Kyle Larson Brings West Coast Tuesday Night Chili Bowl Triumph

Kyle Larson Brings West Coast Tuesday Night Chili Bowl Triumph

By Robert Haugh

Claiming his ninth consecutive Midget win, Elk Grove, CA’s Kyle Larson claimed Tuesday’s Warren CAT qualifying feature at the 27^th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, fending off some of the best, including three-time NASCAR champ and two-time Chili Bowl winner Tony Stewart. Larson, Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon and Smoke claimed the podium, locking them into Saturday’s 55-lap A-Main.

Manning the Keith Kunz #71 Bullet/Speedway Toyota from the pole, Larson battled early with bacon and fended challenged from Bacon and Smoke before taking the eventual win, celebrating with donuts on the front stretch.

Arizonan Casey Shuman claimed fourth aboard the Hans Lein #2H Spike/Esslinger, with fellow Arizonan R.J. Johnson claiming seventh aboard Bobby Martin’s #51J Spike/Fontana, though having dropped a valve in the waning laps, with The Flyin’ Finn Markus Niemela claming eighth in Steve Watt’s #81 Stealth/Sala Chevy.

“Old School” Cameron Beard (Atwater, CA) who made the cross-country trek to Tulsa from California with an open trailer qualified for the A-main via points opened eyes chauffeuring Dave LaMott’s #0Z HotHead Engine Heaters/Special Things Sheetmetal/Power Up Concrete Pumping/Bob Roza Motorsports Stealth/Honda to an A-main start – having lost an oil pump drive early in the A-main. Beard excited many in an ultra competitive Heat 5 which saw him move from fourth to second, holding off heavy challenges from eventual third-place A-main finisher Brady Bacon. Beard also looked sharp in A-Qualifier 4, finishing fifth, despite running as high as third, having experience electric gremlins.

California’s P.J. Jones transferred from B-Main 2 to claim 14^th from 22^nd in the A-Main aboard the RFMS racing #98 Spike/Esslinger while Yorba Linda, CA’s Matt Mitchell made his return to racing, making the A-Main in Mike Sala’s #19w Spike/Sala Chevy after transferring from B-Main 1. Josh Lakatos (also known as “Jamal”) made the A-main after making an amazing A-Qualifier run form the back after starting in the rear after getting “chili bowled” in an early race incident.

Shuman, Sean Dodenhoff (Bakersfield, CA, Dodenhoff #9d Spike/Fontana), Johnson, and Arizona’s Shon Deskins (Calvin Martens #11t TCR/Esslinger) all claimed Heat wins, while Niemela claimed the win in A-Qualifier 1.

West Coast native Don O’Keefe, now residing in Indianapolis, took a wild ride in A-Qualifier 4 aboard his #0K LOK Enterprises Spike/Esslinger. O’Keefe was apparently shaken up and taken to the hospital by car.

During Tuesday’s festivities, David Prickett (Fresno, CA) announced that the hoods of the three Neverlift Motorsports/Western Performance Parts/David Prickett Racing Spike/Chevy cars, as well as U.S. Army veteran Joey Fabozzi’s #84 Spike/Esslinger were going to have their hoods signed by there-time NASCAR champ Stewart and NASCAR star Kasey Kahne. The hoods, all honoring the Armed Forces will be auctioned with the proceeds benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/.

Of the 17 West Coast entries on Tuesday, eight qualified for the A-main, with four of the Top 10 spots going to West Coast entries.

Tuesday’s Qualifying Night West Coast Results:

US Fleet Tracking A-Feature (25 Laps): 1. 71-Kyle Larson[1]; 4. 2H-Casey Shuman[2]; 7. 51J-R.J. Johnson[6]; 8. 81-Markus Niemela[10]; 14. 98-P.J. Jones[22]; 18. 89K-Josh Lakatos[15]; 19. 19W-Matt Mitchell[23]; DNF 0Z-Cameron Beard[16]

B Feature 1 (15 Laps): 4. 19W-Matt Mitchell[4]; DNF 11T-Shon Deskins[3]; DNF 9D-Sean Dodenhoff[7]

