Teams
Opt for Early Chili Bowl Practice on
Saturday
 Lonnie
Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (January 5, 2008)
– It's a Saturday just a couple of days
prior to the biggest motorsports event of
the year, the 22nd Annual Dodge
Chili Bowl Nationals atop the famed Tulsa
Expo Raceway ¼-mile clay oval.
Bitterly
cold temperatures earlier in the week have
finally succumbed to pleasant weather,
with temperatures flirting with the
70-degree mark.
What do you do?
If
you're some of the teams entered in the
Chili Bowl Nationals, you take full
advantage as Will Rogers Raceway in
Claremore, OK, just a half hour or so
northeast of Tulsa, swung open its gates
for an open practice session.
And
20 or teams took to the 1/5-mile oval in
preparation for the Chili Bowl Midget
Nationals, which runs from Tuesday to
Saturday, January 8-12.
Some
drivers tested new rides.
Others tested new components.
But, most importantly, it served as
an opportunity to work out some bugs that
could have otherwise proven to be a major
problem without the extra shakedown.
Taking
his first laps in a new DRC-chassis
Midget, Missouri's Jesse Hockett detected
an oil leak in his first session.
Oil leak repaired, Hockett got in
several sessions to become comfortable
with the car.
Dustin
Morgan of Collinsville, OK, took in the
most practice laps, working the bugs out
of a new injection system after the first
couple of runs.
Gary
Taylor, a Washington state native now
calling Sapulpa, OK, home, was trying out
a new fuel injection system as well.
And he was also getting his first
laps in a new Triple-X chassis, the only
one of its kind that will compete in the
Chili Bowl.
After
three separate runs, Taylor was satisfied.
"It did what we wanted it to
do, it responded to the changes we made to
it and we know what to expect. We're very pleased with it."
Tim
McCreadie, the 2006 Chili Bowl champion,
was originally slated to pilot a Triple-X
as well.
But when his engine wouldn't fit
properly within the frame rails, the
McCreadie team will try something else.
No such problems for Taylor and the
Tel-Star Communications team though.
While
some teams successfully worked out some
unexpected obstacles, others weren't so
fortunate.
Kevin
Battles turned just a few laps before his
engine tossed a rod through the block,
likely lessening Tuesday night's
Pre-Qualifier roster by one.
And
in the opening session of the day, Justin
Hendricks (aboard Scott Benic's No. 6J)
tested the integrity of the third turn
wall. The wall proved sturdy, inflicting major damage on the
machine.
Jerrod
Wilson, fresh off winning another Golden
Driller in "A" Class Micro
Sprint competition at last weekend's Tulsa
Shootout, turned a few laps before
breaking a valve retainer in the
powerplant.
"I don't think it's anything
major, we'll be alright," Wilson
commented.
"I was just starting to get a
good feel for the car, I was getting an
idea of just how far I could push it into
the corners.
It's quite an adjustment from the
Micros."
Among
those taking in the practice session were
Donnie Ray Crawford, Jasiel Randolph,
Dustin Morgan, Justin Melton, Jonathan
Beason, Jesse Hockett, Gary Taylor, Sam
Hafertepe, Jr., Dennis Rodriguez, Kevin
Battles, Dex Eaton, Ricky Williams, Darren
Stewart, Jerrod Wilson, Brady Short,
Justin Hendricks and Jonathan Halford, who
struggled getting his car to fire all day.
Also
spied taking in the activities was Matt
Sherrell, who is set to pilot one of the
eight Keith Kunz Motorsports entries.
"They just finished putting
the cars together and are on the
way," Sherrell relayed.
"I'm thrilled to be driving
one of their cars, I'm really looking
forward to this week."
Photos
from Saturday's practice session are
posted at http://www.chilibowl.com/cb_photos.asp?dept=photo&GP=100&GPN=Practice%20at%20Will%20Rogers%20Raceway%20(1/5/08).
Will
Rogers Raceway is slated to host another
practice session on Sunday afternoon from
12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.
Additional Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals Information:
What:
22nd Annual Dodge Chili
Bowl Midget Nationals
Where:
Tulsa Expo Raceway – ¼-mile clay
oval inside the QuikTrip Center (formerly
known as Tulsa Exposition Center) at the
Tulsa State Fairgrounds
When:
January 8-12, 2008
Tuesday – Bass Pro Shops Pre-Qualifying Night
Wednesday - Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Night
Thursday – Warren CAT Qualifying Night
Friday – O'Reilly Qualifying Night
Saturday – Bass Pro Shops Championship Saturday
Feature Events
Past Winners: Tony Stewart (2007 and
2002), Sammy Swindell (1998, 1996, 1992
and 1989), Cory Kruseman (2004 and 2000),
Dan Boorse (2003 and 1999), Tim McCreadie
(2006), Tracy Hines (2005), Jay Drake
(2001), Billy Boat (1997), Donnie Beechler
(1995), Andy Hillenburg (1994), Dave
Blaney (1993), Lealand McSpadden (1991),
Jon Heydenreich (1990), Scott Hatton
(1988), Rich Vogler (1987).
