Chili Bowl

By Kevin Eckert

February 5, 2010: The Chili Bowl Midget Nationals is the greatest event since the invention of the wheel. There is no other way to slice it.

Five nights of superb dirt track action are guaranteed because they are indoors. And if they are not superb, promoter Emmett Hahn stops the show until traction returns. This year, there were 256 cars containing some of the fiercest racers to ever throw a tear-off; a Race of Champions times ten. The reason such talent takes to Tulsa is Chili Bowl’s season of winter. Except for the occasional Daytona test pilot, all drivers are available in January. They find or build a midget, get split into four nights of qualifying, but are rewarded for any car they pass all week. No national point chase, no point handicapping, no time trials and with one glaring exception, no provisional starting spots. There were 30 flips without a single red flag. Open drinking is still encouraged. It is truly this fool’s paradise; a party with a race downstairs and in-screen.

Yes, Chili Bowl has been recapped by more diligent writers by now. They filed stories, went to bed, did some cool fund raisers during the day, and fought the crowd to five post-race press conferences to copy the quotes you’ve already read. That’s their Chili Bowl. Mine is different. I try to go infield for hot laps at five o’clock, stand behind Bo Daniels of Motorsport Video for eight heats, roam the palace until B-mains (with a view of the screen, ideally) and return to Bo.

Chili Bowl has become so large that an average human cannot watch all 88 races. So many various experiences swirl around its concrete floor. There is the handful of competitors with an honest shot at winning, and 200 other guys and girls in their way. Car owners take Ten Grand to lease midgets into a race paying Ten Grand to win. A car from California will be literally pushed through a party containing some kid from New England who has never seen the inside of a midget. It is surreal.

During multi-day events like Chili Bowl or Knoxville Nationals, it is possible to block out the outside world. If you choose not to switch on a television or computer, never pick up a newspaper other than National Speed Sport News, you can sink into that warm place where all that matters is racing. Speedweek travelers know the groove. Earthquake in Haiti? Where does Sammy start? Senate seat open in Massachusetts? How many transfer?

Anyone who did read their Tulsa World news on opening day of the 24th annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals saw the race’s impact on the city pegged at 15 million. Remember the not-so-distant past when Emmett and Lanny Edwards were slapped with curfews and air quality monitors in their hallway? Well, now Hahn has Mayor Dewey Bartlett on his hip like a pistol.

The 2010 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals was a Swindell family portrait. Until this year, that meant five victories by Sammy Swindell of suburban Memphis, Tennessee. This winter’s winner was Sam and Amy’s only offspring: 20-year old Kevin. He barely races (three trips to Australia just to have a 35-race season in 2009) but is always up front. Tulsa was Kevin’s finest hour, though his Western World of 2008 paid better (12.5) and can match Chili Bowl for prestige. But this is the Race of Champions; everyone swimming in unfamiliar water. This is bigger.

Much like his dad did last year, Kevin Swindell slipped backwards (as far as sixth) when the final 50-lapper began. It is not uncommon at Chili Bowl for the winning set-up to struggle on its freshly-reconditioned raceway. But as dust blows back across the groove, the rightful winner can return to the front. The key is having a driver disciplined enough to not show frustration as he fades momentarily, and patient enough to then pick his way forward without incident. Patience and discipline have not often been used to describe young Swindell, yet he did everything right. He never put a wheel on anyone. Darren Hagen did get spun from fourth-place but only after good, solid defense. Add the degree of difficulty of no brakes and Kevin’s drive is even more remarkable.

Just as Chili Bowl is racing’s greatest event, Sammy Swindell is its greatest racer. I consider Sammy’s only true peers to be Steve Kinser and Doug Wolfgang, and since neither showed much of an indoor appetite, such a claim is as simple as three minus two. Sam has five wins in 17 finals. Age has hardly dulled his edge. There is no sight like Sammy on his way to the front and for the past two years, John Godfrey has given him a square-tailed monster that eats through opposition. Last year, everything went according to script. This year began upside-down, wrecked again, lost a shock, started last three times and still ended in third-place.

These two guys from Tennessee are truly gifted performers. Why then does the smell of their success make many people queasy? My list of charges against Sammy is 30 years old and while I’ve tried not to condemn the son, Kevin has not made that easy. They showed their sense of entitlement on the post-race public address. After his prelim win, Kevin said that he felt Chili Bowl “owed him a few.” He had been to four. Father joined him on the podium and spoke of improving to first and second “like we probably should have done last year.”

If these two ingrates would just savor such a wonderful family moment, rather than remind us how many other wins they should have, maybe we could better appreciate them. Or maybe Sammy’s face on numerous urinal pucks said it better.

Getting to my 22nd of 24 Chili Bowls was slightly complex. Since brother had a girl stashed in Missouri, he wanted me out of the way, so I rode from Indy to Tulsa in a car rented by Mills Video Productions. Dean and I arrived just after Monday’s practice. Tuesday brought Brother Steve, all happy and helpful in shuttling my shit to our command post atop the Elephant Run. Five days later when all that remained were stains, we three reconvened at Twin Peaks to watch Cowboys get knocked from their horses while I threw my saddlebags back in with MVP.

