Grant fell short of this year’s Chili Bowl feature field, eliminated in his B main after a run of four straight finale appearances. It was that miss that left him “more inspired than ever” to chase a Chili Bowl triumph.
“It drives you to keep coming back,” Grant noted of missing the field for this year’s Chili Bowl, as well as having yet to triumph in it. “This race … when you don’t win it, you’re so disappointed, but at the same time you’re equally ready to get back here (to the Expo Center) again and try for it the next year.
“You see the guys who have won this race — Larson, Bell, Rico (Abreu), the Swindells — everyone knows who’s won in this building,” Grant continued. “If you can add your name alongside those, you’ve made history that people will always remember … and that’s what we come to Tulsa every year to try and accomplish.”
Courtney knows it’s not easy to win in Tulsa. Considering he’s still looking for a top-five finish in the Chili Bowl finale, the Indianapolis native has been humbled by the event.
Much like Grant, the struggles haven’t quelled Courtney’s fire for wanting to succeed at the Chili Bowl.
“Everybody wants to win the Chili Bowl; that’s why you see so many people, from all walks of life and so many different disciplines, try to come to Oklahoma every year for a shot at it,” Courtney explained. “We haven’t won it yet, but we want to, and every year that you don’t really does push you that much harder.”
Courtney stood on the victory stage in 2017, during a preliminary-night feature that locked him into the Saturday finale, but a Saturday win remains elusive.
That said, his weeknight score nearly four years ago is still meaningful to Courtney, though, he says it’s not the same as winning the big prize.
“Winning in 2017 on the opening night was something that was pretty special,” Courtney noted. “It’s something that no one can take away from you. But it’s not the same as that last night. There’s a different energy on Saturdays (in Tulsa) every year.
“I know people have said it many times but locking in (to the finale) is huge. That’s your goal going into your (preliminary) night. Your goal is to win, but if you can’t win, you want to lock in and give yourself a shot at it,” he added. “Then, if it gets down to the end on Saturday and you do have a shot to win it, it’s a big deal.”
The prestige of being called a Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals winner comes with a reward all its own, a roughly 18-inch replica of the oil driller statue that stands outside the main entrance to the River Spirit Expo Center known as the Golden Driller.
It’s a trophy presented exclusively to winners of either the Tulsa Shootout (for micro sprints) or the Chili Bowl and it ranks as one of the most sought-after prizes in all of motorsports.
Larson finally ended his quest for a Golden Driller this past January, winning the Chili Bowl in his ninth Saturday feature appearance.
It led to an emotional victory lane celebration and, perhaps, one of the most telling expressions of what it means to win the Chili Bowl in the 34-year history of the event.
“I’m sorry, NASCAR; I’m sorry, Daytona (Int’l Speedway), but this is the biggest f-ing race I’ve ever won,” he exclaimed after climbing from his self-owned, Lucas Oil-sponsored No. 01 car.
It said a lot that Larson considered his long-awaited Chili Bowl score to be more important than any of his accomplishments in stock car racing. But it was, in a way, not surprising.
“That’s just what the Chili Bowl means to win,” noted Courtney after Larson’s win earlier this year.
A post-race comment from Kruseman after his second Chili Bowl triumph in 2004 further paints the picture of the importance of a win at the historic event — and its iconic trophy.
“That little guy that they give you means everything in the world,” Kruseman said of the Golden Driller trophy. “You just can’t get one of those anywhere. You have to come here and beat 218 people and the best equipment.
“It shows you the versatility and competitiveness at this race track.”
Perennial home-state favorite Bell summed it up rather simply to SPEED SPORT after his third win in 2019.
“It’s the Chili Bowl, man,” he said with a smile. “When you win it, you’ve done something.”
It’s something that more than 300 drivers are expected to take aim at again next month.
SPEED SPORT’s LIVE From the Chili Bowl coverage is supported by MyRacePass, KICKER, Curb Records and Swann Communications! To find out more about each of our partners and to check out all of SPEED SPORT’s Chili Bowl coverage, visit our Chili Bowl Index Page! DON’T MISS SPEED SPORT’S LIVE From the Chili Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m. ET on MAVTV and watch the Chili Bowl finale LIVE Saturday, Jan. 16 at 8:30 p.m. on MAVTV!