B Feature 2 (15 Laps): 3. 98-P.J. Jones[9]; 7. 73F-Tyler Walker[16]; DNF 28K-Justin Hendricks[5]

C Feature 1 (12 Laps): 8. 33R-Joe Stornetta[7]; DNF 22AZ-Rick Shuman[13]

C Feature 2 (12 Laps): 4. 73F-Tyler Walker[9]; 5. 49JR-Bobby Michnowicz[7]; 6. 17W-Cole Wood[2]; DNF 22-Mike Goodman[8]

A-Feature Qualifier #1 (10 Laps): 1. 81-Markus Niemela[1]; 6. 11T-Shon Deskins[3]; 7. 28K-Justin Hendricks[2]

A-Feature Qualifier #2 (10 Laps): 2. 71-Kyle Larson[6]

A-Feature Qualifier #3 (10 Laps): 4. 51J-R.J. Johnson[6]; 6. 19W-Matt Mitchell[9]; 9. 9D-Sean Dodenhoff[5]

A-Feature Qualifier #4 (10 Laps): 1. 2H-Casey Shuman[6]; 4. 89K-Josh Lakatos[3]; 5. 0Z-Cameron Beard[5]; 7. 98-P.J. Jones[4]; DNF 0K-Don O'Keefe Jr[8]

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 2H-Casey Shuman[3];  8. 33R-Joe Stornetta[9]; 9. 22AZ-Rick Shuman[7]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 5. 0K-Don O'Keefe Jr[7]; DNF 49JR-Bobby Michnowicz[4]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 2. 81-Markus Niemela[1]; 6. 17W-Cole Wood[6]

Heat 4 (8 Laps): 2. 71-Kyle Larson[8]

Heat 5 (8 Laps): 1. 9D-Sean Dodenhoff[2]; 2. 0Z-Cameron Beard[4]; 4. 19W-Matt Mitchell[3]; DNF 22-Mike Goodman[8]

Heat 6 (8 Laps): 1. 51J-R.J. Johnson[4]

Heat 7 (8 Laps): 1. 98-P.J. Jones[1]; 2. 89K-Josh Lakatos[3]

Heat 8 (8 Laps): 1. 11T-Shon Deskins[1]; 3. 28K-Justin Hendricks[7]; DNF 73F-Tyler Walker[2]

Wednesday’s Chili bowl qualifying action features 20 West Coast entries include NASCAR star and Washington native Kasey Kahne aboard the Darrah Motorsports #89 Spike/Chevrolet,  2012 USAC-National midget champion and 2012 Chili Bowl A-main qualifier Darren Hagen (Riverside, CA) in the RFMS Racing #3 Spike/Esslinger, 2012 USAC-Western States Midgets Dirt champion and 2009 BCRA champion David Prickett (Fresno, CA) piloting the Neverlift Motorsports #015 Spike/Chevy, California native and multiple-time Sprint and Midget winner and 2012 Indy 500 starter Bryan Clauson in the CTR-Curb-Agajanian #39b Spike/Esslinger, 2004 BCRA champion and multi-time feature winner Thomas Meseraull (Waveland, IN via San Jose, CA) wheeling the Ecker-Reisdorf #57 Spike/Fontana, 2012 Chili bowl fifth-place finisher Danny Stratton (Riverside, CA) aboard the Hans Lein #2s Spike/Esslinger, former Chili Bowl winner and former USAC/CRA champion Damion Gardner (Concord, CA) in the multiple-time Chili Bowl car owner champion Andy Bondio’s #47 Bondio/Barnes Chevy,  1999 BCRA champion Matt Streeter (Galt, CA) in his #14jr S&S Automotive-T&T Trucking-ART Enterprises Spike/S&S, five-time USAC/CRA champion Mike Spencer (Temecula, CA) in the Proflyer Enterprises #51s Spike/Proflyer, multiple-time Midget and Sprint Car winner Shane Golobic (Fremont, CA) aboard the retro Wilke-Pak #11 Stealth/Toyota and Indiana’s Brad Kuhn in Mason Cook’s #10 Beast/Fontana.