Sunday after Chili Bowl was windy and mild. Such was not the case six days earlier when Tulsa was as cold as Indianapolis. There was even heavy snow in Oklahoma over Christmas and New Year’s Eve, just in time for the 25th Tulsa Shootout. Throughout the two weeks between Shootout and Chili Bowl, rising temperatures caused melting ice to slide off the roof of what is now named QuikTrip Center. Drivers generally fly to Tulsa. Their cars however, often cross the Rocky Mountains or other winter obstacle, which only makes an entry list of 260 more miraculous.

A select group of USAC car owners were asked to a Monday meeting by Kevin Miller and Jason Smith. The topic was the RPM limit that USAC is set to impose on midget engines. Esslinger owners feel the sting and USAC was in Tulsa to smooth their complaints. Miller and Smith vanished in a matter of hours, but not before the USAC president got an earful of one angry Hahn. She was Donna, daughter of Emmett and Fuzz and just as pointed in her conviction. Donna delivered a litany of charges against Miller ranging from resistance to Bandits in Indiana, blocking EcoTech in California and their Western World custody fight. Donna did not absolve Miller of guilt from their Silver Crown contest of 2003, even though it was Rollie Helmling who hurried off to catch a flight rather than race the last 30 laps. Smith now tried to get them on a flight but not until Donna was done.

Two of the first smiles in my favorite building were Badger babes Stacy Billings and Jessica Davis, daughters of Dean and Marty. They sandwiched Doc Tyler telling of Monday plans for the Town Pump on South Memorial. It was packed full of racers. Scott Hatton had just arrived from a disastrous New Zealand tour, joined by Joe Dooling (owner of the car wrenched by Doc for Davey Ray), Wayne Johnson, Lee Beckwith and Billy Pauch Jr.

Monday’s buzz was about Johnny Murdock, mascot of the Chili Bowl for a decade. This year, rather than green hair, Murdock gained attention with his latest vision of a midget. Influenced by drag racing, John built a smaller cage with a single downtube. But when someone pointed out how easily that tube could enter his cockpit, Murdock was made to find a welder to add protection. Some left the Town Pump to see “June & John” make music. She plays guitar and sings while Murdock slaps a stand-up bass like Jimbo from the Reverend Horton Heat.

Tuesday ended with a great A-main to officially open the 2010 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals. Getting enough midgets together to make traffic is more difficult than ever. Getting them to string enough laps together to join ends is almost impossible. But the talent in this building cannot be overstated. We got 21 uninterrupted laps and a beautiful three-car fight through traffic.

Leading to the final corner was the fastest man in New Zealand, Michael Pickens, returning to Chili Bowl after four years. Michael’s ride was an Aggressor V8 owned by Simon Longdill, who has been Davey Ray’s car owner these past few winters. Simon shipped a second V8 for Brad Mosen. These cars are not U.S legal anywhere outside Chili Bowl, where almost anything goes. Off the dock in LA, the Kiwi cars were lifted by hand into a rental truck for transport to Tulsa. Tuesday saw Pickens take the preliminary lead, lose it, take it back, and then lose in the final feet to Zach Daum of Pocahontas, Illinois.

It warms even a jaded heart when an unknown like Zach steps from the shadows to grab some spotlight. Opening night of Chili Bowl 2010 will be remembered as the Tuesday when racing became aware of Zach Daum. Though he won an informal event in Springfield (MO) and a POWRi program in Butler County (NE), most had probably never heard of Daum until the 18-year old snatched the checkered flag from New Zealand.

The third car in Tuesday’s mix was driven by California live wire Tyler Walker, who has had an eventful winter. When he failed to land the second Tony Stewart ride with the World of Outlaws, Walker watched his Golden State record-setting team of Scott Chastain disband. One month later, Tyler signed with Mike Heffner for Walker’s first central Pennsylvania campaign since 2000. Back in a Chili Bowl saddle after five years (his only previous dirt midget race), Tyler took a Fike Spike to first in his heat. Pickens twice jumped so loose in turn one that he nearly stopped. The first time surrendered the lead. The second time brought contact from Walker, who spun and ruined Chili Bowl for himself and Dave Darland.

Tuesday’s third seat to Saturday’s final was filled by Shane Golobic, one-third of Bryan Clauson’s California drivers alongside Kyle Larson, who would also be one of the final 24. Curiously, the weak link became Bryan, the National Midget Driver of the Year who has now missed two consecutive Chili Bowl A-mains.

The fifth straight Chili Bowl by Brent Beauchamp began fourth on Tuesday for Cruz Pedregon. Winning his first Lincoln Park sprint race last summer, Beauchamp made 25 outdoor midget starts in 2008-2009. Bobby East is never more overlooked than in Tulsa but other than his rookie year, East has finished among the Top Ten in seven prelims. Tuesday found him fifth followed by Steve Buckwalter, who flipped hard in his qualifier. Buckwalter and local boy Brady Bacon were two of 25 Chili Bowl racers who raced in the Tulsa Shootout on January 2. Bacon climbed from row eight to seventh. California’s Matt Streeter ran six midget races between Chili Bowls yet earned eighth ahead of Dave Camfield Jr. There’s been a Camfield in competition for 22 of 24 Chili Bowls.

