23rd Annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals

Midget car fans have it easy when it comes to beating the post-holiday blues. Once the holiday decorations have been stored away and the final toasts to the New Year have been served up, fans of non-stop racing action can take comfort in the fact that early January means the long-awaited return of the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, the Super Bowl of the midget racing set.

In its 23rd year, the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals attracts boisterous sell-out crowds and nearly 300 midget car entries, all crammed into the QuikTrip Center’s Tulsa Expo Raceway. This year’s event rolled into Oklahoma on Jan. 13–17, with four nights of qualifying on the QuikTrip Center’s quarter-mile clay oval leading up to the Saturday 50-lap Chili Bowl championship main event.

Three drivers utilizing Mopar® power plants placed their entries in the 50-lap finale, capping off a Saturday slate that witnessed a packed day of racing action with 23 championship feature events, opening with Twin L-Mains as the record 293 entries attempted to drive their way into the championship A-Main. Defending Chili Bowl champion Damion Gardner was the highest ranked Mopar-powered driver, taking the checkered flag in the 19th spot. He was followed by Shane Cottle in the 23rd spot and 25th-place Chad Kemenah.

NASCAR star Kasey Kahne saw his Saturday run end early in his Mopar-driven midget when he banged with Jason Meyers while vying for a transfer position in the first C Main. Midget pilots Dakoda Armstrong and Bud Kaeding came up short in their battle to place in the top six of the second B-Main and advance into the A-Main, finishing 12th and 13th, respectively. Kahne’s Kasey Kahne Racing driver Brad Sweet fought hard but was unable to advance further than the second I-Main.

For more info on the 23rd Annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, visit http://www.chilibowl.com.