For once th final is dominated by real midget teams. 4 of top 5 teams participate in weekly series; Kevin Swindell being the exception. Way to go Alex Bright with a 4th place finish running a family team (financed by his Grandfather) with no big sponsorship and an old "Elite" chassis. He is off to Australia later this week to compete over there.
A Feature (55 Laps): 1. 63-Bryan Clauson[3]; 2. 39-Kevin Swindell[14]; 3. 97-Christopher Bell[2]; 4. 77-Alex Bright[12]; 5. 17R-Dave Darland[10]; 6. 47X-Tim McCreadie[8]; 7. 21-Daryn Pittman[17]; 8. 8J-Jonathan Beason[4]; 9. 3-Chris Windom[9]; 10. 15X-Chad Boat[18]; 11. 67K-Rico Abreu[13]; 12. 24-Tracy Hines[22]; 13. 5D-Zach Daum[5]; 14. 1-Sammy Swindell[6]; 15. 05-Brad Loyet[20]; 16. (DNF) 7M-Kevin Ramey[24]; 17. (DNF) 17K-Alex Schutte[19]; 18. (DNF) 5-Jerry Coons Jr[21]; 19. (DNF) 7C-Caleb Armstrong[1]; 20. (DNF) 63NZ-Michael Pickens[11]; 21. (DNF) 56L-Danny Stratton[16]; 22. (DNF) 71K-Kyle Larson[15]; 23. (DNF) 47-Damion Gardner[7]; 24. (DNF) 16-Thomas Meseraull[23]
Lap Leader(s): Caleb Armstrong (1-5), Clauson (6-55)
Updates on happenings leading up to the Chili Bowl Nationals midget race and day to day results during the Championships. Please feel free to comment. Let me know what you want to hear about.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Picks for Saturday
Clauson over Sammy Swindell and Michael Pickens. Like I know anything. I would love to see any full time midget team win.
Friday, January 17, 2014
NMARHOF
National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony being held right now in Exchange Center behind Expo Center. Among those attending are Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser and ARDC Champ Trevor Kobylarz.
Picks for Friday
Lets see if another youngster can step up this evening
Tweet of the Day - Thursday
Guess I'll take that. No brakes after the crash in the B. Then lost em again about 8 laps into the A. Worked the ole @EsslingerEng hard.
Kevin went from 11th to first in the B-Main and 17th to 4th in A-Main. Maybe he should save the weight and remove the brakes.
Christopher Bell unstoppable in Chili Bowl Qualifier
TULSA, Okla. (January 16, 2014) - For the third time in as many nights, the checked flag waved on a first time prelim winner at the 28th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bow Nationals presented by General Tire as Oklahoma’s Christopher Bell led flag-to-flag in Thursday’s John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night A-Feature.
Bell’s win marks the second of the week for an Oklahoma driver, as Jonathan Beason topped Tuesday’s qualifying feature.
Asked of the ease of his night, Bell replied, “I don’t know if that was easy or not, but Keith definitely had me dialed in and the car drove itself around there. It was avoiding the lapped cars and not getting involved in anything stupid.”
Given his home town, Bell was asked just how special the prelim win was to him. “The Chili Bowl is the race to me. If there was one race I could run, it would be here, especially with it being in my home state. I guess this is one of the few time I get to race in Oklahoma, which is around my home crowd; it really is something special to me.”
In a race that took under five minutes to complete, the Norman, Okla. native hit slower traffic by the ninth round with a 1.506 second advantage over Damion Gardner. Able to slip the Keith Kunz No. 67k through the back markers, the Toyota powered entry raced into a roadblock with 11 laps remaining and Garner closing the gap.
“There was one time I passed the first lapped car and then he (Damion) moved to the bottom because he had been running the top and then he started keeping up with me,” said Bell of Gardner closing in. “I kept seeing his nose down there and I was like ‘Aw crap, Damion is down there’.”
As the non-stop run continued, Kevin Swindell was clawing his way through the field. Racing from a C-Feature after a flat tire forced the No. 39 to the pits in his Heat Race, Swindell broke the top ten on Lap 8. Steadily through the field, Kevin snagged fifth from Andrew Deal on the fifteenth circuit.
Into the final four laps, the top two steps on the podium remained unchanged as the pair continued to weave through traffic with the race for the final transfer into Saturday’s A-Feature shaping up between Michael Pickens and Kevin Swindell.
Throwing slide jobs on Lap 21 through turns three and four, Swindell nearly slid through the cushion, allowing the New Zealand shoe to drive back under for the bronze position.
“I wasn’t totally comfortable with the car and settled for third and happy to be locked in and then all of the sudden Kevin comes up inside of me,” commented Pickens of the exchange. “I had to get going and was lucky we had another 10-percent left and was able to shake him off.”
