TULSA, Okla. — Tanner Thorson outlasted Christopher Bell to win last year’s Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals and will return to defend his victory aboard his own Tanner Thorson Racing No. 88.
Thorson, who won for Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports last year, is one of five former winners entered in the 37th annual event run inside the SageNet Center. Bell and Kyle Larson, who have combined to win five of the last six Chili Bowls, have not entered this year’s event.
Two-time Chili Bowl winner Rico Abreu goes for a third victory in a Keith Kunz-Curb-Agajanian entry, while Sammy Swindell looks for a sixth victory. Reigning and two-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion Tim McCreadie, who won the Chili Bowl in 2006, is entered in the No. 39 Daugherty Racing entry.
Finally, Kevin Swindell, who won four straight Chili Bowls as a driver between 2010-’13, owns the No. 39 that will be driven by USAC veteran Logan Seavey.
• One week before the Chili Bowl Nationals was scheduled to begin, 360 drivers had entered, including 57 who had started a previous Chili Bowl feature. There were 82 rookies and five Chili Bowl winners among the entries that represented 35 states and five countries.
• Keith Kunz Motorsports is fielding 15 cars for this year’s Chili Bowl Nationals.
Two-time Chili Bowl winner Rico Abreu leads a squad that includes reigning USAC national champion Buddy Kofoid. The other drivers are Ryan Timms, Gavan Boschele, Bryant Wideman, Kaylee Bryson, Taylor Reimer, Tanner Carrick, Cade Lewis, Kyle Spence, Tom Harris, Daison Pursley, Dominic Gorden, Brenham Crouch and Mariah Ede.
• Chase Briscoe, Josh Bilicki, Alex Bowman, Carson Hocevar and J.J. Yeley make up the contingent of NASCAR Cup Series competitors racing in this year’s Chili Bowl. Bowman’s Alex Bowman Racing is also running a second car for C.J. Leary, while Chase Briscoe Racing will field a second car for Indiana racer Jordan Kinser.
• At age 67, Sammy Swindell will be chasing his sixth Chili Bowl victory. Swindell, who will drive the familiar Swindell Motorsports No. 1, last won the Chili Bowl in 2009. His first Chili Bowl triumph came in 1989, which was the third running of the event.
• J.J. Yeley returns to the Chili Bowl, driving for his dad, Arizona car owner “Cactus” Jack Yeley. J.J. Yeley, who continues to be a frequent NASCAR Cup Series competitor, has three top-five finishes at the Chili Bowl, including a runner-up effort in 2007.
• One of A.J. Foyt’s first big victories came in a midget race inside the Houston Astrodome. Santino Ferrucci, who will handle the No. 14 A.J. Foyt Racing IndyCar Series machine this season, will be back for another crack at the Chili Bowl.
Ferrucci will wheel the No. 16 midget, which is one of seven entries for Dave Mac Motorsports.
• World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series veteran Jacob Allen will make his Chili Bowl debut, wheeling one of two cars fielded by NHRA Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon. Pedregon, who has raced in the Chili Bowl on multiple occasions, will also field an entry for California rookie Kalib Henry.
• Kaylee Bryson became the first female driver to start a Chili Bowl A-main last year after a dazzling drive through the B main. This year, Bryson leads a group of more than 10 female racers, who plan to compete, including Taylor Ferns, Michelle Decker, Karsyn Elledge, Tailor Reimer and Mariah Ede.
• The two-car Binks Motorsports driver lineup is one of the more interesting Chili Bowl squads.
With sponsorship from Champion, team owner Dan Binks will field the No. 4p midget for seven-time USAC Silver Crown Series champion Kody Swanson, who is also a three-time Little 500 winner. The team’s second car will be driven by fourth-generation racer Darin Naida, who competed in last month’s Tulsa Shootout and will be a Chili Bowl rookie. Naida is the son of veteran Michigan sprint car racer Dain Naida.
• Adam Andretti, a veteran sports car racer and regular competitor in the Trans-Am Series, has entered the Chili Bowl. Andretti is the younger brother of the late John Andretti, son of Aldo Andretti and nephew of Mario Andretti.
• Aspiring racer and SPEED SPORT columnist Nathan Byrd will wheel the No. 19n midget for Hayward Motorsports.
• California team owner Matt Wood has hired five sprint car racers to pilot the Matt Wood Racing entries in the Chili Bowl. Full-time Matt Wood Racing pilot Shane Golobic, who won the Trophy Cup in October, will be joined by Ryan Bernal, Daryn Pittman, Corey Day and Devon Borden. All five drivers have midget racing experience and Borden is the only Chili Bowl rookie in the group.
• Dirt and asphalt modified racer Max McLaughlin, who broke into motorsports racing micro sprints, will make his Chili Bowl debut, driving an entry fielded by Lil Bundy Motorsports.
• Longtime World of Outlaws sprint car driver Johnny Herrera is fielding a four-car team for the Chili Bowl with drivers Briggs Danner, Jerry Brey, Shon Deskins and Roger Crockett.
• Team owner Andy Bondio, a Chili Bowl winner with driver Damion Gardner, is running a pair of cars for Jason McDougall and Zach Daum.