Bryan Hulbert – TULSA, Okla. (January 6, 2024) The roster for the 16th edition of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions has been set, with 16 drivers set to take on Tulsa Expo Raceway clay during Monday’s Cummins Qualifying Night.
Combining Chili Bowl winners, both Saturday and Prelim, as well as past Race of Champions, series champions, and drivers invited by the Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy, the annual showcase will see one change in the format, with the inversion determined by the overall fastest qualifier drawing to set the inversion, with a maximum of eight.
The list of drivers includes:
1 – Sammy Swindell – Do we need to explain why?
1s – Spencer Bayston – In last year, through a 2018 podium finish, Spencer secured his spot by winning the 2023 O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions.
2J – Justin Grant – Winner of the 2022 O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions.
5 – Chase Briscoe – The Stewart-Hass driver will race via Chili Bowl invitation.
5CB – Karter Sarff – Winner of the 2023 POWRi Midget Championship, the 2024 event marks the first time Karter will compete in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions.
19 – Tim McCreadie – Recently added to the roster, the 2006 Chili Bowl Nationals champion will wheel the Hayward Motorsports No. 19.
19R – Ricky Thorton, Jr. – Possibly the best driver in Late Model competition right now, the former Arizona resident nearly walked out of the Tulsa Shootout with a Golden Driller for the second year in a row.
29S – Hank Davis – Grabbing his first career preliminary night win in 2023, the Sand Springs, Okla. shoe will take the Matt Seymour Racing No. 29 into his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions.
39 – Logan Seavey – In last year by way of car owner credentials, Logan Seavey punched his own card into the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions by winning the 2023 Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy.
41 – Corey Day – Invited by the Chili Bowl, one of the most challenging areas of the country to win in Sprint Car racing, has been and continues to be California, and 17-year-old Corey Day wins a lot, including the 2023 Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) title.
47X – Zach Daum – Xtreme Outlaw Midgets paved the way last year, this year, Andy Bondio credentials will put Daum into the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions.
66K – Brent Crews – Invited by the Chili Bowl Nationals, Brent captured the 2023 SCCA Trans-Am TA2 title.
71 – Jade Avedisian – The 2023 Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year, and highest finishing woman in event history, forged a season long legacy by being the first woman to win a National Midget title with the Xtreme Outlaw Series.
71P – Cannon McIntosh – Winning on Monday has become a common theme for Cannon, putting him back into the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions.
84 – Jesse Love – Invited by the Chili Bowl, Jesse Love got the nod via his 2023 ARCA Menards Series Championship.
88 – Tanner Thorson – The 2022 event champion is back in search of a third win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions.
EDIT: With Logan Seavey driving for Kevin and Jordan Swindell, the slots reserved for the USAC Midget and Silver Crown driving champion will be filled by 2023 champion car owners, Abacus Racing. They will put Tyler Courtney and David Gravel in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions.
The standards for an invitation are:
• Drivers finishing in the Top 3 of Saturday night’s A-Feature during the previous five Chili Bowls will be eligible.
• Drivers finishing in the Top 2 of the past five Race of Champions events will be eligible.
• Preliminary Night Winners from the most recent Chili Bowl will be eligible.
• Series Champions from the most recent calendar year in the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, American Sprint Car Series National Tour, All-Star Circuit of Champions, USAC National Midgets, USAC National Sprint Cars, and POWRi National Midget League, Xtreme Outlaw Midgets will be invited to compete.
• Champions and Drivers of other Tours and Series may be added at the Chili Bowl’s discretion.
• No Driver substitutions or alternates from a sanctioning body will be allowed.
• Starting Lineup for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race Of Champions will be set by Group Qualifying. Drivers will draw for their qualifying position, then qualify in groups of three to four. Drivers will get two warmup laps, then three green flap laps to set their time. The driver with the fastest overall time in Qualifying will draw for the inversion (0, 4, 6, or 8).
The 38th annual Chili Bowl Nationals takes place January 8-13, 2024, under the giant roof of the SageNet Center in Tulsa, Okla. Fans unable to attend the Chili Bowl Nationals can watch every lap live at http://www.floracing.com.
Monday and Tuesday reserved seat tickets are on sale now by calling (918) 838-3777, along with a few scattered, single seats for the entire event. Monday and Tuesday tickets are $60 each. Four-day tickets are $245, five-day tickets are $305, and tickets for the full event are $365, plus tax (8.517%). All orders will be placed in Will Call.
For continued updates on the Chili Bowl Nationals, fans can follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with @CBNationals. All official press, updates, and results on the Chili Bowl Nationals can be found online at http://www.chilibowl.com.
Bryan Hulbert | Chili Bowl Nationals
