Sprint Car’s Unsung Hero Finally Gets His Dues With the Ultimate Honor

These days, the motorsports world is buzzing with excitement over sprint cars. From the High Limit Sprint Car racing series expansion to the World of Outlaws unveiling their Sprint Car Hall of Fame poll results, sprint car racing is front and center. And now, just yesterday, the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame revealed their Class of 2024, and one name that has everyone grinning from ear to ear is Ricky Warner.

Starting his journey as a pit crew member at just 18, Warner has dedicated the bulk of his career to teams in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. He’s been the backbone for legends like Randy Wolfe, Jac Haudenschild, Andy Hillenburg, Tyler Walker, Joey Saldana, and notably Donny Schatz. Together with Schatz, he’s bagged four championships since 2006. And now, Warner’s being honored with a spot in the Class of 2024. It has definitely been worth a ride for him!

Can Ricky Warner be deemed as the mastermind behind Sprint Car’s success?

Eight sprint car stalwarts recently got the nod as the crème de la crème in the sport. Warner, with his 27 World of Outlaws Feature wins, was right there among them, alongside USAC legends and other sprint car aces. Earlier, Warner spilled the beans about his humble beginnings, starting with just tire work and other heavy lifting. He got his big break with Randy, stepping up as a crew chief when the team was short-handed. Despite feeling green, Warner learned the ropes fast under Randy’s wing.

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Fast forward to today, and Rico Abreu Racing’s No. 24 is a team that cannot be taken lightly at all, thanks to Warner. In 2022, Warner teamed up with Rico Abreu, and they hit it off instantly. Their partnership blossomed, racking up wins galore. Last season, they were turning heads everywhere, bagging wins left and right at venues like Lincoln Park Speedway, a track Warner knows like the back of his hand. With Warner calling the shots, Rico’s set to keep steering the No. 24 in 2024.

Since the mid-1990s, sprint car racing has been Warner’s bread and butter. He’s a legend in the crew chief world, boasting 10 World of Outlaws Championships and 10 Knoxville Nationals with Donny Schatz. Their partnership was one for the history books, with a haul of over 200 World of Outlaws wins and a string of other impressive feats. However, after a health scare, Warner took a step back in 2018 following their tenth Outlaws title.

However, as Warner was recognized for his contributions, Donny Schatz had nothing but praise for him. “He could complement me and he knew how I did things. I knew how to manipulate when I needed to. It was just a great combination as to what was happening. It’s hard going into details. He was a good friend. We got along real well.” Currently, Warner’s eyes are on the 2024 season, aiming to clinch the National Sprint Car title with Rico Abreu. Apparently, the guy is not just in the race; he’s rewriting the playbook.

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Rico Abreu hails his crew chief as the key to his triumphs

Rico Abreu has been tearing up the tracks as one of the slickest “outlaws” in the game this year, and he’s got his sights set on bagging even more victories in 2024.

Abreu really left his mark on the inaugural High Limit Sprint Car Series, clinching four wins out of 11 races – more than any other speedster in a lineup that was packed with some of the country’s top talents. He was just a hair’s breadth away from seizing the series’ first championship, finishing a close second to Kyle Larson, a fellow Californian and NASCAR heavyweight, who bagged three wins.

The secret sauce behind Abreu’s winning streak? He heaped praise on the solid bond and team effort spearheaded by Ricky Warner, the crew chief who’s no stranger to the winner’s circle.

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“We have a lot of trust and respect for everyone on the team and we’re together all the time like a travelling circus,” Abreu shares, highlighting the deep trust and respect that fuels their team’s success.