Abreu Scores Third Win of the Week for Keith Kunz Motorsports at the Chili Bowl

David Gravel, Rico Abreu, and Cole Bodine (Serena Dalhamer photo)

By T.J. Buffenbarger

TULSA, Ok. (January 16, 2018) – Rico Abreu continued the Keith Kunz Motorsports dominance at the 33rd Annual Chili Bowl Nationals scoring the teams third preliminary feature victory in three nights at the Tulsa Expo Raceway. Abreu passed early leader Cole Bodine for the lead and pulled away from the field during multiple restart to claim the Hard Rock Casino qualifying night win.

“That’s what it’s like having the best in the business. The Kunz guys, they have it going on,” said Abreu about the KKM team. “It’s a pleasure to race for them.”

For Abreu competing at the Chili Bowl creates an aura he doesn’t sense at any other race he competes in.

“I don’t get nervous anywhere I go 100 times a year all over the country,” said Abreu. “When I walk in this building, I get butterflies. The one thing I taught myself that’s the type of energy this place creates. It just fills through everybody. It’s a pretty special place to me.”

Bodine and Abreu started on the front row of the 25-lap main event going straight to the cushion while Hahn and Abreu diced for second. Hahn pushed up the race track in turn four at the end of lap two and Abreu was able to take second position down the front stretch.

Lap four saw the first caution flag appeared when Chris Windom and Tyler Thomas made contact and stacked up several cars in the field with Matt Westfall eventually ending up backwards in turn one. Windom went to the work area for repairs to his machine under the caution but was unable to restart.

Bodine quickly found himself pressured by Abreu for the lead following the restart. After dicing for position for several laps Abreu got a run off turn two using the bottom of the track and was able to slide up in front of Bodine to take the lead on lap six. Further back in the field Gravel passed McCreadie for the third position.

The second caution of the feature appeared while working lap 10 when Sammy Swindell and Alex Bright tangled in turn one.

Abreu pulled away after the restart while Bodine, McCreadie, and Gravel found themselves battling three wide on consecutive laps for the second and final position to lock into Saturday’s feature. McCreadie took the second spot on lap 11 only to have Bodine take it back one lap later. By lap 13 Gravel had the second spot.

Further back in the field Jake Swanson made his presence known charging from 17th starting spot up to sixth spot. Swanson caught a break when the caution appeared on lap 15 when Tyler Thomas got upside down with Holly Hollen involved as well.

Abreu pulled away from Gravel in second while McCreadie, Bodine, Swanson, and Cannon McIntosh raced two by two for the third position. Bodine and McCreadie were racing side by side with Swanson right behind them with nowhere to go until McCreadie tripped on the cushion in turn four on lap 22 and allowed Swanson to drive by.

Up front though it was all Abreu pulling away for the victory while Gravel maintained the second and final position to lock into Saturday’s finale. Bodine held off Swanson for third while McIntosh rounded out the top five in his first Chili Bowl preliminary feature start.
In victory lane Abreu was happy but still focused on the main prize on Saturday.

“I have two drillers and I’m going to go for a few more.”

33rd Annual Chili Bowl Nationals
Hard Rock Casino Qualifying Night
Tulsa Expo Raceway
Tulsa, OK
Wednesday January 16, 2019

Heat Race #1 (8 Laps):
1. 15M – Jason McDougal [2]
2. 52 – Blake Hahn [4]
3. 4D – Robert Dalby [6]
4. 91T – Tyler Thomas [1]
5. 45H – Anthony Pope [3]
6. 11C – Chett Gehrke [7]
7. 16C – David Camfield III [5]
DNS: 7HM – Heath Murry
DNS: 10K – Marvin Mitchell,

Heat Race #2 (8 Laps):
1. 16K – Tristan Guardino [2]
2. 54W – Matt Westfall [5]
3. 1L – Landon Simon [3]
4. 92 – Aaron Reutzel [7]
5. 3JR – Jarrett Soares [1]
6. 87F – Johnny Kent [6]
7. 78 – Rob Caho Sr. [4]
DNS: 35X – Tyler Robbins,

