Three Sprint Cup drivers are among those with NASCAR ties entered in this week’s Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, one of the biggest annual events for racers of sprint midget cars. Cup drivers #42-Kyle Larson, #17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and JJ Yeley will compete in the event at the River Spirit Expo Center in Tulsa. Qualifying races to set up the lineups for Saturday’s championship day will run Tuesday-Friday for the more than 300 drivers in the event. Larson, Stenhouse and Yeley also will compete in a 16-driver invitation-only all-star event Tuesday night. Among those in the invitation-only event is four-time Chili Bowl champion Kevin Swindell, who has competed part-time in the XFINITY Series. Former Cup and Xfinity Series driver Kenny Wallace is competing for the first time in the event. Among other drivers with NASCAR connections competing are Xfinity drivers Tanner Berryhill and Ryan Ellis and Camping World Truck Series driver Cole Custer.(Sporting News)(1-13-2015)
UPDATE: Kyle Larson scored his second checkered flag of 2015 by winning the opening night of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. After winning the second round of the Winter Heat Showdown at Cocopah Speedway on Jan. 3, Larson showed no signs of slowing down. He rebounded from a Heat Race crash in Tuesday’s qualifying night at the Tulsa Expo Center to win the C, B and A-Features. The “A” victory locked Larson into Saturday night’s championship event. “I thought it’d be tough to get to the “A’,” Larson said. “I could get through the “C’ and thought it would be close on getting to the “A’ from the “B’. If I was to get to the “A’, I thought if I could finish in the top-six or seven, it would be a solid recovery. Everything seemed to fall my way after that Heat Race accident.” Qualifying for the 29th Chili Bowl Midget Nationals continues Wednesday with 82 drivers scheduled to qualify.(Motor Racing Network)(1-14-2015)