Wednesday’s West coast entries:

2S            Danny Stratton                        Riverside, CA                        Hans Lein Spike/Esslinger

3            Darren Hagen                        Riverside, CA                        RFMS Racing DCR/Esslinger

3B            Jayme Barnes                        Everett, WA                        2B Racing Beast/Esslinger

05T            Gary Taylor                        Snohomish, WA                        Loyet Motorsports Spike/Esslinger

7T            Trey Marcham                        Oklahoma City, OK            McQueen Racing Spike /Esslinger

8OK            TBD Driver                        LOK Enterprises                         Spike/Esslinger

9F            Jared Carpenter                        Breezy Point, MN            Sean Dodenhoff Spike/Dart Chevrolet

10            Brad Kuhn                        Avon, IN                        Mason Cook Beast/Fontana

11            Shane Golobic                        Fremont, CA                        Wilke-Pak Stealth/Toyota

11X            Travis Berryhill                        American Canyon, CA            Manic Racing Stealth/Fontana

12JR            Josh Pelkey                        Peoria, AZ                        ABC Motorsports Spike/Esslinger

14JR            Matt Streeter                        Galt, CA                        Streeter Racing Spike/S&S Automotive Chevrolet

015            David Prickett                        Fresno, CA                        Neverlift Motorsports Spike/Chevrolet

39B            Bryan Clauson                        Noblesville, IN                        CTR-BCI-Curb Agajanian Spike/Esslinger

44G            George Schubert                        Calhan, CO                        Schubert Racing Spike/Pontiac

47            Damion Gardner                        Concord, CA                        Andy Bondio Bondio/Barnes

51S            Mike Spencer                        Temecula, CA                        Proflyer Enterprises Spike/Proflyer

57            Thomas Meseraull            Waveland, IN                        Ecker-Reisdorf Spike/Fontana

72            Tyler Edwards                        Salina, OK                        JFM Inc. Spike/Bob Wirth Fontana

89            Kasey Kahne                        Huntersville, NC              Darrah Motorsports Spike/Chevrolet

Visit www.chilibowl.com for full entries and results. 

Chili Bowl West Coast Friday Preliminary Night Results

By Robert Haugh

Leading the Friday evening West Coast Chili Bowl qualifiers was 10-time A-Main starter and two-time Chili Bowl winner Cory Kruseman (Ventura, CA) coming home with the victory aboard the Kruseman Motorsports  #21K Lucas Oil Spike/Esslinger. Kruseman joins Elk Grove’s Kyle Larson as West Coasters having won their prelim A-Mains – the other two wins are shared by the Swindell’s.

Two-time A-main starter Bryan Clauson (CA native, residing in Noblesville, IN) came home third in the CTR-BCI-Curb #39C NOS Energy Drink-Curb Records-Keizer Wheels Spike/Esslinger, while three-time A-main starter Bud Kaeding (Campbell, CA) finished ninth in the Buster & Ziggy Ent. #2 Bullet/Esslinger, Ronnie Gardner (Corona, CA) cracked the Top 10 after transferring from B-Main action aboard Keith Ford’s #71S Everhart Construction-Esslinger-Reedy Electronics-JFM Spike/Esslinger, Levi Roberts (Broomfield, CO) finished 13^th in the Steve Lewis-Nine Racing #9 Majestic Metals-Performance Racing-K&N-Earle's-Eibach Spike/Esslinger, the “Flyin’ Finn” Markus Niemela (Rauma, LS [Finland])   17^th in Californian Steve Watts’ #81 Polly Gallimore-Lost Reality-Rock Star-SWE-Maxwell Industries Stealth/Sala Chevy and one-time A-Main starter Brad Mosen of New Zealand in Californian Andy Bondio’s #47 Barnes Oil Pumps-Advanced Suspension-Kenny's Components-Brown & Miller Bondio/Barnes came home 19^th.

