Corey Day Flushes Competition On York Plumbing Qualifying Night
 
January 10, 2024
 
TULSA, Okla.  – Leading all but on lap during Wednesday’s York Plumbing Qualifying Night at the 38th annual Chili Bowl Nationals, California’s Corey Day captured his first career Chili Bowl preliminary win, behind the wheel of the Willie Kahne owned No. 41.
 
The Wednesday triumph is a first for Willie as a car owner.
 
“It’s crazy, it’s definitely crazy. I think they said my best prelim run here in ninth, and this is only my third Chili Bowl,” Corey said of the win. “I have laps around here in a micro at the Shootout. I have a restricted driller like eight years ago. It’s been a while since I’ve had some success in this building, so I’m glad to be back.”
 
Chasing Jake Swanson through the opening lap, Day shot low on entry into the first turn, to slide his way to the top spot. Surviving several restarts, and a few scares into the cushion, Swanson was able to close but never able to overtake, as he had to fend off the repeated challenges of Michael Faccinto.
 
Dropping to third on Lap 22, Swanson stayed the course on the cushion to retake the final transfer spot into Saturday’s 55-lap championship event on Lap 25. One final shot at the lead after a flip by Jonathan Beason working Lap 27, Day was able to pull away by 1.957-seconds.
 
“We still didn’t financially recover. We are having a lot more fun,” laughed Swanson, whose car owner, Alex Bowman, tweeted, “I don’t think I’ll be able to recover from this” after a miserable outing for his entire team in 2023.
 
“It means everything, this race means so much to Alex. It’s vacation with all of his friends. To be able to run well is obviously the goal. Thankful to be able to do that, and not have as much tore up equipment so far this week. Just thankful for him providing really good race cars. Nicest cars in the building in my opinion. CJ, Kevin Thomas, and Boots, I got a lot of guys over there work really hard and very appreciative of all them supporting me and that’s why we are here”
 
Briggs Danner shuffled into third with three laps to go, while Faccinto settled for fourth. Colby Copeland made up the top five. Kale Drake crossed sixth, followed by Jade Avedisian. Getting into the first turn Haybales trying to avoid a spinning car on Lap 4, Tyler Courtney was able to restart at the tail and closed his way to an eighth place finish. Brent Crews and Jerry Coons, Jr. made up the top ten.
 
A field of 74 out of a scheduled 75 was on hand Wednesday night, bringing the week’s running total to 212 drivers drawing in. Another 79 are set to be on track for Thursday’s Qualifying Night. A busy night of the flip count, the tumble meter stands at 22 with everyone able to walk away.
 
The SageNet Center will open at 9:00 A.M. with cars on track at 4:00 P.M.
 
A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 41-Corey Day[2]; 2. 55A-Jake Swanson[1]; 3. 1I-Briggs Danner[5]; 4. 5U-Michael Faccinto[3]; 5. 27W-Colby Copeland[9]; 6. 71K-Kale Drake[12]; 7. 71-Jade Avedisian[6]; 8. 57-Tyler Courtney[16]; 9. 67K-Brent Crews[7]; 10. 7X-Jerry Coons Jr[15]; 11. 5D-Michael Stewart[22]; 12. 3W-Brandon Waelti[21]; 13. 83M-Rylan Gray[19]; 14. 3G-Kyle Cummins[11]; 15. 52-Blake Hahn[13]; 16. 86-Daison Pursley[10]; 17. 25M-Alex Bright[14]; 18. 60X-Garet Williamson[8]; 19. 4B-Chelby Hinton[20]; 20. 1A-Trey Osborne[17]; 21. 16C-David Camfield Jr[23]; 22. (DNF) 8J-Jonathan Beason[18]; 23. (DNF) 45S-Caleb Stelzig[24]; 24. (DNF) 19T-Mitchel Moles[4]
 
Lap Leader(s): Jake Swanson 1; Corey Day 2-30
 
Hard Charger: Michael Stewart +11
 
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Kofoid Leads All During Tuesday’s Qualifying Night
 
Bryan Hulbert – TULSA, Okla. (January 9, 2024) Picking up his second career Qualifying night feature win during the 38th annual Chili Bowl Nationals, Michael “Buddy” Kofoid led start-to-finish to lock into his fourth championship feature event since 2020.
 
