#19w - Bud Kaeding (Campbell, CA)

5th Chili Bowl Appearance

Chili Bowl Main Event Starts: 1

Best Chili Bowl Finish: 3rd (2000)

Third-generation hotshoe Bud Kaeding enters the 2004 Chili Bowl Nationals coming off a strong season that concluded with Kaeding being crowned champion of the Non-Winged World Championship (NWWC) series.

Kaeding scored a pair of wins in NWWC competition in preliminary action at the Western World Championships at Manzanita and the Perris Auto Speedway Oval Nationals.  Kaeding posted top-five runs in seven other NWWC events and finished outside the top ten on only three occasions.

Kaeding also notched a fourth place finish in USAC National Sprint Car points, picking up a victory during USAC's competitive Indiana Sprint Week at Kokomo Speedway.  

Kaeding made time to compete in several USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown events as well in 2003 and notched his first career Silver Crown victory in the inauguaral O'Reilly Tulsa 100 at the Tulsa Fairgrounds Motorplex on September 14.

Kaeding, who won the Rich Vogler Hard Charger award at the 2000 Chili Bowl Nationals, will be one to contend with in this year's Chili Bowl Nationals aboard one of the Mike Sala entries.

Car Owner:  Mike Sala

Chassis:  Stealth

Engine:  Pink Chevy

Sponsors:  Weldway, Weldway Construction, Kaeding Performance

Photo:  Bud Kaeding earned his first Golden Driller trophy by winning the September 14, 2003, O'Reilly Tulsa 100 USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Series event.  (Photo courtesy of The Wheatley Collection)