2002 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals set to kick off next week

[KC]

One of the big races for open wheel dirt oval fans is getting ready to fire up next Wednesday at the International Petroleum Exposition Building on the Tulsa State Fairgrounds.

The field of racers so far has a make up of champions from many racing classes and disciplines. USAC National Midget Series champ Dave Darland, USAC Sprint Car champ J.J. Yeley, USAC Silver Bullet Sprint Car champ Paul White, Pennzoil World of Outlaws champ and National Sprint Car Polls 410 Sprint Car Driver of the Year Danny Lasoski, American Sprint Car Series champ and National Sprint Car Polls 360 Sprint Car Driver of the Year Zach Chappell, and Southern California Racing Association champ and National Sprint Car Polls Non-Winged Sprint Car Driver of the Year Cory Kruseman will do battle with a field of racers from sprint cars, midgets and stock car ranks on the 1/5th mile low banked track. Four time Chili Bowl champ and only repeat winner "Slammin'" Sammy Swindell looks to add to his mantle full of sprint car and midget trophies. Sammy Swindell holds several records at the Chili Bowl. The World of Outlaw former champ is the only repeat winner with four, and has competed in 13 of the 15 A main features in the history of the race. Indy car and stock car ace Tony Stewart has named this the one race he desires to win more than Daytona. Stewart will be teaming with Outlaw champ Danny "The Dude" Lasoski. Stewart made his name synonymous with midget and sprint racing when he won the USAC National Midget title, USAC Silver Bullet title, and USAC Sprint car title in one year, a feat yet to be repeated. Stewart just won the Rumble in the Expo at Ft. Wayne Expo Center at Ft. Wayne, Indiana on January 1st.

The Nationals will also feature over 160 racers from smaller racing bodies including the North American Midget Auto Racing Series (NAMARS) made up of the top talent of midget racers from the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the top names from the North East that make up the Pennsylvannia Posse and the North Eastern Midget Association (NEMA), the Arizona Midget Racing Association, and any of a dozen smaller regional series. In all 25 states are represented in this true National event. In the world of Sprint and Midget Racing the Chili Bowl Naitonals ranks with the other big name events they all want to win, The Knoxville Midget Nationals, The King's Royal, The Night Before the Indy 500 sprint car race, and the Turkey Day Nationals in Irwindale on Thanksgiving night.