Congrats Christopher Bell, Chili Bowl Thoughts, 6 Nights In 2019

[CIRF]

That would be Jonathan Davenport and I have no doubt if he gets another shot at it he will fair much better. JD has been stellar in everything he's ever raced from karts and legend cars all the way up the ladder. He's from my area and by far the best I have seen in a generation. The Chili Bowl is tough for guys with tons experience, at least O'Neil had also raced a non-wing sprint prior to the CB. Tmac, Shirley and others had past experience also, so...

By fairing much better do you mean getting to the Saturday night C or B-main or do you mean challenging for the win in the Saturday night A-main? I really do think superman can advance to the C or B but I'd venture a guess that challenging guys like Larson, Bell, Rico, Bayston, Grant, Courtney, Thorson, Golobic and Pittman among others might be a bit optimistic. At least I think so, but I've been wrong many times before.

Superman would truly be Superman if he was to pull that off!

That is correct.

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Cage, I just wondered. Danny Drinan has close relatives in the small town we live closest to. We've ran into Danny on occasion when he's been over here visiting relatives.

[tb1545]

I'm surprised on Schatz performance this year. He was my pick to improve and do well this year and he just wasnt there. Just lacks a bit of the agressiveness the chili bowl takes maybe?
In an interview Keith Kuntz made a comment about studying video of the Swindell's run of dominance and stumbling onto something that would make his cars dominate this year. And Tanner Thorston commented after the B feature that Rusty had a special tune to put on for the A main. Seems like the Kuntz brothers might have shared or found a special something in setup. Not sure they really needed anymore of an edge lol.

[zach51]

Unfortunately, this event has turned into a Kunz and Clauson Marshall party. So that really can't be the standard we would fairly hold guys like JD to. With that being said though, I obviously don't think their dominance is just due to having the best equipment. Not only do they have the best equipment, but when paired with the best drivers, that is hard stuff to compete with.

Nobody other than a Kunz car or a Swindell has won since 2008......aside from Clauson, which thank God he got his glory that year.

[CIRF]

I'm surprised on Schatz performance this year. He was my pick to improve and do well this year and he just wasnt there. Just lacks a bit of the agressiveness the chili bowl takes maybe?
In an interview Keith Kuntz made a comment about studying video of the Swindell's run of dominance and stumbling onto something that would make his cars dominate this year. And Tanner Thorston commented after the B feature that Rusty had a special tune to put on for the A main. Seems like the Kuntz brothers might have shared or found a special something in setup. Not sure they really needed anymore of an edge lol.

Actually, Tanner Thorson drove for DHM this year and had he started more towards the front he'd have been a factor. Thorson was gaining on the leaders the whole second half of the A-main. Not enough laps.

Keith has something figured out, just as Sammy and Kevin did a few years ago. Andy Bondio had a pretty good run for a couple of years, among some others. Soon it will be someone else. These things have a way of revolving from one outfit to another.

I too was surprised that Schatz wasn't more competitive this year. Meseraull surprised many of us, as well.

Unfortunately, this event has turned into a Kunz and Clauson Marshall party. So that really can't be the standard we would fairly hold guys like JD to. With that being said though, I obviously don't think their dominance is just due to having the best equipment. Not only do they have the best equipment, but when paired with the best drivers, that is hard stuff to compete with.

Nobody other than a Kunz car or a Swindell has won since 2008......aside from Clauson, which thank God he got his glory that year.

zach, as I said above these trends come and go from different car owners. Back in the day it was Steve Lewis and now it's someone else and a few years from now it'll be someone else. The Chili Bowl specific cars completely changed the game, as well. The days of bouncing into Tulsa with a car that won a half dozen USAC National Midget races and expecting to be competitive are pretty much over.

Do you seriously believe that superman could jump in the #71 or #01 car and beat Bell or Larson driving Thorson's #63 car? Definitely not taking anything away from superman and what he's accomplished in DLM's but that seems like a sizable stretch, to say the least.

