video by Hosehead
Report by Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (January 10, 2012) – Coming off a remarkable breakthrough season in 2011, Kyle Larson added yet another notch to the win column by topping Tuesday night’s 25-lap Warren CAT Qualifying feature event to kick off the 26th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals at the QuikTrip Center’s Tulsa Expo Raceway. Click "Read More" for full report and 5 more videos...
Even though Dirt Dog TV is filming the Chili Bowl again this year, we are banned from showing you any "on track" action from our cameras because of the contract between CBS Sports and the Chili Bowl promoters. At this time, we can only show you our non-race footage and other coverage shot by individual videographers that are not subject to corporate liability (as we are). Our full event coverage will air in two weeks!
Chili Bowl 2012 Night 1 | Stars & Cars | Tulsa, OK | Jan. 10, 2012
video by Craig Jensen
Chili Bowl 2012 Practice | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hot Laps | Tulsa, OK | Jan. 9, 2012
video by WMD Staab
The 19-year-old from Elk Grove, CA, raced by Kevin Ramey for the lead on the high side on the fifth round and worked traffic flawlessly over the final ten circuits to post the victory in front of NASCAR Nationwide champion Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and New Zealand’s Michael Pickens, with each of the podium finishers locked into Saturday’s 50-lap Chili Bowl championship feature event.
While Larson, who ranked as the nation’s winningest open wheel driver in 2011 with triumphs across a variety of series, gridded the feature field outside the second row, it was Ramey and Chili Bowl rookie contender Matt Ward leading the Warren CAT feature field to the green flag from the front row.
Ramey gunned into the lead at the drop of the green flag, with Larson sweeping past Ward on the high side to take second on the third lap, moments before George White spun in turn three to bring out the first of three cautions in the initial six circuits.
With Fort Worth, Texas, shoe Ramey working the low side, Larson stuck to the high side and charged into the lead entering turn one on the fifth lap. Upon the completion of the fifth round, Thomas Meseraull caught the berm exiting turn four and went for a wild ride, with the race’s final caution flying a lap later when Ronnie Burke, Jr., spun to a stop in turn four.
With Larson out front in the Keith Kunz Motorsports Speedway Toyota-powered No. 67 Bullet, Ramey tried to mount a charge to regain the lead as action resumed.
“I could see him on the bottom sometimes in one and two, so I dropped back down there for a little bit until I felt like it got to slow,” Larson explained. “I wasn’t sure where Ricky (Stenhouse Jr.) was, and I figured Ricky’s the type that would be up top so I had to get back up there as quick as I could.”
Indeed, Stenhouse, Jr., was into second by the eighth round, but Larson kept his chasers in the distance. Even when lapped traffic came into play after 15 laps, Larson’s pace was undeterred.
“Lapped traffic was pretty tough,” Larson commented. “They were all running the top so we had to throw some sliders at them and luckily they didn’t race us back too hard.”
Larson raced on to the checkered flag without challenge, crossing the stripe with a 1.573-second advantage over Stenhouse, Jr., in the CTR-BCI Esslinger-powered No. 39i Spike.
“I kinda wanted a caution to get to his back bumper,” Stenhouse, Jr., commented afterward. “But then I knew Michael (Pickens) would be in third and it would be a battle, so I was kinda glad we just ran it on out.”
After starting seventh, Pickens battled past Brady Bacon for fourth on the 12th round and then took third from Ramey the next time around. Pickens kept the Loyet Motorsports Esslinger-powered Vacuworx International No. 05p Spike in the show position the rest of the way to lock into his fourth Chili Bowl finale in as many tries.
“The main thing is to be locked in,” the accomplished Kiwi shoe explained. “Now we can sit back and relax and don’t have to tear up any equipment.”
Bacon slipped around Ramey on the final circuit to snare fourth in the Wilke-Pak Toyota-powered No. 11 Spike, with Ramey rounding out the top five in the Printplace Motorsports Fontana-powered No. 7m Spike.
Casey Shuman advanced a half-dozen positions to claim sixth, while Ward crossed the stripe seventh after being the only rookie to make Tuesday night’s feature cut.
Andrew Felker was eighth, with 17th-starter Jerry Coons, Jr., and Darren Hagen completing the top ten.
After being unable to start his heat race, Jonathan Beason rallied back with triumphs in both “C” and “B” Main action before climbing to 12th in the feature event. Jimmy Light worked the alphabet as well, advancing from “C” Main competition to claim 17th in the “A” Main.
