Gordy Gundaker shared his opinion that the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series should eliminate its exclusivity rules that limit their drivers from competing in non-Outlaw sanctioned races.
In 2024, it was reported by FloRacing’s Tyler Burnett that the Outlaw teams that wanted to remain eligible for the series exclusivity bonus point fund could only compete in four non-World of Outlaw races per year. If teams wanted to remain eligible for the overall points fund, they could only compete in at most eight non-World of Outlaw races.
The exclusivity bonus pays a total of $472,500 to the top 20 drivers and owners. The winners receive $75,000 each. As for the overall championship point fund it pays out $1,260,000 to the top 20 drivers and teams. The top driver and owner receive $100,000.
Gundaker shared his thoughts on this in a recent episode of The Dirt Parlor. While discussing the upcoming Nolan Wren Memorial at Knoxville Raceway and predicting the field will be loaded, he said, “I know, obviously, the Outlaw guys have rules against going to so many races a year. I think that’s kind of ridiculous. I understand their point, but kind of hearing that sucks. It robs race fans on off weekends or other times that there’s weekday races that these guys can’t go attend ’cause they can only do so many a year.”
“I think we’re past that day and age. I think that needs to be thrown out the window,” he declared. “Because look, these guys are still racers at the end of the day. So they should be allowed to show up to some of these. But, look, them High Limit guys they’re going to take everything they can get when they have these weekends to hop around and go do something different, or go to a Knoxville and get some laps, or go out to PA and race for money.”
While Gundaker wants the exclusivity done away with, Outlaws competitor Bill Balog spoke with Justin Fiedler at the end of last year about the topic and shared, “It’s totally a thing for the fans. I mean, we couldn’t race anymore. We race every single weekend. I think there’s going to be two weekends off this year now.”
“And, for me personally, we went to a couple of races and they were more lenient on it — the Outlaws — they didn’t count against your four nights,” he said. “I think from where I’m sitting, we race plenty. And the exclusivity thing, I read about it all the time, and for the World of Outlaw drivers I don’t think it’s really an issue.”
Additionally, he shared he was not interested in running close to 100 races a year if that opportunity was presented, “With our schedule, I’m basically home on Sunday night and then we can work those few days and then you leave again. It seems like a pretty full schedule. I don’t know how they could do that. I don’t know how anybody could race that much, but they do. Just probably not for me. The amount of races we do is more than I’ve ever raced. … When I started I raced like eight times, and then I raced 10 times the next, and then it, you know what I mean, it just [increased]. I think I’ve kind of reached where if we can race 75 or 85 times that’s plenty for me.”
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