TULSA, Okla. — Rolling past the 1,000 mark for the 11th consecutive year, the 40th annual Smiley’s Racing Products Tulsa Shootout powered by NOS Energy Drink is on record watch ahead of the entry deadline.
Made up of 614 drivers from 371 cities across 40 states and three countries, 1,428 entries have been received for the Dec. 30-Jan. 4 event, marking the sixth time in as many events there have been more than 1,300 entries for the Mecca of Micros.
Surpassing the 300 mark, Joe’s Racing Products Stock Non-Wing is leading at 339 entries. EVO Fuel Injection A-Class follows at 326, with Hyper Racing Non-Wing Outlaw at 304. WFO Winged Outlaw Micros sits at 199 entries, with K&B Racing Restricted A-Class at 162 and Flying A Motorsports Junior Sprints at 98.
Among the 641 drivers on the list, the names Busch and Larson jump out as Brexton Busch and Owen Larson chase Golden Drillers in Restricted A-Class and Junior Sprints. Busch’s fourth time at the Tulsa Shootout, his 2024 showing netted a 12th-place finish in the Junior Sprint A-Feature and a 10th place in a Restricted A-Class B-Feature. The 2025 event will be the debut event for Larson.
Joined by their fathers, two-time NASCAR Cup Series hampion Kyle Busch made his Tulsa Shootout debut in 2021 with an eighth-to-first Heat Race run in Outlaw Non-Wing. In action last year, Kyle’s Tulsa Shootout culminated with a fifth-place finish in a Winged Outlaw B-Feature.
Making his USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship debut in Bakersfield, Calif., Busch recently announced he will attempt his first Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink in January.
A former Tulsa Shootout champion, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion and two-time Chili Bowl winner, Kyle Larson earned a Silver Driller during the Shootout’s 25th anniversary event in 2010. Winning Open Winged Outlaw Karts, that would be the division’s final A-Feature before the Shootout switched to a Micro oriented lineup the following year.
Of the entries received, 17 drivers have hoisted the Golden Driller.