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Image Credit: Ryan Nuttleman
Bryan Hulbert – TULSA, Okla. (January 8, 2025) The O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions. The annual gathering of Chili Bowl, National Tour, and invited guests has become a mainstay during Monday’s 2nd Opinion Auto Center Qualifying Night at the Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink, and this year’s roster comprises 19 drivers.
Topped by Logan Seavey for the first time in 2024, the USAC Triple Crown career titlist went on to defend his Chili Bowl Nationals championship on Saturday night aboard the Victory Fuel/Swindell SpeedLab No. 39, fielded by Kevin and Jordan Swindell. The 2024 field saw 20 drivers on track.
For the 2025 event, drivers from across the racing spectrum have been invited to participate in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Race of Champions.
1 – Sammy Swindell: The five-time Chili Bowl National Champion is always invited.
1S – Spencer Bayston: Winner of Thursday’s Hasty Bake Qualifying Night in 2024, this past season saw the Indiana racer on the road with the Kubota High Limit Series.
1K – Kyle Larson: A last-minute decision to head to Tulsa in 2024, things are full throttle in 2025 for the 2020 and 2021 Chili Bowl Nationals Champion as he hunts yet another Golden Driller after banking two during the Smiley’s Racing Products Tulsa Shootout powered by NOS Energy Drink.
3T – Brad Sweet: A tie in Midweek, a title overall, the High Limit Racing co-founder gets the nod to compete as the 2024 Kubota High Limit Champion.
4P – Kody Swanson: The 2024 season was uncertain, but it did not stay that way for long and earned Swanson an invite to compete as the 2024, and now eight-time, USAC Silver Crown Champion.
19R – Ricky Thornton, Jr.: Not afraid to race anything and everything, RTJ gets invited to compete as the 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Champion.
21H – Brady Bacon: Sprint Cars, Midgets, Wing or Non-Wing, the Chili Bowl Nationals invites three-time USAC Amsoil Sprint Car National Champion Brady Bacon to compete.
23C – Tyler Courtney: Sunshine finished runner-up in the 2024 O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions, plus went on to win the tie and secure the Kubota High Limit Midweek Money Series.
39 – Logan Seavey: Winner of the 2024 O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions, along with being the two-time and defending Chili Bowl Nationals Champion and the 2024 USAC Amsoil Sprint Car National Champion, Logan Seavey is back for more.
41 – Corey Day: Winner of Wednesday’s York Plumbing Qualifying Night in 2024, the 2024 Turkey Night Grand Prix winner turned heads last season with the Kubota High Limit Series, scoring eight victories.
57 – Kaylee Bryson: The first woman to win a USAC National event with her Silver Crown triumph at Belleville in 2024, Kaylee Bryson’s success on the pavement put her atop the points in Trans Am SGT National competition and earned her an invite to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions with Abacus Racing, who was the entrant owner champion with the USAC Amsoil Sprint Car National Championship.
67 – Ryan Timms: With POWRi and Xtreme each topped by the same driver, the invite goes to Ryan Timms, who placed second in Xtreme standings with multi-time Chili Bowl Champion car owners KKM/Curb-Agajanian.
71 – Buddy Kofoid: Winner of Tuesday’s Warren CAT Qualifying Night in 2024, this past season was a banner year for the two-time USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget champion as he earned the 2024 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year award with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.
71K – Cannon McIntosh: The 2024 season was a successful one for McIntosh, who got the invite with both the Xtreme and POWRi titles and nearly captured the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget championship.
71W – Christopher Bell: Unleashed by Joe Gibbs Racing to return to the dirt tracks, the three-time Chili Bowl Champion added a second Tulsa Shootout Golden Driller this past weekend in a thrilling victory in Saturday’s 55-lap, Hyper Racing Outlaw Non-Wing feature.
86 – Daison Pursley: A fight to the finish for the 2024 USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship, the title for CB Industries driver Daison Pursley, secure his spot in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions
87 – Justin Grant: Winner of the 2022 O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions; Grant saw an up-and-down season in 2024 but will see a new chapter as he joins CB Industries for the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals.
