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Miller: 3 area drivers in Chili Bowl
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Posted:
Jan 05, 2012
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 The ringing in of the new year means one thing to open-wheel fans — the Chili Bowl is just a few days away.
The five-day indoor Midget race in Tulsa, Okla., starts Tuesday for the 26th year.
Two-time Chili Bowl champion Tony Stewart last week announced his return to the race for the first time since 2008. He has put together a four-driver “Team of Champions” that includes 16-year-old Mapleton driver Jake Blackhurst as well as NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and 2011 USAC National Drivers champion Bryan Clauson.
“I think it’s very feasible that we could get four cars in the A-Main on Saturday night,” said Stewart in a news release announcing his super team.
Blackhurst, who has raced Sprints at Peoria Speedway, was the POWRi rookie of the year and National Midget rookie of the year in 2011. He also was the 2010 USAC Ford Focus Midget Midwest Pavement champion. He began racing go-karts at age 4.
He’ll drive the 39b Kitchen Cooked/Spike/Esslinger entry and will qualify on Thursday. This will be his first Chili Bowl.
Stewart will drive his usual No. 14 and will qualify Wednesday. Stenhouse, in the 39i, will qualify Tuesday, and Clauson, in the 39c, will qualify Friday.
Also representing central Illinois at the Chili Bowl is Chris Windom of Canton, who has finished seventh or better in the A-Main three of the five times he has run the event. He’ll be in the 11w Wilke Pak Motorsports entry and will qualify Thursday.
Galesburg’s A.J. Fike also returns to the Chili Bowl as the 3aj RFMS entry. He’s another Thursday qualifier.
Fans can purchase a webcast pass for $7.50, which covers all five days, at racinboys.com.
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