Sprint Car drivers have started to make their mark during the 35th annual Chili Bowl Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Center.
Rico Abreu did his division proud Wednesday night, claiming his sixth preliminary night A-Man. Two-time defending World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car champion Brad Sweet posted a solid third-place run.
The win by Abreu comes on the heels of Kyle Larson bagging Tuesday’s qualifier. Thomas Meseraull, a non-wing standout in the Midwest, also locked himself into Saturday’s Chili Bowl finale.
With three nights complete, action shifts into the fourth night of preliminary action. We highlight that list below, as drivers continue to position themselves for Saturday’s $10,000 top prize.
Chase Stockon: Stockon is a 12-time winner in USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car competition and has made his mark in almost every division in which he’s competed. Now, he needs to do the same at the Tulsa Expo Center. Stockon has yet to make Saturday’s A-Main, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t shown some speed. He comes into Thursday running the Glenn Styres-Jack Yeley Racing entry and is looking to improve on past performances.
Spencer Bayston: As good as Bayston is behind the wheel, his Chili Bowl performances come with mixed reviews. He’s qualified for Saturday’s A-Main three times and has one top-five finish, which came in 2018 when he placed third. His other performances resulted in a pair of 18th-place finishes. Bayston showed promise in the Sprint Car ranks in 2020, and he is hoping to carry that speed over to Thursday night.
Brent Shearer: Shearer is still getting his feet wet in central Pennsylvania Sprint Car competition and is starting to show improvement. To further his racing career against tough competition, he decided to add a maiden voyage to the Tulsa Expo Center for his first Chili Bowl Nationals appearance. Competing in Thursday’s preliminary makes the task of trying to score Rookie of the Year honors even more daunting, as a loaded field is in attendance.
Sam Hafertepe Jr.: This guy needs no introduction to the Sprint Car world, especially if you are discussing the 360 division. Hafertepe is a five-time defending Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour champion and is widely considered the best in the country by most experts. Still, Hafertepe is still looking for his first Chili Bowl A-Main appearance. He’s made the B-Main twice since 2015 and cracked the C-Main last year, and he hopes to improve on that with a better preliminary run tonight.
Brady Bacon: You would think the 2020 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champion would have a better record in the Chili Bowl, but the tight racing surface hasn’t always been kind to the wingless ace. Bacon has made Saturday’s A-Main three times and only twice since 2012. His best run came in 2019, when he finished fourth. After a C-Main appearance last year, I expect Bacon to improve and make another A-Main run in 2021.
Don Droud Jr.: Droud has spent most of his career bumping around the Midwest and is a 12-time feature winner at the famed Knoxville Raceway. He’s also had a couple of good Chili Bowl performances, making the A-Main twice in his career. The best result came in 2003, when he crossed the line seventh in the finale. Droud will be looking to notch his third A-Main appearance in the Hard Promises machine this week.
Steve Buckwalter: Another central Pennsylvania Sprint Car driver adds his name to the Thursday night list. But unlike Shearer, Buckwalter’s had his share of success at the Chili Bowl in the past. It just hasn’t been good lately. Buckwalter has made the finale five times, the last of which occurred in 2011. He’s made the B-Main twice since 2015, including 13th a year ago. If Buckwalter can skate through his preliminary night, the potential is there to break his long string of A-Main no-shows.
Zeb Wise: That Matt Wood Racing camp is deep, and Wise might have the most talent of the group. Wise took on the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions last season and came away with a third-place finish in the standings for his rookie season. Now, he is looking to add a Chili Bowl A-Main check to his resumé. He made the B-Main in 2019 and was 12th in the D-Main last season, which means he has plenty of motivation and the right team to improve this year.
Joe B. Miller: Whether it’s the World of Outlaws, All Star Circuit of Champions, IRA, MOWA, or even ASCS, this Midwest driver isn’t afraid to show up and compete. So, it comes as no surprise that he would try his hand at the Chili Bowl Nationals. Miller made Saturday’s A-Main in 2016 and came away with a 16th-place run. He is back and will compete on the toughest night of the week, and as he showed five years ago, he has the chops to run with the best.
Kyle Bellm: The Missouri driver has spent some time running with the ASCS National Tour and dabbled in some 410 Sprint Car racing last year. As for the Chili Bowl, this will be Bellm’s eighth appearance in the event. He has yet to qualify for Saturday’s A-Main, but he hopes to change his fortunes tonight behind the wheel of the Dustin Morgan Racing entry.