From Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (January 14, 2012) – Prior to last year, no driver had ever been able to pull off back-to-back Chili Bowl triumphs at the QuikTrip Center’s Tulsa Expo Raceway.
Now, after becoming the first driver in event history to post two wins in a row last January, Kevin Swindell is in prime position for a three-peat as will start Saturday night’s 26th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals 50-lap finale from the pole position.
Swindell, who won Thursday night’s Suburban Chevrolet qualifying main event, drew the pole position after Friday night’s card with Tuesday’s Warren CAT winner Kyle Larson drawing the front row outside position for the Saturday night finale.
Five-time Chili Bowl champion Sammy Swindell will start third after winning Wednesday’s River Spirit Casino qualifier, with Cory Kruseman drawing the fourth starting position after winning Friday’s Vacuworx International qualifying main event.
A total of 259 competitors from 32 different states as well as Australia, Canada, Finland and New Zealand have battled it out atop the ¼-mile clay oval inside the QuikTrip Center over the past four nights to set the lineups for Saturday’s slate of 20 feature events, beginning with a “K” Main at 12:00 noon and climbing through the alphabet with twin “J” Mains, twin “I” Mains, etc., until culminating with Saturday night’s 50-lap championship finale.
A dozen drivers, including each qualifying night winner along with second and third place finishers, have already earned starting berths in the 26th Chili Bowl finale, with another dozen spots to be determined through the day’s racing action.
Each night’s second-place finishers drew to determine rows three and four of the feature, with Danny Stratton and Shane Cottle in row three and Levi Jones and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., in row four.
Third place finishers drew as well, with Brad Sweet and two-time Chili Bowl champ and reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart in row five with Bryan Clauson and Kiwi Michael Pickens in row six.
Saturday’s Championship Saturday feature lineups at the 26th Anniversary Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals are as follows:
A Main (50 Laps):
39 Kevin Swindell (Germantown, TN) – 67 Kyle Larson (Elk Grove, CA)
1 Sammy Swindell (Germantown, TN) – 21k Cory Kruseman (Ventura, CA)
77s Danny Stratton (Riverside, CA) – 71xx Shane Cottle (Kokomo, IN)
56 Levi Jones (Olney, IL) – 39i Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (Olive Branch, MS)
49x Brad Sweet (Grass Valley, CA) – 14 Tony Stewart (Columbus, IN)
39c Bryan Clauson (Noblesville, IN) – 05p Michael Pickens (Auckland, NZ)
B Main 1 Transfer 1 – B Main 2 Transfer 1
B Main 1 Transfer 2 – B Main 2 Transfer 2
B Main 1 Transfer 3 – B Main 2 Transfer 3
B Main 1 Transfer 4 – B Main 2 Transfer 4
B Main 1 Transfer 5 – B Main 2 Transfer 5
B Main 1 Transfer 6 – B Main 2 Transfer 6
B Mains (20 Laps – Top 6 Transfer to A Main)
B Main 1:
19s Richard Vander Weerd (Visalia, CA) – 11T Tyler Edwards (Salina, OK)
7m Kevin Ramey (Ft. Worth, TX) – 37 Bubba Altig (Mechanicsburg, IL)
24 Tracy Hines (Wilkinson, IN) – 7ca Caleb Armstrong (New Castle, IN)
8L Matt Ward (Glenpool, OK) – 63 Nick Knepper (Belleville, IL)
15 Tim Siner (Dupo, IL) – 77 Alex Bright (Collegeville, PA)
3nz Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tucson, AZ) – 2 Bud Kaeding (Campbell, CA)