Back-to-back preliminary wins for car owner, Keith Kunz, Tuesday’s triumph brings his total to 36th victories as a car owner at the Chili Bowl Nationals.
 
Asked what the key to winning was, Kofoid responded, “With how the format is here, you want to try and put yourself in a position all day to be starting up front. I feel like we did a really good job all day with Heat Races, extremely good in the Qualifier, and still even felt like I could have been a little bit better for how tricky the track was.”
 
Taking off from the pole of Tuesday’s 30-lap event, Buddy dashed into the lead from the word go and quickly put distance over 2023 prelim night winner, Hank Davis. Finding traffic working Lap 13, a quick hold-up trying to pass a slower car the following lap allowed Davis to close rapidly but would not present the chance to overtake.
 
Caution on Lap 17, the leaders shot to the cushion, with Buddy again using a clean racetrack to his advantage. Coming down to a four-lap shootout as the field returned to green, Kofoid went on two wheels entering the first turn, but was able to recover, and hold on over Hank Davis by 1.457-seconds.
 
Chase McDermand crossed third, followed by David Gravel, who moved through the field from 11th. Kameron Key made up the top five. Thomas Meseraull was sixth, with Landon Brooks moving 14th to seventh. Kevin Thomas, Jr. went 13th to eighth, while Zach Daum hard charged to ninth from 18th. Colorado’s Jake Bubak rounded out the top ten.
 
Tuesday’s field consisted of 70 drivers out of a scheduled 73, for a running week total of 138 drivers so far. Nine flips among eight drivers have occurred, with everyone able to walk away. Another 74 are set for Wednesday’s York Plumbing Qualifying Night. The SageNet Center will open at 9:00 A.M. with cars on track at 4:00 P.M. (CT).
 
A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 71W-Michael Kofoid[1]; 2. 29S-Hank Davis[3]; 3. 7U-Chase McDermand[2]; 4. 58-David Gravel[11]; 5. 21J-Kameron Key[5]; 6. 7T-Thomas Meseraull[8]; 7. 57W-Landon Brooks[14]; 8. 55X-Kevin Thomas Jr[13]; 9. 47X-Zach Daum[18]; 10. 27B-Jake Bubak[12]; 11. 26-Corbin Rueschenberg[9]; 12. 08X-Parker Price Miller[4]; 13. 7S-Jake Andreotti[10]; 14. 14P-Kyle Strickler[17]; 15. 25V-Billy VanInwegen Jr[23]; 16. 13-Elijah Gile[19]; 17. 1Z-Justin Zimmerman[15]; 18. 8K-KJ Snow[6]; 19. 55D-Nick Drake[16]; 20. 3N-Jake Neuman[22]; 21. 87F-Kinzer Edwards[21]; 22. 20C-CJ Sarna[24]; 23. (DNF) 11B-Clinton Boyles[7]; 24. (DNF) 7E-Cap Henry[20]
 
Lap Leader(s): Michael "Buddy" Kofoid 1-30
 
Hard Charger: Zach Daum +9
 
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Logan Seavey Captures The 2024 Invitational Race Of Champions
 
Bryan Hulbert – TULSA, Okla. (January 8, 2024) He has a Golden Driller; now he can add the Invitational Race of Champions to his list of accomplishments inside the SageNet Center as Logan Seavey served notice and became the tenth driver to top the 25 lap affair.
 
Quick time, then gridding fourth after the inversion draw was a four, the race to the lead took 13 laps as Chase Briscoe led the opening dozen. Gaining momentum for the slide, Logan quickly took the Victory Fuel No. 39 to a commanding lead before a caution on Lap 18. Putting the right rear on the cushion, Logan picked up right where he left off, winning by 2.448 seconds.
 
A battle for the runner-up spot, Tyler Courtney held off the repeated slide jobs from Cannon McIntosh, who crossed third. Kater Sarff was fourth, with Chase Briscoe completing the top five.
 
The Invitational Race of Champions is held during Monday’s Night and brings Chili Bowl and series champions together for a showdown and bragging rights. The 2024 event had 20 drivers on hand, with two added via fan vote.
 
