Trade Shows, Chili Bowl, and More!

2010 Chili Bowl Nationals
2011 Chili Bowl Nationals

With off season trade shows in full swing and indoor races right around the corner the news is starting to pour into office at TJSlideways.com. Here are just a few of the notes we have picked up on this week:

  • Sammy Swindell will head to New Zealand before Chili Bowl action to not only race one of Ron Salter’s sprint cars, but will also be a teammate to Jerry Coons, Jr. in a Wendy’s sponsored Esslinger powered Spike Chassis.
  • Speaking of the Chili Bowl a handful of driver / team combinations were released this week. On the Open Wheel Spectacular Brad Loyet revealed his teammates in Tulsa to be Casey Shuman, Damion Gardner, Michael Pickens, and Gary Taylor. Shuman and Loyet will race the December indoor event at DuQuoin, Illinois.
  • Ohsweken Speedway owner and driver Glenn Styres will not be competing at the Chili Bowl in 2011 due to ongoing recovery from off season shoulder surgery. Styres promptly went out and hired two top notch drivers for his Chili Bowl rides in Jerry Coons, Jr., and J.J. Yeley. The Coons / Styres connection is through Scott Benic while Styres secured Yeley’s services during the final NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend at Homestead. Styres called it, “…a dream come true” to have drivers the caliber of Coons and Yeley driving for him during the Chili Bowl.
  • Other Chili Bowl combinations include Brian Brown driving for Mike Hess, Jimmy Light driving for Davey Ray, and travelin’ Troy DeCaire teaming up with Jake and John Slotten.
  • The full Chili Bowl entry list is now posted. Click here to read it. The first draft includes 143 entries early in the process.