One of Sprint Car racing's top up-and-coming talents and most fan-friendly personalities is getting his first full-time shot at campaigning on the national circuit.

Less than a week after Daison Pursley announced he's leaving Buch Motorsports for Kasey Kahne Racing, the Pennsylvania-based operation announced Wednesday it has tapped Jacksonville, Ore.'s Tanner Holmes as its new driver for the 2026 Kubota High Limit Racing season.

The 22-year-old Holmes begins his tenure with the Tom Buch-owned team, which has also featured Justin Peck, Paul McMahan, Tim Shaffer, Jason Leffler, Daryn Pittman, Jac Haudenschild and Jesse Hockett as drivers over the years, at the Dirt Track at Charlotte's World Finals from Nov. 5-8.

"Everything happened pretty quickly. Obviously these guys needed a driver after Daison departed the team heading to KKR," the 22-year-old Holmes told FloRacing in a phone interview. "I was kind of looking to get to the national stage if the right opportunity was there. At the same time had the opportunity going on over here on the West Coast with my own car and been racing with Tarlton (Racing in the No. 21). For me, I've been going week-to-week and didn't have anything set in stone.

"Tom had reached out to me, maybe a couple weeks ago, and asked about my plans. It wasn't anything, like, 'Hey, this is what we're going to go do.' He was doing his due diligence as a car owner. They got through the High Limit season, and literally it was yesterday when we got on the phone; talked with him and crew chief (Sean Strausbaugh). Within a half-hour, we were good to go."

Racing select events with Tarlton Racing team that also featured James McFadden and Spencer Bayston this year and spending nearly three months Aug. 15-Nov. 4 in 2023 traveling the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series as an interim driver for Shark Racing, Holmes has added to his portfolio each of the last few seasons.

This year he has a pair of NARC King of the West victories May 17 and Oct. 4 and Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway, plus three 360 triumphs — one being March 1's Silver Cup at Silver Dollar Raceway in Chico, Calif., and the most recent a Trophy Cup prelim victory Oct. 18 at Thunderbowl for the Tarlton team.

While he's still searching for his first nationally touring victory, he finished runner-up to Corey Day in July 16's Double Down Duels at Eldora Speedway and he finished third in last August's High Limit event at Douglas County Dirt Track in his home state. 

"As I said, it came together pretty quick. I think we have common goals," Holmes said. "I want to get to the national stage and be with the same car for an entire season. We're looking to keep building and obviusly those guys have been doing it a long time. ... This will be a great opportunity."