Heat Race #3 (8 Laps):
1. 3F – Geoff Ensign [2]
2. 28 – Kory Schudy [8]
3. 31 – Travis Berryhill [1]
4. 91 – Jeff Stasa [7]
5. 29A – Davey Ray [6]
6. 22E – Shane Stewart [4]
7. 8K – Robert Spino [5]
8. 75X – Mike Griffiths [3]

Heat Race #4 (8 Laps):
1. 57C – Cole Bodine [2]
2. 68W – Jake Swanson [1]
3. 08 – Cannon McIntosh [7]
4. 3W – Brandon Waelti [4]
5. 57D – Daniel Robinson [8]
6. 52K – Josh Dyson [5]
7. 9P – Tom Harris [6]
DQ: 2J – J.J. Yeley [3]***No. 2J Yeley disqualified for refusing to allow officials to tech fuel.

Heat Race #5 (8 Laps):
1. 9 – Tim McCreadie [2]
2. 76G – David Gravel [5]
3. 2X – Joe Stornetta Jr [7]
4. 4M – J.J. Ercse [6]
5. 51G – Garet Williamson [3]
6. 96 – Cody Brewer [4]
7. 00S – Randy Sterling [8]
8. 77J – John Klabunde [1]

Heat 6 (8 Laps):
1. 87 – Colby Copeland [1]
2. 67R – Ryan Smith [2]
3. 0B – Billy VanInwegen Jr [6]
4. 50 – Daniel Adler [5]
5. 43 – Justin Peck [8]
6. 9T – Tyler Shoemaker [3]
7. 21X – Landon Cassill [7]
8. 50J – Brian Jones [4]

Heat 7 (8 Laps):
1. 97 – Rico Abreu [2]
2. 9F – Frankie Guerrini [1]
3. 7J – Shawn Jackson [3]
4. 67K – Holley Hollan [8]
5. 73K – Tyler Edwards [4]
6. 12 – Billy Wease [6]
7. 14E – Jake Neal [5]
8. 23P – Patrick Lawson [7]

Heat 8 (8 Laps):
1. 17 – Chris Windom [3]
2. 13M – Dennis Gile [2]
3. 51A – Zachary Madrid [7]
4. 37X – Andrew Prather [1]
5. 19S – Matt Streeter [8]
6. 49J – Jim Gardner [5]
7. 44S – Brian Beebe [6]
8. 16 – Joey Parker [4]

Heat 9 (8 Laps):
1. 47 – Alex Bright [1]
2. 1 – Sammy Swindell [5]
3. 17K – Michael Koontz [2]
4. 22X – Steven Shebester [6]
5. 2ND – Jeb Sessums [4]
6. 22C – Conor Daly [3]
7. 14S – Clinton Boyles [7]
DNS: 5T – Presley Truedson,

C-Main #1(12 Laps):
1. 73K – Tyler Edwards [1]
2. 96 – Cody Brewer [7]
3. 11C – Chett Gehrke [2]
4. 14S – Clinton Boyles [9]
5. 51G – Garet Williamson [3]
6. 22C – Conor Daly [8]
7. 8K – Robert Spino [11]
8. 35X – Tyler Robbins [16]
9. 87F – Johnny Kent [4]
10. 77J – John Klabunde [15]
11. 00S – Randy Sterling [6]
12. 52K – John Dyson [5]
13. 44S – Brian Beebe [10]
14. 75X – Mike Griffiths [14]
15. 78 – Rob Caho Sr. [12]
DNS: 50J – Brian Jones,

C-Main #2 (12 Laps)
1. 22E – Shane Stewart [6]
2. 9P – Tom Harris [9]
3. 2ND – Jeb Sessums [1]
4. 12 – Billy Wease [4]
5. 16 – Joey Parker [13]
6. 14E – Jake Neal [11]
7. 16C – David Camfield III [10]
8. 21X – Landon Cassill [8]
9. 49J – Jim Gardner [5]
10. 5T – Presley Truedson [16]
11. 3JR – Jarrett Soares [3]
12. 9T – Tyler Shoemaker [7]
13. 45H – Anthony Pope [2]
14. 23P – Patrick Lawson [12]
15. 2J – J.J. Yeley [14]
DNS: 7HM – Heath Murry,