Back in the days of only Thursday and Friday prelims, everyone in the Top Seven was assured a spot in Saturday’s final. Now that there are four prelims, placing 4-5-6-7-8-9 assured Beauchamp, East, Buckwalter, Bacon, Streeter and Camfield of starting outside the first six rows in one of two Saturday B-mains.

To bolster Tuesday attendance, an extra Race of Champions was held for past winners “and contenders” according to summary. Emmett Hahn used Kasey Kahne to spark off-night attention just as Lenny Sammons would on the following Friday in Philadelphia. Brad Loyet led all 20 laps, but Brad Kuhn’s low-groove closing speed bode well for later in the week.

Loyet Motorsports parked in the prized pit stall formerly occupied by Tony Stewart Racing. As expected, Stewart roamed the arena as spectator. Not expected was how he drove the tractor early in the week. Opening night, Joe Loyet won the exhibition with Brad, won his heat with Tim Crawley, but finished two spots short of the A-main with Danny Lasoski, who was fired before Thursday’s lunch. The problem stemmed from Lasoski’s partnership in December’s Kemper Arena races in Kansas City, where Loyet grossed over $17,000. Danny of course, lent little more than his name. Scott Pennington leased the hall. Lucas Oil was to pay the purse. Last year, Lucas gave $35,000. This year, Lasoski said they gave $3500. In turn, Loyet gave Lasoski until Thursday to cover their 17, which did not happen. Joe peeled the Lasoski visor from his car, tossed it on the roof of his trailer, and hoped it would blow off somewhere on I-44.

Bounced from Loyet (led by Rusty Kunz at Chili Bowl 2009) to Keith Kunz, Jon Stanbrough stalled in his heat, won the C, and then clipped the cone while holding a transfer two laps from the end of the B, burning his chances of a good week.

California’s Colby Copeland, a Chili Bowl rookie in 2008 with A.J Felker, returned as half of Mike Sala’s team with Wes Gutierrez as wrenched by Brian Matherly of Kaeding Performance.

Washington’s Brock Lemley ran his second straight Chili Bowl. Last year, he teamed with Joey Tynan and this year, Lemley went with another NorCal name in Cliff Blackwell, who only raced Chili Bowl in 2009. Nick Chivello and Joe Bob Lee raised Mr. Blackwell’s number of drivers to 18 in nine Chili Bowls. The man with three first names, Joe Bob Lee also has six wins in four Lawton seasons of two-barrel winged 360 sprint cars. But in a midget, Joe Bob busted his ass in a Thursday heat race, skipping any further racing Saturday.

Jack Walker of Bay Muffler was a NorCal car owner who showed Blackwell how to play Chili Bowl. This year, Petaluma 360 champ Alissa Geving and Scott Pierovich pushed Bay Muffler’s amount of Chili Bowl drivers to 24 in 11 years. Tuesday in her first career midget start, Alissa advanced from C-to-B.

Also progressing from C-to-B in a first ever midget start was Connecticut’s Lex Burritt, a Whip City 600 star who won during Florida Speedweeks 2009 at the Hendry County Speedway on which wingless 410 sprint cars will race on February 6.

Pennsylvania’s Rick Eckert, winning a late model race on his local Lincoln Speedway in 2009, gained Tulsa’s last Tuesday transfer in a J&K Salvage car. Though his son Cody has run off to join the circus (World of Outlaws), Joe Darrah has retained Steve Suchy as mechanic/shop foreman.

Earlier in the Elephant Run, ever-smiling Cody Brewer of Choctaw introduced me to Matt Johnson of Oklahoma City. I made a mental note to keep an eye on Matt’s yellow 85, but it died before the green waved on heat four. J-to-I would be Johnson’s fate.

The only Chili Bowl rookie to make Tuesday’s A-main was Keith Bloom, a 2009 Lincoln Park sprint winner who did Tulsa for Jesse Denome as part of an expansive Steve Watt stable consisting of Victor Davis, Bruce Douglass and two Camarillos.

Penske pupil Billy Wease swept December concrete races at Fort Wayne and won a qualifier Tuesday in Tulsa, but broke in the process. For that, Wease was outside row seven for Saturday’s D. Wease was observed by fellow pavement pro Bobby Santos III, engaged to marry Billy’s sister Kristy. In further engagement news, New England modified star Woody Pitkat proposed to Bob’s sister Erica Santos, who races winged NEMA midgets.

I may have to rethink my steps. Save your applause. It’s nothing drastic or even prudent. But ever since the Chili Bowl entry list exploded above 200, the quality of heat racing has diminished. Blame a dilution of talent, equal Spikes, or an expo surface that starts heavy. That’s the bad news. The good news is that good heat races are still there. They just call ‘em qualifiers now. To reiterate, I closely study heat races (same as any outdoor race) and mingle and monitor the screen. But ever since Chili Bowl adopted the international twin-heat format of its Sprint Bandits or World Series, qualifiers now provide some of the best thrust-and-parry parties of the week as the groove widens.

