Night #3 Is In The Record Books We're Half Way Through

Rico stunk it up for the win in the A-main tonight but the racing from 2nd through 6th was breathtakingly epic at times. Rico and Alex Bright are locked into the Saturday night A-main. 2020 NASCAR Cup Champion Chase Elliott had a decent night going until he spun in his B-main but still managed an 8th place after restarting on the tail of the field. Chase looked quite good for no more laps than he has in dirt open wheel cars.

We're halfway through the six nights and they're going fast, as they always do. The guy to watch tomorrow night is Christopher Bell. Bell made everyone else, including Larson, look bad in the Tuesday night Race of Champions and he's the odds on favorite for another prelim night A-main victory.

Sammy Swindell had a bit of a rough night. He had to transfer through the B-main to get into the Wednesday night A-main. Sammy's downfall was that he got passed by 3 cars on the last corner of the last lap of his heat race which relegated him to the B. Slammin' Sammy ran 11th in the A-main which means he'll have some work to do Saturday night just to get in the A-main finale'. With that said, I wouldn't bet against him!

A Feature
30 laps |
Pos Start Driver Hometown Car
1 1 Rico Abreu St. Helena, CA 97
2 2 Alex Bright Collegeville, PA 25X
3 9 Brad Sweet Grass Valley, CA 1R
4 7 Jake Neuman New Berlin, IL 3N
5 8 Colby Copeland Roseville, CA 27W
6 14 Kevin Thomas Jr Cullman, AL 47W
7 5 Jake Swanson Anaheim, CA 55X
8 6 Daniel Robinson Ewing, IL 57K
9 4 Parker Price-Miller Kokomo, IN 4A
10 10 Giovanni Scelzi Fresno, CA 84
11 17 Sammy Swindell Germantown, TN 1
12 19 Brian Carber Pipersville, PA 71X
13 15 Brandon Waelti Sun Prairie, WI 3W
14 13 Emerson Axsom Franklin, IN 15A
15 16 Tyler Thomas Collinsville, OK 91T
16 22 Colten Cottle Kansas, IL 81
17 18 Steven Shebester Mustang, OK 22X
18 24 Brett Moffitt Mooresville, NC 45M
19 21 Max Adams Loomis, CA 37
20 23 Jeff Stasa Kingman, KS 91
21 (DNF) 3 Robert Dalby Anaheim, CA 4D
22 (DNF) 11 Chase Randall Waco, TX 19A
23 (DNF) 12 Kameron Key Warrensburg, MO 44S
24 (DNF) 20 AJ Hopkins Brownsburg, IN 7R

Robert Dalby is the guy we feel bad for. He got fed a dirty right rear early in tonight's A-main and got a DNF which he didn't deserve. But hey, it's The Chili Bowl but he got run over for sure.

Only 2 more prelim nights! Hard to believe it's half over. The biggest and best dirt race of the year simply goes by way too fast!

Rico should be running NASCAR.

The guy I was most impressed with on Wednesday night was Jake Neuman. Jake and his team were POWRi National Midget Champions in 2020 and have become more and more competitive over the past couple of seasons. It's good to see Jake clacking wheels and solidly competing with the so called "big boys" at The Chili Bowl and in USAC. Really hope Jake transfer's into the Saturday night A-main.

Illinois DLM driver Brian Shirley usually drives a team car to Jack Neuman but isn't in Tulsa this year. Brian appeared to be getting the hang of the midgets the last couple of times we saw him race in Tulsa. Kinda' disappointed he's not out here this year.

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Originally Posted by Rajflyboy

Rico should be running NASCAR.

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The nasty tumble Rico took at Eldora during the 2018 Four Crown Nationals took a toll on the little man that lasted quite some time. This past season he seemed to be back to normal. I know Rico had some conversations with Jack Hewitt about some vertigo problems but that is said to be behind him now.

Rico sure as hell had 'em covered last night, for sure!!

In = equipment I think Rico beats your boy Larson 😜😀

Realize Rico's family where a big part of Larson's funding for years.... And I believe Brian Shirley is out racing Late Models in the desert.... Thanks for the rundown CIRF, been watching on Flo

Enjoy it CIRF. Chili Bowl is one on my bucket list as I do love the midgets and wish I was there.

Rumor I heard is that Larson and Rico went to high school together and Larson always defended Rico from the idiot bully’s. The family appreciated that and helped Larson with his racing program. Not sure if this is actually true.

Could be, every time I have spoken with either one they have been nothing but average guys. Good to see the success they have, and they both have earned it...

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Originally Posted by Rajflyboy

In = equipment I think Rico beats your boy Larson 

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I won't dispute what you're saying. However, the only solid evidence we have is the time that both Larson and Rico drove midgets for Keith Kunz and Pete Willoughby. The equipment was equal and Larson regularly outperformed Rico. Even after Larson left KKM Rico was/is in KKM cars and they are state of the art.

Don't get me wrong, Rico is very, very good in a midget, that is indisputable. The difference that I saw, as a mere bleacher jockey, was prior to Rico's tumble at Eldora he often drove over his head. When you're as talented, brave and skillful a Rico is driving over your head is hard to do, but he seemed to regularly manage to do so. When you drive for Keith Kunz and Pete Willoughby you can afford to bend some racing equipment. Obviously Keith & Pete didn't mind having some of their stuff wadded up from time to time. I'm sure those guys knew if they tried to tone down Rico's aggressiveness that would be an attempt to alter his style and more often than not Rico's style won races!

My uneducated opinion is that the only guy out there right now who is better in a midget than Larson is Christopher Bell. Rico is right there with those guys, too. Thomas Meseraull is the guy who I believe could be as good as Bell night in and night out driving equal equipment. TMez is a consummate bad ass in a midget.

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Originally Posted by EvelB7

Realize Rico's family where a big part of Larson's funding for years.... And I believe Brian Shirley is out racing Late Models in the desert.... Thanks for the rundown CIRF, been watching on Flo

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IIRC Abreu Vineyards has been a huge supporter of midget racing going back prior to Rico getting a full-on national midget ride. Given Larson's modest family finance background it was a blessing for him, and for us as fans, that the Abreu family stepped up with resources to put Larson in competitive racecars.

In regards to Brian Shirley it's not a surprise that he opted to go do the late model deal out west in lieu of The Chili Bowl. However, as I said before, Brian appeared to be getting the hang of the midgets.

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Originally Posted by over4T

Enjoy it CIRF. Chili Bowl is one on my bucket list as I do love the midgets and wish I was there.

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over, once you've seen it and experienced The Chili Bowl it becomes a destination that beckons you year after year! I've been accused of being overly enthusiastic about the whole experience. If getting excited about 6 nights of the best dirt racing on the planet then I submit that I'm guilty as charged.

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Originally Posted by EvelB7

Could be, every time I have spoken with either one they have been nothing but average guys. Good to see the success they have, and they both have earned it...

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We hung around Larson at Springfield and Du Quoin when he was driving the KKM USAC Silver Crown car back in 2011 and again later that same year at Eldora during the Four Crown. We also spent a fair amount of time with him in the afternoon on Thanksgiving Day at Perris prior to the 2012 Turkey Night Grand Prix. Then yet again we spent a little time around Larson and Rico at The Chili Bowl in 2016 when those two and Kasey Kahne were observing heat races and qualifiers from seats in the row directly behind us. Larson has always been 100% gracious and humble even after he'd won a couple of NASCAR Cup races. Talked to Rico at the Belleville Midget Nationals back in 2013 and at that time he seemed really shy and soft spoken. Not standoffish but just shy.