Follow @HighLimitRacing on X, Facebook, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with series information including news, event updates, ticketing information, and more. You can also receive news directly to your phone by following High Limit Racing’s profile on the MyRacePass App.
If you cannot join Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing at the track, you can watch every lap of every race live on FloRacing, the exclusive broadcast partner of High Limit Racing and the streaming provider of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, USAC Racing, the CARS Tour, the Chili Bowl Nationals, the Tulsa Shootout, the Gateway Dirt Nationals, and much more.
Article Credit: Brian Walker
