Dirt Late Model Drivers At The Chili Bowl

[dirt junkie]

Does anyone have any experience camping at Eldora? Asking for a friend...

[Highwayman]

Absolutely correct in regards to McCreadie. Tim is kinda' easy to overlook since he seems to be as much a part of The Chili Bowl midget scene as the most hard core midget driver.

Besides that, I always thought of McCreadie as a big block modified driver first, but that's just me.

Its not just you, I still see Tmac as a BBMod guy first, I use to build his shocks for both. His heart I believe will always belong to the BBMod, but more money to be made in DLM. You going to Bubba for USAC in Feb? I already got my reservations...

[CIRF]

Its not just you, I still see Tmac as a BBMod guy first, I use to build his shocks for both. His heart I believe will always belong to the BBMod, but more money to be made in DLM. You going to Bubba for USAC in Feb? I already got my reservations...

The much wider opportunity to win money is what has always been rumored as the reason McCreadie got into the DLM's. He can obviously drive most anything but it's undeniable that the potential to bank the most money racing on dirt lies in the DLM's and WoO sprint cars.



Highwayman, maybe we'll run into you down there 'cause we'll be attending both the POWRi National Midget shows and the USAC National Sprint Car events at Bubba. We'll also be attending as many DLM shows as possible while we're in the Sunshine State. We lean a little more towards taking in the dirt open wheel shows in Florida in February simply because during the Midwest racing season, and especially in our area, we get to see very good DLM racing on a weekly basis with many very good DLM specials. Dirt open wheel? Not so much. So we attend the dirt open wheel shows when we can.

Does that make us "open wheel arrogant"? Could we be "dirt openwheel snobs"? LOL!! I sure hope no one gets pissed

[Highwayman]

Highwayman, maybe we'll run into you down there 'cause we'll be attending both the POWRi National Midget shows and the USAC National Sprint Car events at Bubba. We'll also be attending as many DLM shows as possible while we're in the Sunshine State. We lean a little more towards taking in the dirt open wheel shows in Florida in February simply because during the Midwest racing season, and especially in our area, we get to see very good DLM racing on a weekly basis with many very good DLM specials. Dirt open wheel? Not so much. So we attend the dirt open wheel shows when we can.

Does that make us "open wheel arrogant"? Could we be "dirt openwheel snobs"? LOL!! I sure hope no one gets pissed

We're planning to hit at least 1 USAC show at Bubba, then the Big Block Mods at Volusia. We may drift over to East Bay for an ASCS show 1 night and just make it 1 OW show for each of the 3 nights we are down there. Mike Farr and I worked together at Carrera Racing shocks and Tmac was one of his close guys, he did some R&D work for us on the mods too. See ya.

[CIRF]

As of today there are 331 cars pre-entered for the 32nd annual Chili Bowl Nationals.

Will they make it to 350 cars again this year? We shall see.

[zach51]

I usually pay close attention to potential car counts at big races (mainly DLM races), but once you hit 300 that is enough haha!

[zach51]

There is only about 20 that could possibly win. All the KK cars and all the Newman-Marshall-Stenhouse-Clauson (whatever the name of the team is) plus the Swindells. That is about it.

[CIRF]

I usually pay close attention to potential car counts at big races (mainly DLM races), but once you hit 300 that is enough haha!

Yeah, zach, you're right. In fact I would say limit entries to 200 cars. That number allows for 50 different cars racing on each of the 4 prelim nights. Last year there were 90+ cars per 4 prelim nights. That's too many. Emmett Hahn said last year that a 5th prelim night might be in the works. I love racing, and especially love The Chili Bowl but 5 nights prelim and 6 nights total is too much even for me.

There is only about 20 that could possibly win. All the KK cars and all the Newman-Marshall-Stenhouse-Clauson (whatever the name of the team is) plus the Swindells. That is about it.

It's Clauson/Marshall. Stenhouse Jr. just drives for them periodically. Jim Neuman is out of New Berlin, Illinois and he'll have 3 or 4 cars, 2 of which will be driven by DLM drivers.

In addition to the KKM, C/M and Swindell cars I honestly believe one of the Andy Bondio cars has a shot at winning it all. I think Tanner Thorson and Brad Sweet have legit shot to win it driving the Dooling/Hayward cars, as well.