Meseraull, Johnathon Henry, Burke, Jr., Ryan Pace, R.J. Johnson, Ward, Jody Rosenboom and Justin Grant topped heat race action for Tuesday night’s 66-car field. Cameron Hagin and Beason won the “C” Mains, with Coons, Jr., and again Beason atop the “B” Mains.
Chili Bowl 2012 Night 1 | Heat 5 - Johnson, Ramey & Larson | Tulsa, OK | Jan. 10, 2012
video by Mr Auction Mike
Heat 5 RESULTS:
1. #51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 2. #7M Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 3. #67 Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA; 4. #6 Aaron Pierce, Daleville, IL; 5. #8B Bob Ream Jr., Glendale, AZ; 6. #37X Cameron Hagin, Broken Arrow, OK; 7. #87F Brian McClelland, Tulsa, Ok; DNS – Stephen Arnold, Seymour, IN
2012 Race of Champions - First Laps
video by Osage Communications
Fourth Annual Vacuworx International Race of Champions
With a stellar 14-car field assembled for VIROC IV, the Fourth Annual Vacuworx International Race of Champions, Sammy Swindell was the last one to draw for position. And, the 13 drivers before him left him the pole position.
That was all Swindell needed, as he jumped ahead of fellow front row starter Jason Leffler at the outset and led all the way to take the $2,500 triumph over the field of past Chili Bowl champions and standouts.
Working forward from fifth though, Kevin Swindell made it interesting after taking second from Damion Gardner on the 15th lap. Kevin challenged his father for the point before a caution flew with five laps to go for a tangle involving Brady Bacon and Leffler.
Sammy kept the younger Swindell at bay on the restart until the final lap, when Kevin pulled alongside on the backstretch. Sammy worked the low side of three and four though to retain command and took the checkered flag with a car-length advantage over Kevin.
Tracy Hines claimed the show position in VIROC IV action behind Swindell and Swindell, with Gardner and Joey Saldana rounding out the top five.
Chili Bowl 2012 Night 1 | A-Main Start | Tulsa, OK | Jan 10, 2012
video by Hosehead
Tuesday’s Warren CAT Qualifier RESULTS from the 26th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals:
CLICK HERE for FULL RESULTS
A-Main (25 laps – Top 3 advance to Saturday Night's Main Event)
1. #67 Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA; 2. #39i Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Olive Branch, MS; 3. #05p Michael Pickens, Auckland, NZ; 4. #11 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 5. #7m Kevin Ramey, Ft. Worth, TX; 6. #2h Casey Shuman, Rattlesnake Bend, AZ; 7. #8L Matt Ward, Glenpool, OK; 8. #11a Andrew Felker, Carl Junction, MO; 9. #3nz Jerry Coons, Jr., Tucson, AZ; 10. #3 Darren Hagen, Riverside, CA; 11. #51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 12. #36 Jonathan Beason, Broken Arrow, OK; 13. #27s Andy Shouse, Oklahoma City, OK; 14. #35 Justin Grant, Ione, CA; 15. #11c Chett Gehrke, Broken Arrow, OK; 16. #05r Ryan Pace, Brownsburg, IN; 17. #16 Jimmy Light, Erie, PA; 18. #6r Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids, IA; 19. #88h Johnathon Henry, Stockton, CA; 20. #10w George White, Ft. Worth, TX; 21. #31 David Budres, Beloit, WI; 22. #23c Tyler Courtney, Indianapolis, IN; 23. #4b Ronnie Burke, Jr., League City, TX; 24. #2T Thomas Meseraull, San Jose, CA.
Vacuworx International Race of Champions RESULTS (20 laps)
1. #1 Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN; 2. #39 Kevin Swindell, Germantown, TN; 3. #24 Tracy Hines, Greenfield, IN; 4. #05G Damion Gardner, Concord, CA; 5. #67Z Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN; 6. #39C Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, IN; 7. #14 Tony Stewart, Columbus, IN; 8. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills MO; 9. #67 Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA; 10. Brad Mosen, Auckland, NZ; 11. #5 (11) Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 12. #71 Jason Leffler, Long Beach, CA; 13. #21K Cory Kruseman, Ventura, CA; DNS - #39i Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Olive Branch, MS
How to Work Afco Driver Adjustable Midget Shocks with "The 66" Champion - Chris Bell
video by RJ McDowell
Chad Boat Checks In from the 2012 Chili Bowl
Chad Boat, who is driving the No. 12b ABC Body Shop Spike/Esslinger for Robbie Allen this week, talks about qualifying for the 2012 Chili Bowl Nationals.
Andy Shouse Checks In from the 2012 Chili Bowl
video by RJ McDowell
Tony Stewart at the 2012 Chili Bowl Nationals
video by WMD Staab
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