TULSA, Okla. — Two of the Chili Bowl’s all-time greatest champions lead a list of more than 90 drivers attempting to make the championship finale during Wednesday’s Hard Rock Casino Qualifying Night at the Tulsa Expo Center.
Two-time defending champion Rico Abreu and record five-time event winner Sammy Swindell are among the drivers who will race for the three guaranteed starting spots available by finishing on the podium in the night’s 25-lap preliminary A-Feature.
Abreu will drive the No. 97 Safelite Auto Glass/DC Solar Bullet-Toyota for Keith Kunz Motorsports as he chases his third-consecutive win in the 55-lap finale set for Saturday night.
The St. Helena, Calif. native is coming off of his first full-time season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he drove for ThorSport Racing and finished 13th in points.
Swindell, who is seeking a six-pack inside the Expo Center, will drive his familiar black No. 1 John Christner Trucking/Curb Records Spike-Esslinger and is a seven-time preliminary night winner.
Another notable name competing on Wednesday night is eight-time World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series champion Donny Schatz, who will make his Chili Bowl debut in the No. 15 Clauson-Marshall Racing entry, with sponsorship from Arctic Cat.
Even more heavy hitters include reigning USAC Silver Crown Series champion Chris Windom, Outlaws regulars David Gravel and Paul McMahan, and outlaw kart star Logan Seavey, who is another talented rookie making his Chili Bowl debut.
Windom, who won the Silver Crown finale at Eldora Speedway to secure the title last fall, will attempt to make his sixth-career championship A-Feature and third in the last four years driving the No. 5W Baldwin Brothers Racing Spike-Claxton Ford.
Gravel, who won nine World of Outlaws A-Mains last year in a breakout season for CJB Motorsports, pilots the No. 5E Tony Elliott Foundation Eagle as an additional entry for Daum Motorsports. Team owner-driver Zach Daum qualified for the A-Feature by finishing third on Tuesday.
McMahan will pilot a No. 4P Triple X-Toyota, fielded by his sprint car team, Destiny Motorsports.
Seavey makes his first official Chili Bowl appearance in the No. 2X Rockwell Security Boss-Toyota for car owner Jeff Taylor, after hot-lapping a car in Chili Bowl practice last year but being ruled ineligible to compete.
Click here to view the full entry list.
