Who Impressed At The 2021 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl?

Tyler Burnett gives his Loudpedal "Hat Shakes" from the 2021 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Week

Jan 19, 2021 by Tyler Burnett

Who Impressed At The 2021 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl?

If you watch or listen to our Podcast "Loudpedal" on FloRacing you know weekly we have a "Hat Shake" Segment, an homage to the Frolic Bar and Grill, earning a hat shake gets you nothing, but honor.

Here are my Hat Shakes from a 2021 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Week.

Kyle Larson

A cherry on top of an incredible season, or the start of a new one, however you look at it, Kyle Larson is still one of the greatest race car drivers on planet Earth. Another prelim feature win in 2021, set up for another chapter of the Christopher Bell vs Kyle Larson saga in the Tulsa Expo Center.

Larson now joins a short list that includes Bell as multi-time and back to back winners of the event. Larson has a massive amount of momentum heading into a return to the NASCAR Cup Series with Rick Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports in 2021. We will still see Larson compete in his sprint car, primarily next season with Paul Silva again on the wrenches, looking to build on one of dirt racing's greatest season's ever in 2020.

Jason McDougal

After driving through the field and leading the B-main in his prelim night, McDougal’s Terry Klatt/ Bob East #4 came to a rest unexpectedly, leaving room to make history on Saturday. McDougal now ranks second all-time in passes in the alphabet soup in Chili Bowl history.

Mic’d up with FloRacing All-Access Cameras following along, Mcdougal won the I-Main, and continued his assault for the majority of the afternoon on Saturday. Transferring from the H, G, F and E main’s in the 2nd finishing position.

He then drove through the field in the D-main to get into a transfer spot on the final lap, where a battle went awry, ultimately spinning and his magical historic run came to an end just before the MAVTV races.

He was the talk of the Expo and social media the majority of the day:

. @jasonmcdougal69 is rocking and rolling! I need to go buy me a t shirt or 5.
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) January 16, 2021

Tanner Thorson

With new team Dave Mac Motorsports, Tanner continues to prove he is the reason cars go to the front. Mechanically gifted, Tanner brings big ideas and speed to every team. But it wasn’t easy out of the gate, a big flip in his heat race on Friday began the uphill climb.

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The cushion bit Tanner on Friday.

From the back of the C to transfer in third, from the back of the B to finish 2nd, setting up a prelim charge from the back all the way to 4th on his prelim night, saving what could have been a disastrous week for one of the contenders.

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On Saturday Thorson delivered again, winning B feature 1, and charging to the podium in the A-Main. A great start with a new team for Tanner, he and Dave Mac Motorsports are excited about their cars heading to Ocala in February.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Like Thorson’s impressive run on his Friday prelim night, Stenhouse Jr had his hopes dashed in his heat race the same day, only to bring Tanner along with him through the alphabet soup. Among the gutsiest prelim performances any of us can remember, Stenhouse drove through the C to finish 6th and transfer, from the back of B main 1 to win, and finished 3rd from the back of the prelim feature field.

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On Saturday, Stenhouse won B Feature 2, becoming the third car to lock in for Clauson Marshall Racing, he then drove from 12th to 7th on a very narrow race track. An impressive drive for the veteran who makes limited midget starts during the year because of a full-time NASCAR Cup schedule.

Kyle Cummins

With partnership from car owner Glenn Styres, Kyle Cummins built a tremendous race car only to have his Chili Bowl week be up in the air before he even flew to Tulsa. His wife is expecting a child and up until Thursday Cummins had no idea whether he would even race his Friday night prelim. After his wife talked him into it, Cummins flew to Tulsa and raced in his Friday preliminary night and it couldn’t have gone better.

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Finishing second to Justin Grant, he locked into the feature event, where he ultimately had problems early and finished a respectable 18th. An incredible week for the Hoosier who typically holds the wheel of a non-wing sprint car.

Justin Grant

Justin made his 4th prelim feature win look easy on Friday, and with a new team in RMS Racing Justin Grant earned the pole position for the 55 lap 35th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl by winning the pole shuffle. In the feature, Grant kept pace with Larson on a very fast race track, and at times was challenging for the lead. Grant went on to finish 2nd in the main event.

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With tons of momentum for RMS Racing heading into the USAC National Midget Season in Ocala, Florida, it was a great week for the entire team in Tulsa.

Honorable Mentions:

Paul Silva... He has built 2 midgets in his lifetime, and has won 2 Golden Drillers at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl… 'nuff said.

Christopher Bell...for sending it, and never settling for 2nd.

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Daniel Robinson...bird heard round the world.

Daryn Pittman...finished 5th in Saturday A Feature

Brian Carber...first time in a midget makes the C on Saturday.

Chase Elliott...The NASCAR Cup Champ took the race very seriously and wanted to get better every time he was on the track. Finished his run in the F Main on Saturday.

Brett Moffitt...The Former NASCAR Truck Champ made a D-feature on Saturday in his first attempt at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl

And All of you who wore a mask a special thank you for doing your part to let us see some racing!