In all 76 nights of Chili Bowl since it started in 1987, there has never been a static method of conditioning the surface once the racing is underway. This is to Emmett’s credit, as no two tracks wear exactly the same and may require different schools of thought. Hahn has forever benefited from one of the Lilly tillers that promotional partner Lanny Edwards has stored in Texas. But the tiller is slow and can do too good of a job sometimes, making the tilled lane superior. This year between select races (heats three and six), a tractor with an arm stretching across the speedway sprayed a fine mist of water, which made the bottom slick and slow while making the cushion slightly taller. Overall, the grooves were probably slower but more equal.

Kevin Swindell set the stage for a front row start on Saturday by winning Wednesday’s A-main. Seven nights removed from five midget races in Australia and New Zealand, young Swindell took the lead from Cole Whitt while in the low groove, watched Cole pass him up top, caught a caution and wisely moved up there too. Whitt had won his heat from last on the last corner, added a qualifier from sixth, but could not exceed Swindell.

Like dad, Kevin carried sponsorship from John Christner Trucking and at the last minute, added a D.A Hanson visor for a Pennsylvania modified associate of Venture’s Bob Trafford. Hanson had a Number 134 that won for Billy Pauch, Fred Rahmer and on one memorable night at Williams Grove, accounted for Van May’s only victory outside of sprints or midgets.

Last year before a broken wheel led to a broken back, Tim McCreadie was regarded as the only man capable of keeping Sammy Swindell in sight. Wednesday watched McCreadie drop the third Saturday seat to Brad Kuhn after a torrid tussle, which would translate into Tim ending one spot short on Saturday.

Brad Sweet rounded out the Top Five on Wednesday for Kasey Kahne Racing. A week later, he hopped in the Kahne plane for the Motorsports show in Philly, followed by AFC Championship Game in Indy. Two weeks later in Florida, Sweet gave a last lap effort to win the U.S sprint car opener at Ocala, but collided with Cale Conley to hand the All Star win to Lasoski.

Illinois produced sixth and seventh Wednesday in the form of Daniel Adler and A.J Fike. Adler swapped rides with Ted Kirkpatrick, who crashed Daniel’s car and was credited as last in Saturday’s first race: the K-main. Jonathan Beason burst from 17th to eighth. Clauson won his heat and qualifier, seldom moving his arms in a happy chassis. However, he was taken to the tail with Josh Ford, fought back to ninth, but his Chili Bowl was poisoned.

Winter has been unkind to Gary Taylor who last year, was released from Tel-Star after Chili Bowl. This year, Taylor teamed with Australia’s Mike Smith, builder of the Hawk engine that put McCreadie in the Chili Bowl win column. But as he applied a second outside pass on Tony Elliott (a veteran who knows how to make a slow car wide), they exited the second corner side-by-side to find Scott Fennell prone. Tony filled the escape route and Gary clipped and flipped over the stalled car.

Also flipping in his heat was Shane Cockrum, rookie to POWRi in 2009 and Chili Bowl in 2010. Cockrum competed hard, taking third in the same race where he tumbled, and fifth in a qualifier to crack Wednesday’s A-main.

California’s Sean Dodenhoff, who won four races in 2009 with a USAC Ford Focus midget of Cory Kruseman, filed entries for the first Chili Bowl by either himself or Tyler Edwards, who then switched to one of five Kruseman cars. After renting from Loyet last year, Louisiana’s Channing Zierolf also came to Kruseman and Lucas Oil this year.

Midgets built and owned by A.J Felker of Indiana competed in Kansas City and Tulsa driven by the Gradys of Farmington, New Mexico. Josh and Jason Grady have raced winged sprint cars for eight years.

Kevin Bayer of nearby Bixby won the winged 600 portion of the 2009 Tulsa Shootout, added the ASCS2 championship and last month, Bayer bagged the Shootout’s first EcoTech Chevy/Ford Focus race over Gary Taylor, Bryan Clauson, Kevin Ramey and Chett Gehrke, all of whom followed with Chili Bowl rides.

Andrew Hannula was a Chili Bowl rookie from Matawan, New Jersey. URC sprint rookie in 2007, Hannula’s open wheel efforts have shifted toward midgets these past two seasons. His car owner in Tulsa was Lou Zrinski, who brought new ARDC champ Frank Polimeda (2005), Eric Heydenreich (2008), Don Trent (2009) and Chris Zrinski in 2010.

Brother Steve, again using this very laptop to set the Australian betting line, was in his own expo “office pool” where everyone selects from A, B, C or D categories like a Chinese menu. He grilled me on a few names. Two of them raced Wednesday: Tanner Mullens and Shane Hmiel. Based on the strength of Steve Lewis machinery versus the sheltered duck that Shane gets, I steered Steve toward Tanner, who looked like a rent-a-rider in the worst sense. Meanwhile, the always over-achieving Hmiel weathered heat from Gary Taylor to take Wednesday’s final transfer.