On Pickens again with three to go, Swindell would remain fourth as the pair closed on Gardner.
Mired in slower traffic, Christopher Bell managed to cross 2.850 ahead of Gardner. Pickens held the final step on the podium, sending Kevin Swindell into a B-Feature on Saturday with a fourth place finish after a B-Feature win gridded the No. 39 seventeenth. Pennsylvania’s Steve Buckwalter completed the top five.
Ninth starting Danny Stratton crossed sixth with Andrew Felker, Tracy Hines, Andrew Deal, and nineteenth starting Kevin Ramey completing the top ten.
Thursday’s John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night saw 70 drivers draw in.
Four Chili Bowl Rookies started the A-Feature with Dominic Scelzi crossing fourteenth, followed by Chad Boespflug in fifteenth. Heath Duinkerken was nineteenth with James Eden twenty-third.
The Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire continues with Friday’s Vacuworx Global Qualifying Night. Races begin at 6:00 P.M. (CT) with Hot Laps at 5:00 P.M. For additional information on the Chili Bowl, log onto http://www.chilibowl.com.
Bell’s win marks the second of the week for an Oklahoma driver, as Jonathan Beason topped Tuesday’s qualifying feature.
Asked of the ease of his night, Bell replied, “I don’t know if that was easy or not, but Keith definitely had me dialed in and the car drove itself around there. It was avoiding the lapped cars and not getting involved in anything stupid.”
Given his home town, Bell was asked just how special the prelim win was to him. “The Chili Bowl is the race to me. If there was one race I could run, it would be here, especially with it being in my home state. I guess this is one of the few time I get to race in Oklahoma, which is around my home crowd; it really is something special to me.”
In a race that took under five minutes to complete, the Norman, Okla. native hit slower traffic by the ninth round with a 1.506 second advantage over Damion Gardner. Able to slip the Keith Kunz No. 67k through the back markers, the Toyota powered entry raced into a roadblock with 11 laps remaining and Garner closing the gap.
“There was one time I passed the first lapped car and then he (Damion) moved to the bottom because he had been running the top and then he started keeping up with me,” said Bell of Gardner closing in. “I kept seeing his nose down there and I was like ‘Aw crap, Damion is down there’.”
As the non-stop run continued, Kevin Swindell was clawing his way through the field. Racing from a C-Feature after a flat tire forced the No. 39 to the pits in his Heat Race, Swindell broke the top ten on Lap 8. Steadily through the field, Kevin snagged fifth from Andrew Deal on the fifteenth circuit.
Into the final four laps, the top two steps on the podium remained unchanged as the pair continued to weave through traffic with the race for the final transfer into Saturday’s A-Feature shaping up between Michael Pickens and Kevin Swindell.
Throwing slide jobs on Lap 21 through turns three and four, Swindell nearly slid through the cushion, allowing the New Zealand shoe to drive back under for the bronze position.
“I wasn’t totally comfortable with the car and settled for third and happy to be locked in and then all of the sudden Kevin comes up inside of me,” commented Pickens of the exchange. “I had to get going and was lucky we had another 10-percent left and was able to shake him off.”
On Pickens again with three to go, Swindell would remain fourth as the pair closed on Gardner.
Mired in slower traffic, Christopher Bell managed to cross 2.850 ahead of Gardner. Pickens held the final step on the podium, sending Kevin Swindell into a B-Feature on Saturday with a fourth place finish after a B-Feature win gridded the No. 39 seventeenth. Pennsylvania’s Steve Buckwalter completed the top five.
Ninth starting Danny Stratton crossed sixth with Andrew Felker, Tracy Hines, Andrew Deal, and nineteenth starting Kevin Ramey completing the top ten.
Thursday’s John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night saw 70 drivers draw in.
Four Chili Bowl Rookies started the A-Feature with Dominic Scelzi crossing fourteenth, followed by Chad Boespflug in fifteenth. Heath Duinkerken was nineteenth with James Eden twenty-third.
The Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire continues with Friday’s Vacuworx Global Qualifying Night. Races begin at 6:00 P.M. (CT) with Hot Laps at 5:00 P.M. For additional information on the Chili Bowl, log onto http://www.chilibowl.com.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Bell Flag to Flag in Thriller
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| Bell in New Zealand |
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 97-Christopher Bell[1]; 2. 47-Damion Gardner[2]; 3. 63NZ-Michael Pickens[4]; 4. 39-Kevin Swindell[17]; 5. 25B-Steve Buckwalter[7]; 6. 56L-Danny Stratton[9]; 7. 11A-Andrew Felker[8]; 8. 24-Tracy Hines[6]; 9. 15D-Andrew Deal[5]; 10. 7M-Kevin Ramey[19]; 11. 93-Dustin Morgan[11]; 12. 8L-Harli White[10]; 13. 11-Chase Stockon[14]; 14. 17S-Dominic Scelzi[13]; 15. 57B-Chad Boespflug[12]; 16. 19S-Richard VanderWeerd[20]; 17. 35S-Matt Sherrell[18]; 18. 62-Taylor Simas[22]; 19. 81-Heath Duinkerken[23]; 20. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[21]; 21. 37-Brady Short[24]; 22. 3T-Tim Barber[16]; 23. 5E-James Edens[3]; 24. 7L-Layne Himebaugh[15]
Picks for Thursday
K.Swindell, Christopher Bell, Michael Pickens. Challengers include Steve Buckwalter, Dakota Armstrong,
Ricky Stenhouse, Andrew Felker, Damon Garner, Tracy Hines. Watching Kyle O'Gara and Harly White.
Tweets of the Night Wednesday
Four of the six lock-ins so far have been full-time midget teams. And not one is a Kunz car. Good for midget guys!
Please let the nascar driver and midget fight. Please😂
Armstrong holds off Swindell for Chili Bowl Prelim Victory
TULSA, Okla. (January 15, 2014) Drama was plenty when the checkered flag dropped on the second night of the 28th Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire, as Indiana’s Caleb Armstrong edged out Sammy Swindell for his first Chili Bowl prelim victory on Wednesday’s River Spirit Casino Qualifying Night. The second first time winner in as many nights, Armstrong began the night’s 25 lap feature from the outside of the front row. Slowed for a caution on Lap 2, Armstrong’s restart relegated the No. 7c to fourth behind Brad Loyet and Alex Sewell.
Working back to the runner up spot by Lap 4, the cushion served the C&A Motorsports driver well, chasing down leader Chris Andrews by the seventh round as the pair approached the tail of the field. Into traffic on Lap 10, it was Andrews and Armstrong in a race all their own.
Completing the twelfth circuit, the Baker Crop Insurance No. 7c worked around Tulsa’s Chis Andrews for the top spot. Clear from traffic, Andrews went for the slide job two laps later, but instead spun, bringing out the caution on Lap 14.
Back underway with Chris Windom now in pursuit, the RFMS Racing shoe tried for the lead on Lap 19, but was unable to finish the move.
Coming around for the twenty-first time, fifth running Nick Knepper blew through the cushion in turn-three, bouncing the No. 55 off the wall as the engine expired down the front straight-a-way, pouring oil on the bottom of turns one and two.
With the caution displayed, track crews assessed the situation and brought the tiller out to work the nearly engine’s worth of oil into the bottom groove.
Aligned single file for the restart with five laps remaining, Knepper’s departure brought thirteenth starting, Sammy Swindell, into the top five.
Into second with two laps to run, Swindell set his sights on the lead, pulling even with the No. 7c down the back-straight-away with Armstrong maintain the point. Swindell again applied pressure at the white flag.
Committed to the cushion, Armstrong surrendered the lead through the first turn. Giving Swindell just over a half car advantage, Armstrong pulled around the five-time Chili Bowl champion entering the final two turns. Nearly missing the line entering three, Armstrong pitched hard off the cushion exiting the final turn, edging Swindell at the line by 0.441 seconds.
Asked about the final laps, the New Castle, Ind. driver replied, “I saw him (Sammy Swindell) stick his nose in there and I didn’t want to push the issue at first, but then I started pushing it, but I didn’t want to jump the curb. It was easy too, as I did it earlier in the race. I just kept on going and ended up winning.”
On the subject of crews having to till the bottom of the track following the blown engine by Knepper, Swindell responded, “I don’t know if it made a lot of difference. I thought I could slip out there off of two in front of him (Armstrong) there on the last lap. I got there and it wasn’t the grip I thought was going to be there. I should’ve stayed on the bottom. I heard him coming, I just let it go. He ran a good race and I wasn’t going to mess that up.
Chris Windom earned the final pass into Saturday’s championship event.
“We had a really good car,” commented Windom. “We were on Caleb there before that last yellow and I knew Sammy was coming plus I knew JJ (Yeley) was good. They dug that track up in (Turns) one and two, and I made probably the wrong move staying on the top and Sammy got around me on the bottom. I just wasn’t sure what to do there.”
Racing with Rico Abreu for fourth, J.J. Yeley ended his night upside down after the two made contact exiting the fourth turn; resulting in a split finish with the caution displayed with the checkered flag. A very angered Yeley was okay and was scored eighteenth.
