With more than 1,600+ entries, the Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout is one of the toughest racing events to win in the entire world.

The “Mecca of Micros” is a fitting name for this event which continues to experience record growth among all six divisions for the Micro Sprints.

The true list of contenders for the prestigious Golden Driller is a mile long, but we wanted to look at 30 of the most notable stars in action this week in Tulsa.

Remember, you can watch every single race from the 38th annual Tulsa Shootout on Flo Racing, which starts tonight Tuesday, December 27 and concludes on Saturday, December 31.

Some of the top dogs in attendance include:

Emerson Axsom (Franklin, IN)

One of four drivers to make all four Stock/Outlaw A-Mains last year, Axsom was almost single handily the whole show with his mesmerizing moves the last time he was in the building with a Micro Sprint. He won his second Golden Driller in a Stock Non-Wing nailbiter – after already becoming the youngest Winged Outlaw winner in 2020 – and then lost Outlaw Non-Wing by inches in a photo finish. He’s back for quadruple duty with Ten-J Chassis this week.

Jeffrey Newell (Tulsa, OK)

Returning to the Expo with a Golden Driller already on his mantle, Newell is back to defend his long-awaited Outlaw Non-Wing title from last year. The local ace is set for action in both Non-Wing divisions and you can expect to see the #12J glued to the bottom, the path he used to Shootout glory last year.

Kaylee Bryson (Muskogee, OK)

Bryson has found a knack for making history inside the Tulsa Expo. In 2015, she became the second female to win a Restricted Golden Driller at the Tulsa Shootout and earlier this year, she became first woman in history to qualify for the Chili Bowl Nationals A-Main. She’s back this week in a pair of Sawyer Chassis No. 11B’s to partake in quadruple duty.

TJ Smith (Fresno, CA)

Last year, Smith became the 15th man in Tulsa Shootout history to qualify for all four Stock/Outlaw A-Mains in a single night. He did it in unique fashion, becoming the first to reach that feat via four B-Mains and four LCQ’s before his four A-Mains – all 12 races ran in one day. He’s back for quadruple duty this year in a pair of D1 machines.

Mitchel Moles (Raisin City, CA)

The 2021 Winged Outlaw champion will try to become the fifth multi-time winner in the division as he returns with the potent Ten-J Chassis camp. Fresh off a banner year in the USAC National Midget and Sprint Car ranks, the Californian is set for quadruple duty this week before being back in the Expo for his second Chili Bowl run in two weeks.

Kris Carroll (Claremore, OK)

For years, this 29-year-old kept his talents to the local level, but the whole nation has seen them lately at Tulsa Shootout. After running second to Brady Bacon in 2020, Carroll came back in 2021 to dominate the Outlaw Non-Wing A-Main with a 3.448-second margin of victory. He’s back for quadruple duty this week.

Kyle Spence (Bear, DE)

After back-to-back years of winning Stock Non-Wing (2019) and A-Class (2020), Spence missed cloud nine in 2021, but came oh so close to returning to the mountaintop in 2022. He started on the pole and led the first half of the A-Class A-Main before slipping to finish eighth. The KKM Giveback Classic winner is back for redemption this week as he partakes in quadruple duty. 

Jonathan Beason (Broken Arrow, OK)

A Tulsa Expo icon, Beason’s podium finish in Winged Outlaw last year moved him atop the list for most top-fives (17) and most top-10s (21) in the last 20 years of the Tulsa Shootout. As #BZNSZN begins, he returns to Ten-J Chassis with four entries this week as he pursues a third-career Golden Driller.

Joe B. Miller (Millersville, MO)

His 2017 Golden Driller run from worst-to-first will forever be among the stuff of legends. In total, Joe B. has started at least two A-Mains for each of the past eight years. He’s back for quadruple duty this week in the No. 51B.

Frank Flud (Pryor, OK)

A legend in the micro sprint ranks, Flud has started more Tulsa Shootout A-Mains (32) than anyone else over the past 20 years. He’s back in a Sawyer Chassis this week for quadruple duty, the same manufacturer which propelled him to his first two Golden Drillers in 2014 Winged Outlaw and 2014 Stock Non-Wing. 

VIDEO: Jump on-board with Frank Flud during Tuesday's practice in Tulsa. 

Jason McDougal (Broken Arrow, OK)

J-Mac will forever own one of the most iconic performances in Tulsa Shootout history thanks to his three Driller night in 2018. The Factor One stud is back in all four classes with the chance to become the first to hit the Quadruple Crown with a Winged Outlaw title.

Jake Hagopian (Fresno, CA)

An owner of two Golden Drillers, Hagopian did it “the right way” last year with his second A-Class triumph coming over Christopher Bell and Tyler Courtney. The Driven Performance ringleader is back for quadruple duty this week and he’s brought his young son, Quentin, along for his Tulsa Shootout debut in the Jr. Sprint division.

Brent Crews (Denver, NC)

At the age of 12-years-old, Crews was a one-man thrill show in 2021 as he ran up to third in Outlaw Non-Wing. He’s enjoyed success inside the Tulsa Expo during the Chili Bowl as well, earning high point honors during his debut last year. Now he’s back in a Micro with Ten-J Chassis this week.

Gavan Boschele (Mooresville, NC)

Another teenage sensation, this 15-year-old POWRi National Midget winner is linked up with Swindell SpeedLab and Motorsport Games for a run at Tulsa Shootout quadruple duty before joining Keith Kunz Motorsports for his second Chili Bowl.

