1/14/2020
Speed Sport
Kyle Larson Among Tuesday's Chili Bowl Entries
Brendon Bauman photo
TULSA, Okla. - Kyle Larson, the 2019 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals runner-up, tops the list of notable names for Tuesday's Warren CAT Qualifying Night at Tulsa Expo Raceway.
Larson, who has won all but one of his eight starts since launching his own midget program, will pilot the No. 01 Lucas Oil/iRacing-sponsored King/Toyota as he chases his first Golden Driller following a heartbreaking loss to Christopher Bell last year.
The Elk Grove, Calif., native and NASCAR Cup Series star is competing at the Chili Bowl against Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports for the first time in many years, hoping to end his former team's five-year winning streak in the crown jewel event.
Among the KKM contingent trying to stop Larson in Tuesday's preliminary will be 17-year-old Zeb Wise, who moved over from Clauson-Marshall Racing to KKM during the winter.
Wise will wheel the No. 71 IWX Bullet/Toyota in his second Chili Bowl appearance, joined by teammate Presley Truedson, driving the No. 71x Prairie Home Doodles Bullet/Toyota in her third Chili Bowl attempt and first for the Keith Kunz-led organization.
Another NASCAR Cup Series star, Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman, will also be racing on Tuesday night. Bowman will pilot his own No. 55X Stewart/SR-11 entry as a teammate to C.J. Leary, who will race later in the week.
Additional notables on Tuesday’s roster include Tanner Carrick, this year in a Toyota-powered Petry Motorsports entry; World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series race director Mike Hess, driving for Jim Neuman; and NBC and MRN broadcast personality Dillon Welch, who will attempt the Chili Bowl for Tucker-Boat Motorsports this year.
The top-two finishers from the 25-lap preliminary A-main will be locked into the finale and will also participate in the pole dash that will set the first five rows of the starting grid.
In addition to the regular racing program, Tuesday is also the traditional race day for the Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions, a 25-lap all-star event which this year features past Chili Bowl podium finishers, the Chili Bowl preliminary night winners from 2019 and premier sprint car and midget series champions from the preceding year, among others.
Tanner Thorson is the reigning VIROC winner, while Sammy Swindell has won the VIROC more times than any other driver, with four victories in the event.
Article Credit: www.SpeedSport.com
Submitted By: Josh Holt