Abreu was credited with fourth with Brad Loyet rounding out the top five.
Fifteenth starting Shane Golobic crossed sixth with Brad Kuhn coming from fourteenth to seventh. Jerry Coons, Jr. from eighteenth to eight with Payton Peirce advancing from twenty-first to ninth after transferring from the first B-Feature. Travis Berryhill completed the top ten.
Of the 72 drivers scheduled for Wednesday night, 70 made the draw. Like Tuesday, two Chili Bowl rookies made the call for the A-Feature with Chris Andrews and Parker Price-Miller in the lineup.
The Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire continues with Thursday’s John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night. Races begin at 6:00 P.M. (CT) with Hot Laps at 5:00 P.M. For additional information on the Chili Bowl, log onto http://www.chilibowl.com.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Picks for Wednesday
Beason Breaks Through in Warren CAT Qualifier, Larson tops the VIROC
TULSA, Okla. (January 14, 2014) Almost two-years to the day, Jonathan Beason was able to dedicate his Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals preliminary night win to his friend, and former teammate Donnie Ray Crawford who passed away in 2012, taking the Hard 8 Racing No. 8J to his first Chili Bowl prelim win in Tuesday’s Warren CAT Qualifier.
Accumulating the highest combined passing points through Heats and Qualifiers, Beason earned the pole for the 25 lap affair; never relinquishing the point even as Zach Daum and Alex Bright pursued the Oklahoma shoe through heavy slower traffic in the closing laps.
Asked about his level of nervousness getting through the feature, Beason replied, “I was really worried. I race 10 times a year now. This was my second midget race this, well, I guess this would be my first one this year. I haven’t really dealt with lapped traffic like these guys have. I was worried but thankfully; I saw their noses a couple of times, but I figured lapped cars were going to be in their way too.”
Slowing once on Lap 3 for the stalled No. 11W of Tyler Courtney, green flag laps found the leaders at the back of the field by Lap 11.
Taking a shot at the lead before the tenth round, Alex Bright settled back in line before relinquishing the runner spot to Illinois’ Zach Daum on Lap 10.
Trading blows for the silver position, Daum and Bright never allowed Beason to gain a sizable advantage as traffic kept the race for the lead tight. Trying for the inside pass as laps waned, Daum’s attempt was foiled as the high-line cleared, allowing Beason the advantage, and the win by 0.852 seconds, despite a slower car nearly losing control in front of the leaders at the finish.
“I wasn’t going throw nothing stupid at him,” commented Daum of his attempts at the lead. “I could’ve thrown a slide job, but as slick as the track was, it was going to crash both of us. There was no reason to do that. We just wanted to lock ourselves in the show and that’s what we did.”
Alex Bright earned the final transfer into Saturday’s 55 lap, championship event. “I never expected to make the A-Main this year, but I did think I would get into the prelim night feature,” commented a very happy Alex Bright. “To be locked in is quite amazing and hopefully we can move forward in the A-Main.”
Gary Taylor came from seventh to fourth with Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions winner, Kyle Larson, advancing 11 spots to complete the top five after engine problems gridded the No. 71k sixteenth.
Shane Cottle crossed sixth with Thomas Meseraull emerging as the night’s Hard Charger. Clawing from twentieth to seventh.was R.J. Johnson. Joey Moughan, crossed ninth with Brady Bacon, from eighteenth, completed the top ten.
Larson’s victory in the VIROC IV broke a streak of three consecutive Swindell wins in the $2,500 to win, 20 lap Race of Champions, and puts the California drivers as the fourth different winner, joining Sammy Swindell (2009, 2011, and 2012), Kevin Swindell (2013), and Brad Loyet (2010). Leading by Lap 10, after starting sixth, Larson was unchallenged to the finish.
Of the 70 scheduled drivers from Tuesday’s Warren CAT Qualifying night, 69 made the call. A pair of Chili Bowl rookies earned staring spots in the A-Feature. Jeb Sessums finished fourteenth after starting twenty-second. Australia’s Mathew Smith ended up twenty-second after starting fourteenth. Four drivers flipped during the night no injuries reported.
The Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire continues with Wednesday’s River Spirit Casino Qualifying Night. Races begin at 6:00 P.M. (CT) with Hot Laps at 5:00 P.M. For additional information on the Chili Bowl, log onto http://www.chilibowl.com.
Accumulating the highest combined passing points through Heats and Qualifiers, Beason earned the pole for the 25 lap affair; never relinquishing the point even as Zach Daum and Alex Bright pursued the Oklahoma shoe through heavy slower traffic in the closing laps.
