Its name by itself conjures up emotions and memories for race car drivers throughout the world competing in what many feels is the most prestigious midget race of the year, representing every type of discipline in racing.
What started 36 years ago with 52 entries inside the SageNet Center, has grown to more than 350 entries.
The reasons for competing in the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl are as varied as the type of drivers strapping into their rocket ship.
For some, it’s bragging rights or a friendly competition among rivals. For others, it’s something to do in the winter to keep their reflexes sharp or test out the latest racing products. However, everyone’s desire is to make it through the week-long racing journey with enough points to start in the final feature on Saturday night.
For the fourth year in a row, Mark Burch Motorsports believes it has the talent and equipment to win it all. But team owner Mark Burch’s intent might be a bit different than most, as he intentionally looks for drivers that will be great teammates to his long-time pilot and friend Don Droud Jr. and ambassadors for the Team Jack Foundation he proudly displays on his cars.
A philanthropist at heart, Burch uses the Chili Bowl as a platform to raise awareness and funds for the Team Jack Foundation, a Nebraska non-profit that raises money to fund impactful childhood brain cancer research and works to create national awareness for the disease.
“I attended a gala several years ago for Team Jack where I listened to research doctors explain that pediatric brain cancer research was grassroots and that while brain cancer is the No. 1 cause of death for children with cancer, the research and funding is lacking,” Burch explained. “After meeting a young boy, Jack Hoffman, and his parents Andy Hoffman, and wife, Brianna at the gala, I quickly said there is nothing more grassroots then racing and it’s my God-given duty to leave a mark on the world. It’s about giving more than you take and I knew I had a platform with our race cars to help spread the word.”
Jack Hoffman’s story is quite amazing in itself as his dream at a young age was to play football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Team Jack Foundation made Hoffman’s dreams come true as an 8-year-old.
Hoffman ran for a touchdown during Nebraska’s annual spring football game. Now, Hoffman is 17 and playing high school football. However, his father Andy was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2020 and died the following year.
Team Jack Foundation Executive Director Kylie Dockter is blown away with the commitment Mark Burch Motorsports has shown in such a short time.
“Mark has taken the charge to expose the racing community to our mission of finding treatments for pediatric brain cancer,” Dockter said. “Through his race teams competing on a national level and single handily creating fundraising drives and raffles like the 1973 Corvette that Burch and friends personally restored and donated to our Bronco sweepstakes, he has generated several hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations for Team Jack.”
Dockter said more than 5,000 children are diagnosed with brain cancer each year and nearly 30 percent die as a result.
Burch is fielding three midgets this year with the return of Burch’s midget and sprint car driver Don Droud Jr., who will race on Thursday night. As ambassadors for Team Jack Foundation, Burch and Droud Jr. selected two drivers to complete their three-car team.
Burch looks for drivers with great potential that have a heart for kids and gives back to their community who will represent Team Jack Foundation well.
For the second year in a row, 22-year-old Taylor Kuehl, IMCA SportMod champion, will pilot one of the cars racing on Friday. Rookie Marcus Kennedy, a micro sprint driver, rounded out the team and has his qualifying night on Tuesday.
Getting seat time in all types of cars is important to Kuehl, however, being part of Team Jack Foundation and Mark Burch Motorsports is an honor.
“Mark is so passionate about making a difference in those kids lives that after being part of Chili Bowl last year and learning more about Team Jack, I want to continue to use my racing, like Mark, to give back,” Kuehl said.
Kuehl is an Iowa transplant from Arizona, who recently became a licensed realtor and is putting plans together for the 2023 season to participate in both Sport Mod and Stock Car racing.
The duo of Burch and Droud have been a force to be reckoned with in open-wheel racing. Droud and Burch connected many years ago and built a deep friendship that they honor on and off the track.
“We don’t compete with any one series. We race when our schedules allow, which gives us flexibility to race where we want and to do other things that are important,” Droud said.
New to the team this year is 33-year-old rookie midget driver Kennedy from Nebraska. Kennedy runs at several local Nebraska tracks in both winged and non-winged micro sprints. Kennedy also has a lasting relationship with Burch.
“I build the race shocks for Mark at Speedway Motors where I work and have built a great relationship with him over the years,” Kennedy said. “There was talk of adding a third entry for Chili Bowl and I told Mark I was interested, and here we are. I had heard about Team Jack from Mark before but I really didn’t understand their mission of trying to raise awareness to get more research funds for kids with brain cancer. It’s sad that all the cancer funding that’s raised, very little goes to children’s causes.”
Burch remains committed to the cause.
“The racing community has had some of the most generous people I know and they have the most loyal fans who are the best people to work side-by-side with,” Burch added. “I am forever grateful for their support and generosity.”