Race of Champions (25 Laps): 1. 39-Logan Seavey[4]; 2. 57-Tyler Courtney[2]; 3. 71P-Cannon McIntosh[9]; 4. 5CB-Karter Sarff[8]; 5. 5-Chase Briscoe[1]; 6. 88-Tanner Thorson[13]; 7. 29S-Hank Davis[10]; 8. 1S-Spencer Bayston[6]; 9. 41-Corey Day[12]; 10. 47X-Zach Daum[7]; 11. 58-David Gravel[11]; 12. 84-Jesse Love[3]; 13. 67K-Brent Crews[5]; 14. 19R-Ricky Thornton Jr[18]; 15. 91K-Kaylee Bryson[14]; 16. 1-Sammy Swindell[15]; 17. 71-Jade Avedisian[16]; 18. 19-Tim McCreadie[19]; 19. 2J-Justin Grant[17]; 20. 3W-Brandon Waelti[20]
 
Race of Champions: Logan Seavey (2024), Spencer Bayston (2023), Justin Grant (2022), Christopher Bell (2021 and 2020), Tanner Thorson (2019 and 2016), Chad Boat (2018), Kyle Larson (2017 and 2014), Sammy Swindell (2015, 2012, 2011, 2009), Kevin Swindell (2013), Brad Loyet (2010)
 
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Tanner Carrick Opens Chili Bowl Run With Victory During Cummins Qualifying Night
 
January 8, 2024
 
TULSA, Okla. – California’s Tanner Carrick held off the multiple challenges from Shane Golobic to win Monday’s Qualifying Night to open the 38th annual Chili Bowl Nationals
 
This is the second time Carrick has topped the Monday opener. Carrick started his trek to the front from the fourth position, while Cannon McIntosh bolted to the point at the start.
 
Asked about his run and how the car ran late in the race, Tanner said, "It was me just finding the racetrack and getting up where I needed to be. The car was there the whole time. I just made a couple of mistakes the first three or four laps, and I fell back to like fifth and were almost racing for sixth at one point, but once I got to the top and the track cleared up, I just got some momentum going."
 
On Lap 5, Carrick moved into second and began closing the gap on the lead before a caution on Lap 10.
 
Using the restart to challenge, caution lights shown again on Lap 12. Shooting to third prior to the caution, Shane Golobic served a penalty for advancing before the cone on the previous restart, moving him back to fifth.
 
On a mission, as green lights flashed on, Shane went to work as Tanner stalked Cannon’s every move. Building momentum into the 14th lap, Carrick pulled the trigger on the slide job to take over the top spot.
 
A near non-stop battle for the final transfer, Shane Golobic rebounded to the runner-up spot with a slide on McIntosh on Lap 20. In pursuit of the lead, a restart on Lap 24 saw a shot from Shane but could not make the slide stick. Regrouping, one last try at the white flag would fall short as Tanner Carrick claimed victory by 0.505-seconds.
 
Shane Golobic, in second, will start his 11th championship A-Feature on Saturday. Heavy in the mix for the final transfer spot, New Zealand’s Michael Pickens ended up third, with Chase Briscoe rolling 12th to fourth. Chris Windom clawed his way to fifth from 15th.
 
Cannon McIntosh would get shuffled to sixth, followed by Trey Marcham. Hard Charging from 20th, Joe B. Miller made it to eighth after going 11th to second in the second B-Feature. Nick Hoffman crossed ninth, with Gary Taylor in tenth.
 
A field of 68 out of 72 entrants took part in Monday’s Qualifying Night. Another 74 are on the docket for Tuesday’s Qualifying Night. The SageNet Center will open at 9:00 A.M. with cars on track at 4:00 P.M. (CT).
 
A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 98-Tanner Carrick[4]; 2. 17W-Shane Golobic[6]; 3. 59-Michael Pickens[5]; 4. 5-Chase Briscoe[12]; 5. 89-Chris Windom[15]; 6. 71P-Cannon McIntosh[1]; 7. 32T-Trey Marcham[8]; 8. 51B-Joe B Miller[20]; 9. 2H-Nick Hoffman[9]; 10. 32W-Gary Taylor[7]; 11. 93-Kyle Bellm[10]; 12. 19B-Cole Bodine[23]; 13. 7P-Kris Carroll[21]; 14. 41X-Howard Moore[13]; 15. 8-Alex Sewell[22]; 16. 27-Keith Rauch[18]; 17. 25-Jacob Denney[2]; 18. 55T-Trevor Cline[16]; 19. 75-Mario Clouser[17]; 20. 9-Emilio Hoover[3]; 21. 25K-Taylor Reimer[14]; 22. 20G-Noah Gass[24]; 23. (DNF) 2W-AJ Hopkins[11]; 24. (DNF) 6A-Ricky Lewis[19]
 
