2007
O’Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals
Winner? Media Survey Says...
 TULSA, Okla.
(January 7, 2007) – Let's face
it, work productivity levels have been on
the decline all across the nation in
recent weeks as conversation has
noticeably switched to the red-hot topic
of "Who will win the 21st
Annual O'Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals at
Tulsa Expo Raceway?"
Can two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup champ Tony
Stewart add a second Golden Driller to the
mantle?
Will defending Chili Bowl champ Tim
McCreadie become the first back-to-back
winner in event history?
Will Kasey Kahne, or one of about
275 others, become the 16th different
winner in Chili Bowl history?
Will Cory Kruseman or J.J. Yeley
give car owner Andy Bondio a fourth Golden
Driller?
Or can Sammy Swindell add one for
the thumb?
A number of esteemed members of the Auto
Racing media have been polled (and we all
know how painful that can be), each
sharing their opinion on who the winner
may be.
There are no prizes for making the
correct prediction (other than bragging
rights), and no harsh penalties for an
incorrect selection.
Much like the atmosphere that
surrounds the O’Reilly Chili Bowl Midget
Nationals itself, it’s all in good fun.
So, kick back and enjoy.
And for the record, the experts were shut
out last year, with nobody selecting
eventual winner Tim McCreadie.
So, be wary before blowing rent
money on any of the following selections.
Here’s what the experts have to say:
Tony Bokhoven – Chili
Bowl Announcer
Selection – Kasey Kahne
"Coming
off of a solid NASCAR Nextel Cup season,
Kasey Kahne has the momentum and promise
to win Midget Racings biggest event. Kasey
has proved that he is still competitive in
open wheel cars recently while in
Australia, and various other runs in 2006.
He has had slow starts in previous Chili
Bowls, but finishes solid. Kasey is poised
and ready to add a Golden Driller to the
already impressive collection of Winner
trophies."
T.J. Buffenbarger – www.tjslideways.com
Selection – Jerry Coons, Jr.
“Jerry
Coons, Jr. has come close in past years by
winning preliminary events.
Coons will roll through the Chili
Bowl similar to what Jay Drake did after
his stellar 2000 season and will win the
2007 Chili Bowl Nationals."
Bryan Gapinski –
Founder, National Midget Driver of the
Year award
Selection – Dave Darland
“Without a doubt the only race more difficult to pick a winner
for other than the O'Reilly Chili Bowl
would be the Boston Marathon. Last
year I picked Danny Stratton and I think
he will be a top five contender all week
this year, however it should be noted that three
of the last four winners of this event the
team has been based out of Wisconsin.
This
year possibly the most potent four car
effort ever for the Chili Bowl comes out
of the famed Wilke-PAK Motorsports garages
with Jerry Coons Jr., Dave Darland, Josh
Wise and Kasey Kahne driving. This
team won in 2005 with Hines. This year Im
picking the number five car. The
Ralph Wilke led effort on this car with
Dave Darland driving is on everyone's
short list and mine for victory. The
new car has been run only once late last
year with a victory by Coons at
Angell Park. If I'm wrong it could be only spoiled
by the fact Darland is beaten by one of
his teammates."
Gary Guehler – Texas
Motor Speedway
Selection – Billy Boat
“Predicting
the winner of the O'Reilly Chili Bowl is
kind of like guessing how much snow will
fall this winter in Colorado - you know it
will happen but are clueless about
everything else. Anyway, let's give
it a shot. My prediction is
that 1997 Chili Bowl champ Billy Boat will
take the Golden Driller back to Arizona.
Patience is a virtue on qualifying nights
and Boat's IRL experience will pay off
here. Plus he is a true midget
racer. My backup picks - completing
a West Coast trifecta - are 2000 and 2004
Chili Bowl winner Cory Kruseman and Mr.
Electricity Damion Gardner. It is
suggested that fans not use their Chili
Bowl beverage money to place a Las Vegas
wager using these picks!"
Len Hayward – Sports
Editor, Midland Reporter Telegram (Midland,
TX)
“Too
many entries to pick just one. So here's
five favorites and five wild cards.
Favorites
Sammy
Swindell - The four-time champ is due for
another win.
Tony
Stewart - Hungry to make up for not racing
last year.
Kasey
Kahne - Kahne plus Wilke-Pak could equal
Golden Driller.
J.J.
Yeley - If he makes it through the
qualifying night unscathed he will contend
for the win.
