1/8/2021
Chili Bowl Nationals
2021 VIROC Field Set For Tuesday Night
Bryan Hulbert – TULSA, Okla. (January 8, 2021) A collection of some of the best to ever turn a lap inside the River Spirit Expo Center and beyond, the Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions is set for its 13th edition on Tuesday, January 12.
Revamped for the 2020 showdown, the lineup of drivers offers familiar fan favorites and a collection of new talent during the 25-lap showdown.
“We were pleased with how the field turned out last year,” stated Emmett Hahn. “It rewards the guys who have been running well at the Chili Bowl, and it gives these drivers on these National Tours something to run for throughout the year.”
For the 2021 event, the VIROC field is set off the following provisions:
• Drivers finishing in the Top 3 of Saturday night’s A-Feature during the previous five Chili Bowls will be eligible.
• Drivers finishing in the Top 2 of the past five VIROC events will be eligible.
• Preliminary Night Winners from the most recent Chili Bowl will be eligible.
• Series Champions from the most recent calendar year in the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, American Sprint Car Series National Tour, All-Star Circuit of Champions, USAC National Midgets, USAC National Sprint Cars, and POWRi National Midget League will be invited to compete.
• No Driver substitutions or alternates from a sanctioning body will be allowed.
• Starting Lineup for the VIROC will be set by Group Qualifying. Drivers will draw for their qualifying position, then qualify in groups of three to four. Drivers will get two warmup laps, then three green flag laps to set their time. The Top 8 fastest will be inverted with ninth fastest on back lined up straight up by their time.
• VIROC Feature will be 25 Laps.
What will mark the second-year lap times have officially counted in qualifying since 2001, the current track record is held by Kasey Kahne at 11.168-seconds. The new qualifying format saw a quick time of 11.667-seconds by Kyle Larson during 2020 VIROC Qualifying. Larson ended up fourth from eighth with Christopher Bell rolling from eighth to win.
Asked his thoughts on using Qualifying to set the VIROC field versus the overall program, Chili Bowl Director, Matt Ward said, “For a special race like the VIROC, qualifying works. With the overall night of racing, Passing Points through Heats and Qualifiers really allows the cream to rise while giving the smaller teams a better shot at making the show so for that, the draw works out better and also doesn’t wear the track out.”
For the 2021 event, drivers that have been invited to compete include:
Aaron Reutzel – All-Star Circuit of Champions Champion
Brad Sweet – World of Outlaws Champion
Brady Bacon – USAC Sprint Cars Champion
Cannon McIntosh – 2020 Monday Night Winner
Chad Boat – 2018 VIROC Winner
Chris Windom – USAC Midget Champion
Christopher Bell – 2017-2019 Champion
Daryn Pittman – 2017 Runner-up
Jake Neuman – POWRi Midgets Champion
Justin Grant – 2019 Third Place
Kyle Larson – 2020 Champion
Rico Abreu – 2016 Champion
Sam Hafertepe, Jr. – American Sprint Car Series Champion
Spencer Bayston – 2018 Runner-up
Tanner Thorson – 2019 VIROC Winner
Zach Daum – 2016 Third Place
The Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire takes place January 11-16, 2021.
A limited number of Reserved Seats Monday and Tuesday’s opening rounds can be purchased at the event.
A limited number of Pit Passes will be sold per day throughout the Chili Bowl to the General Public. Pit Passes will be available starting Monday, January 11 at 9:00 A.M. (CT) at the main entrance of the River Spirit Expo Center, located by the Golden Driller.
The 35th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire takes place at the Tulsa Expo Raceway, located inside the River Spirit Expo Center in Tulsa, Okla. To make sure you don’t miss any notifications regarding tickets, times, and more, please sign up for our email at https://bit.ly/3luAroE.
Reminder to all who attend that masks must be worn in such a manner as to completely cover the individual’s nose and mouth at all times. Any Attendee with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher will not be allowed into the River Spirit Expo Center. Fans not able to attend can watch online at http://www.FloRacing.com until the event switches over live on MAVTV and http://www.LucasOilRacing.tv on Saturday night.