[CageFaraday]

I'm not saying JD would show up and slap everybody around, but with good equipment and at least a race or two under his belt I could easily see him making the, "A". He has the aggression, no question, but jumping in a CB specific midget and expecting miracles is a bit much to ask. In my view there isn't room for any mistakes at the CB or your done, so no time for a learning curve.

[zach51]

If you are a solid driver on a solid team and have no bad luck, you can get at least into a C or D. Heck a micro sprint for all intensive purposes made the B, that little 118 car. You have to have a little luck. Giovanni Scelzi made the A this year as a rookie. It can happen, it is just hard.....harder than bench racers realize.

[CIRF]

I'm not saying JD would show up and slap everybody around, but with good equipment and at least a race or two under his belt I could easily see him making the, "A". He has the aggression, no question, but jumping in a CB specific midget and expecting miracles is a bit much to ask. In my view there isn't room for any mistakes at the CB or your done, so no time for a learning curve.

I hear ya' loud and clear. However, McCreadie won the whole thing in his second go round. Maybe McCreadie was a bit more well rounded as a driver due to his big block modified experience. It probably was an anomaly last year but it didn't look as if JD was the least bit comfortable. I was watching him closely since he's a DLM guy and I'm as big of a DLM fan as there is and we were pulling for him big time to do well.

If you are a solid driver on a solid team and have no bad luck, you can get at least into a C or D. Heck a micro sprint for all intensive purposes made the B, that little 118 car. You have to have a little luck. Giovanni Scelzi made the A this year as a rookie. It can happen, it is just hard.....harder than bench racers realize.

You make very good points and very good sense, zach, and what you're saying is indisputable, especially the part about solid driver, solid car getting into the C or D. Giovanni Scelzi was impressive from the get go. If he can secure a CMR ride next year and a quality ride for the years to come and avoid bad luck he shows signs of becoming a threat to win year after year. There were a lot of people that weren't at all surprised by his success this year.

[zach51]

Funny story about the Scelzi's. I think it was 2012 0r 2013 when Dominic (Scelzi) was running the Tulsa Shootout, I don't think Giovanni was even running yet then, they had some good looking T-shirts with Dominic's name and car on them hanging on the trailer for sale, no price. I was pitted across from them all week and had been thinking all week if I didn't find any other shirts I liked better I was going to go over there on the last day and get one for me and my dad and a guy I worked with that is a huge drag racing fan. So I walked over there and peeked my head in the trailer and Gary was standing around, I asked if I could get 3 shirts and he looked excited like nobody had ever asked to buy a t-shirt before. I asked if I could get them autographed, and he said Dominic wasn't around there at the time. I said "Oh, well I was hoping to get yours anyway" he kinda chuckled and said "Why would you want mine?" I was like "Uh, well you used to be pretty good at straight line stuff, when Dom goes 330 mph I'll come back for his" and he laughed. Just a really humble guy, couldn't for the life of him figure out why anybody would want his autograph. You can tell he had already transformed from "Gary the champion drag racer" into "Dom and Gio's dad". Neat to see. I've been a fan and following the kids ever since. Seem like good people. It also seems like he isn't spoiling the kids like a lot of famous race dads and rich guys do. You see those kids working on the cars and putting in some work.


....and I almost forgot the surprising part, I asked what I owed them for the shirts and he was like "ah, nothing, just take them". I said "What?! I can't do that". I figured they were like $20 or so like a normal race shirt. He insisted and I said "I can't do that Gary I have to pay you something for these". He finally caved and said "Ok just give me $10 a piece". So I gave him $30 and thanked him again and went on my way.

