senor honda

Abreu qualifies for Chili Bowl final with A Main win

Wednesday, 10 January 2018


By Robin Miller / Images by Boyd Adams

Two-time Chili Bowl king Rico Abreu made quick work of the competition on Wednesday night – leading all 25 laps to take the A Main and slot into Saturday night's main event.

Starting second in the Keith Kunz Spike/Toyota, Abreu pounced on polesitter Tyler Thomas on the opening lap and never relinquished the top spot as he completed a perfect evening at the Tulsa Expo Raceway. The 2015 and 2016 winner also won his heat race and qualifier as 85 cars contested the second of four nights of preliminaries.
This week marks Abreu's first time back in the car since taking a months-long hiatus following a nasty crash in September at the Four Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway. His jubilant crew and car owner lifted him onto their shoulders in Victory Lane.
Kevin Thomas Jr. finished second and Thomas held on for third to take the other two transfer spots into Saturday's midget classic.
Five-time winner Sammy Swindell charged from seventh to take fourth and earn a spot up front in one of Saturday's B Mains while USAC sprint champ Chris Windom came home fifth and is also slated for a good staring spot in the B.
Perennial World of Outlaw champ Donny Schatz started 11th but dropped out and will have to come through the C Main.

senor honda

[h=2]Larson starts fast in Chili Bowl preliminaries[/h] Tuesday, 09 January 2018


By Robin Miller / Image by Boyd Adams



220 Shares

















Kyle Larson has done everything but win the Chili Bowl during the past few years and Tuesday night he once again got off to a flying start on the path he hopes will end up with the Golden Driller Trophy.
Starting second in the 25-lap A Main in his Toyota-powered Spike chassis, Larson took the lead from polesitter Zach Daum on Lap 8 and never relinquished it as he automatically transferred into Saturday night's 32nd annual midget racing classic.
Chip Ganassi's NASCAR star, who came up through midgets and sprint ranks, is driving for Keith Kunz Motorsports, the winning team the past three years with Rico Abreu and Chris Bell, and Larson is always fast on the dirt bullring and always one of the favorites. This is his third preliminary victory in the past six years.
Fellow Californian and sprint car ace Brad Sweet charged from fifth to second place and Tyler Courtney held off hard-charging Tom Harris for the third and final transfer spot into Saturday night's A Main. Harris stormed from 13th to fourth and will start up front in one of the B Mains.
Daum, the three-time POWER1 champion, was holding down third spot when another car flipped in front of him and he had to stop – relegating him to 16th place so now he'll have to come from the C Main on Saturday.
Chad Boat captured the Race of Champions ahead of Larson, former USAC midget champ Tanner Thorson and multi-USAC champion Tracy Hines.

senor honda

[h=2]Grant wins Friday A Main to make Chili Bowl final[/h] Saturday, 13 January 2018


By Robin Miller / Images by Boyd Adams




Justin Grant slid past 2008 Chili Bowl winner Damion Gardner on Lap 17 and held on to win Friday night's A Main to break up the Keith Kunz/Toyota monopoly going into Saturday night's 32nd annual Chili Bowl.

Grant, who led the USAC sprint standings until the final race of 2017, started second and stalked Chad Boat and Gardner before taking the lead for the final nine laps at Tulsa Expo Raceway.

Spencer Bayston, the 2017 USAC midget champion, charged from sixth to take second place and join Kunz teammates Kyle Larson, Rico Abreu and Christopher Bell in tonight's A Main. All three scored wins in the preliminaries on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Andrew Felker stormed from 11th to earn the final A Main transfer spot – just nudging 2008 CB winner Gardner and NASCAR star Kasey Kahne.

senor honda

[h=2]NASCAR racers salute Bell's Chili Bowl win[/h] Sunday, 14 January 2018


Kelly Crandall / Image by Boyd Adams


Christopher Bell is the toast of the town today.

Saturday night in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Bell won his second consecutive Chili Bowl after taking the lead with 12 laps to go. Bell overtook Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson, who was leading when his engine expired. The reigning Camping World Truck Series champion, and Oklahoma native, Bell cruised to a three-second win over teammate Rico Abreu.
Congratulations for Bell have been pouring in via social media ever since:

senor honda

[h=2]Bell repeats at Chili Bowl as Larson's engine fails[/h] Saturday, 13 January 2018


By Robin Miller / Images by Boyd Adams



710 Shares
Christopher Bell was one of the hottest race drivers in 2017, and the 23-year-old Oklahoma native has come out smokin' in 2018.

Bell, the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion who also won races in USAC, World of Outlaws, Poweri, Xfinity and ARCA last season, passed teammate Kyle Larson's disabled car with 12 laps to go Saturday night and breezed to his second straight Golden Driller trophy.
Starting second, Bell beat Keith Kunz teammate and two-time champ Rico Abreu by three seconds to give Kunz and Toyota their fourth consecutive triumph in the 32nd Chili Bowl at the Tulsa Expo Raceway.
"It was a big deal last year for an Oklahoma guy to finally win this thing again but going back-to-back is even cooler," said Bell, a Norman resident who also captured the winged midget A Main here last weekend.
"But I hate it for Kyle because I wanted to race this out with him."
Larson started on the pole in another Kunz Spike/Toyota and led the first 10 laps before Bell slipped past coming out of Turn 4. It stayed that way until they hit lapped traffic and Larson was able to retake the top spot on Lap 27.

From there it was a two-man show as Bell stalked Larson around the top of track before the latter's engine exploded in a cloud of smoke on Lap 43.
"I could tell he was struggling and slowing right before it happened," said Bell.
With Larson gone, Bell checked out and the popular Abreu had nothing for him.

"Those two just got away from me in traffic but it was a good night," Abreu said. "I'll take second place in the Chili Bowl."


Spencer Bayston gave Kunz's team a podium sweep by finishing third, but the drives of the night came from Tanner Thorson and Ryan Bernal.
Former USAC midget champ Thorson and sprint-car standout Bernal had to transfer through the B Main. Thorson started 17th and charged to fourth while Bernal stormed from 23rd to fifth.