Chili Bowl Nationals news 2009-01-08

Chili Bowl 2009 -- Star Studded Field Flocks to Tulsa!
Action Starts Tuesday!

TULSA, Okla. (January 8, 2009) -- The talent pool runs deep at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals. And with a record total of 293 entries already submitted for next week's 23rd Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire, how could it not?

The best of the Bowl season takes place next Tuesday through Saturday at the QuikTrip Center's Tulsa Expo Raceway as racing teams from 30 different states as well as Canada battle it out for Chili Bowl bragging rights atop the 0x00bc-mile clay oval in front of a packed house.

Champions from all variety of motorsports, including Sprint Cars, Midgets, Late Models, Modifieds and even Drag Racing are also represented among the current crop of entries.

With the announcement that Temecula, California's Mike Spencer will fill the seat of the Bernie Stuebgen No. 71s entry, teaming with fellow Stuebgen entries for four-time ASCS National champion Gary Wright and Nebraska shoe Don Droud, Jr., no fewer than 27 series and track champions for 2008 will be among next week's Chili Bowl field. Spencer captured the 2008 USAC/CRA Sprint Car championship.

The 2008 track and series champions represented among this year's Chili Bowl field includes the following:

0 - Glenn Styres (SOS Sprint Cars)
1az -- Jeff Perry (AMRA Midgets)
4m -- Jimmy Light (Lawrenceburg Speedway Non-Wing Sprint Cars)
5 -- Dave Darland (Sprint Bandits TNT)
5m -- Wayne Modjeski (MSA Sprint Cars)
05s -- Jon Stanbrough (King of Indiana Sprint Series)
05L -- Danny Lasoski (Knoxville Raceway Sprint Cars)
6r -- Jody Rosenboom (Huset's Speedway Sprint Cars)
6x -- Dylan Peterson (Rapid Speedway-Heartland Racing Association Sprint Cars)
7x -- Michelle Decker (State Fair Speedway Champ Sprint Cars)
11 -- Jerry Coons, Jr. (USAC Sprint Cars and USAC Silver Crown)
11a - Andrew Felker (ASCS2 Non-Wing Micro Sprints)
14T -- Tony Rossi (RMMRA Midgets)
17p -- Cruz Pedregon (NHRA Funny Cars)
24 -- Nick Foster, Jr. (BCRA Midgets)
27d -- Danny Jennings (State Fair Speedway Super Sprint Cars)
55c -- Caleb Armstrong (USAC Kenyon Midgets)
36 -- Jonathan Beason (SMRS Midgets)
40 -- Nic Faas (USAC Western States Midgets)
71 -- Cole Whitt (USAC Midgets -- National)
71s -- Mike Spencer (USAC/CRA Sprint Cars)
71T -- Tim Pyle (NOMA Midgets)
82 -- Mike Hess (Badger Midgets)
86 -- Justin Allgaier (ARCA/Remax Stock Car Series)
87c -- Tim Crawley (Mid-South Sprint Cars)
97J -- Jerry Higbie, Jr. (Orange County Fair Speedway 358 Modifieds)
99k -- Kevin Kierce (VRA Sprint Cars)

At least another 50 drivers have captured track or series championships in past years, a list that includes but is not limited to Sammy Swindell (WoO), J.J. Yeley (USAC), Garry Lee Maier (ASCS & NCRA), Shane Cottle (Kokomo), Paul White (USAC Silver Crown), Thomas Meseraull (BCRA Midgets), Wayne Johnson (ASCS), Damion Gardner (USAC/CRA), Bobby East (USAC Midgets), Gary Taylor (ASCS Rocky Mountain / SMRS), Brad Loyet (POWRi Midgets), Jesse Hockett (Sprint Bandits TNT), Joe Boyles (SMRS Midgets), Kevin Ramey (ASCS Sooner & Devil's Bowl), Greg Wilson (All Star Sprint Cars), Chad Kemenah (All Star Sprint Cars), Bud Kaeding (USAC Silver Crown), Brock Lemley (Skagit), Chris Sheil (RMMRA Midgets), Terry McCarl (Knoxville), Tim McCreadie (WoO Late Model), Rick England (SMRS), Rick Hendrix (USAC Western States), Scott Hatton (Badger), Brad Kuhn (Badger), Mike Goodman (OCRS), Justin Grant (BCRA), Floyd Alvis (BCRA), Levi Jones (USAC Sprint Car), Tracy Hines (USAC), Kevin Olson (USAC Midget), Glenn Carson (BCRA), Donnie Lehmann (Midgets), Jeff Bland, Jr. (Bloomington), Jason Leffler (USAC Midget), Aaron Kirk (SSMA), Cory Kruseman (USAC/CRA -- SCRA), Jay Drake (USAC Sprint Car), Keith Rauch (ASCS Rocky Mountain, RMMRA), Gary Wright (ASCS), Josh Wise (USAC Midget), Shane Carson (NCRA), Jerry Bell (ASCS Gulf South), Johnny Rodriguez (USAC Western States Midget).

Additional Lucas Oil Chili Bowl presented by General Tire Information:

What: 23rd Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals presented by General Tire

Where: Tulsa Expo Raceway -- 0x00bc-mile clay oval inside the QuikTrip Center at the Tulsa State Fairgrounds

When: January 13-17, 2009

Tuesday -- Qualifying Night plus Chili Bowl Race of Champions

Wednesday - Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Night

Thursday -- Warren CAT Qualifying Night

Friday -- Qualifying Night

Saturday -- Championship Feature Events

Past Winners: Damion Gardner (2008), 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).

Tickets: A limited number of reserved seats for Tuesday night's Qualifying Event and Chili Bowl Race of Champions are available for $26 per person and may be obtained by calling 918-838-3777 or at the gate. Four-night tickets for Wednesday through Saturday of the 23rd Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire were depleted by the end of May. Pit passes for all five nights are available at the gate as well.

-credit: cbn/lw