Tony Stewart’s Mentee Unveils His Apprehension as He Eyes Ultimate Dirt Racing Victory

Midget Racing is buzzing right now, with everyone’s eyes on the upcoming Chili Bowl. It’s the Super Bowl of racing and every driver dreams of reigning supreme in Tulsa. The legendary Sammy Swindell, a titan with three World of Outlaws titles, is the man to beat. He’s clinched the Chili Bowl A-Main title five times- 1989, 1992, 1996, 1998, and 2009- and is gearing up for another run in 2024.

But Sammy’s not the only Swindell in the spotlight. His son, Kevin Swindell, is hot on his heels with four consecutive Chili Bowl A-Main wins (2010-13). Sadly, Kevin’s driving days ended abruptly due to injuries from a 2015 crash. This year, there’s a new kid on the block. Tony Stewart‘s protégé, and currently the most experienced driver on his team, Chase Briscoe, is throwing his hat in the ring. Recently, right in the heart of Tulsa, Briscoe shared his burning desire to clinch the Chili Bowl crown.

Chase Briscoe feels a Chili Bowl victory will be the biggest addition to his resume

Chase Briscoe is back at the Chili Bowl, more fired up than ever to chase his dream of clinching the championship A-Main for the second time. He’s had a taste of it before, landing in the A-Main back in 2017 and finishing 22nd. Last year, he was close but unfortunately ended up 10th in the B-Main, just a whisker away from advancing.

Watch This Story: Tony Stewarts Insider Claims to Mimic Rick Hendricks Blueprint for Success

This year, he’s the only NASCAR Cup Series champ in the mix at the Chili Bowl, and something’s different – his confidence is through the roof. However, standing in Tulsa, filled with enthusiasm and apprehension both, Briscoe shared, “I would definitely say I would love to be the king of Tulsa at the end of the week. But I got to get through my pre-lims night first before we start thinking about that. […] I feel like it’s one of the biggest races you could put on your resume. […] I mean you have 400 cars going for 24 spots. It’s just hard to make and it always blows my mind every year when the entry list comes out.”

He added, “[…] it’s a really hard race just to make and if you can win it, it’s even more impressive. I feel like racing in the Cup Series, you’re race crafting and just how much you race and how many laps you get. It just makes you so much better and those guys are so good at what they do. I just feel like I’m probably the best race driver I’ve been in my entire career at this point. So, all those things together, probably that’ll prove me right on Saturday night and I can be the Tulsa King.”

And well, his anxiousness is not for nothing, because it’s truly not going to be a walk in the park. With a boatload of entries this year, Briscoe needs to bring his A-game to stay ahead of the pack and punch his ticket to the A-mains.

350+ mark crossed again in the Chili Bowl entry

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The Chili Bowl is revving up to be a real barnburner this year, with the entry list topping a whopping 363 drivers and counting. It’s a stone’s throw away from the record-breaking 394 entries we saw in 2022. What’s astonishing is that out of this sea of drivers, only two are past champions of the event.

These include the reigning champ, Logan Seavey, back in the saddle for Swindell SpeedLab and Bertrand Motorsports, and the legendary five-time Chili Bowl king, Sammy Swindell. Tanner Thorson, the 2022 victor, has been teasing fans with snapshots of his car on social media, but we’re still on tenterhooks waiting for his official entry. This year’s lineup is as diverse as it gets, with speedsters from 32 states and six countries – Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and, of course, the USA. Seavey, last year’s top dog, is all set to defend his title.

Read More: Chase Briscoe Drops Shocking 7-Word ‘Kevin Harvick’ Revelation Amid SHR’s Line-Up Refresh

So, who’s your bet on to take home the Chili Bowl trophy this time around? With such a packed field, it’s not an easy guess as to who’ll cross the finish line first!