[CIRF]

Funny story about the Scelzi's. I think it was 2012 0r 2013 when Dominic (Scelzi) was running the Tulsa Shootout, I don't think Giovanni was even running yet then, they had some good looking T-shirts with Dominic's name and car on them hanging on the trailer for sale, no price. I was pitted across from them all week and had been thinking all week if I didn't find any other shirts I liked better I was going to go over there on the last day and get one for me and my dad and a guy I worked with that is a huge drag racing fan. So I walked over there and peeked my head in the trailer and Gary was standing around, I asked if I could get 3 shirts and he looked excited like nobody had ever asked to buy a t-shirt before. I asked if I could get them autographed, and he said Dominic wasn't around there at the time. I said "Oh, well I was hoping to get yours anyway" he kinda chuckled and said "Why would you want mine?" I was like "Uh, well you used to be pretty good at straight line stuff, when Dom goes 330 mph I'll come back for his" and he laughed. Just a really humble guy, couldn't for the life of him figure out why anybody would want his autograph. You can tell he had already transformed from "Gary the champion drag racer" into "Dom and Gio's dad". Neat to see. I've been a fan and following the kids ever since. Seem like good people. It also seems like he isn't spoiling the kids like a lot of famous race dads and rich guys do. You see those kids working on the cars and putting in some work.


....and I almost forgot the surprising part, I asked what I owed them for the shirts and he was like "ah, nothing, just take them". I said "What?! I can't do that". I figured they were like $20 or so like a normal race shirt. He insisted and I said "I can't do that Gary I have to pay you something for these". He finally caved and said "Ok just give me $10 a piece". So I gave him $30 and thanked him again and went on my way.

Great story, zach!

One of my best friends is a dyed in the wool straight line fan and that includes the Scelzi family in a big way. One of things that adds so much charm to The Shootout and The Chili Bowl is while walking around the trade show and the pit area you never know who you'll see or talk to. My wife and I were/are Sarah Fisher fans dating all the way back to her midget and sprint car days. We were walking past the Fisher/O'Gara pit area and lo & behold Sarah is standing behind the trailer out near the pit walkway. It had been a while since we'd seen or talked to her but she saw us and initiated a conversation that lasted a half hour or more. The sheer length in days and the close proximity of the pit area at the Tulsa events make for the possibility of extended interaction with folks you probably wouldn't see or talk to under normal circumstances.

Johnny Rutherford sat about 15 feet away from us on Friday night and Kevin Olson's seats are even closer than that. Periodically on the nights they race we'll have Rico, Larson and Kasey Kahne just two rows directly behind us watching the other competitors and keeping an eye on what the track is doing. That is ambiance that you won't experience anywhere else!

[zach51]

Haha yeah, you just never know. Me and my buddy were standing down behind the front stretch by the bathrooms a few years ago just killing time during a break, I was trying to get a beer and tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I'd take his picture, I thought "geeze what hooters girl is he posing with now". I said "sure" and turned around and he was standing there posing with Roger Penske waiting on me to take the picture.

Now I've had some not so fun experience too. I tried talking to Rico up by all the food carts one night, he was standing there texting with his little scooter. I was just going to make small talk and wish him luck, not even asking for an autograph or anything like that and he blew me off, didn't even speak. Still a Rico fan, maybe just a bad time. They are all humans too.

[CageFaraday]

Funny story about the Scelzi's. I think it was 2012 0r 2013 when Dominic (Scelzi) was running the Tulsa Shootout, I don't think Giovanni was even running yet then, they had some good looking T-shirts with Dominic's name and car on them hanging on the trailer for sale, no price. I was pitted across from them all week and had been thinking all week if I didn't find any other shirts I liked better I was going to go over there on the last day and get one for me and my dad and a guy I worked with that is a huge drag racing fan. So I walked over there and peeked my head in the trailer and Gary was standing around, I asked if I could get 3 shirts and he looked excited like nobody had ever asked to buy a t-shirt before. I asked if I could get them autographed, and he said Dominic wasn't around there at the time. I said "Oh, well I was hoping to get yours anyway" he kinda chuckled and said "Why would you want mine?" I was like "Uh, well you used to be pretty good at straight line stuff, when Dom goes 330 mph I'll come back for his" and he laughed. Just a really humble guy, couldn't for the life of him figure out why anybody would want his autograph. You can tell he had already transformed from "Gary the champion drag racer" into "Dom and Gio's dad". Neat to see. I've been a fan and following the kids ever since. Seem like good people. It also seems like he isn't spoiling the kids like a lot of famous race dads and rich guys do. You see those kids working on the cars and putting in some work.