Doctor Tyler and Doctor Dooling had perhaps my favorite car of the 256. Like most guys, I’m a sucker for a lady in red. This one had a big silver leaf Number Two on its nose and tail. Doc and Davey Ray topped their Chili Bowl prelim in 2007 for Mecum Auctions and this year, Ray took his heat but was first out of Wednesday’s A-main.

Wednesday’s party at the Elephant Run was stronger than 2009, when the Cimarron Room was not yet open to us. We toasted Tyler’s beautiful car with 2003 Oskaloosa C-main winner Sean Walden and Kurt Mayhew, fifth with NAMARS at Attica in 1995. Doctor’s stories of Mike Nazaruk and Gary Patterson held Waldo and Scotty Cook mesmerized.

It’s hard to stay spotless at Chili Bowl and last year, Sammy Swindell was spotless. This year, Sam started upside-down in Tuesday’s match race and fourth in Thursday’s heat. But he won his qualifier and had the A-main well in hand. Tracy Hines paced eight laps down low when he sensed Sammy making a run around the top. Off turn four, Tracy wheeled his Wilke car to seal the outside. Sammy sees two moves ahead. As soon as Tracy telegraphed his intent, Swindell was already crossing under him, carrying much speed to an apex deep in the second corner. This he did with nary a twitch and then drove away. But as soon as Sam spotted two-to-go, Jonathan Hendrick flipped on the frontstretch and collected Swindell and Phantom of Billy Pauch Jr.

On the gift restart, new leader Darren Hagen led Hines, who pushed his nose over the second corner cushion to cause a major shuffle. Brad Mosen opened his V8 around the rim to second as Tony Roney rolled the bottom. Up front, Hagen avenged Tuesday’s near-win by RFMS teammate Tyler Walker with a Thursday triumph.

What was a bigger surprise? Was it Zach Daum winning on Tuesday or Tony Roney running second on Thursday? In three previous Chili Bowls, Tony had never been in an A-main. Midgets had proven his biggest challenge after racing virtually everything offered at the Tulsa Shootout, where he once won on a quad. Roney resides in Herculaneum, Missouri near I-55 Raceway.

Mosen gave the Kiwis what they traveled so far to attain by locking into Saturday’s final, an honor which twice eluded the fastest man in Australia, Mark Brown.

Fastest man from the village of Kansas, Illinois, Shane Cottle has displayed a knack for expo action ever since locking from prelim to final in his first two Chili Bowls in 2000-2001. This year, Shane drove the DSR Beast to first in his heat and fourth in Thursday’s A-main. Kyle Larson gave Bryan Clauson Inc. a small consolation prize with a second Top Five in three nights. Always eager to mix it up, Kasey Kahne crossed sixth trailed by Thomas Meseraull and Hines, who fell to eighth over Jesse Hockett (Loyet 05) and Damion Gardner.

Hockett was home in America five nights after an Australia adventure. Right around Christmas when Cody Darrah decided against the trip to Queensland, jilted car owner John Weatherall found Jesse, a winner in his first race on a Brisbane International Speedway so rough that the Weatherall car was cracked. Unfortunately, the frame damage was not located until four lackluster performances passed.

It seems almost accidental that The Demon won the Chili Bowl in 2008, because few fast guys care less than Damion does. Even the year when he won, Gardner groused about losing a week of working on his sprint cars. This year, his crew will be Chris Kirchner, Warren Beard and Kevin Briscoe. The Demon makes no bones of his dislike for midgets, believing that there would be more races and more money for sprint racers like him if USAC had no midgets at all.

Veteran observers of midget racing were saddened to see Crocky Wright and Bob Higman pass within weeks of each other. I do not ever remember Crocky at Chili Bowl (he was usually in Florida) but Higman was always there, albeit on a scooter. Those who jeer Tony Stewart on Sundays in The South do not know how Tony made eviction notices disappear from Crocky’s final years. A.J Foyt was a starving kid from Texas who mowed Higman’s lawn for grocery money.

Parnelli Jones was in the house, which lends a regal air to any occasion, as did Johnny Rutherford. Parnelli’s midget win with Howard Linne in 1964 was the last USAC race on Pennsylvania’s Lincoln Speedway, though a USAC sprint race is scheduled for June 2. Parnelli’s son Page Jones was in Tulsa to see big brother P.J fly an American Racing Wheels hood on his Steve Lewis special, which was without Kelly Drake.

Junior Knepper, who won 23 USAC midget races in five seasons with Bob Wente, Tom Bigelow and Mel Kenyon, watched son Steve step out of semi-retirement and occupy a Thursday transfer until dumped by Donnie Ray Crawford, a C-main winner on a mission. Crawford competed for Jon Kantor, an Oklahoma owner silent since halting a World of Outlaws run with Chad Kemenah.

Local girl Michelle Decker of Guthrie, without a Friday place to race after her state fairgrounds was condemned, got a nice ovation for winning a Thursday heat. Decker did dump in the B. She and Shannon McQueen maintain an annual exchange program where California’s McQueen comes to Oklahoma to race Michelle’s winged sprint car and in exchange, Decker of Oklahoma travels to California to race a midget.