For continued updates on the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire, fans can follow Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with @CBNationals. All official press, updates, and results on the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire can be found online at http://www.chilibowl.com.
Quick Notes:
What: 35th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl presented by General Tire
Where: Tulsa Expo Raceway – quarter-mile clay oval inside the River Spirit Expo Center at Tulsa's Expo Square
Daily Times and Prices:
Saturday, January 9, 2021
Move-In……..…..…..………..……....…..….9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sunday, January 10, 2021
Pit Pass Booth Opens……..……....…..….12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Monday, January 11, 2021
Building/Pit Pass Booth Open...……......…8:00 am
Building Secured........................................8:00 am
Practice…………………………………....... 9:00 am
Draw For Lineups.......................................2:00 pm
Driver's Meeting..........................................3:00 pm
Hot Laps…………………….....………...…..5:00 pm
Races……….……….….….……….....…..... 6:00 pm
Multi-Day Pit Pass $375~ Single day $60
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Building/Pit Pass Booth Open……….........…11:00 am
Building Secured............................................1:00 pm
Draw For Lineups............................................2:00 pm
Driver's Meeting...............................................3:00 pm
Hot Laps……………………..….….………..…..4:00 pm
Races…………………………...….….…...….... 5:00 pm
Multi-Day Pit Pass $315 ~ Single day $60
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Building/Pit Pass Booth Open..……......…….…11:00 am
Building Secured................................................1:00 pm
Draw For Lineups...............................................2:00 pm
Driver's Meeting..................................................3:00 pm
Hot Laps………………………….…..………..…..4:00 pm
Races…………………….……….….….…...….... 5:00 pm
Multi-Day Pit Pass $255 ~ Single day $60
Thursday January 14, 2021
Building/Pit Pass Booth Open..……......…………..11:00 am
Building Secured....................................................1:00 pm
Draw For Lineups....................................................2:00 pm
Driver's Meeting......................................................3:00 pm
Hot Laps………………………...……..……..…..…..4:00 pm
Races………………………..……….….….…...….... 5:00 pm
Multi-Day Pit Pass $195 ~ Single day $60
Friday January 15, 2021
Building Secured/Pit Pass Booth Open..….....…….9:00 am
Draw For Lineups....................................................2:00 pm
Driver's Meeting.......................................................3:00 pm
Hot Laps…………………….…..…….….………..…..4:00 pm
Races……………..……….……………..….…...….... 5:00 pm
Multi-Day Pit Pass $135 ~ Single day $60
Saturday January 16, 2021
Building Secured/Trade Show ……….……..…….…... 8:00 am
Pit Pass Booth/Pit Gate ….….…...….….....…..………. 8:00 am
Feature Races…...……….…………….…….……….…10:00 am
Opening Ceremonies....................................................6:00 pm
Pit Pass $75
Trade Show: A long-standing tradition at the Chili Bowl, the Trade Show, which is open to the public each day (Tuesday through Saturday), is free of charge. All variety of racing products, apparel, and more is available with well over 100 vendors. The Trade Show still has space available. Anyone looking to be a part of the Trade Show can contact the Chili Bowl office at 918-838-3777. The Trade Show covers approximately 20,000 square feet.
Chili Bowl Online: All official news regarding the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl National presented by General Tire can be found at http://www.chilibowl.com. Updates throughout the Chili Bowl can be found via Facebook and Twitter at http://www.facebook.com/chilibowlnationals and http://www.twitter.com/cbnationals.
Event Coverage: The Chili Bowl will be shown online on http://www.floracing.com until Saturday night. At time of opening ceremonies on Saturday, the final features will be shown live on the MAVTV Motorsports Network. For a complete listing of channels and to request MAVTV, log onto http://www.mavtv.com.
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Lucas Oil Products is the title sponsor of the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals. More information about the products available from Lucas Oil can be found at http://www.lucasoil.com. General Tire is the presenting sponsor of the Chili Bowl. A complete inventory of tires offered by General Tire can be found at http://www.generaltire.com.
Submitted By: Bryan Hulbert