22 Brian Camarillo (Camarillo, CA) – 73 Josh Ford (Oxnard, CA)
C Main 1 Transfer 1 – C Main 1 Transfer 2
C Main 1 Transfer 3 – C Main 1 Transfer 4
C Main 1 Transfer 5 – C Main 1 Transfer 6
B Main 2:
11 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) – 71b Jac Haudenschild (Wooster, OH)
37b Brady Short (Bedford, IN) – 5d Zach Daum (Pocahontas, IL)
2h Casey Shuman (Rattlesnake Bend, AZ) – 21 Daryn Pittman (Owasso, OK)
67k Rico Abreu (Rutherford, CA) – 47x Shaun Insley (Royal Oak, NZ)
11a Andrew Felker (Carl Junction, MO) – 0 Ryan Smith Kunkletown, PA)
3aj A.J. Fike (Galesburg, IL) – 17b Brad Kuhn (Avon, IN)
3 Darren Hagen (Riverside, CA) – 71s Ronnie Gardner (Corona, CA)
C Main 2 Transfer 1 – C Main 2 Transfer 2
C Main 2 Transfer 3 – C Main 2 Transfer 4
C Main 2 Transfer 5 – C Main 2 Transfer 6
C Mains (15 Laps – Top 6 Transfer to Corresponding B Main)
C Main 1:
12b Chad Boat (Phoenix, AZ) – 05s Jon Stanbrough (Avon, IN)
36 Jonathan Beason (Broken Arrow, OK) – 5 Dave Darland (Lincoln, IN)
6a David Gough (Machesney Park, IL) – 78 Nick Wean (Phillipsburg, NJ)
35 Justin Grant (Ione, CA) – 4 Bobby East (Brownsburg, IN)
19 Patrick Stasa (Kingman, KS) – 4g Coleman Gulick (Binghamton, NY)
05r Ryan Pace (Brownsburg, IN) – 67z Joey Saldana (Brownsburg, IN)
25b Steve Buckwalter (Royersford, PA) – 8v Jace Vander Weerd (Visalia, CA)
D Main 1 Transfer 1 – D Main 1 Transfer 2
D Main 1 Transfer 3 – D Main 1 Transfer 4
D Main 1 Transfer 5 – D Main 1 Transfer 6
C Main 2:
51J R.J. Johnson (Phoenix, AZ) – 35s Hunter Schuerenberg (Sikeston, MO)
35m Matt Sherrell (Owasso, OK) – 05T Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA)
27s Andy Shouse (Oklahoma City, OK) – 9 Levi Roberts (Broomfield, CO)
44 Don Droud, Jr. (Lincoln, NE) – 91k Dereck King (Goreville, IL)
11c Chett Gehrke (Broken Arrow, OK) – 5h Mike Hess (Springfield, IL)
05g Damion Gardner (Concord, CA) – 71 Jason Leffler (Long Beach, CA)
16 Jimmy Light (Erie, PA) – 81 Markus Niemela (Rauma, Finland)
D Main 2 Transfer 1 – D Main 2 Transfer 2
D Main 2 Transfer 3 – D Main 2 Transfer 4
D Main 2 Transfer 5 – D Main 2 Transfer 6
D Mains (15 Laps – Top 6 Transfer to Corresponding C Main)
D Main 1:
98k P.J. Jones (Torrance, CA) – 11bx Brett Anderson (Belleville, IL)
88h Johnathon Henry (Stockton, CA) – 47 Brad Mosen (Auckland, NZ)
17r Mario Clouser (Auburn, IL) – 21b Christopher Bell (Norman, OK)
31 David Budres (Beloit, WI) – 57b Bill Balog (Brookfield, WI)
1J J.J. Yeley (Phoenix, AZ) – 14jr Matt Streeter (Galt, CA)
4b Ronnie Burke, Jr. (League City, TX) – 91b Kevin Bayer (Bixby, OK)
98 J.C. Bland (Springfield, IL) – 1w George White (Waco, TX)
E Main 1 Transfer 1 – E Main 1 Transfer 2
E Main 1 Transfer 3 – E Main 1 Transfer 4
D Main 2:
6r Jody Rosenboom (Rock Rapids, IA) – 71k David Gravel (Watertown, CT)
26 Shane Golobic (Fremont, CA) – 15p David Prickett (Fresno, CA)
10w George White (Ft. Worth, TX) – 43 Brent Beauchamp (Indianapolis, IN)
72 Ryan Bernal (Hollister, CA) – 19x Billy Wease (Noblesville, IN)
23c Tyler Courtney (Indianapolis, IN) – 85 Shane Hollingsworth (Lafayette, IN)
14c Shane Cockrum (Benton, IL) – 86e Chris Ennis (San Diego, CA)
2T Thomas Meseraull (San Jose, CA) – 05 Brad Loyet (Sunset Hills, MO)
E Main 2 Transfer 1 – E Main 2 Transfer 2
E Main 2 Transfer 3 – E Main 2 Transfer 4
E Mains (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer to Corresponding D Main)
E Main 1:
75h Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM) – 55F Taylor Ferns (Shelby Twp, MI)