Cory
Kruseman - Always tough in Tulsa.
Wild
Cards
Tim
McCreadie - Winning once maybe a fluke,
winning twice means this guy should switch
jobs.
P.J.
Jones - Always fast at the Chili Bowl but usually
ends up on tough qualifying night.
Terry
McCarl - He may be a rookie at the Chili
Bowl but he could turn some heads.
Dave
Darland - Hungry for first Chili Bowl and
it may come this year.
Jerry
Coons Jr. - Another part of the strong
Wilke-Pak contingent."
Alan Holland – www.hoseheads.com
Selection – Cory Kruseman
“Cory...Sammy...Cory...Sammy....I
have to go with Cory Kruseman and the Andy
Bondio #47. They are always fast and in
the hunt."
Don Hubbard – Columnist, Sooner
Circles
Selection – J.J. Yeley
"I
am going to pick JJ Yeley this year he has
been so close and one helluva driver who
thrills the crowd each year and his past
background both in sprints and midgets has
its merits. He deserves to be the 2007
National Chili Bowl Champion."
Jack Miller – Columnist, Sprint
Car & Midget Magazine
Selection – Brady Bacon
“I
am going to go way out on a limb and
predict a local driver to win the Chili
Bowl. We have only had one
local driver win the big race and that was
Andy Hillenberg. Although I believe
Andy may not have won that race if the
Jones Brothers had not taken each other
out of the race. So, I am
going to go with Brady Bacon of Broken
Arrow since he has shown the most
improvement over this past season. and he
has the most desire to succeed in his all
new race team.. Skill, car,
luck and desire will be the key factors in
this year's Chili Bowl champion and Brady
Bacon will have them all."
Jerry Reigle – Area
Auto Racing News/The Patriot News
Selection – Ray Bull/Steve Buckwalter
"I've
come to learn that predicting a Chili
Bowl Nationals winner is like finding that
special slot machine that will buzz loudly
with triple diamonds. But hey, one
must find it, and one must pick a Chili
Bowl winner. So, here it goes.
The Golden Driller will return east of the
Mississippi again this year. More
specific, it's coming east of the Ohio
border to Pennsylvania, either to
Bloomsburg or Royersford, home of Ray Bull
and Steve Buckwalter, respectively.
Bull
is Chili Bowl treasure. He
finished 19th in 2004, fifth in 2005
and was teased last year with a DNQ.
Now, that's how you make a man thirst for
the big prize. Give him a taste of
the Chili Bowl finals then take it away.
Last season, Bull broke away from
racing full-time with ARDC, spent some
time on the road and honed some skills
that should break him into an
Okie Victory Lane. Buckwalter is
simply one of the best all-around
midget-car drivers who doesn't live in
Indiana, Illinois or Ohio. He
can adapt to the circumstance, a necessary
skill to win the Chili Bowl.
Yep,
we'll take Bull and Buckwalter.
That's two picks - an easy out -
but that's how we play our slots back
here...two at a time."
John Rittenoure – Tulsa
World Correspondent
Selection – J.J. Yeley
“Yeley showed his potential in 2003 when he advanced from the H to the D
feature then in 2004 he topped that
advancing 69 positions as he worked his
way from the F feature to third in the A
main. If Yeley can stay out of trouble and
put all that effort into the A main 2007
just might be his year."
Pat Sullivan
Selection – Jerry Coons, Jr.
"Classy
veteran has had great success at the Chili
Bowl in the past and comes off a great
year with a formidable team. He is,
however, among a bevy of drivers who have
what it takes to win."
Randy Ward – KSAN-TV
Sports Director / Chili Bowl Announcer
Selection – Jesse Hockett
“Despite
sliding results through Jesse's previous
three Chili Bowl events, this is the year
Jesse Hockett will turn things around and
prevail as the one hoisting the Golden
Driller. In 2005 Hockett tasted victory,
okay it was the 'K' Feature, but that just
sets the stage for this year's great
triumph. During his 2006 racing season
Jesse captured wins in 12 events and
captured the O'Reilly Sprint Bandit
Midwest Swing Championship over some of
nations best non-wing drivers. That
success gives Jesse the confidence to win
the 21st edition of the Chili Bowl."
Justin Zoch – Editor, Flat
Out Magazine
Selection – Cory Kruseman
“Broken record alert! Just as I have for the last five years, my money is
going into the Cory Kruseman/Andy Bondio
sweepstakes. With two wins, two seconds
and two thirds in the last eight Bowls,
how could you bet against this guy?