Furthering tradition, Murdock failed to complete Wednesday hot laps. Permitted to try Thursday night, John got his black bathtub going fast enough to make Zero Motorsports more formidable than ever. Translation: it took longer than one lap for Murdock to trail his heat race this year.

Nebraska native Ryan Durst stepped out of retirement, raced a fast guy into turn one, spun, and never turned another good lap, scratching Saturday altogether. It seemed a waste of whatever money Phil Durst paid Scott Morgan for the privilege. Morgan meanwhile, sent his son Dustin to Jack Yeley’s obedience school.

Showing some Nebraska heart was Stuart Snyder, who leased a Camfield car that Stu brought from Thursday’s C-main to within one spot of its A-main. Snyder’s sprint racing has waned in recent seasons so last summer, he leased a Felker midget for the Belleville Nationals.

Thursday in Tulsa brought Cap Henry after nine weeks in Australia that saw Cap lap three tracks in seven races. Henry mainly raced in Brisbane, where highlights were seventh and tenth-place.

British Columbia’s Toni Lutar strolled IMIS trade show in December and decided to play midget racer for the first time. Lutar leased a Beast from Chase Barber. The Pacific Northwest was also represented by Skagit promoter Steve Beitler (he had never seen a Chili Bowl), Steve’s 360 champ Brock Lemley and a XXX house car for Colton Heath.

Oklahoma 600 racers Tanner Berryhill and Billy Lawhead landed Chili Bowl rides. Adrian’s boy Tanner topped the winged indoor opener in Kansas City and then partnered with Davey Ray for Tanner’s first midget. Lawhead immediately crashed his midget.

Missouri’s Kyle Steffans was a rent-a-racer who did not yield easily. Steffans of St. Charles has excelled in everything he’s touched from quarter-midget champion as a child to karts, mods and now late models. His midget was a good one. It belonged to Keith Anderson from across the big river in Belleville, Illinois. Keith’s boy Brett bagged a qualifier to crack Friday’s feature.

Elephant Run is still Never Never land. In all my travels (and I take special pride in finding an after-party), nowhere other Trade Winds runs you out of the hotel lounge at 2am, but then serves drinks in an adjoining room until 5am. Maybe god really did bless Oklahoma. Cover was five dollars. Couch dances were $20 and very thorough. Next year, there should be a move back to the old inflatable chairs rather than the narrow unpadded model. I’m just tryin’ to give a girl a helping hand.

In past years, cooler enforcement to the den of debauchery was less than stringent. This year however, a stocky, bald man made it his duty to keep mine out. Kevin Olson II got it through the door a second time, before the same angry man put it back in the hall. For the next half hour, he watched us like a mother hawk watches for snakes. KO2 amused himself by toying with the drunks who came weaving our way.

“Where you going?” he’d ask. The guy would wheel around a little irritated and Olson would disarm him. “Hey, that’s a nice shirt!”

One guy was so drunk that he insisted the scars on his face had been inflicted by Jason Leffler, which we found hilarious. It’s not impossible, just highly improbable from such a vertically challenged package. Olson and I shared a private joke all week of the absurd image of an enraged Leffler cleaning out a bar.

“Don’t go in there,” Olson advised, pointing to the men’s room. “Leffler just tore the hand dryer off the wall. He says the next guy gets it in the face.”

Friday marked redemption for Cory Kruseman. At one time, the combination of Cory and car builder/owner/chief mechanic Andy Bondio was Chili Bowl’s most potent. But the past three years saw them miss Saturday A-mains. The bike tire had lost its charm. And so in 2010, for the first time in ten years, Andy Bondio and Cory Kruseman pitted on opposite sides of the aisle.

Kruseman had heard the whispers that his best days are done. As the Cory Kruseman Sprint & Midget Driving School has increased, Cory’s victory output has decreased. It is however, something of a backhand compliment to Kruseman’s high standard (20 wins in 2005) that consecutive four-win campaigns are dismissed. Call it a perceived lack of desire or the effects of a hard Lawrenceburg landing in 2008, but Cory Kruseman had fallen from the A-list. Friday’s final preliminary changed that.

Ever the businessman, Cory leased four Lucas Oil midgets and raced one. They were in the trusted hands of Mike Nigh and Harlan Willis, both of whom nursed Kruseman to sprint car stardom in their black 45. The Cruiser looked like his old confidant self in Friday’s feature, posting his first Tulsa win in four years.

Jerry Coons, sixth in Kansas City with a Denny Lendich midget that Jerry met a week later in New Zealand, won two of four in Auckland before his 13th Chili Bowl. Coons made half a slide at the lead, lost ground to Kruseman exiting turn four, and remained holstered to second-place.

