From Bryan Gapinski
Wilke-PAK Motorsports will run a three-car effort in the Silver anniversary running of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, on Jan. 11-15 at the QuikTrip Center’s Tulsa Expo Raceway ¼-mile clay oval in Tulsa, Okla.
Wilke-PAK won the 2005 Chili Bowl Championship with Tracy Hines, while Dave Darland placed third. The team has also recorded Ten Preliminary Night Feature wins with six different drivers. A total of 264 entries for the five-day event have been filed.
Kody Swanson, the team’s new lead driver when the USAC National Midget Series resumes in April, will be joined at Tulsa by Darland and Randy Hannagan. Swanson who won two of his four feature starts for the team in 2010, and will be looking for his first career Championship Feature start at Tulsa, making his Tulsa debut last year. Swanson will compete on Tuesday Night.
Darland, who also has recorded preliminary night wins for the team in 2000, and ’07, will be looking for his eleventh career Championship feature start. Darland will compete in Tuesday Night’s Vacuworx Int’l Race of Champions, and then race in Friday Night’s preliminary races.
Hannagan, a veteran sprint car driver has claimed driving titles in the United States and Austrilia, makes his debut with the team, looking for his first career Championship Feature start at Tulsa. Hannagan is among the 60-plus cars running on Wednesday Night.
TEAM INFO
Team: Wilke-PAK Motorsports, Milwaukee,Wis.
Chassis: Spike
Engine: Toyota
Sponsors: Toyota, Toyota Racing Development, QTM, Autonet Mobile, Gary Stanton, Racing Optics, Speedway Motors, Hoosier Racing Tires, K & N Filters, Schoenfeld, Kwik Change, BMRS, Fuel Safe, Spike, Autometer, NOS Energy Drink, DMI, EFI Ignitions, Sanders, Kenny’s Components, Hepfner Racing Products, Behling Racing Equip, Joe Gibbs Racing Oil, Maxwell Industries, Scott Shop Towels, Butler Built, Engler, Afco, Xtreme Fuel Stick.