Chili Bowl news 2007-01-04

McCarl Joins O'Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals Field

TULSA, Okla. (January 4, 2007) -- The rookie crop for the 21st Annual O'Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals just got tougher, as Iowa's Terry McCarl has thrown his hat into the mix for the prestigious event, which takes place Tuesday through Saturday of next week, January 9-13, at the Tulsa Expo Raceway.

McCarl, an accomplished Sprint Car ace, makes his Midget racing debut aboard the Pace Brothers Racing Chevy-powered No. 44 Beast. Slated for Friday night's Oklahoma Dodge Dealers Qualifying night, McCarl is teamed with Don Droud, Jr., and Shane Cottle, both of whom made last year's O'Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals championship finale aboard Pace Brothers entries.

After capturing six consecutive Knoxville Raceway championships from 1999 to 2004, McCarl took to the road with the World of Outlaws on a full-time basis in 2005. McCarl ranked ninth in 2006 World of Outlaws points, scoring three feature wins along the way.

Overall, McCarl posted eleven feature triumphs in 2006, including a season-opening $10,000 score in East Bay Raceway Park's ASCS-sanctioned Ronald Laney Memorial, the final event of the "King of the 360's" Nationals in Tampa, FL, on January 28.

McCarl has recorded well over 200 feature wins over the course of his career and sets his sights on the Golden Driller Trophy next weekend.

-credit: www.chilibowl.com