From Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (December 15, 2010) – A Chili Bowl Nationals record of 281 competitors was established less than two short years ago at the 23rd running of the prestigious auto racing event.
Could that record be in jeopardy when top racers from around the nation and beyond converge upon the QuikTrip Center’s Tulsa Expo Raceway for the Silver Anniversary of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals on January 11-15, 2011?
It may very well be if Wednesday’s barrage of entries is any indication, with the count skyrocketing from 196 on Tuesday to a staggering 240 by day’s end on Wednesday as teams scrambled to get in under the pre-entry wire.
And the names added to the list in just one day’s time (Leffler, Darland, Crawley, Kaeding, Crawford, Hatton, Sweet, Stanbrough, etc.) are an impressive lot on their own, let alone the fact that they’re added to the previous star-studded 196 entries.
Among the day’s entries are Kasey Kahne Racing stablemates Jason Leffler and Brad Sweet. While Chili Bowl regular Kahne is reduced to the role of spectator this time around as he recuperates from recent knee surgery, he’ll try to get a Golden Driller with Leffler and Sweet.
Leffler, among the top-ten in NASCAR Nationwide points, picked up his own Golden Driller as a car owner three years ago with Damion Gardner and ranks as just one of ten drivers in Chili Bowl history to make at least starts in the Saturday night championship finale 50-lapper.
Sweet simply ranks as one of the most versatile drivers of the modern era, picking off 2010 feature wins in both winged and wingless Sprint Cars as well as Midget while mixing in eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts and then his NASCAR Nationwide debut.
Dave Darland, whose Chili Bowl record of ten championship feature starts in a row came to an end last year, was officially named the driver of the Wilke Pak No. 4x with young Kody Swanson in the team’s No. 11 entry with two other seats yet to be filled.
Scott Hatton, winner of the Second Annual Chili Bowl back in 1988,filed entry for his 19th Chili Bowl to bring the number of past event winners to nine including defending champ Kevin Swindell, five-time Chili king Sammy Swindell, Damion Gardner, Tim McCreadie, Tracy Hines, Cory Kruseman, Jay Drake and Johnny Heydenreich.
Several more 2010 series champions were added to the mix, including Mike Spencer (SCRA), Jon Stanbrough (KISS) and Nick Foster, Jr. (BCRA Midgets), with three-time Lucas Oil ASCS National champion Tim Crawley and three-time USAC Silver Crown champion Bud Kaeding making the talent pool that much deeper.
Add in another January 2010 Chili Bowl championship feature event starter, Brent Beauchamp, along with two-time starter and local favorite Donnie Ray Crawford, and this year’s Chili Bowl mix just keeps getting stronger.
The current list of entries for the upcoming 25th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals is available at http://www.chilibowl.com/2011chilibowlentries.asp.
Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Pre-Entry Stats:
Most Chili Bowls Competed In (Among Pre-Entered Drivers): Rich Camfield 20, Sammy Swindell 20, Johnny Heydenreich 19, Scott Hatton 18, David Camfield, Jr. 16, Tracy Hines 14, Jason Leffler 14, J.J. Yeley 14, Jackie Burke 13, Jerry Coons, Jr. 13, Dave Darland 13, Jay Drake 13, Cory Kruseman 13, Tony Elliott 13, P.J. Jones 13, Johnny Murdock 13, A.J. Fike 12, Mike Hess 12, Tim Siner 12, Nick O’Neal 12, Matt Westfall 12, Shane Cottle 11, Bud Kaeding 10, Floyd Alvis 9, Josh Ford 9, Shane Hollingsworth 9, R.J. Johnson 9, Thomas Meseraull 9, Davey Ray 9, Brandon Waelti 9, Paul White 9, Aaron Berryhill 8, Steve Buckwalter 8, Don Droud, Jr. 8, Ryan Durst 8, Bobby East 8, Damion Gardner 8, Garrett Hansen 8, Brad Kuhn 8, Matt Mitchell 8, Daryn Pittman 8, Gary Taylor 8, Josh Wise 8.
Chili Bowl Championship Feature Starts (Among Pre-Entered Drivers): Sammy Swindell 17, Jerry Coons, Jr. 11, Dave Darland 11, Tracy Hines 11, Jason Leffler 10, Cory Kruseman 9, Scott Hatton 8, Shane Cottle 7, Jay Drake 7, P.J. Jones 6, J.J. Yeley 6, Brad Kuhn 5, Jimmy Sills 5, Jon Stanbrough 5, Matt Westfall 5, Steve Buckwalter 4, Bobby East 4, Tony Elliott 4, Davey Ray 4, Josh Ford 3, Damion Gardner 3, Mike Hess 3, Johnny Heydenreich 3, Bud Kaeding 3, Tim McCreadie 3, Casey Shuman 3, Cole Whitt 3, Chris Windom 3, Aaron Berryhill 2, Rich Camfield 2, Donnie Ray Crawford 2, Don Droud, Jr. 2, Garrett Hansen 2, Wayne Johnson 2, Levi Jones 2, Brad Loyet 2, Thomas Meseraull 2, Michael Pickens 2, Daryn Pittman 2, Danny Stratton 2, Kevin Swindell 2, Josh Wise 2, Daniel Adler 1, Brady Bacon 1, Brent Beauchamp 1, Bryan Clauson 1, Zach Daum 1, Ryan Durst 1, A.J. Fike 1, Shane Golobic 1, David Gough 1, Jonathan Hendrick 1, Shane Hollingsworth 1, Kyle Larson 1, Bobby Michnowicz 1, Tony Roney 1, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. 1, Brad Sweet 1, Gary Taylor 1, Brandon Waelti 1, Paul White1.
Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Quick Facts:
What: 25th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals
Where: Tulsa Expo Raceway – ¼-mile clay oval inside the QuikTrip Center at the Tulsa State Fairgrounds
When:
January 11-15, 2011
Tuesday – Warren CAT Qualifying Night plus Vacuworx Int’l Chili Bowl Race of Champions
Wednesday – River Spirit Casino Qualifying Night
Thursday – Qualifying Night
Friday – Vacuworx International Qualifying Night
Saturday – Lucas Oil Championship Feature Events
Past Winners: Kevin Swindell (2010), Sammy Swindell (2009, 1998, 1996, 1992 and 1989), Damion Gardner (2008), Tony Stewart (2007 and 2002), Tim McCreadie (2006), Tracy Hines (2005), Cory Kruseman (2004 and 2000), Dan Boorse (2003 and 1999), Jay Drake (2001), Billy Boat (1997), Donnie Beechler (1995), Andy Hillenburg (1994), Dave Blaney (1993), Lealand McSpadden (1991), Jon Heydenreich (1990), Scott Hatton (1988), Rich Vogler (1987).
Trade Show: Always a popular attraction at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals is the Trade Show, which is open to the public each day (Tuesday through Saturday) free of charge. All variety of racing products, apparel and more is available with well over 100 different vendors. The Trade Show covers approximately 20,000 square feet.
Tickets: A limited number of reserved seats for Tuesday night’s Warren CAT Qualifying Event and the Third Annual Vacuworx International Chili Bowl Race of Champions are available for $43 per person and may be obtained by calling 918-838-3777 or at the gate if still available. Pit passes for all five nights are available at the gate as well.
Chili Bowl on TV: Portions of the 25th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals will be broadcast on SPEED TV on a tape-delayed basis.
Chili Bowl on the Net: All official news pertaining to the 25th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, including official entry lists, race results and recaps, is available first at www.chilibowl.com. Also, all five nights of the Chili Bowl Nationals will be broadcast live (audio) on www.racinboys.com.
Additional information regarding the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals is available at http://www.chilibowl.com/ or by calling 918-838-3777.
Entry List Update from 12/15/2010 at 6:09 p.m.
Changes
4x Dave Darland Lincoln, IN Wilke Pak Motorsports / Spike / Toyota / Speedway Motors, Toyota, BMRS, AutoNet Mobile, Nos Energy Drink
11 Kody Swanson Kingsburg, CA Wilke Pak Motorsports / Spike / Toyota / Speedway Motors, Toyota, BMRS, AutoNet Mobile, Nos Energy Drink
Additions
4c Joey Price Great Falls, MT Chad Frewaldt / Stealth / Chevy / Price Motorsports, Dora, BG Enterprises, Action Graphix, Mike’s Maintenance
4F Chad Frewaldt Kansas City, KS Chad Frewaldt / Bullet / Chevy / Xtreme Color, Total Electric, CBS Capital, Bill & Larry’s Auto Service, AAA Transmission
4r Dustin Hapka Grand Forks, ND Chad Frewaldt / Bullet / Chevy / JMS Motorsports, Simpson Race Products, Sure Stop, Dustbusterz Commercial Cleaning, Orness Creations
8r Rico Abreu Rutherford, CA Guardian Racing / Beast / Mopar / Guardian Racing, Abreu Vineyards, Kaeding Performance, Beast, Mopar
10F Nick Foster, Jr. San Jose, CA Chris Walker / Stealth / Esslinger / Bay Muffler, Windows Unlimited, Dennis Foster
10m B.J. Martin Orland, CA Chris Walker / Stealth / Esslinger / Bay Muffler, National Tow, All Star Auto Wrecking, Napa Auto Parts of Orland, Farnham Farms
16w Jimmy Winkler Parkville, MO Jimmy Winkler / Holler / Chevy / Concepts in Core, Thrift Way, Xtreme Color
19tk TBA TBA Team 6R – TK Motorsports / Spike / Claxton Toyota / visaliasmiles.com, All Star Performance, K&N Filters, Simpson, FK Rod Ends
23tk TBA TBA Team 6R – TK Motorsports / Spike / Claxton Toyota / visaliasmiles.com, All Star Performance, K&N Filters, Simpson, FK Rod Ends
33a TBA TBA Stephen Arnold / Stealth / Fontana / KDA Racing
36dd J.T. Imperial Mesa, AZ Breck Higgins / Ellis / Fontana / Mad as Hell Dietworks, Cushman Motorsports, Higgins Motorsports, J&M Motorsports
51p TBA TBA Proflyer Enterprise / Spike / Proflyer Esslinger / Weiler Farms, Pecon Builders, B.G. Chemicals, Hoosier
51x Jon Stanbrough Avon, IN F&S Mechanical / Spike / Esslinger / F&S Mechanical, DNS, Spike Products
59L Billy Lawhead Tulsa, OK Cody Brewer / Twister / Esslinger / K&K Enterprises, Afco Shocks
77b Mike Boesel Bennett, CO Mike Boesel / Stealth / Esslinger / Boesel Enterprises, Jordan Road Carstar, Strasbury Napa
91T TBA TBA Calvin Martens / TCR / Mopar / Woodworks Unlimited, Ryno Mfg., Jim’s Towing
97x Chris Ennis San Diego, CA Calvin Martens / TCR / Esslinger / Woodworks Unlimited, Ryno Mfg., Jim’s Towing
911 Mike Baker Elgin, OK Ted Kirkpatrick / Stealth Esslinger / Edward Jones Investments, Ted Kirkpatrick