2011 BCRA Midgets Dirt champion Shannon McQueen (Bakersfield, CA) was involved in multiple-car tangles in Heat 7, relegating her to C-Main 1, in which she placed third, transferring her to B-Main 1, where she missed transferring by two spots in sixth aboard her #7 Murf Dogg Racing-R.C. 4 Less-American Waste Control-Simpson Race Products-K&N Filters Spike/Esslinger.

USAC/CRA hardcharger and multiple-time Midget victor Gregg Bragg (Visalia, CA) in Dave LaMott’s #0G Hot Head Headers-Special Things Sheet Metal-Power Up Concrete Stealth/Esslinger and 2009 USAC-Western States Midget champion Alex Schutte (Rohnert Park, CA) in Calvin Martens’ #28 Woodworks Unlimited-Ryno Mfg-Jim's Towing-Aircraft Electrical Components-Ontario West TCR/Mopar both were running in transfer positions in B-Main 2, Schutte even stretching to a sizeable lead, however, both experienced mechanical gremlins, Bragg’s being a faulty electrical wire.

Additional Friday West Coast entries included Steve Stasa (West Hills, CA) in his #22S Eurick Law Center-Stasa Motorsports-SBR Motorsports TCR/Chevy V4, Mike Boesel (Bennett, CO) in his #77B Boesel Enterprises Inc.-Jordan Carstar Auto Body-Lost Creek Farms-High Plains Diner-Strasburg NAPA Stealth/Esslinger, Jake Swanson (Anaheim, CA) in the Swanson Motorsports #05H Goodwine Glass-Lucas Oil-Crower Performance-PHB Indy-Orange County Tank Testing Stealth/Honda,  Vinny Villeggiante (Gresham, OR) in his #6Y Pyle Family-Sam Villeggiante-Villeggiante Concrete Spike/Gaerte, Cole Wood (Auburn, CA) in Matt Wood’s #17W Elk Grove Ford-Spike Chassis-Keizer Wheels-Quick Lane Spike/Esslinger and Mike Visser (Cottonwood, AZ) in Dave Burkhart’s #21AZ Kaiser Alexco Aluminum-Black Hills Auto Electric-Ultimate Imports-Beadle Bug Patrol, Die Cast Cars Now Eagle/Gaerte.

Complete West Coast results from Friday’s Chili Bowl qualifying night:

Heat 1: 7. #22S Steve Stasa, West Hills, CA

Heat 2: 2. #21K Cory Kruseman, Ventura, CA; 5. #28 Alex Schutte, Rohnert Park, CA

Heat 3: 3. #81 Markus Niemela, Rauma, Finland; 5. #71S Ronnie Gardner, Corona, CA

Heat 4: 5. #17W Cole Wood, Auburn, CA; 7. #05H Jake Swanson, Anaheim, CA

Heat 5: 2. #2 Bud Kaeding, Campbell, CA; 6. #191 Chase Barber, Brownsburg, IN (via CA)

Heat 6: 3. #0G Greg Bragg, Visalia, CA, 5. #47 Brad Mosen, Auckland, NZ (Bondio) 7. #21AZ Mike Visser, Cottonwood, AZ

Heat 7: 1. #9 Levi Roberts, Broomfield, CO, 6. #7 Shannon McQueen, Bakersfield, CA; 7. #77B Mike Boesel, Bennett, CO

Heat 8: 2. #39C Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, IN; DNS - #6Y Vinny Villeggiante, Gresham, OR

C Main 1: 2. Barber, 3. McQueen 4. Boesel,  DNS - Visser

C Main 2: 6. Stasa, DNS - Jake Swanson, Villeggiante

A Qualifier 1: 5. Niemela, 7. Schutte, 8. Mosen

A Qualifier 2: 1. Kaeding 2. Kruseman, 8. Ronnie Gardner

A Qualifier 3: 4. Roberts, 8. Wood, Auburn

A Qualifier 4: 1. Clauson, 5. Bragg

B Main 1: 2. Mosen, 4. Ronnie Gardner,  6. McQueen, 8. Barber, 13. Boesel

B Main 2: 13. Bragg, 14. Schutte, 15. Wood

“A” Main: 1. Kruseman, 3. Clauson, 9. Kaeding, 10. Ronnie Gardner,  13. Roberts, 17. Niemela,  19. Mosen

For full results and additional information on the 26^th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, visit www.chilibowl.com for the entire entry list.