Kruseman has developed into the most
feared force at the Chili Bowl, and you
can feel a change in atmosphere when the
47 hits the track. If the crowd is
reacting, I have to believe the other
competitors realize what a force this
combo is too."
After putting each of the above on the
spot (and thanks to all for your
participation), I would be remiss if I
didn’t climb out on the proverbial limb
as well by attempting the nearly
impossible – predicting a winner for the
21st Annual O’Reilly Chili
Bowl Midget Nationals.
So, here goes.
Lonnie Wheatley
Selection – Jon Stanbrough
“Stanbrough loves the Tulsa Fairgrounds.
After racing through four early
Saturday features in his '04 Chili Bowl
rookie effort, his next visit was on the
big track in a USAC Sprinter when he
spotted the field a ¾-lap advantage and
still charged all the way up to fourth
without any yellow flag assists along the
way.
The Indiana non-winger has made the last
two Chili Bowl features, finishing 14th
in '05 then improving to sixth last year.
After piling up 21 feature wins
during the 2006 season, look for the quiet
one to make some noise on Saturday night
as he lays claim to the Golden Driller
trophy."
O’Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals Information:
What: 21st Annual O’Reilly Chili Bowl Midget
Nationals
Where: Tulsa Expo Raceway – ¼-mile clay oval inside the
Tulsa Exposition Center at the Tulsa State
Fairgrounds
When:
January 9-13, 2007
Tuesday – Warren CAT Pre-Qualifying Night
Wednesday - Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Night
Thursday – Bass Pro Shops Qualifying Night
Friday – Oklahoma Dodge Dealers Qualifying Night
Saturday - Oklahoma Dodge Dealers Championship
Saturday Feature Events
Past Winners:
Tim McCreadie
(2006), Sammy Swindell (1998, 1996, 1992
and 1989), Cory Kruseman (2004 and 2000),
Dan Boorse (2003 and 1999), Tracy Hines
(2005), Tony Stewart (2002), 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:
280 entries
from 28 different states as well as
Australia, surpassing the 2006 Chili Bowl
record of 260 competitors.
Past winners already entered include Tony Stewart,
Sammy Swindell, Cory Kruseman, Dan Boorse,
Tracy Hines and defending race champion
Tim McCreadie.
Trade Show: Always a
popular attraction at the Chili Bowl
Midget Nationals is the Trade Show, which
is open to the public each day (Wednesday
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 O’Reilly Chili Bowl Midget Nationals
by calling the ticket office at
918-838-3777.
Buffet: The cafeteria at the east end of the Tulsa Expo
Center will offer an all-you-can-eat
buffet each day at just $12 for adults and
only $6 for children ten years of age and
under. The buffet is available from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on
Tuesday through Friday and then 11:00 a.m.
to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Tickets: Four-night tickets for Wednesday through Saturday
of the 21st Annual O’Reilly
Chili Bowl Nationals were depleted at the
end of June.
General admission for Tuesday
night's Pre-Qualifying event will be
available at the gate for $20 per person.
Pit passes for all five nights are
available.
O’Reilly Chili Bowl on the Net:
All
five nights of racing action 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 O’Reilly Chili
Bowl Midget Nationals is available at www.chilibowl.com
or by calling 918-838-3777.
Buffet:
The
cafeteria at the east end of the Tulsa
Expo Center will offer an all-you-can-eat
buffet each day (Wednesday through
Saturday) from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. for
just $10 per person.
Tickets:
Tickets
for the 20th Anniversary of the
O’Reilly Chili Bowl Midget Nationals
were depleted in mid-October.
Pit passes for each night of racing
action are available.
Practice
Session & Press Conference:
A
practice session for the 20th
Annual O’Reilly Chili Bowl Midget
Nationals will take place on Tuesday from
2:00 p.m. until approximately 7:00 p.m.,
immediately following the 1:00 p.m. Press
Conference in the Tulsa Expo Cafeteria at
the east end of the building.
O’Reilly
Chili Bowl on the Net:
All
four nights of racing action 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 O’Reilly Chili
Bowl Midget Nationals is available at www.chilibowl.com
or by calling 918-838-3777.
Pictured:
The legendary Rich Vogler took victory
honors in the inaugural running of the
Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in 1987.
(Photo courtesy of Allen Horcher)
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