....and I almost forgot the surprising part, I asked what I owed them for the shirts and he was like "ah, nothing, just take them". I said "What?! I can't do that". I figured they were like $20 or so like a normal race shirt. He insisted and I said "I can't do that Gary I have to pay you something for these". He finally caved and said "Ok just give me $10 a piece". So I gave him $30 and thanked him again and went on my way.

Very cool story. Ironically you might check out my profile picture(its not me). I would've made it my avatar but 4m won't let me do it.

[CIRF]

Haha yeah, you just never know. Me and my buddy were standing down behind the front stretch by the bathrooms a few years ago just killing time during a break, I was trying to get a beer and tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I'd take his picture, I thought "geeze what hooters girl is he posing with now". I said "sure" and turned around and he was standing there posing with Roger Penske waiting on me to take the picture.

Now I've had some not so fun experience too. I tried talking to Rico up by all the food carts one night, he was standing there texting with his little scooter. I was just going to make small talk and wish him luck, not even asking for an autograph or anything like that and he blew me off, didn't even speak. Still a Rico fan, maybe just a bad time. They are all humans too.

Another cool story! Penske is a very big shooter.

We've run into Rico more than a half dozen times over the years and he really isn't all that friendly. We ran into him at the High Banks Hall of Fame in Belleville, Kansas and he was very standoffish. He may just be a little shy. He's never been rude but he sure isn't friendly. That's okay, those guys don't owe me their time or attention but it sure makes us appreciate guys like Jack Hewitt who never met a stranger! Before we got to know Jack & Jody they treated us the same as they do now and we've been friends since the late 1980's. Some of these younger guys today aren't all that congenial, but like I said, they don't owe me their time. However, we've spent some time around Kyle Larson before he went to NASCAR and he was extremely friendly at the dirt tracks but that may have changed now. Different strokes for different folks.

[CageFaraday]

Another cool story! Penske is a very big shooter.

We've run into Rico more than a half dozen times over the years and he really isn't all that friendly. We ran into him at the High Banks Hall of Fame in Belleville, Kansas and he was very standoffish. He may just be a little shy. He's never been rude but he sure isn't friendly. That's okay, those guys don't owe me their time or attention but it sure makes us appreciate guys like Jack Hewitt who never met a stranger! Before we got to know Jack & Jody they treated us the same as they do now and we've been friends since the late 1980's. Some of these younger guys today aren't all that congenial, but like I said, they don't owe me their time. However, we've spent some time around Kyle Larson before he went to NASCAR and he was extremely friendly at the dirt tracks but that may have changed now. Different strokes for different folks.

I've never met Rico, but looking in from the outside he appears to be very tight with other racers but sounds like dealing with fans isn't his cup of tea. I've never been one to feel the need to approach any of my hero's, but I've also been blessed to get to work with all of them during my time with Carrera Racing Shocks. Buck Simmons was always my driving hero growing up, we come from the same area and he really was the, "Living Legend", with 1026 wins to his credit in a wide variety of cars. For 2 seasons near the end of his career a friend of mine was asked to crew chief for him on the John Deere car and in turn my friend asked if I'd like to be a part of the team as well. I won't go into details, but being on the road and in the shop with my hero for 2 seasons I learned a lot about perception and reality. One thing that I learned from everyone of my hero's is the importance and usefulness of the mental game, using "psy-ops" to achieve victory even when you aren't the quickest every night. On those nights when we'd have an issue and have to start deep in the field, Buck never seemed phased by it. I watched with amazement younger drivers who were obviously quicker than us, make driving errors just knowing he was behind them. Under caution he'd pull along side, gun the engine a few times and then fade back without ever looking at them. On the restart 9 times out of 10 they'd try extra hard to get away and miss their mark and Buck would roll on by, onto the next victim. He was masterful and very funny too, confident but never rude or unfriendly to any fan and boy did he like cheese burgers. Anyway I digress, some drivers especially some younger ones don't handle human interaction very well, they say social media and smart phones are stunting younger peoples ability to build relationships, so that might play a role too.