Asked about his level of nervousness getting through the feature, Beason replied, “I was really worried. I race 10 times a year now. This was my second midget race this, well, I guess this would be my first one this year. I haven’t really dealt with lapped traffic like these guys have. I was worried but thankfully; I saw their noses a couple of times, but I figured lapped cars were going to be in their way too.”
Slowing once on Lap 3 for the stalled No. 11W of Tyler Courtney, green flag laps found the leaders at the back of the field by Lap 11.
Taking a shot at the lead before the tenth round, Alex Bright settled back in line before relinquishing the runner spot to Illinois’ Zach Daum on Lap 10.
Trading blows for the silver position, Daum and Bright never allowed Beason to gain a sizable advantage as traffic kept the race for the lead tight. Trying for the inside pass as laps waned, Daum’s attempt was foiled as the high-line cleared, allowing Beason the advantage, and the win by 0.852 seconds, despite a slower car nearly losing control in front of the leaders at the finish.
“I wasn’t going throw nothing stupid at him,” commented Daum of his attempts at the lead. “I could’ve thrown a slide job, but as slick as the track was, it was going to crash both of us. There was no reason to do that. We just wanted to lock ourselves in the show and that’s what we did.”
Alex Bright earned the final transfer into Saturday’s 55 lap, championship event. “I never expected to make the A-Main this year, but I did think I would get into the prelim night feature,” commented a very happy Alex Bright. “To be locked in is quite amazing and hopefully we can move forward in the A-Main.”
Gary Taylor came from seventh to fourth with Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions winner, Kyle Larson, advancing 11 spots to complete the top five after engine problems gridded the No. 71k sixteenth.
Shane Cottle crossed sixth with Thomas Meseraull emerging as the night’s Hard Charger. Clawing from twentieth to seventh.was R.J. Johnson. Joey Moughan, crossed ninth with Brady Bacon, from eighteenth, completed the top ten.
Larson’s victory in the VIROC IV broke a streak of three consecutive Swindell wins in the $2,500 to win, 20 lap Race of Champions, and puts the California drivers as the fourth different winner, joining Sammy Swindell (2009, 2011, and 2012), Kevin Swindell (2013), and Brad Loyet (2010). Leading by Lap 10, after starting sixth, Larson was unchallenged to the finish.
Of the 70 scheduled drivers from Tuesday’s Warren CAT Qualifying night, 69 made the call. A pair of Chili Bowl rookies earned staring spots in the A-Feature. Jeb Sessums finished fourteenth after starting twenty-second. Australia’s Mathew Smith ended up twenty-second after starting fourteenth. Four drivers flipped during the night no injuries reported.
The Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire continues with Wednesday’s River Spirit Casino Qualifying Night. Races begin at 6:00 P.M. (CT) with Hot Laps at 5:00 P.M. For additional information on the Chili Bowl, log onto http://www.chilibowl.com.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Picks for Tuesday
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| ARDC Champion Trevor Kobylarz |
Kyle Larson, Brady Bacon and Alex Bright. Great field includes Hunter Schurenburg, Bobby East, Gary Taylor, Jonathan Beason, Thomas Meserall, Joey Saldana, Shane Cottle, and P.J. Jones among the 69 driver drawing pills.
My humble pick for 2014 Chili Bowl Best looking Car goes to the ARDC Champion Trevor Kobylarz.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Race of Champions Tuesday Night
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| Kunz Team a year ago |
The Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions will take place on Tuesday, January 14 between the “B” Features and “A” Feature. The VIROC will be 20 laps in distance and will pay a cool $2,500 to the winner.
2014 VIROC Drivers:
1 - Sammy Swindell: A five time champion of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, the elder Swindell has topped the VIROC three times (2012, 2011, and 2009).
1st - J.J. Yeley - Piloting a car under the banner of 1996 co-owner champion, Jay McKinnie, the former USAC Triple Crown champion finished runner up in the 2013 VIROC.
05 - Brad Loyet - A former winner of the VIROC in 2010, three-time Lucas Oil POWRi Midget Champion, Brad Loyet is the only driver to win the VIROC besides a Swindell.
5 - Jerry Coons, Jr. - Competing in the 2013 VIROC as the National Midget Driver of the Year, Arizona’s Jerry Coons, Jr. will compete in his second VIROC in 2014, this time under the Wilke-Pak banner, who picked up a Golden Driller in 2005.
13au - Mathew Smith - The son of former owner champion, Steve Smith, the second generation driver aims to garner the 2006 owner champion his second Golden Driller.
15x - Chad Boat - Son of a Chili Bowl champion, Chad Boat again looks to match the accomplishment of his father, Billy Boat, in the John Lawson owned No. 15x. Chad was also fastest at Daytona a few days ago; his first time in a NNS car.