89 Cody Darrah (Red Lion, PA) – 87c Daniel Robinson (Wayne City, IL)
39b Jake Blackhurst (Mapleton, IL) – 6 Aaron Pierce (Daleville, IN)
1T Tony Roney (Herculaneum, MO) – 11J Justin Melton (Flower Mound, TX)
4J Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) – 7x Layne Himebaugh (Collinsville, OK)
7a Austin Brown (Millstadt, IL) – 22x Keith Martin (Alvarado, TX)
F Main 1 Transfer 1 – F Main 1 Transfer 2
F Main 1 Transfer 3 – F Main 1 Transfer 4
E Main 2:
11w Chris Windom (Canton, IL) – 88 Brenden Bright (Collegeville, PA)
3F Tony Elliott (Warsaw, IN) – 7da Dalton Armstrong (New Castle, IN)
91x Kyle Steffens (St. Charles, MO) – 73s Alex Sewell (Broken Arrow, OK)
94x Kevin Olson (Machesney Park, IL) – 7 Shannon McQueen (Tehachapi, CA)
21m Billy Lawhead (Tulsa, OK) – 9u Doug McCune (Colleyville, TX)
51 Brent Camarillo (Camarillo, CA) – 24e Rick Eckert (York, PA)
F Main 2 Transfer 1 – F Main 2 Transfer 2
F Main 2 Transfer 3 – F Main 2 Transfer 4
F Mains (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer to Corresponding E Main)
F Main 1:
93 Dustin Morgan (Broken Arrow, OK) – 17x Davey Heskin (St. Michael, MN)
71kt Kevin Thomas, Jr. (Cullman, AL) – 191 Chase Barber (Brownsburg, IN)
11b Travis Berryhill (American Canyon, CA) – 40 Andy Huston (Roseville, IL)
75 Wes McIntyre (McCordsville, IN) – 32 Danny Jennings (Norman, OK)
7J Shawn Jackson (Bear, DE) – 10 Will Pierce (Lees Summit, MO)
35T Tyler Robbins (Collinsville, IL) – 33 Davey Ray (Indianapolis, IN)
G Main 1 Transfer 1 – G Main 1 Transfer 2
G Main 1 Transfer 3 – G Main 1 Transfer 4
F Main 2:
51x Matt Lundy (Phoenix, AZ) – 33x Jason Lair (Del City, OK)
2b Tyler Reddick (Corning, CA) – 15b Danny Burke (Houston, TX)
00 Pete Davis (Pleasanton, CA) – 37x Cameron Hagin (Broken Arrow, OK)
15d Andrew Deal (Caney, KS) – 11h Garrett Hood (Concordia, KS)
1xs Donovan Peterson (Brookings, SD) – 18 Floyd Alvis (San Carlos, CA)
58 Cole Peard (Quincy, CA) – 14r Troy DeCaire (Tampa, FL)
G Main 2 Transfer 1 – G Main 2 Transfer 2
G Main 2 Transfer 3 – G Main 2 Transfer 4
G Mains (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer to Corresponding F Main)
G Main 1:
6x Chris Morgan (Topeka, KS) – 94 Darren Kingston (Vandalia, IL)
86c David Camfield, Jr. (Decatur, IL) – 49 Trevor Kobylarz (Birdsboro, PA)
38n Kyle Neal (Ewing, IL) – 96 Cody Brewer (Choctaw, OK)
12jr Josh Pelkey (Peoria, AZ) – 8r Bobby Ruffin (Crandall, TX)
25 Dylan Peterson (Sioux Falls, SD) – 23F Jesse Sobbing (Glenwood, IA)
7w Harli White (Lindsay, OK) – 77b Mike Boesel (Bennett, CO)
H Main 1 Transfer 1 – H Main 1 Transfer 2
H Main 1 Transfer 3 – H Main 1 Transfer 4
G Main 2:
7d Michelle Decker (Guthrie, OK) – 8b Bob Ream, Jr. (Glendale, AZ)
8k Donnie Ray Crawford (Broken Arrow, OK) – 89jr Ron Kuhn (Independence, MO)
9m Cory Mallo (Cheyenne, WY) – 49jr Bobby Michnowicz (Lomita, CA)
37T Chris Urish (Elkhart, IL) – 0b Glenn Styres (Ohsweken, ONT)
27c Kip Hughes (Enid, OK) – 6m Justin Mallo (Cheyenne, WY)
12s Bryan Severs (Collison, IL) – 0g Greg Bragg (Visalia, CA)
H Main 2 Transfer 1 – H Main 2 Transfer 2
H Main 2 Transfer 3 – H Main 2 Transfer 4
H Mains (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer to Corresponding G Main)
H Main 1:
29s Tim Kent (Sapulpa, OK) – 15n T.J. Smith (Fresno, CA)
82w Robbie Whitchurch (Chico, CA) – 51b Ryan Blakeman (Jacksonville, IL)
14w Matt Westfall (Ludlow Falls, OH) – 9d Sean Dodenhoff (Bakersfield, CA)
21v Jimmy Voitel (Covina, CA) – 17w Cole Wood (Auburn, Ca)
