TULSA, Okla. – The 36th running of the Chili Bowl Nationals inside River Spirit Expo Center is exactly one month away and the event’s entry record of 372 set in 2017 is bound to be surpassed.
As of Wednesday, Dec. 15, the current competitor list stands at 346 for the biggest midget race on the planet, with big names, event rookies and event mainstays lining the prospective field.
Reigning two-time Chili Bowl Nationals winner and NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson is back in his own equipment and alongside Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott under the Kyle Larson Racing banner.
Past Chili Bowl champions also include the event’s king and five-time winner Sammy Swindell, three-time winner Christopher Bell, two-time winner Rico Abreu and 2016 victor Tim McCreadie.
NASCAR Cup Series drivers Alex Bowman and Chase Briscoe have filed entries, joining Indianapolis 500 starters Conor Daly and Santino Ferrucci as full-time pavement drivers joining the fun around the quarter-mile dirt-track.
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series champions Brad Sweet and Daryn Pittman have their names registered, as do World of Outlaws competitors David Gravel and Spencer Bayston.
Powerhouse midget operations Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, CB Industries, Matt Wood Racing and RMS Racing have primarily filled out their respective rosters.
The Kunz camp will employ 15 drivers in Abreu, Bell, USAC National Midget champion Buddy Kofoid, Jesse Love, Kaylee Bryson, Tanner Carrick, Taylor Reimer, Tucker Klaasmeyer and Tom Harris, plus rookies Brenham Crouch, Bryant Wiedeman, Gavan Boschelle, Mariah Ede, Jonathan Shaffer and Steven Snyder Jr.
CB Industries is slated to bring seven cars to the Chili Bowl, including Chris Windom, Chase Johnson, Dillon Welch, Dominic Gordon, Michael Faccinto and teenage midget stars Brent Crews and Ryan Timms, whom headline the list of 74 rookies.
Four Californians lead the six-car Matt Wood Racing charge, namely Colby Copeland, Mitchel Moles, Shane Golobic and Ryan Bernal. Zeb Wise and Australian Kaidon Brown fill out the remainder of the Wood lineup.
RMS Racing boasts seven entries in Bayston, Gravel, Sweet, Braxton Lynch, Justin Grant and Thomas Messeraull. The seventh RMS Racing car is currently unspecified.
Sprint car standouts Anthony Macri, Cory Eliason, Hunter Schuerenberg, Justin Peck and Parker Price-Miller are also among those entered.
Carson Kvapil, who is set to pilot JR Motorsports’ flagship No. 8 pavement late model full-time next racing season, is entered in one of three Marc Dailey Racing cars.
USAC stalwart Brady Bacon, DIRTcar modified national champion Nick Hoffman, Gateway Dirt Nationals champion Jonathan Beason, open-wheel veteran J.J. Yeley and the most recent USAC East Coast Sprint Car champion Alex Bright are also entered.
Clauson/Marshall Racing officials have not named drivers to the team’s seven entries.
For a full Chili Bowl Nationals entry list, visit chilibowl.com.