21k - Cory Kruseman - Taking the Golden Driller in 2000 and 2004, California’s Cory Kruseman will look to better his finish in the VIROC from a 2010 showing of eighth.
24 - Tracy Hines - Topping the Chili Bowl in 2005, Hines’ best appearance in the VIROC came in 2012, crossing third to Sammy and Kevin Swindell.
39 - Kevin Swindell - The reigning four-time Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Champion picked up his first VIROC victory with a late race pass on J.J. Yeley in 2013 and will go for his fifth Golden Driller in as many years.
47 - Damion Gardner - “The Demon” returns in the Bondio No. 47 for his fifth VIROC. A champion of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals in 2008, Gardner’s Golden Driller came with the backing of Jason Leffler.
47x - Tim McCreadie - The surprise winner of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, the accomplished Modified and Late Model driver parked in victory lane in 2006 to earn Steve Smith is first Golden Driller as a car owner. The only one earned by an Australian owner.
63 - Bryan Clauson - Winning 28 features in 2013, the reigning USAC National Champion joined forces with Dooling Machine and 1996 owner champion, Rusty Kunz for his attempt at the Golden Driller in 2014. Clauson is also fielding four mounts himself in this year’s Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals.
68 - Jay Drake - Taking time in Ronnie Gardner’s No. 68, the 2001 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals champion will complete under the roof of the River Spirit Expo Center for one race before returning the controls to Gardner.
71 - Kasey Kahne - After the passing of Jason Leffler, it was the working of great people to bring the car he was building to the Chili Bowl. Piloted by Kasey Kahne, the Enumclaw, Wash. shoe will drive in memory, and honor, of the late Jason Leffler who earned a Golden Driller as a car owner in 2008.
71k Kyle Larson - Driving for three-time owner champion, Keith Kunz, the No. 71k will again be piloted by Kyle Larson. A contender for the win one year ago with Kevin and Sammy Swindell, Larson will also compete for his qualifying spot Tuesday night.
97 - Christopher Bell - Earning the National Midget Driver of the Year, Christopher Bell will compete in the VIROC for the first time in the Keith Kunz backed No. 97.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Saturday, January 11, 2014
ENZED 73rd Australian Speedcar Championship, Speedway City Saturday, January 11th 2014
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| 3rd place Ryan Jones, Winner Adam Clarke and Runnerup Alex Bright |
NSW's Adam Clarke claimed the 73rd Australian Speedcar Championship! ARDC hotshoe Alex Bright finished 2nd and POWRi Champ Zach Daum finished 4th. Now, on to the Chili Bowl.
A-MAIN RESULT:
1. W11 ADAM CLARKE
2. Q29 ALEX BRIGHT
3. S41 RYAN JONES
4. W7 ZACH DAUM
5. S11 BROCK HALLETT
1. W11 ADAM CLARKE
2. Q29 ALEX BRIGHT
3. S41 RYAN JONES
4. W7 ZACH DAUM
5. S11 BROCK HALLETT
More Car Pictures
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| Rico Abreu |
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| Dakota Armstrongand Others |
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| Brady Bacon |
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| Andee Beierle and Phillip Dietz |
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| USAC Champ Christopher Bell |
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| Austin Brown |
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| Andrew Deal |
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| Jimmy Elledge |
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| Kyle Larson |
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| Loyet Team |
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| Parker Price-Miller and Brady Bacon |
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| Danny Stratton |
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| Tanner Throson |
Friday, January 10, 2014
Some of the rides
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| Jac Haudenschild |
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| A.J. Fike |
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| Zach Blurton |
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| Jerry Coons Jr |
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| Randy Woodside |
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| Nick Drake |
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| Sheldon Haudenschild |
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| Jason Johnson and likely team mates Brad Loyet, Gary Taylor, and Ryan Pace |
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| Don O'Keefe |
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| J.J. Yeley |
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Going to the Chili Bowl? What do you do with your afternoons?
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
Busy, Busy 2 weeks
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFSLY2CsNCQ |
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Dates
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Event
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Website
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1/8-11
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Speedway City, Australia
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1/14-18
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Chili Bowl, Tulsa, OK, USA
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Last Night in NZ, on to Australia
Aucklander Michael Pickens delighted fans by beating the Americans to win his fourth World 50-lap Classic midget car event at Western Springs.
Aucklander Michael Pickens delighted hometown fans by beating the Americans to win his fourth World 50-lap Classic midget car event at WXC Speedway, Western Springs, on Saturday night.
The crowd of 14,500 roared with every passing maneuver made by Kiwis Pickens and Brad Mosen.
"That crowd was just awesome, man, this is the only place in the world that you can come to race and have thousands of people on their feet cheering, and I mean that," said New Zealand champion Pickens. "People probably don't realise how wicked this place is, but it's truly magic."
