Tulsa World: Racing season kicks off with Chili Bowl Nationals

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Racing season kicks off with Chili Bowl Nationals

By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist
Published: 1/12/2009 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 1/12/2009 3:03 AM

W HEN IT COMES to horsepower and speed, there is nothing midget about the cars that will run at this week's Chili Bowl Nationals.

"These cars will get up and go," said Chili Bowl co-founder and promoter Emmett Hahn. "It is a little car on a little track, but they get up there around 70 miles per hour.

"This is what we call a momentum track. Once you get going, you pretty much run the same all the way around. Heck, even in the corners, you'll see guys going 60 or 65."

The race cars that will spin around the quarter-mile dirt oval in the QuikTrip Center this week level the playing field between rookies and some of the best drivers in the world.

"It used to be that there were maybe 30 pretty good cars that would show up for the Chili Bowl," said Hahn. "Now, there are 75 to 100 cars that are good enough to win here.

"These cars are pretty close in specs. There isn't much difference in most of these cars. That's why the racing is so good."

The Chili Bowl Nationals, one of auto racing's biggest events, kicks off the 2009 racing season opening Tuesday at the QuikTrip Center.

The five-day event, with a record 293 race teams entered, will open with a Race of Champions and the first night of qualifying on Tuesday. It will continue nightly through Saturday's championship race.

It has become the traditional first major racing event of the year. It draws some of the most famous drivers from all types of racing. There are 27 series and track champions from the 2008 season running this week.

Regardless of whether drivers ride motorcycles or run in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, they'll be at the wheel of what is called a "midget" race car this week.

Hahn said specs for midget cars at this week's event are very similar to what is used in USAC Midget racing. USAC specs call for midget cars that weigh about 900 pounds and generate between 325-350 horsepower.

By comparison, NASCAR Sprint Cup cars weigh about 3,200 pounds and generate up to 865 horsepower (445 for restrictor plate races).

The track inside the QuikTrip Center is about a quarter-mile oval made of a blended clay dirt. NASCAR Sprint Cup races are run on pavement that measures from one-half mile to 2 1/2 miles and there are ovals, tri-ovals and road courses.

"Everyone knows the deal when they get here," said Hahn, who is running the event for a 23rd straight year. "They know that everyone is going to be in basically the same car. They all run on the same track and since it is inside it really doesn't change.

"This event kind of levels the field for everyone. Sure, some have better equipment than others. That's true in every type of racing."

But, because of the way this event is run, there isn't much difference.

There is a fine line between winning and losing in the Chili Bowl. The room for error, by everyone from a NASCAR star to a rookie, is small.

"There will be a lot of the big stars not make the final race," said Hahn. "Every year, you end up with quite a few guys you haven't heard of that keep advancing. And, there are always big names getting beat.

"If you are wanting to come out and see the real hot dogs, the best night is Tuesday when we run the Race of Champions. Because, a lot of the hot dogs won't be running in that last race."

Midget racing remains one of the few affordable styles of the sport for many. A midget car, built for the style of races to be run this week, will cost somewhere around $40,000 to $50,000. By contrast, a NASCAR Sprint Cup car is estimated by some to cost a little over $150,000.

Several midget race teams build cars with spare parts and then rent those cars to drivers for this week's event. Hahn said rent for a race car for the Chili Bowl can range for $5,000 to $10,000.

"I know that's still a lot of money," said Hahn. "We understand that, especially the way the economy is right now. So, we're always looking for ways to make racing more affordable.

"But, I think most of the drivers this week would tell you the same thing about this event. This is fun. This is not a points race in any series. It is a one-week deal. If you have a bad night here, it is not as serious as you getting pushed off the track at the Daytona 500."

Chili Bowl Schedule

TUESDAY

All times subject to change

11 a.m.-7 p.m.: Trade Show open

6 p.m.-Racing begins with heat races

7:20 p.m.: Qualifying Races

7:50 p.m.: Twin C Features (Top 4 advance to B)

8:45 p.m.: Twin B features (Top 4 advance to A)

9:30 p.m.: Chili Bowl Race of Champions.

10 p.m.: A Feature (24 cars-25 laps, Top 3 advance to Saturday A Feature)

DRIVERS TO WATCH: Danny Lasoski (3-time Chili Bowl runner-up), Brad Kuhn (2-time Midget Driver of the Year)

WEDNESDAY

11 a.m. 7 p.m.: Trade Show open.

6 p.m.: Racing begins with heat races.

7:20 p.m.: Qualifying races

7:50 p.m.: Twin C feature (Top 4 advance to B).

8:45 p.m.: Twin B feature (Top 4 advance to A)

10 p.m.: A Feature (24 cars 25 laps, Top 3 advance to Saturday A feature)

DRIVERS TO WATCH:

Sammy Swindell (4-time Chili Bowl champion), J.J. Yeley (NASCAR Nextel Cup competitor and 2007 Chili Bowl runner-up), Tim McCreadle (2006 Chili Bowl champion), Johnny Heydenreich (1009 Chili Bowl champion), Brady Bacon (Former Kasey Kahne USAC driver from Broken Arrow).

THURSDAY

11 a.m. 7 p.m.: Trade Show open

6 p.m.: Racing begins with heat races

7:20 p.m.: Qualifying Races

7:50 p.m.: Twin C feature (Top 4 advance to B)

8:45 p.m.: Twin B feature (Top 4 advance to A)

10 p.m.: A Feature (24 cars 25 laps, Top 3 advance to Saturday A Feature)

DRIVERS TO WATCH:

Damion Gardner (2008 Chili Bowl champion), Tracy Hines (2005 Chili Bowl champion), Jay Drake (2001 Chili Bowl champion), Scott Hatton (1988 Chili Bowl champion), Donnie Ray Crawford (2007 Chili Bowl top rookie)

FRIDAY

11 a.m. 7 p.m.: Trade Show open

6 p.m.: Racing begins with heat races

7:20 p.m.: Qualifying Races

7:50 p.m.: Twin C features (Top 4 advance to B)

8:45 p.m.: Twin B features (Top 4 advance to A)

9:30 p.m.: Chili Bowl Race of Champions

10 p.m.: A Feature (24 cars-25 laps, Top 3 advance to Saturday A Feature)

DRIVERS TO WATCH:

Cory Kruseman (2-time Chili Bowl champion), Jason Leffler (NASCAR Nationwide competitor), Kasey Kahne (NASCAR Nextel Cup competitor), Dave Darland (USAC Triple Crown winner)

SATURDAY

9 a.m. 7 p.m.: Trade Show open

1:10 p.m.: K Mains (2 races, 10 laps)

1:25 p.m.: J Mains (2 races, 10 laps)

1:55 p.m.: I Mains (2 races, 10 laps)

2:25 p.m.: H Mains (2 races, 10 laps)

2:55 p.m.:G Mains (2 races, 10 laps)

3:10 p.m.: F Mains (2 races, 10 laps)

3:25 p.m.: E Mains (2 races, 10 laps)

3:40 p.m.: Chili Bowl Awards

5:10 p.m.: D Mains (2 races, 15 laps)

6:30 p.m.:Grand Marshall, Parade of States Flag Ceremony)

8 p.m.: C Mains (2 races, 15 laps)

8:45 p.m.: B Mains (2 races, 20 laps)

10 p.m.: 50-lap A Main (24 cars) By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist

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Old man in the Z, (1/13/2009 8:01:21 AM)

Ticket information?

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