By T.J. Buffenbarger
TULSA, OK (January 12, 2026) – Christopher Bell started off the Chili Bowl Nationals as driver and car owner by winning the O’Reilly Auto Parts Race of Champions as part of the opening night of the 40th Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink at the Tulsa Expo Raceway
Bell, from nearby Norman, Oklahoma, led all 25-laps in route to the victory. Even with leading wire to wire the journey to victory was not easy as Bell had to withstand a late race challenge in slower traffic from Shane Golobic and fellow former Chili Bowl Nationals champion Logan Seavey.
The sizeable lead Bell built up during the first half of the event was erased when the caution flag appeared for Corey Day getting up on two wheels and into the wall between turns three and four, ending his run in the Race of Champions.
Bell drove away during the restart but started to overtake slower traffic with seven laps to go. This allowed Golobic and Seavey to close in on Bell’s back bumper. Golobic was able to get one look under Bell between turns one and two, but Bell maintained the lead.
With three laps to go Golobic ended up getting bogged down in the cushion, which allowed Bell to drive away to a 0.419 second advantage at the finish. Golobic, Seavey, 2025 Knoxville Nationals winner Ryan Timms, and Spencer Bayston rounded out the top five.
40th Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink
O’Reilly Auto Parts Race of Champions
Tulsa Expo Raceway
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Monday, January 12, 2026
OReilly Auto Parts RoC Qualifying (2 Laps)
1. 21CB-Christopher Bell, 11.638[15]
2. 1S-Spencer Bayston, 11.644[20]
3. 39-Logan Seavey, 11.649[4]
4. 17W-Shane Golobic, 11.682[8]
5. 54NZ-Michael Pickens, 11.696[13]
6. 88T-Tanner Thorson, 11.713[23]
7. 71-Ryan Timms, 11.734[2]
8. 39A-Emerson Axsom, 11.746[17]
9. 86-Daison Pursley, 11.760[3]
10. 1K-Kyle Larson, 11.764[1]
11. 87-Justin Grant, 11.765[9]
12. 27X-Kalib Henry, 11.792[16]
13. 41-Corey Day, 11.796[22]
14. 57W-Landon Brooks, 11.801[18]
15. 67-Jacob Denney, 11.844[19]
16. 71K-Cannon McIntosh, 11.889[14]
17. 2-Jesse Love, 11.916[12]
18. 11F-Kaylee Bryson, 11.946[6]
19. 39G-Kyle Cummins, 12.006[11]
20. 21AU-Kaidon Brown, 12.028[10]
21. 12H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, 12.062[21]
22. 1-Sammy Swindell, 12.128[5]
23. 19R-Ricky Thornton Jr, 12.273[7]
OReilly Auto Parts O’Reilly Race of Champions (25 Laps)
1. 21CB-Christopher Bell[1]
2. 17W-Shane Golobic[4]
3. 39-Logan Seavey[3]
4. 71-Ryan Timms[7]
5. 1S-Spencer Bayston[2]
6. 88T-Tanner Thorson[6]
7. 1K-Kyle Larson[10]
8. 39A-Emerson Axsom[8]
9. 86-Daison Pursley[9]
10. 54NZ-Michael Pickens[5]
11. 71K-Cannon McIntosh[16]
12. 57W-Landon Brooks[14]
13. 87-Justin Grant[11]
14. 67-Jacob Denney[15]
15. 39G-Kyle Cummins[19]
16. 2-Jesse Love[17]
17. 27X-Kalib Henry[12]
18. 21AU-Kaidon Brown[20]
19. 1-Sammy Swindell[22]
20. 11F-Kaylee Bryson[18]
21. 19R-Ricky Thornton Jr[23]
22. 12H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[21]
23. 41-Corey Day[13]