24th
Annual Chili Bowl Nationals Just Around
the Corner!
 Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (December 1, 2009) - December.
Temperatures are dipping and the
trees are bare in most parts of the
nation.
Worse yet, at least for those many afflicted with that
incurable passion for auto racing, the
soothing sounds of radically souped-up
engines screaming beyond comprehensible
rev limits are few and far between,
virtually silent for the time being in
anticipation of the eventual whoosh of
Santa's reindeer-powered sleigh.
There is an upside to the temporary silence of dirt tracks
around the country though, as the Holiday
season doesn't truly conclude until the
final checkered flag has flown upon the
best of America's Bowl events.
It means that the premier auto
racing event of the year, Tulsa,
Oklahoma's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, is
little more than a month away.
Closing in on that quarter of a century mark, the 24th
edition of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget
Nationals is slated for January 12-16,
2010, at the QuikTrip Center's Tulsa Expo
Raceway at the Tulsa State Fairgrounds.
A tradition that started humbly enough as a two-day show that
attracted 52 competitors and perhaps a
handful or two more than 52 spectators in
1987 has evolved, if not mushroomed, into
a worldwide showcase event that draws
nearly 300 competitors and packs the
spacious QuikTrip Center full of frenzied
fans from around the world for five
straight nights after a Monday afternoon
practice session that whets the appetites
of the most dedicated Chili Bowlers.
Competing in the ranks of the mighty Midget race cars atop
the ¼-mile clay oval annually are drivers
from all variety of motorsports
disciplines, including Sprint Cars,
Midgets, Dirt Late Models, DIRT Modifieds,
NHRA Drag Racing and even NASCAR.
Drivers come from far and wide, comprising a truly
international field that will include at
least one Aussie and a pair of Kiwis from
New Zealand in 2010.
It annually sets up perhaps one of the most challenging,
competitive events in all of sports.
What other major sporting event
hasn't had a back-to-back winner in its 23
previous renditions?
In 23 previous editions of the Chili Bowl Nationals, snaring
that coveted Golden Driller winner's
trophy on back-to-back occasions has
proven a difficult task.
So difficult in fact, that there
has not yet been a back-to-back Chili Bowl
champion.
That's something that Tennessee's Sammy Swindell will try to
change in January.
And, if anyone can pull off the
repeat, Slammin' Sammy could be just the
guy.
After all, few can boast the past Chili Bowl success that
Swindell can.
Actually, nobody can, as no other
driver has accumulated five Golden
Drillers.
After reaching the top step of the podium in 1989's Third
Annual Chili Bowl, Swindell added on wins
in 1992, 1996 and 1998 before waiting
eleven years to add an unprecedented fifth
Chili Bowl to kick off the 2009 racing
season.
Care for some perspective?
While Sammy has five Chili Bowl
wins, the only other drives to score
multiple wins include NASCAR star Tony
Stewart, California's Cory Kruseman and
Wisconsin's Dan Boorse.
And they've won it just two times
apiece, with another elite dozen drivers
reveling in Chili Bowl glory on one
occasion.
Those other twelve past Chili Bowl champions include Damion
Gardner, Tim McCreadie, Tracy Hines, Jay
Drake, Billy Boat, Donnie Beechler, Andy
Hillenburg, Dave Blaney, Lealand McSpadden,
Jon Heydenreich, Scott Hatton and
inaugural race winner Rich Vogler.
After an event record 281 competitors took part in the 2009
edition of the Chili Bowl, the 24th
Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals
kicks off with a Monday, January 11,
practice session.
Four full nights of qualifying
action follow on Tuesday through Friday,
January 12-15, setting the grid for the
Saturday, January 16, Chili Bowl
Championship feature events.
While all four qualifying nights will include full cards of
heat races, qualifying races and feature
events, the Tuesday night, January 12,
card will also include the Second Annual
Chili Bowl Race of Champions.
The top three finishers from the Qualifying Night
features will automatically lock into the
Saturday night, January 16, 50-lap Chili
Bowl championship feature with the balance
of Saturday's championship feature events
lined up according to Qualifying Night
finishes.
A limited number of reserved seats remain for
Tuesday night's Qualifying event and Race
of Champions for just $26 apiece.
Tickets may be obtained by calling
the ticket office at 918-838-3777.
Only pit passes remain for Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday and Saturday.
Additional information regarding the Lucas Oil
Chili Bowl Midget Nationals is available
at http://www.chilibowl.com/.
(G.T.
Miller photo - Kyle Larson (97), Michelle
Decker (7x) and Brady Short (67) in action
at the 2009 Chili Bowl.)
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