West Coast Thursday Night Chili Bowl Qualifying Night Results

By Robert Haugh

Leading the heap of West Coast entries in Thursday’s Chili Bowl qualifying action was Brad Sweet (Grass Valley, CA) aboard the Kasey Kahne Racing #49X Sage Fruit-Great Clips Spike/Speedway Engines Toyota, who claimed third in the A-Main, locking himself into Saturday’s 50-lap Chili Bowl A-Main finale.

2011 USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car champion Richard VanderWeerd (Visalia, CA) turned heads, moving up from ninth to claim fourth in Mike Sala’s #19S VanderWeerd Construction-Battery Worx-Weldway Construction Spike/Sala Chevy.

Rico Abreu (Rutherford, CA), one of California’s young guns charged from 14^th to claim seventh aboard Keith Kunz Motorsports’ #67K Abreu Vineyards-Stadelhofer Construction-TRD-Toyota-Kwik Change Bullet/Speedway Toyota.

Brian Camarillo (Camarillo, CA) gave the West Coast another Top 10, claiming tenth in Bill Camarillo’s #22 Agromin-Unicor-Roy’s Towing-Waste Management-Open Range Spike/Fontana while Chad Boat (Phoenix, AZ) claimed 11^th aboard Robbie & Gaye Allen’s #12B ABC Body Shop-NAPA Martin Seniour-Billy Boat Exhaust-Electromotive Spike/Esslinger.

Several West Coast entries were involved in a late race incident, including Damion “The Demon” Gardner (Concord, CA) in 16th aboard Loyet Motorsports’ #05G Vacuworx International-Loyet Landscape Maintenance Inc.-Meramec Heights Collision Center-Butler Built Professional Seat Systems-Beaver Stripes & Graphics Spike/Esslinger, P.J. Jones (Torrance, CA) in 18th aboard the Kruseman Motorsports #98K American Racing Wheels-Araid by PG-BMRS Spike/Esslinger, Shane Golobic (Fremont, CA) in 19^th aboard Doug Bock’s #26 Get Som Sports-Bicycles Inc. (Ft. Worth, TX)-Country Builders-Piners Welding Supply & Driveline Service Spike/Esslinger, rookie contender Ryan Bernal (Hollister, CA) in 21st aboard Tom Ford’s #72 King Racing Products-A&A Precision Machine-Berry Pack-JFM-Pacific Coast Maint. JFM/Bob Wirth and J.J. Yeley (Phoenix, AZ) in 22^nd aboard Triple Crown Racing’s #1J Ohsweken Speedway-Rockwell Security-Hoosier Twister/Toyota. Both Golobic and Garnder claimed Heat races, with Golobic also winning in A-Qualifier 1. Bernal picked up the victory in A-Qualifier 3.

Travis Berryhill (American Canyon, CA) battled handling issues in B-Main 2, dropping from a transfer spot after spinning, coming home ninth in the Manic Racing #11 Vallejo Coin Exchange-Redline Oil-Racing 2 Cure-Fairfield Inn & Suites-Advance Racing Stealth/Fontana. Pete Davis (Pleasanton, CA) was running one spot shy of a transfer when he was penalized to the back near the end of B-Main 1, where he placed ninth in his #00 Hot Head Header-Hot Products Engineering Design Co. Stealth/Esslinger.

2011 USAC-Western States Midgets Rookie-of-the-Year Connor Kassik (Lake Havasu, AZ) has a night he’d likely rather not remember aboard the Neverlift Motorsports #15K Crysalli-Manitowoc-Fruitful Juice-Prickett's Dist. TCR/Chevy. In Heat 2, Kassik was running up front when he was collected in an incident that cut a tire, causing him to DNF and be scored in 8^th. Starting in the rear of C-Main 2, Kassik was involved in two separate early incidents while moving up through the field. After racing itno to the Top 5, Kassik drove in hard, hitting the wall and flipping violently. After reviewing the damage, Kassik and the Neverlift Motorsports team decided that car was not repairable, ending Kassik’s 2011 Chili Bowl prematurely.