[Highwayman]

In addition to the KKM, C/M and Swindell cars I honestly believe one of the Andy Bondio cars has a shot at winning it all. I think Tanner Thorson and Brad Sweet have legit shot to win it driving the Dooling/Hayward cars, as well.

I'll be pulling for Zack Daum in his ride and TMez !!

[zach51]

Daum has flirted with it a couple times, just hasn't been able to pull it off yet, but for sure that would not be a shocker. You're never really sure about the Loyet kid either. Seems to be either really good or really bad. Luck is a big part of the deal too, and making sure the car runs.

Aside from a bit more weight, I've always wondered why guys don't run beadlocks all the way around. When you see how many guys weekend (well year in this case) gets ruined because of a flat in a heat race because the tire popped off the wheel, you'd think they'd learn. Granted if you cut it down the beadlock won't help, but it seems like most of the time it isn't a cut, just knocked off the bead the ones I've seen up close, especially the left rears.

[CIRF]

I'll be pulling for Zack Daum in his ride and TMez !!

Both Daum and Meseraull are capable of winning The Chili Bowl and both have equipment that is up to the task, as well. Meseraull will once again be driving for Rusty Kunz and Zack will be driving his own car which is as good as any that we'll see out in Tulsa.

Daum has flirted with it a couple times, just hasn't been able to pull it off yet, but for sure that would not be a shocker. You're never really sure about the Loyet kid either. Seems to be either really good or really bad. Luck is a big part of the deal too, and making sure the car runs.

Aside from a bit more weight, I've always wondered why guys don't run beadlocks all the way around. When you see how many guys weekend (well year in this case) gets ruined because of a flat in a heat race because the tire popped off the wheel, you'd think they'd learn. Granted if you cut it down the beadlock won't help, but it seems like most of the time it isn't a cut, just knocked off the bead the ones I've seen up close, especially the left rears.

IIRC Daum received some injuries this summer and I can't remember where but I believe it was driving a midget. Zack also took a pretty nasty tumble at Springfield in Dennis & Dave McQuinn's Silver Crown car and I don't remember seeing him in a racecar since. Not saying he wasn't driving but I don't remember seeing him. During the time Zack was dinged up he put the young kid from California, Logan Seavey in his sprint car for the WAR show down at Grain Valley and Seavey cleaned up by winning the sprint A-main all three nights.

As far as luck goes at The Chili Bowl Kyle Larson summed it up pretty well in an interview he did a few years back. Larson said you don't necessarily need good luck to win but you definitely can't have bad luck.

[CIRF]

Along the lines of who has a legit shot to win The Chili Bowl are some drivers that have very good rides and know how to win big races. One would be David Gravel who is driving for Manafort/Noffsinger, the same owner that Brady Bacon drives for. Donnie Schatz missed the A-main last year by 1 spot and he's once again driving for Clauson/Marshall. I think Schatz must be considered a threat to win.

Darrin Pittman has his own car but we've seen him win some big midget races over the past couple of years. Pittman can't be counted out.

And, there's always T-Mac. Bondio will have a good car under him, for sure.

I'm surprised to see Jonathon Davenport missing from the entries. I might have missed him I dont' think he's on there.

[WisWildManFan]

JD is too heavy

[Highwayman]

Daum has flirted with it a couple times, just hasn't been able to pull it off yet, but for sure that would not be a shocker. You're never really sure about the Loyet kid either. Seems to be either really good or really bad. Luck is a big part of the deal too, and making sure the car runs.

Aside from a bit more weight, I've always wondered why guys don't run beadlocks all the way around. When you see how many guys weekend (well year in this case) gets ruined because of a flat in a heat race because the tire popped off the wheel, you'd think they'd learn. Granted if you cut it down the beadlock won't help, but it seems like most of the time it isn't a cut, just knocked off the bead the ones I've seen up close, especially the left rears.

That's some very wise insurance. Good idea, I think especially in a heat or B-main. Feature time might warrant the gamble for less rotating weight.

[Highwayman]

JD is too heavy

Heavier than Schatz??? C'mon.