TULSA, Okla. — As the 40th annual Smiley’s Racing Products Tulsa Shootout powered by NOS Energy Drink prepares to kick off today (Dec. 31) at the SageNet Center at Expo Square, the event has received a record number of entries.
Currently 1,855 entries have been received with 1,798 drawn into the venue. The previous record in 2024 was 1,752 entries received. Of those, 1,698 were confirmed.
Making up those entries are 762 drivers from 438 cities and five countries (USA, Aust., Neth. S. Africa, U.K.) driving a total of 1,015 cars.
“When we restructured the Shootout in 2011, we went from having 23 classes and over 1,000 entries to eight divisions, and I think we may have had close to 700 entries that first year, so you can imagine I was nervous if this thing was going to take, and thankfully it did, and has become bigger than I ever imagined,” stated event founder, Emmett Hahn.
“Sitting here now closing in on 2,000 entries is something I never dreamed of, especially since we changed the classes a few years ago to just Micros and brought it down to six divisions.”
Current stars like Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and Kyle Busch are in action, and while Busch and Larson bring NASCAR credentials to the mix, they will be joined by their sons, Brexton Bush and Owen Larson.
With many eyes on the NASCAR stars, local champions like Blake Hahn, who has won the event nine times, and Frank Flud, a four-time Golden Driller recipient, should never be counted out.
The Tulsa Shootout will be the final circle track event contested in the United States during the 2024 calendar year and the first for the 2025 season.
Practice begins Tuesday morning with heat races in the evening and full days of action Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