Other West Coast entries competing on Thursday night included Tim Pyle (Gresham, OR) in the Warren Pyle-Tim Pyle #71P Pacific Power Products-Perkins Pacific Spike/Brayton Chevrolet, Terry Goodwin (Laveen, AZ) in Misty Goodwin’s #2G American Building Science Services-Combs Construction Spike/Fontana, Oklahoma’s Michelle Decker in the Shannon McQueen Racing (Bakersfield, CA) #7D Waurika Truck & Tire-Carter Custom Finishes-Starrship Trucking-Simpson Race Products-Quantum Consulting Spike/Esslinger, Oklahoma’s Tanner Berryhill in the Kruseman Motorsports #17K Lucas Oil-Americash Advance-Schoenfeld Spike/Esslinger, Oklahoma’s Kip Hughes aboard Mountain View, CA car owner Cliff Blackwell’s #27C blackwellmotorsports.com-Pat McVicker Oilfield Services-Cowboy Pumping Unit Sales & Repair-MAC Tools-Danny Stratton-Nick's Pumping Inc. Stealth/Gaerte Chevrolet, Rick Shuman in Dave Burkhart’s #2AZ Kaiser Alexco Aluminum-Ultimate Imports-Beadle Bug Patrol-Die Cast Cars Now Cobra/Fontana and RMMRA Midget rookie-of-the-year Clint Schubert (Calhan, CO) in the George Schubert #44S Schubert's Sod-Dale's Paint-Cooper Head Road-Carquest Spike/Fontana.

Thursday’s Suburban Chevrolet Qualifier Results from the 26th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals:
Heat 1: 3. #44S Clint Schubert, Calhan, CO


Heat 2: 1. #26 Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA; 2. #1J J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 3. #98K P.J. Jones, Torrance, CA; 4. #19S Richard VanderWeerd, Visalia, CA; 7. #2AZ Rick Shuman, Gilbert, AZ; 8. #15K Conner Kassik, Lake Havasu, AZ


Heat 3: 2. #22 Brian Camarillo, Camarillo, CA; 5. #11B Travis Berryhill, American Canyon, CA; 6. #27C Kip Hughes, Enid, OK


Heat 4: 1. #05G Damion Gardner, Concord, CA; 4. #7D Michelle Decker, Guthrie, OK; 7. #2G Terry Goodwin, Laveen, AZ


Heat 6: 2. #49X Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA; 7. #71P Tim Pyle, Gresham, OR


Heat 7: 3. #12B Chad Boat, Phoenix, AZ; 5. #00 Pete Davis, Pleasanton, CA


Heat 8: 2. #72 Ryan Bernal, Hollister, CA; 3. #67K Rico Abreu, Rutherford, CA; 7. #17K Tanner Berryhill


C Main 1: 7. Shuman; 10. Goodwin


C Main 2: 6. Kassik,  9. Tanner Berryhill, Bixby, DNS -- Pyle


A Qualifier 1: 1. Golobic, 3. J.J. Yeley,  6. Gardner, 7. Davis, 10. Schubert


A Qualifier 2: 2. Abreu, 4. P.J. Jones, 5. Camarillo


A Qualifier 3: 1. Bernal, 2. Richard VanderWeerd, 10. Hughes


A Qualifier 4: 2. Sweet, 4. Boat, 6. Travis Berryhill, 7. Decker


B Main 1: 9. Davis


B Main 2: 9. Travis Berryhill, 11. Decker, 13. Hughes, 16. Schubert


 “A” Main: 3. Sweet, 4. R. VanderWeerd, 7. Abreu, 10. Camarillo, 11 Boat, 16. Gardner, 18. P.J. Jones, 19. Golobic, 21. Bernal, 22. Yeley

For more information on the 26^th Annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, visit www.chilibowl.com.