Feel-good story of the week was Danny Stratton, third in Friday’s feature. Stratton owes much to Chili Bowl. It gained him national notice in 2004 when he went D-to-C-to-B-to-A and introduced him to wife Michele, half of the flyin’ Miller sisters. She moved from Pennsylvania to Indy with Stratton, who went from racing every Sunday at Sun Prairie to not racing at all. He worked for Danny Drinan until latching on with Cruz Pedregon, who possesses a house full of midgets. Stratton readied three for Cruz, Brent Beauchamp and Dusty Zomer but on Friday, he slipped on the firesuit, strolled down to Indy Race Parts, and belted into one of Bernie Stuebgen’s three cars. All that Danny did was win his heat and lock into Saturday’s final.

The few feet between Chris Windom and third-place meant that Chris again created a pile of Saturday work for himself. Chad Boat finished fifth followed by Mike Hess from row nine, Levi Jones, Bobby Michnowicz and eleventh row starter Don Droud Jr. Michnowicz is another cool story. One of the few to race Ascot Park and Chili Bowl, he won Friday’s heat. Taking tenth was teenager Trevor Kobylarz, son of ARDC champ Bryan and one of four rookies in Friday’s feature along with Alex Bowman, Colton Heath and Kody Swanson.

Bud Kaeding, competing in Australia when his second USAC Silver Crown championship was presented in Indianapolis, raced in Tulsa five days after his sixth Australian event in 12 nights. On the Brisbane program when he beat a World Series-caliber field to 10k, Kaeding also finished third in a midget. He seemed less spirited in the midget belonging to Murray Erickson of Texas. They fell short in 2009 and were worse in 2010 when the back of Friday’s B-main translated to Saturday’s (preparation) H.

Cleared by doctors Friday at 11am, J.J Yeley looked like he had played his cards well when he saddled into a vacant Keith Kunz car and won his heat. On the mend since an August crash in Kansas City, J.J had a horrid qualifier, transferred from the B, but stopped on lap 18. Curiously, he and Kunz had never teamed.

Emmett Hahn has never teamed with the World of Outlaws, Okay, he did park cars one year at the Devil’s Bowl of Lanny Edwards. Otherwise, the pioneer of 360 racing has operated independently of the leading 410 organization. Perhaps the only outlaw official that Hahn honestly welcomes into the building is Roger Slack, who annually volunteers to flag. Chili Bowl is one of a flagman’s most physical challenges. Slack waved colors in four hot lap sessions and 17 races each night for four straight nights followed by a marathon Saturday that started at noon and went 20 races long.

That was far too early for those who insist on closing the Elephant Run with breakfast at 6am. You know you’re at the Chili Bowl when you’ll elbow a stripper for the first waffle. I was also reminded how when you bring a cooler of beer to breakfast, people really do think it’s funny.

Coolers restocked for the final push, we arrived at the arena to find Jon Stanbrough in street clothes. For striking Tuesday’s restart cone, Stanbrough was relegated to ninth in Saturday’s G-main.

Saturday’s opening race (K-main) was won by CRA sprint rookie Ronnie Gardner. The 75-year old Floyd Alvis won the first J-main with Alaska’s fastest man, Billy Balog, smoking the second J. Derrick Myers had a good Chili Bowl going on Friday by leading his heat. However, he was blasted by Brent Camarillo in turn three and wound up in the Saturday soup from I-to-H-to-G-to-F.

Eric Sandage, an Arkansas blast from the ASCS past, won the second I-main. In the summer of 2008 was when Eric first obtained a midget, which he raced four times last season with SMRS. Sandage won a slice of ASCS Speedweek at the late Memphis Motorsports Park in 1998. Stu Snyder got Camfield from E-to-D.

Cody Darrah made a mess of what was supposed to be his welcome to Australia and made little impact on his second Chili Bowl, unless winning Thursday’s C-main counts. Two weeks later, Darrah began with Kahne and the All Stars at Ocala and Volusia. Joey Saldana was another Kahne racer who looked like he would have rather been on a beach in New Zealand or a box overlooking the Colts. Saldana did cause an early Saturday stir by progressing from H-to-G-to-F-to-E.

Jason Leffler has driven some of the best-prepared midgets in the past 15 years. As early as Tuesday’s match race, it was clear that his Western Speed special was not one of them. Leffler could not get it from G-to-F. Lasoski was scratched from an E-main.

Chili Bowl had an Australian in the D-main: teenager Brad Cox from Gunnedah, New South Wales. Michael’s boy Brad made his only previous midget start in an ARDC heat race at Susquehanna before its Candy Bowl filled with rain.

If Friday was indeed redemption for Kruseman, then the focus now shifts to Andy Bondio to bring his unique machines back to an A-main. More was expected from Andy’s choices of Mike Spencer and Garrett Hansen than Saturday’s D, which Garrett did graduate.

It was almost expected that Dave Darland would be one of the 24 finalists at Chili Bowl, since he had been 11 of 12 times. As laps wound down on the opening C, Dave began to press toward one of six transfers. He encountered Casey Shuman about half a width off the bottom and basically, moved him over enough to pass. As indoor indecencies go, this was not one. Shuman however, had had enough. Seething over Darland indiscretions from the Indiana summer, Casey punted Dave in turn three.