Qualifier #1 (10 Laps):
1. 92 – Aaron Reutzel [1]
2. 9 – Tim McCreadie [3]
3. 1 – Sammy Swindell [5]
4. 15M – Jason McDougal [4]
5. 68W – Jake Swanson [7]
6. 57D – Daniel Robinson [8]
7. 0B – Billy VanInwegen Jr [2]
8. 3W – Brandon Waelti [10]
9. 28 – Kory Schudy [6]
10. 7J – Shawn Jackson [9]

Qualifier #2 (10 Laps):
1. 97 – Rico Abreu [3]
2. 87 – Colby Copeland [2]
3. 08 – Cannon McIntosh [5]
4. 17 – Chris Windom [6]
5. 91 – Jeff Stasa [1]
6. 16K – Tristan Guardino [4]
7. 43 – Justin Peck [8]
8. 29A – Davey Ray [10]
9. 9F – Frankie Guerrini [7]
10. 17K – Michael Koontz [9]

Qualifier #3 (10 Laps):
1. 52 – Blake Hahn [3]
2. 47 – Alex Bright [2]
3. 91T – Tyler Thomas [10]
4. 67R – Ryan Smith [1]
5. 3F – Geoff Ensign [4]
6. 54W – Matt Westfall [6]
7. 2X – Joe Stornetta Jr [5]
8. 50 – Daniel Adler [9]
9. 4M – J.J. Ercse [7]
10. 19S – Matt Streeter [8]

Qualifier #4 (10 Laps):
1. 57C – Cole Bodine [4]
2. 67K – Holley Hollan [2]
3. 76G – David Gravel [6]
4. 4D – Robert Dalby [3]
5. 13M – Dennis Gile [1]
6. 22X – Steven Shebester [7]
7. 31 – Travis Berryhill [9]
8. 1L – Landon Simon [8]
9. 51A – Zachary Madrid [5]
10. 37X – Andrew Prather [10]

B-Main #1:
1. 68W – Jake Swanson [1]
2. 43 – Justin Peck [7]
3. 29A – Davey Ray [9]
4. 67R – Ryan Smith [2]
5. 0B – Billy VanInwegen Jr [6]
6. 2X – Joe Stornetta Jr [4]
7. 73K – Tyler Edwards [13]
8. 3W – Brandon Waelti [8]
9. 96 – Cody Brewer [14]
10. 14S – Clinton Boyles [16]
11. 9F – Frankie Guerrini [10]
12. 11C – Chett Gehrke [15]
13. 13M – Dennis Gile [5]
14. 28 – Kory Schudy [3]
15. 7J – Shawn Jackson [11]
16. 17K – Michael Koontz [12]

B Feature 2:
1. 54W – Matt Westfall [1]
2. 57D – Daniel Robinson [3]
3. 16K – Tristan Guardino [2]
4. 9P – Tom Harris [14]
5. 31 – Travis Berryhill [6]
6. 22E – Shane Stewart [13]
7. 91 – Jeff Stasa [4]
8. 1L – Landon Simon [9]
9. 50 – Daniel Adler [8]
10. 2ND – Jeb Sessums [15]
11. 51A – Zachary Madrid [7]
12. 12 – Billy Wease [16]
13. 19S – Matt Streeter [11]
14. 37X – Andrew Prather [12]
15. 4M – J.J. Ercse [10]
16. 22X – Steven Shebester [5]

A Feature (25 Laps):
1. 97 – Rico Abreu [2]
2. 76G – David Gravel [4]
3. 57C – Cole Bodine [1]
4. 68W – Jake Swanson [17]
5. 08 – Cannon McIntosh [7]
6. 9 – Tim McCreadie [6]
7. 87 – Colby Copeland [11]
8. 67R – Ryan Smith [23]
9. 4D – Robert Dalby [15]
10. 57D – Daniel Robinson [20]
11. 52 – Blake Hahn [3]
12. 43 – Justin Peck [19]
13. 92 – Aaron Reutzel [10]
14. 47 – Alex Bright [12]
15. 1 – Sammy Swindell [5]
16. 9P – Tom Harris [24]
17. 54W – Matt Westfall [18]
18. 16K – Tristan Guardino [22]
19. 15M – Jason McDougal [14]
20. 67K – Holley Hollan [13]
21. 3F – Geoff Ensign [16]
22. 91T – Tyler Thomas [9]
23. 17 – Chris Windom [8]
24. 29A – Davey Ray [21]