PAIGE, Texas  A year ago, a new sprint car team rolled into Cotton Bowl Speedway for its debut.

These were no newbies just getting into the game, though. This was a professional organization right off the bat run by a family passionate for the sport. A pristine blue and white hauler. A simple yet sharp paint scheme on the car. The Fischer Motorsports No. 23 was unleashed and ready to be a part of the top level of sprint car racing.

Longtime supporter of sprint cars, Curt Fischer, had always wanted to field a team, and the right opportunity arose in 2024. They put the pieces together, hired Garet Williamson to drive, and hit the road for a busy pick-and-choose season.

Ill tell you we were excited to get going, Fischer recalled. Of course, there was no steering units and no rear ends available, or we wouldve been in Florida last year. So, we waited until the last minute, and of course the other teams had units left from the previous year, so they could still make Florida. Thats why we held off and started in Texas. It was a very interesting weekend, and it was a very interesting year for us.

That (Cotton Bowl) was our first race last year, Williamson said. It was a long but quick off-season, if that makes sense. By the time we got parts and everything it was just thrash-season. Starting a team up from scratch is very hard, especially nowadays with just how hard it is to get parts and the quantity we were ordering to build a high-caliber team.

Fast forward a year, and theyve risen to the pinnacle of the sport. Williamson returns to Cotton Bowl this weekend for the Federated Auto Parts Texas Two-Step with a new set of circumstances. Fischer sent his team out for a full-time run with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink sprint cars in 2025.

But they didnt simply want to be a part of The Greatest Show on Dirt. They wanted to have an impact. Go toe-to-toe with the best sprint car drivers in the world and compete with them. So far, thats exactly what theyve done.

Williamson heads back to the site of Fischer Motorsports debut atop the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year standings above a loaded class of seven contestants. Led by crew chief Chad Cypert, the teams consistency as of late brought an 11.3 average finish in the last six races including a season-best seventh at Kennedale Speedway Park.

For Williamson and Fischer, their early performance is a testament to racing as often as they could last year in many areas of the country and usually facing off with the toughest competition.

I think it shows a lot about how important it is to get as many laps as you can and shows why the guys that have been doing it so long are as good as they are, Williamson said. Being with the same guys and team is just as important as any stick-and-ball sport being with the same team. It just grows so much faster and better, and you just build a bond with your guys. Luckily, me and Chaddy (Chad Cypert) worked together in the past, so that kind of curve of learning each other and how we function is not too bad because weve also gotten along really well. I think that was huge.

I couldnt ask for a better Florida, Fischer said. I was very happy with our performance down there. Its a tough time to be in sprint car racing because everybody is so close, and theres so much money out there that you got to run at the top of your game. You dont get a second chance like years in the past whenever I was with Jason Johnson and others. You could always rely on somebody slipping up, and youd be fine, and now its like holy cow. Youve got to hold on to everything you can get, and no you dont want to go out there and make anybody mad especially being a rookie, but by the same token youve still got to race your car.

Theres a long way to go in 2025, but the season started on the right foot for Williamson. Hes not shy about his desire to claim the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year. You only get one chance as a driver. Fischer wants to see his team win the award, and all indications are theyll be in the hunt. Theyve come a long way from first unloading at Cotton Bowl last spring.

Before the season started, Garet said, I guarantee you were going to win the rookie points. Well, that was before six other guys jumped on board, Fischer said with a laugh. So, were really putting him to the test, him and the team, to get out there and win this thing. Were really excited.