22k Kyle Bellm (Nixa, MO) – 13 Ryan York (Racine, MN)
2x Tyler Millwood (Kingston, GA) – 20 Tadd Holliman (Beaver Lake, NE)
I Main 1 Transfer 1 – I Main 1 Transfer 2
I Main 1 Transfer 3 – I Main 1 Transfer 4
H Main 2:
2r A.J. Hopkins (Brownsburg, IN) – 12 Chris Gurley (Hebron, IN)
98g Gavin Galbraith (Washington, MO) – 28 Alex Schutte (Rohnert Park, CA)
8J Blake Hahn (Sapulpa, OK) – 7b Joe Boyles (Greenwood, MO)
19n Nick O’Neal (Wagoner, OK) – 25m Derrick Myers (Stonington, IL)
44s Clint Schubert (Calhan, CO) – 45x C.J. Johnson (Quinter, KS)
7jr J.D. Black (Grain Valley, MO) – 77x Joey Moughan (Springfield, IL)
I Main 2 Transfer 1 – I Main 2 Transfer 2
I Main 2 Transfer 3 – I Main 2 Transfer 4
I Mains (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer to Corresponding H Main)
I Main 1:
31e Evan Sewell (Tulsa, OK) – 20x Jimmy Harris (Broken Arrow, OK)
83 Kurt Blackaby (Bentonville, AR) – 17 Michael Koontz (Bloomington, IN)
15k Connor Kassik (Lake Havasu, AZ) – 71x Sheldon Haudenschild (Wooster, OH)
7c Pat Schudy (Springfield, MO) – 22s Steve Stasa (Kingman, KS)
2az Rick Shuman (Gilbert, AZ) – 23 Tim Lynch (Columbus, IN)
59 Dex Eaton (Owasso, OK) – 11x Dustin Hapka (Grand Forks, ND)
J Main 1 Transfer 1 – J Main 1 Transfer 2
J Main 1 Transfer 3 – J Main 1 Transfer 4
I Main 2:
81b Ryan Beechler (McKinney, TX) – 9b Harris Brooks (Houston, TX)
41 Brandon Waelti (Sun Prairie, WI) – 86 Josh Most (Red Oak, IA)
12J Joe Walker (Harrisonville, MO) – 73F Greg Edenholm (Malibu, CA)
9h Matt Hummel (San Jose, CA) – 0x Johnny Murdock (Kaufman, TX)
94au Brad Cox (Gunnedah, AUS) – 17m Andee Beierle (Bismarck , ND)
7T Todd McVay (Lees Summit, MO) – 19d Steven Drevicki (Reading, PA)
J Main 2 Transfer 1 – J Main 2 Transfer 2
J Main 2 Transfer 3 – J Main 2 Transfer 4
J Mains (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer to Corresponding I Main)
J Main 1:
85J Matt Johnson (Edmond, OK) – 33a Stephen Arnold (Seymour, IN)
4x Shawn Peterson (Irving, TX) – 29 Brandon Hahn (Tulsa, OK)
17k Tanner Berryhill (Bixby, OK) – 93r Jake Rosario (Guthrie, OK)
44x Danny Smith (Argenta, IL) – 12h Jerrod Hull (Sikeston, MO)
71d Paige Polyak (Tiffin, OH) – 55 Kyle Smith (Moorpark, CA)
8 Mike Lapp (Goodyear, AZ) – 27 Kody Swanson (Kingsburg, CA)
21jr Kevin Michnowicz (Lomita, CA) – K Main Transfer 1
K Main Transfer 3 – K Main Transfer 5
J Main 2:
91h Mike Hudson (Carterville, IL) – 67x Britton Bock (Angwin, CA)
57k Steve Schaberg (Glenwood, AR) – 87r Rich Camfield (Decatur, IL)
83h Jonathan Halford (Tulsa, OK) – 77d Dalten Gabbard (Peoria, AZ)
51s Mike Spencer (Temecula, CA) – 2g Terry Goodwin (Laveen, AZ)
W94 Waylon Weaver (Claremore, OK) – 88w Dustin Weland (Parker, CO)
88d Rusty Dukes (Fair Grove, MO) – 21x Nick Speidel (Muncie, IN)
35w Rick Wright, Jr. (Ponca City, OK) – K Main Transfer 2
K Main Transfer 4 – K Main Transfer 6
K Main (10 Laps – Finishers 1,3 and 5 Transfer to J Main 1; Finishers 2,4 and 6 Transfer to J Main 2)
K Main:
77g Mike Goodman (Tulsa, OK) – 11xs Tony Norem (Dassel, MN)
82 Eric Johnson (Rockford, IL) – 7rs Clint Boyles (Greenwood, MO)
69 Randy Boyer (Belleville, KS) – 91 Jeff Stasa (Kingman, KS)
05h Jake Swanson (Anaheim, CA) – 21az Mike Visser (Cottonwood, AZ)
2d Doug Day (Winder, GA) – 71p Tim Pyle (Gresham, OR)
87F Brian McClelland (Tulsa, OK) – 11cx Steve Newman (Steamboat Springs, CO)
3h Bubba Hunt (Tulsa, OK) – 50 Ned Fry (W. Burlington, IA)
83x Bob Lawlor (San Carlos, CA) – 6y Vinny Villeggiante (Gresham, OR)
2a Donald McIntosh (Dawsonville, GA)