TULSA, Okla. — With Christopher Bell not competing during this year’s Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals the door is open for a new winner during Thursday’s JCT Qualifying Night.
Bell has won eight of the last nine and seven consecutive Thursday night features during the Chili Bowl.
That leaves reigning Chili Bowl champion Tanner Thorson as the heavy favorite. Thorson, who chased Bell home in last year’s preliminary feature and outdueled him to win Saturday’s 55-lap main event, will drive his own Tanner Thorson Racing No. 88 midget this season after winning for Reinbold Underwood Motorsports last season. Thorson won a preliminary night feature in 2020.
The Reinbold Underwood team will be in contention again on Thursday night, with Emerson Axsom, who posted a victory during the Tulsa Shootout, aboard the potent No. 19t machine that Thorson drove last January.
Driving a car fielded by Keith Kunz Motorsports, Tanner Carrick will be among the Thursday night contenders with rising star Dominic Gorden also piloting a KKM entry.
Chase Johnson is likely to make some noise aboard one of Chad Boat’s CB Industries machines. Chili Bowl veteran Brady Bacon will drive Kelly Hinck’s No. 21h and J.J. Yeley will jump aboard his dad Jack’s No. 2g machine. The always-fast C.J. Leary drives a second entry from the Alex Bowman Racing stable.
Others to watch will be World of Outlaws veteran Jacob Allen, Taylor Ferns, Steve and Tim Buckwalter, Casey Shuman, Dillon Welch, Ryan Bernal and Todd Bertrand.
Thursday Night Entries
00 — Anton Hernandez
1A (R) — Jacob Allen
1D — TBA
02 — Matt Rossi
2D — Matt Sherrell
2E — Whit Gastineau
2G — J.J. Yeley
2MD (R) — Conner Morrell
3B — Zach Blurton
3F — Tim Barber
3N — Jake Neuman
4 — Taylor Ferns
4A — Kyle Steffens
4C — Cody Jessop
4M — Brody Fuson
4R — Ryan Bickett
5K — Ben Worth
6C — TBA
7 — Frankie Guerrini
7G (R) — Gavin Miller
7M — Shane Cockrum
10T — Brandon Thomas
10X (R) — Trevor Serbus
14E (R) — Tom Dunkel
14T — Dylan Bloomfield
15C — Carter Chevalier
15D — Andrew Deal
15M (R) — Shane Morgan
15W — Danny Burke
17C — Devin Camfield
17K — Garth Kasiner
17X — Jadon Rogers
19T — Emerson Axsom
20H — Noah Harris
21D — Justin Dickerson
21H — Brady Bacon
21S — Karter Sarff
22L — Lucas Scherb
22T — Don Droud Jr
25B — Steve Buckwalter
27J (R) — Frank Beck III
29 — Tim Buckwalter
31K — Danny Stratton
32W — Casey Shuman
33B (R) — Mike Bitner
35L — Cody Ledger
37X — Blake Edwards
40 — Max Adams
45 — Kyle Hammer
47W — Dylan Westbrook
51B — Joe B. Miller
51J — R.J. Johnson
51X — Joe Walker
51Z — Zach Boden
53R — Sean Robbins
55D — Nick Drake
55V — C.J. Leary
57R — Daniel Robinson
58 — Dillon Welch
71K (R) — Dominic Gorden
71T — Keith Rauch
72X (R) — Caden McCreary
75 — Mario Clouser
77W — Joe Wirth
78M — Merle Scherb
80 — Josh Hawkins
82 — Landon Crawley
83T — TBA
84J — Jesse Shapel
86 — Chase Johnson
87W — Ryan Bernal
88 — Tanner Thorson
91 — Jeff Stasa
93 — Kyle Bellm
98 — Tanner Carrick
98B — Joe Boyles
139 (R) — Todd Bertrand