Current Entries: 285 entries from 29
different states as well as Canada and
Australia, topping last year's record
count of 267 competitors.
Past winners already entered include Tony Stewart,
Sammy Swindell, Cory Kruseman, Tim
McCreadie, Tracy Hines and Johnny
Heydenreich.
Currently, there are 70 Chili Bowl rookies on the
entry list.
At least 32 series or track champions over the
course of the 2007 season have entered the
Chili Bowl Nationals, including:
Eleven midget champions from 2007 that have entered
the Chili Bowl include Jerry Coons, Jr. (USAC
and National Midget Driver of the Year),
David Gough (UMARA), 16-year-old Justin
Grant (BCRA), Nathan High (AMRA), Brad
Kuhn (BMARA), Brad Loyet (POWRi), Andy
Martin (ARDC), Doug McCune (SSMA), Johnny
Rodriguez (USAC Western States), Chris
Sheil (RMMRA) and Gary Taylor (SMRS).
Eight winged Sprint Car champs are ready for the
Chili Bowl, including Lee Grosz (ASCS
Northern Plains), Mike Goodman (OCRS),
Garry Lee Maier (NCRA), Joey Montgomery
(St. Francois County Raceway), Shane
Stewart (All-Star Speedweek and NSCS
Speedweek), Glenn Styres (SOS), George
White (Cowtown Speedway) and Gary Wright (ASCS
National and National Driver of the Year).
Six wingless Sprint Car champs are entered,
including 19-year-old Jeff Bland, Jr.
(Bloomington Speedway and National Rookie
of the Year), Shane Cottle (Kokomo
Speedway), Jesse Hockett (Sprint Bandits
TNT), Levi Jones (USAC), Ryan Kaplan (USAC
Western States) and Jon Stanbrough (KISS
and National Non-Wing Driver of the Year).
Bud Kaeding won the USAC Silver Crown championship.
Other 2007 champions include Stewart Friesen (DIRT
Modifieds at New York's Utica Rome
Speedway), Brent Rees (Rocky Mountain Mini
Sprint Association), Austin Mero (Ventura
Raceway Junior Ford Focus Midgets), Andrew
Deal (non-wing Micros at Will Rogers
Raceway), Doug Nunes (BCRA Midget Lites)
and Joe Walker (Central Missouri Speedway
modifieds).
Bass Pro Shops Kick Off Party: Bass
Pro Shops in Broken Arrow, OK, will host a
Chili Bowl Kick Off Party on Monday night,
January 7, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Drivers from the Tony Stewart
Motorsports team, including Tracy Hines,
Levi Jones and Josh Richards, will be on
hand to sign autographs.
Fans can enter for a chance to ride
in the Chili Bowl pace truck, the King of
Bucks trailer will be present and
accounted for and there will be all
variety of games, prizes and giveaways.
The flyer for the Bass Pro Shops
Chili Bowl Kick Off Party is available at www.chilibowl.com/bpscbkop08.zip.
Trade Show:
Always a popular attraction at the
Chili Bowl Midget Nationals is the Trade
Show, which is open to the public each day
(Tuesday through Saturday) free of charge.
All variety of racing products,
apparel and more is available with well
over 100 different vendors.
The Trade Show covers approximately
20,000 square feet.
Preferred Parking: A
limited number of Preferred Parking spaces
are still available for all five nights of
the Dodge Chili Bowl Midget Nationals by
calling the ticket office at 918-838-3777.
Buffet:
The cafeteria at the east end of
the QuikTrip Center will offer an
all-you-can-eat buffet each day.
The buffet is available from 11:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday through
Friday and then 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on
Saturday.
Tickets:
Four-night tickets for Wednesday
through Saturday of the 22nd
Annual Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals were
depleted by the beginning of June.
A limited number of reserved seats
for Tuesday night's Pre-Qualifying event
are available for $21 per person and may
be obtained by calling 918-838-3777 or at
the gate.
Pit passes for all five nights are
available at the gate as well.
Pay-Per-View: Lucas Oil presents the
Chili Bowl Nationals live on HBO
Pay-Per-View for the first time on
Saturday night, January 12.
The
live broadcast on Saturday, January 12
begins at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT),
with an immediate pay-per-view replay and
additional replays on Sunday. The HBO
Pay-Per-View racing telecast has a
suggested retail price $24.95 and will be
available to more than 61 million
pay-per-view homes
in the United States and Canada and
millions more worldwide. HBO Pay-Per-View
is the leading supplier of event
programming in the pay-per-view industry.
Ordering information is available
at http://www.hbo.com/.
Viewers
are encouraged to contact their local
cable operator or satellite provider to
order the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. Customers
must have digital cable or satellite
service to order.
A subscription to HBO is not required.
Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals On the Web: All
the action from Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday and Friday along with Saturday's
action prior to the Pay-per-View telecast
will be webcast live at www.racinboys.com. Complete information, including entry lists, updates and
official results is available at www.chilibowl.com.
Additional information regarding the Dodge Chili
Bowl Midget Nationals is available at www.chilibowl.com
or by calling 918-838-3777.
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