Lap Leader(s): Cannon McIntosh 1-13; Tanner Carrick 14-30
 
Hard Charger: Joe B. Miller +12
 
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LOGAN SEAVEY IS A CHILI BOWL NATIONALS CHAMPION
 
TULSA, Okla. (January 14, 2023) Winning his first Midget race in over a year on Friday, that was quickly joined with a win on the biggest stage in Midget racing Saturday night when California’s Logan Seavey held off the charge of Tanner Thorson to win the 37th annual Chili Bowl Nationals.
 
“I don’t even know yet,” chuckled Seavey when asked how it felt to win. “I’ll let you know tomorrow, but for now, it feels awesome. It really set in when they handed me the Driller, and I got to talk to Kevin a little bit. He deserves it, and will probably get a lot more, so to win this race is special, but to win it in the No. 39 on our first try is really cool.”
 
The 23rd driver to top the Chili Bowl, the win is a first for Kevin and Jordan Swindell as car owners. The Swindell name now accounts for 14 overall wins in Chili Bowl competition. Of that, ten came with a Golden Driller. The pair’s time in Tulsa this year also included his first win as a car owner at the Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout.
 
A redo on the restart after trailing Hank Davis, the reset for a spun car saw Seavey rolling out with the lead. Chased by Cannon McIntosh, the No. 08 kept pace before finally getting the point on Lap 21 with a low side move off the fourth turn.
 
In traffic shortly after, McIntosh held the position but would find his lead challenged following a Lap 30. Working the hub of the Tulsa Expo Raceway before varying his line at either end, Seavey took the Victory Fuel No. 39 back to the point on Lap 31.
 
Taking second in the same breath, Tanner Thorson was in pursuit. Both changing up their lines to gain an edge on the other, the track finally migrated the field low with just a handful of laps to run.
 
Trying to set up Seavey for a last lap run, the caution would bring about a green, white, checkered finish, with Seavey holding off the 2022 champion by 0.306-seconds.
 
Falling back to fourth at one point, Cannon McIntosh was able to get back to third with California’s Shane Golobic in fourth. Emerson Axsom completed the top five.
 
Making up ten positions, Kyle Jones stormed to a sixth-place finish, with Mitchel Moles in seventh. Trey Marcham from 14th land eighth, followed by Tim Buckwalter, who made an impressive run from 23rd to ninth. Justin Grant completed the top ten.
 
The 37th annual Chili Bowl Nationals saw 365 drivers officially draw in. During the Saturday Alphabet Soup, Claremore’s Kris Carroll set a new event record through ‘The Soup’ with seven races from the N-Feature to the H-Features. Saturday’s run of events was slated for double P-Features, but with drivers scratching, began with double O-Features.
 
The 2023 Rookie of the Year and recipient of the Fuzzy Hahn Highest Finishing Female Award was California’s Jade Avedisian, who was the only rookie to lock into Saturday’s A-Feature. She is the second woman to do so, with Kaylee Bryson in her second consecutive.
 
The 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire, takes place January 8-13, 2024, at the Tulsa Expo Raceway, located inside the SageNet Center in Tulsa, Okla. Information on tickets will be released in the next few weeks. Ticket orders begin the first Wednesday of March.
 
A Feature (55 Laps): 1. Logan Seavey; 2. Tanner Thorson; 3. Cannon McIntosh; 4. Shane Golobic; 5. Emerson Axsom; 6. Kyle Jones; 7. Mitchel Moles; 8. Trey Marcham; 9. Tim Buckwalter; 10. Justin Grant; 11. Tim McCreadie; 12. Kevin Thomas Jr.; 13. Zeb Wise; 14. Chris Windom; 15. Daison Pursley; 16. Chase McDermand; 17. Thomas Meseraull; 18. Jade Avedisian; 19. Ryan Timms; 20. Hank Davis; 21. Rico Abreu; 22. Kaylee Bryson; 23. (DNF) Spencer Bayston; 24. (DNF) Brent Crews.
 
Lap Leaders: Logan Seavey 1-20; Cannon McIntosh 21-30; Seavey 31-55.


Hard Charger: Tim Buckwalter +14