88 – Tanner Thorson: Winner of the 2022 Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink, Thorson spent the summer chasing the Kubota High Limit Series before getting Midget laps in California.
98 Tanner Carrick: Winner of Monday’s 2nd Opinion Auto Center Qualifying Night in 2024, Carrick secured several wins in 2024 along the West Coast.
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, High Limit National and Mid-Week, USAC National Midgets, USAC National Sprint Cars, USAC Silver Crown, and POWRi Midget League, and 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 39th annual Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink takes place January 13-18, 2025, 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. Monday and Tuesday tickets are $60 each, plus tax (8.517%). Any order received will go into 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.
Quick Notes:
What: 39th annual Chili Bowl Nationals
When: January 13-18, 2025
Where: SageNet Center (Tulsa, Okla.)
Event Address: 4145 E 21st St, Tulsa, OK 74114
Chili Bowl Online:
Website: http://www.chilibowl.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chilibowlnationals
Twitter: (@cbnationals)
Official Hashtag: #ChiliBowl2025
Instagram: cbnationals
Chili Bowl Nationals Champions:
Year – Driver (Owner)
2024 – Logan Seavey (Kevin & Jordan Swindell/Curb/Bertrand)
2023 – Logan Seavey (Kevin & Jordan Swindell/Curb/Bertrand)
2022 – Tanner Thorson (Andy Reinbold)
2021 – Kyle Larson (Kyle Larson Openwheel)
2020 – Kyle Larson (Kyle Larson Openwheel, LLC-Mike Larson)
2019 – Christopher Bell (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
2018 – Christopher Bell (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
2017 – Christopher Bell (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
2016 – Rico Abreu (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
2015 – Rico Abreu (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
2014 – Bryan Clauson (Joe Dooling/Rusty Kunz/Curb Records)
2013 – Kevin Swindell (Swindell Motorsports/Curb Records)
2012 – Kevin Swindell (Swindell Motorsports/Curb Records)
2011 – Kevin Swindell (Swindell Motorsports/Curb Records)
2010 – Kevin Swindell (Swindell Motorsports/Curb Records)
2009 – Sammy Swindell (Swindell Motorsports/Curb Records)
2008 – Damion Gardner (Jason Leffler)
2007 – Tony Stewart (Tony Stewart Motorsports)
2006 – Tim McCreadie (Steve Smith)
2005 – Tracy Hines (Wilke – Pak)
2004 – Cory Kruseman (Andy Bondio)
2003 – Dan Boorse (Dan Boorse)
2002 – Tony Stewart (Keith Kunz)
2001 – Jay Drake (Keith Kunz)
2000 – Cory Kruseman (Andy Bondio)
1999 – Dan Boorse (Dan Boorse)
1998 – Sammy Swindell (Pete Willoughby)
1997 – Billy Boat (John Lawson)
1996 – Sammy Swindell (Rusty Kunz / Jay McKinnie)
1995 – Donnie Beechler (Zarounian Motorsports)
1994 – Andy Hillenburg (Keith Kunz / Rusty Kunz)
1993 – Dave Blaney (Ralph Potter)
1992 – Sammy Swindell (Dave Ellis)
1991 – Lealand McSpadden (Andy Bondio)
1990 – John Heydenreich (Tony Finley)
1989 – Sammy Swindell (Jack Runyon)
1988 – Scott Hatton (Jerry Hatton)
1987 – Rich Vogler (Bob Lowe)
O’Reilly Auto Parts 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)
Trade Show: A long-standing tradition at the Chili Bowl, the Trade Show, which is open to the public each day (Monday through Saturday), is free of charge. All variety of racing products, apparel, and more is available with well over 100 vendors. The Trade Show still has space available. Anyone looking to be a part of the Trade Show can contact the Chili Bowl office at 918-838-3777. The Trade Show covers approximately 20,000 square feet
