High Limit Racing driver Tanner Holmes weighed in on the ongoing discussion in Sprint Car racing concerning open reds.
The topic has been a hot button for the last few weeks after The Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway had one on the last lap of the race because cars were about to run out of fuel and then the Bob Weikert Memorial at Port Royal Speedway had a planned open red halfway through the race.
In a video uploaded to Facebook, Holmes shared his thoughts on the open reds admitting that they do “change the race.”
As for his thoughts on whether he’s in favor of them or not, he shared, “I’m in agreeance that open reds and fuel stops especially when we know they’re going to happen is not ideal. I don’t think we want that.”
However, he added, “I am also a fan of having a longer race. The standard 30 lap show is cool, but like there’s something that’s cool about a 40 or 50 lapper. I can get behind that.”
“What do we do then? How do we make that happen? I guess the only way is we somehow have got to carry around more fuel,” he said. “Now, I’m not exactly sure what does that look like. The obvious answer is a bigger tank, but if there’s bigger complications with more of the rear weight, if that affects then how the tanks are mounted if they can even withstand that. That’s all stuff that’s a little about out of my paygrade as the driver. I just hear people talk about it, but that’s not what I’m doing on the daily and have all that information. So I don’t know what the complications would be of having a bigger tank and if that’s more at risk for the driver or if things would need to be redesigned.”
“In a perfect world it would be really cool to do these races without having to stop. One, because I think it’s more challenging for the drivers. I think there’s more coming and going where guys can get really fast and then guys can fall off. I just think it makes for a better overall race,” Holmes continued. “Obviously, when you have a chance to stop 20 laps in, it’s just a chance for you to totally reset even as a driver whether it’s mentally, physically, get a break, get some water. It just changes the dynamic of the race. Your car could be no good and then your crew chief has a chance to make it good.”
He then summarized, “I’m in agreeance with you guys. I think longer races are cool. I think it’d be cool to have a way to not have the stops, I just don’t know what all that looks like. And I think there’s a lot of people online that in the same boat. … Long races are cool. Green all the way through. And after that I don’t really know what the answer is.”
Holmes is not the only one who is opposed to open reds. Kyle Larson shared his thoughts back in 2024 following a refuel stoppage at Port Royal during PA Speedweeks. Larson told FloRacing’s Earl Hoon Jr., ““Just disappointed to give up the track position like that. And then we sat all these laps for guys that have small fuel tanks. And we have a big one and we don’t ever run out. It is what is. Maybe we can adjust some rules to maybe how they should be for the big tanks.”
He elaborated on those comments while speaking to FloRacing’s Kyle McFadden. Speaking specifically to the caution that was thrown for the refuel, Larson said, “I wasn’t even thinking we were throwing a yellow for fuel. I’m sliding for the lead. I’m guessing the line that he was running that maybe he was running out of fuel also, but I wasn’t. We run a big tank. That’s just a frustrating part is that we’re still at the point in sprint car racing where we haven’t made the larger fuel tanks mandatory. I know own a series and I’m sure we don’t make it mandatory either, but I think as a sport-. Fans complain about fuel stops. It’s probably time we need to run bigger tanks and let these crew chiefs balance their car.”
When asked if he thought he had a chance after the fuel stop, Larson answered, “Not really because I’m sure it also allows his crew to talk to him and tell him to just pound it, which he was probably going to do. But I don’t know, it looked like he was starting to cheat entry and exits a little bit. Maybe without the red we have a restart with 4 to go and I’m in second and he’s still running that line maybe I can build a run, but it’s just hard on a half mile and clean air and all that.”
Post-race with @KyleLarsonRacin.
He breaks down his wild runner-up @PASpeedWeek finish at @PortRoyalSpdway where he rallied from a midpack spin.
Larson shares a lot here: Frustrations with smaller fuel cells, the lights at the start that threw him off (listen for explanation),… pic.twitter.com/eehbKVLNFM
— Kyle McFadden (@ByKyleMcFadden) July 3, 2025
Midget car racer and Sprint Car fabricator Flea Ruzic also shared his thoughts following the Kings Royal. He wrote on X, “Stop allowing fuel stops and the racers will fix their own problems. They might run out a few times but they will find solutions and make the changes needed to go the distance for the win When you cater to a society you end up with a society that expects to be catered to 💯.”
I hate to be the negative nancy on this topic but the fuel stop ruined the race for me as well
Stop allowing fuel stops and the racers will fix their own problems. They might run out a few times but they will find solutions and make the changes needed to go the distance for the… https://t.co/9yzZiIgV5o
— Flea Ruzic (@ripjetson9) July 19, 2026
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