It is fascinating to learn how quickly elite racers process information and translate it into action.
“The top was getting treacherous to run if you didn‘t hit it right,” Thorson said, “I knew if I could get my left front on the berm on entry and kind of load the right rear across the center, I could stick it and exit pretty well. That was my first thought. As soon as he gassed it up under yellow to kind of spin his tires up, I instantly thought there‘s my line.”
Once Thorson had the lead, the race was still far from over.
Bell took advantage of traffic and nosed ahead with five laps to go. Then the caution came out when Colby Copeland and Brady Bacon tumbled, negating the pass. Bell called it gut-wrenching. Thorson said it was a relief.
“The lap cars were difficult,” Bell said. “Even though we were coming up to lap them they are holding a really good pace and racing for position as well. Tanner got tight off of four and he struggled there for a couple of laps which allowed me to get to him. There were cars on the top, cars on the bottom, cars in the middle, and he had almost spun Brady (Bacon) the lap before. But racing is fun when you have to pick and choose how you are going to get by them. I saw the opportunity and made the pass.”
As the race wound down, Abreu, who had not been a factor all evening, charged forward to finish third. Kofoid and Carrick completed the top five.
The three men on the podium had all won a USAC midget championship with Keith Kunz and as Thorson clutched a Golden Driller, he had one more thing in common with his former teammates. They had all won the Chili Bowl.
Chili Bowl Winners
Chili Bowl Nationals:
1. – Tanner Thorson
2. – Christopher Bell
3. – Rico Abreu
4. – Buddy Kofoid
5. – Tanner Carrick
6. – Kyle Larson
7. – C.J. Leary
8. – Kevin Thomas Jr.
9. – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
10. – Thomas Meseraull
11. – Tyler Courtney
12. – Blake Hahn
13. – Shane Golobic
14. – Chris Windom
15. – Zeb Wise
16. – Justin Grant
17. – Corey Day
18. – Kaylee Bryson
19. – Tim Buckwalter
20. – Jonathan Beason
21. – Colby Copeland
22. – Dillon Welch
23. – Chase Johnson
24. – Brady BaconMonday Prelim: – Tanner Carrick
Tuesday Prelim: – Buddy Kofoid
Wednesday Prelim: – Rico Abreu
Thursday Prelim: – Christopher Bell
Friday Prelim: – Justin Grant
Race of Champions: – Justin Grant
Rookie of the Year: – Corey Day
During the week Thorson suggested that he doesn‘t always care to lead early because he is inspired by the hunt. It is a statement that fits with this man‘s innate tenaciousness. If you search the records, you learn that he has routinely graced victory lane after starting well back in the field. It is a challenge he relishes. Sometimes athletes manufacture a chip on their shoulder to provide a measure of motivation. In this case Thorson would have every right to feel slighted if he had paid attention to most pre-event chatter. Despite having won more USAC features than any other driver last year, he was rarely mentioned as a favorite to win the Chili Bowl.
Along with owner Andy Reinbold, this team demonstrated once again they can take on anyone, anytime.
When the final chapter was written on the 36th annual Chili Bowl many agreed that it terms of sustained action, it may have been one of the best weeks in the history of this event. An old axiom proved true once more — the Chili Bowl always delivers.