Pickens started on pole after advancing forward in the qualifying heats and saw off a fierce challenge by American Rico Abreu in the early stages of the race, before Abreu dropped a cylinder in his engine.
The next group of Americans to make it difficult for the Kiwi was Christopher Bell, Darren Hagen and Bryan Clauson.
But with 12 laps remaining all three US drivers were involved in a tangle, that also took out hard-charging Mosen, who had passed 18 cars and was showing promise.
In the end, though, it was Pickens who took the checkered flag, followed by a restarted Clauson and Brock Mascovich.
"Those Americans had their noses in front a few times but I was getting out wide on those restarts which seemed to be helping," said Pickens.
"Those guys are the best in the world so it's special to beat them."
The midgets will be taking a short break from the New Zealand scene as they head to Australia for three rounds of the Midget World Series.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Stage set for Saturday at the Shootout
TULSA, Okla. (January 3, 2014) - Pushing into “B” Features, the final chances for drivers to advance into Saturday’s championship features in the 29th annual Speedway Motors Tulsa Shootout are becoming few.
Completing 195 of the scheduled 234, Saturday will pick up with remaining “B” Features taking the top two from each into the night’s Last Chance Qualifiers (LCQ). The top eight from each qualifier will join the drivers already locked into the championship events.
A total of 39 events will take place on Saturday, January 4 at the River Spirit Expo Center.
Going into the final day of competition, 138 drivers have earned at least one victory during the weekend. Austin Stone advanced his total to five on the weekend with California’s Giovanni Scelzi and Jason Rogers tallying up four along with five-time Shootout Champion, Kevin Bayer of Oklahoma.
The biggest mover of the night came in the seventh Outlaw Non-Wing “B” Feature. Racing out a “C” Feature, Cory Eliason charged from thirteenth for his second victory of the day.
Previewing Saturday’s “A” Features, 13 previous champions of the Tulsa Shootout are already locked in.
Two drivers seeking their third Golden Driller in as many years are Heath Duinkerken and Dahne Lynn McKay. Victorious the past two years in Outlaw competition, Duinkerken will grid the field sixth. McKay, who topped the Restricted “A” Class in 2012 and 2013, will begin her quest for her first Outlaw victory from the tenth. Tulsa’s Chris Andrews will line up twelfth. Twice a Shootout winner, Andrews’ wins come in non-wing competition, doing so in 2010 in “A” Class Non-Wing and 2013 in Outlaw Non-Wing.
ECOtec Midgets defending champion, Brian McClelland, earned a ninth starting spot with four-time Shootout champion, Blake Hahn, looking for his second triumph in the Midgets; earning the win in 2012. A winner in Restricted “A” Class in 2011, Dalton Seigler [formerly Wisely] will have to overcome engine woes if he plans to run for the Driller.
Defending Junior Sprint champion, Jadon Rogers, will return to defend his 2013 victory.
Looking for another shot at fame, defending “A” Class Non-Wing champion, Michael Faccinto, returns to defend his 2013 title. Joining the California shoe is four-time Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals winner, Kevin Swindell who has six Golden Drillers to his credit with wins coming at the shootout in 1991 and 1992 in Jr. 1 Karts. Chris Cochran, who topped “A” Class in 2013 also joins the list of locked in champions.
Taking a Junior Sprint driller back to California in 2005, Mitchell Faccinto has earned his place in the “A” Class feature event along with 2006 “A” Class champion, Scott Sawyer.
Non-Winged Outlaw carries the most past champions to transfer directly to the big dance. Finding Blake Hahn and Chris Andrews again, the two Oklahoma drivers are the only past winners already secured a spot in multiple classes on Saturday night. Jerrod Wilson brings his four wins to the table, three in “A” Class and one in Outlaw, along with 2001 Restricted winner Jonathan Beason.
The only classes without a previous Shootout winner are Restricted “A” Class and 1,200cc Mini Sprints.
Saturday, January 4 will begin at 10:00 A.M. (CT) with “B” Features for “A” Class, 1,200cc Mini Sprints, Restricted “A” Class, Junior Sprints, and Outlaw. Last Chance Qualifiers will be run by Non-Wing, Outlaw Non-Wing, Restricted, “A” Class, and Outlaw with the top eight moving on.
Opening ceremonies for the night’s championship events is slated for 6:00 P.M. Tickets for Saturday are $20 for adults and can be purchased at the door.
Live online PPV coverage of the 29th Speedway Motors Tulsa Shootout is available at http://www.racinboys.com. To follow along with race finishes, follow the Tulsa Shootout on Facebook and Twitter. For official news, results, and information log onto http://www.tulsashootout.com.
