TULSA, Okla. — Two Chili Bowl Nationals winners headline a star-studded field on night four of the 40th running of the event inside the SageNet Center.
Three-time winner Christopher Bell and 2022 victory Tanner Thorson will both hit the quarter-mile track on Hasty Bake Qualifying Night looking to land one of the two locked in positions for Saturday night’s main event.
Bell will drive his own No. 21cb midget after having won the Race of Champions to open the week on Monday. Bell won the Chili Bowl for Keith Kunz Motorsports three consecutive years from 2017-2019.
Handling his own No. 88 machine, Thorson will be looking for another victory to add to his impressive Chili Bowl résumé. Thorson owns three preliminary night feature victories in Chili Bowl competition.
Despite having run the Chili Bowl since 2007, World of Outlaws driver Chris Windom has never won a preliminary night feature during the Chili Bowl. However, the former USAC champion has 10 top-five finishes on preliminary nights. Windom will drive the No. 89 for CB Industries.
A veteran of six Chili Bowl Saturday night features, Spencer Bayston will drive the No. 1s for RMS Racing on Thursday night. He won his preliminary night feature in 2024.
A pair of No. 67 Keith Kunz Motorsports with Curb Agajanian entries are in Thursday’s field with sprint car ace Ashton Torgerson wheeling the No. 67a and Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series champion Jacob Denney at the controls of the No. 67.
Ryan Bernal finished second in his preliminary night feature last year and drove to a fourth-place finish in Saturday’s main event. He’ll again wheel the No. 87w for Matt Wood Racing.
Four-time USAC sprint car champion Brady Bacon, who has been a Chili Bowl mainstay for more than 20 years, will drive Kelly Hinck’s No. 21h. Karter Sarff, who enjoyed a stellar national midget season last year, drives Chase Briscoe’s No. 5.
Others to watch on Thursday night include USAC sprint car champion Kyle Cummins, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Joel Myers Jr., Badger champion Parker Jones, Danny Sams III, C.J. Leary and micro sprint kingpin Frank Flud.