Jade Avedisian (Clovis, CA)

She already has one Golden Driller from the 2020 Restricted A-Main and followed that with a historic $20,000 Winged Outlaw win at Sweet Springs. The 16-year-old became the first female to win a National Midget race earlier this year, and now she wants to be the first female to win a Stock/Outlaw A-Main at the Tulsa Shootout.

(Editor's Note: Avedisian has indicated that she will not be competing in this year's event.)

Garrett Benson (Concordia, MO)

This young prodigy has been in the Shootout spotlight for several years now, impressing more and more with each performance. The 13-year-old son of former POWRi Micro champion Nathan Benson will compete in all four Stock/Outlaw classes this week as he continues to climb the ladder.

Michael Faccinto (Hanford, CA)

A two-time Golden Driller winner (2013 A-Class, 2015 Winged Outlaw), Faccinto has the chance to become the 10th driver with three Tulsa Shootout titles in the primary classes. He’s set for quadruple duty this week in a pair of D1 Chassis machines.

Daison Pursley (Locust Grove, OK)

After being absent from the 2022 Tulsa Shootout while recovering from a severe back/neck injury, Daison finally returns to racing inside the Tulsa Expo this week with Keith Kunz Motorsports and Ten-J Chassis to complete a quadruple duty slate for the USAC National Midget winner.

VIDEO: Pursley spoke to FloRacing about the nerves he has being back at the Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout. 

Blake Hahn (Sapulpa, OK)

Owner of eight Golden Drillers already, Hahn is back in the Outlaw classes aboard the familiar purple and yellow No. 52 with hopes of reaching the double-digit club. It’s a great warmup for the grandson of the event founder, Emmett Hahn, as he chases his sixth Chili Bowl A-Main start in two weeks.

Logan Seavey (Sutter, CA)

Before chasing a Chili Bowl title with Swindell SpeedLab, the USAC star will battle at the “Mecca of Micros” after making it to Tulsa in the knick of time following travel trouble. The former Hangtown 100 winner and Turkey Night Grand Prix champion now has his attention turned to the Winged Outlaw and Outlaw Non-Wing classes.

Kevin Thomas Jr. (Cullman, AL)

After finishing sixth in 2021 and returning to run top-10 in both Outlaw classes in 2022, Kevin Thomas Jr. and Farrell Frameworks will continue their partnership this week as the USAC star continues to chase his first Golden Driller at the Tulsa Shootout. 

Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA)

Teaming up with KTJ is longtime pilot of the Farrell Frameworks #51F, Gary Taylor, who nearly topped the 2017 Winged Outlaw A-Main for car owner, Jon Farrell. GT himself is already a 2009 A-Class champion, but wants to add a second Goldrn Driller to the mantle before coming back to Chili Bowl in two weeks,

Dylan Kadous (Topeka, KS)

A TKH Motorsports staple for years, DK has changed it up this year and teams with his longtime friend Frank Galusha to run both Outlaw divisions. He recently finished third in 2020 Outlaw Non-Wing and was running second before an issue during the 2019 Winged Outlaw finale.

Kevin Bayer (Bixby, OK)

A four-time Tulsa Shootout champion, KB is schedule to partake in three divisions this week. He topped the premier Winged Outlaw class back in 2008, has two scores in A-Class from 1995 and 2005, and a Stock Non-Wing title from 2021 – leaving him one Outlaw Non-Wing Golden Driller away from the quadruple crown.

Kameron Key (Warrensburg, MO)

After almost cracking the top-10 in 2021, “K2” came back in 2022 and went a step further by recording his first-career Tulsa Shootout top-five in the A-Class division. He’s back with a lethal TKH Motorsports entry in all four premier classes this week.

Cole Bodine (Rossville, IN)

This two-time Chili Bowl A-Main starter first cut his teeth at the Tulsa Shootout with six top-10 finishes in 13 micro features inside the Expo. He’s set for triple duty next week with hopes of topping his career-best of second from Outlaw Non-Wing in 2017.

Craig Ronk (Warsaw, IN)

After winning the High Banks Hustle, Ronk topped off his 2021 by adding a Golden Driller to his collection thanks to a dominating wire-to-wire run in the 55-lap Winged Outlaw division. He’s back with Brad Coleman this week hoping to replicate the same speed they showcased last year.

Cannon McIntosh (Bixby, OK)

After setting the National Midget scene on fire this year, Cannon returns home for three classes of racing at the Tulsa Shootout this week. He’s won a Jr. Sprint Golden Driller and topped multiple Chili Bowl prelims, but the local ace really wants to add a Stock/Outlaw title.

KJ Snow (Kingsburg, CA)

Tied for the third-longest active streak of consecutive A-Main starts, KJ has been in the hunt for a Golden Driller for eight straight years now. He’ll pull quadruple duty this week in hopes of topping his career-best Shootout runs of third in Outlaw Non-Wing and fourth in Winged Outlaw.

Tanner Thorson (Minden, NV)

The reigning Chili Bowl Nationals champion will get a little Tulsa Expo practice this week as he returns for his second Tulsa Shootout – once again piloting Scott Sawyer’s Smith Titanium No. 29 in Winged Outlaw and Outlaw Non-Wing.