Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., will run a partial 2025 schedule with G.R. Smith’s Team 22 Inc. of Cornelius, N.C., focused on Dirt Late Model racing’s major events, the pairing told DirtonDirt.com following Wednesday’s World of Outlaws World Finals program at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

The 49-year-old Madden's connection with Smith, whose car he's driving at Charlotte, comes five months after announcing plans to step away from national touring competition. He's since sold most of his team's assets and spent the last three months as crew chief for Ricky Thornton Jr.'s Koehler Motorsports team en route to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship.

Madden, whose June bout with diverticulitis forced him off the World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series, tentatively plans on driving for Team 22 Inc. during winter competition at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., and major events at Ohio's Eldora Speedway, but didn't give a specific number of races he plans to attend. Among the sport's best drivers without a Dream or World 100 victory, he quipped that "I'll be racing at Eldora until my legs fall off."

Besides fielding Madden's part-time ride, the 43-year-old Smith also plans to hire a full-time driver for 2025 to replace WoO rookie Max McLaughlin of Mooresville, N.C., who is making his final starts for the team at Charlotte.

In fielding Madden's car, "we're going to race anything that makes sense,” Smith said Wednesday after Madden set fast time for Thursday’s World Finals program. “The good thing is we have good sponsors. … Our goal is to be prepared like this. It means a lot when you go out and give it 100 percent and not just going to the next one. To clear that up, we’re ready and rolling. We have the resources, cars, equipment and driver to show up at any place and get it done.”

Madden rules out any return to national touring competition, adding that "there’s a lot (of) money and opportunity out there to be better prepared racing on a limited schedule. It shows here (with Team 22 Inc.).

“I'd just like to thank G.R. and his family, and everyone on his side,” he added. “Over the winter we’ll get our sponsors hammered out. I’m sure he has people who are staying and I have people who are coming. We can’t do it without them.”

After Charlotte, Madden plans Team 22 Inc. starts in Nov. 15-16’s Castrol FloRacing Night in America season finale at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway and Nov. 17’s Blue-Gray 100 at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C.

“I want to go back to Eldora and win, he wants to go to Eldora and win, so it started with that conversation. Then we talked about other places we like going to," said Smith, the 2017 World 100-winning car owner for Jonathan Davenport. "We’re really confident about what we put together. We’ll race together in 2025 and beyond, and whatever makes most sense to us.”