A total of 39 events will take place on Saturday, January 4 at the River Spirit Expo Center.
Going into the final day of competition, 138 drivers have earned at least one victory during the weekend. Austin Stone advanced his total to five on the weekend with California’s Giovanni Scelzi and Jason Rogers tallying up four along with five-time Shootout Champion, Kevin Bayer of Oklahoma.
The biggest mover of the night came in the seventh Outlaw Non-Wing “B” Feature. Racing out a “C” Feature, Cory Eliason charged from thirteenth for his second victory of the day.
Previewing Saturday’s “A” Features, 13 previous champions of the Tulsa Shootout are already locked in.
Two drivers seeking their third Golden Driller in as many years are Heath Duinkerken and Dahne Lynn McKay. Victorious the past two years in Outlaw competition, Duinkerken will grid the field sixth. McKay, who topped the Restricted “A” Class in 2012 and 2013, will begin her quest for her first Outlaw victory from the tenth. Tulsa’s Chris Andrews will line up twelfth. Twice a Shootout winner, Andrews’ wins come in non-wing competition, doing so in 2010 in “A” Class Non-Wing and 2013 in Outlaw Non-Wing.
ECOtec Midgets defending champion, Brian McClelland, earned a ninth starting spot with four-time Shootout champion, Blake Hahn, looking for his second triumph in the Midgets; earning the win in 2012. A winner in Restricted “A” Class in 2011, Dalton Seigler [formerly Wisely] will have to overcome engine woes if he plans to run for the Driller.
Defending Junior Sprint champion, Jadon Rogers, will return to defend his 2013 victory.
Looking for another shot at fame, defending “A” Class Non-Wing champion, Michael Faccinto, returns to defend his 2013 title. Joining the California shoe is four-time Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals winner, Kevin Swindell who has six Golden Drillers to his credit with wins coming at the shootout in 1991 and 1992 in Jr. 1 Karts. Chris Cochran, who topped “A” Class in 2013 also joins the list of locked in champions.
Taking a Junior Sprint driller back to California in 2005, Mitchell Faccinto has earned his place in the “A” Class feature event along with 2006 “A” Class champion, Scott Sawyer.
Non-Winged Outlaw carries the most past champions to transfer directly to the big dance. Finding Blake Hahn and Chris Andrews again, the two Oklahoma drivers are the only past winners already secured a spot in multiple classes on Saturday night. Jerrod Wilson brings his four wins to the table, three in “A” Class and one in Outlaw, along with 2001 Restricted winner Jonathan Beason.
The only classes without a previous Shootout winner are Restricted “A” Class and 1,200cc Mini Sprints.
Saturday, January 4 will begin at 10:00 A.M. (CT) with “B” Features for “A” Class, 1,200cc Mini Sprints, Restricted “A” Class, Junior Sprints, and Outlaw. Last Chance Qualifiers will be run by Non-Wing, Outlaw Non-Wing, Restricted, “A” Class, and Outlaw with the top eight moving on.
Opening ceremonies for the night’s championship events is slated for 6:00 P.M. Tickets for Saturday are $20 for adults and can be purchased at the door.
Live online PPV coverage of the 29th Speedway Motors Tulsa Shootout is available at http://www.racinboys.com. To follow along with race finishes, follow the Tulsa Shootout on Facebook and Twitter. For official news, results, and information log onto http://www.tulsashootout.com.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
TULSA SHOOTOUT IS UNDERWAY - 45 Heat Races are scheduled for tonight
1. 17E-Blake Edwards
2. 29D-Blake Dewberry
3. 00X-Dane Lorene
4. 12-Chris Crawford
5. 34X-Joey Baker
6. 11T-Payton Pierce
7. (DNF) 39S-Kevin Swindell
8. (DNF) 1F-Cole Ketcham
Heat racewiners so far include Kevin Ramey, Russ Disinger, Ryan Timmons, Earl McDoulett Jr, Jason Scheulen, Blake Hahn, Kevin Bayer, Chris Cochran, Nate McMillin, Jessee Holt, Jarrett Crouch, Joe Leek, Wes McIntyre, Ben Worth, Tyler Courtney, Blake Edwards, Jason Rogers, Chris Miller, Jerrod Wilson, Michael Faccinto, Bryce Volpa, Karley Kay Dobson, and Chris Andrews.
Can't make it to Tulsa? Make sure to catch in live with online PPV on Racinboys.com
Clauson wins at Western Springs, Jan 1, 2014
Clauson wins by 1.874 over Brock Maskovich, Nathan Smee and Rico Abreu. Chris Bell puts his ride into the wall. Jerry Coons succumbs to drive line failure.
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