As easy going as a competitive person can be, Darland signaled his anger under yellow and later stepped into the Loyet trailer to tell young Casey of Hewitt’s Law, which says that everyone gets one warning but that if it happens again, Casey gets punched. It was not necessary for Dave’s wife and son to further berate Shuman, but sometimes the emotions of not making the final cut can overcome people. Tim Crawley had to brush past a screeching Brenda Darland because unlike Dave, Tim was in the B-main.

Back to his roots in the Sooner State, Wayne Johnson made Thursday’s A-main but stopped after Saturday’s C. Like last year, Wayne and Terry McCarl departed Tulsa for Australia. Terry took a little longer to pack his bags, because his Wayne Simmons F5 stole the last transfer from C-to-B in a last corner shuffle. McCarl managed five starts overseas, winning the last one at Premier three nights before the U.S opener at Ocala, where he was eighth. Also making five Australian appearances, Wayne was second in the race at Warrnambool won by McCarl.

Josh Pelkey had 12 career sprint wins at Manzanita but had not been to Chili Bowl in 13 years. He had only been in a midget three times in that time, yet won a C. Arizona’s Alex Bowman brought an unsponsored Beast within one spot of a B.

David Gough got third in Fort Wayne in December and made the Chili Bowl C-main in January. Last year when indoor action ended in Tulsa and DuQuoin, David did only two more midget races: one on Grundy County asphalt and one on Sun Prairie dirt. For the past four winters, Gough raced for Roger Miller, who had driven in 11 straight Chili Bowls before hiring Hockett in 2005. This year, Roger and Lara Miller’s choice was Billy Pauch II (not quite Junior), who ended seventh in a C.

RFMS wrench Greg Nelson ended eighth in Saturday’s C-main with Tyler Walker, but watched Casey Riggs go C-to-B. Though he ran a full Focus season in 2006, Casey had never raced a midget on dirt. Last year, Riggs ran second in his sprint car at Danville.

Scott Benic brought six midgets to Chili Bowl but did not fare especially well. Glenn Styres seemed feistier than usual but neither he nor Scotty Weir got any further than an E; Cale Conley led Tuesday’s A but landed in Saturday’s D; Shane Hmiel went C-to-B; and Levi Jones missed his first final in three years. Of the six, only Brad Kuhn could get a Benic car in the A, but their Beast backed up and never recovered. Kuhn’s car owner Rotondo Weirich used Chili Bowl to announce that it has acquired Fontana engines. Benic said development of the California powerplant will likely occur at Gaerte Engines. One of Scott Benic’s first full-time jobs was crew chief to Joe Gaerte.

Shane Cottle has competed in five straight Chili Bowl finals and held off Brad Sweet for command of a B, before Kasey Kahne sailed around both of them. Up in the chair, Brad abruptly tried to join his boss upstairs. But heading down the backstretch, Sweet ran his right rear into the left front of Steve Buckwalter, who rode out his second flip to a smashing conclusion from Tracy Hines. Heavily favored to make the A, neither Buckwalter nor Hines was happy with Sweet Pea.

I know only one driver of 256 was eligible for a provisional starting spot in the Chili Bowl. I know that same driver put on quite a show for a packed and appreciative crowd. I also know provisionals stink. The Knoxville Nationals does not allow them because they eliminate the drama of watching a skilled and desperate professional like Sammy Swindell slice C-to-B. Generally, provisional starters add caution flags like Sammy did on lap 11 and 18, losing the use of his left front Super Shock.

Hagen held sway for the first eight laps before Kruseman came to the front. Kevin Swindell took over from Cory on lap 24 of 50. Cole Whitt lost a few spots when Michael Pickens pulled a semi-successful slide in turn four. Pickens picked up a virus during his international commute and was sneezing in his helmet, which partially explained a few of his sliders. As the ledge and intensity increased, Michael was moved out of the Top Ten.

Whitt returned to second on lap 31 and like Wednesday, seemed to gain on Kevin during continuous stretches, which were not coming Saturday. Ten caution flags marred the final. Kevin got away on restarts. Cole would reel him in. Sammy meanwhile, got his three-legged dog to third when one last flag was thrown. The phantom call came Thomas Meseraull bicycled, someone upstairs (Estes or Sinclair?) panicked and pressed the yellow light. To the fans, it looked like a shameless attempt at a family photo opportunity.

Whitt would feel no heat from Sammy however, hounding The Bull Dog to the checkered instead. Saturday sadly brought an end to the dirt track phase of Cole’s Red Bull development course. Sprints, midgets or champ cars, Whitt is one amazing talent and still just 18.

Jerry Coons finished fourth for the second year in a row. Chris Windom whipped from row ten to a career-best fifth. Rock solid Shane Cottle came from row eight to sixth. Mike Hess has been to one more Bowl than Cottle and hustled from row eleven to seventh in his finest Chili Bowl. Kruseman fell from first to eighth. Brad Sweet’s first Chili Bowl netted ninth-place.

Overall, the racing was stronger than it had been in several years. Chili Bowl remains the greatest gift to auto racing since beer.

Ok