By this time Tuesday, the 38th edition of the Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout will be in full swing with six prestigious Golden Drillers on the line.

Before the fun begins on FloRacing – starting with Heat Races on Tuesday, December 27 and continuing through the finale on Saturday, December 31 – we decided to look back on last year’s sensational showing at the “Mecca of Micros.”

STOCK NON-WING

The traditional opening act in Saturday’s showcase, the Stock Non-Wing A-Main showcased the top 24 of 418 entries (largest-ever).

Leading from start-to-finish, Emerson Axsom of Franklin, Ind. collected his second-career Golden Driller in what was the beginning of a wild, wild night for him and his Ten-J Chassis camp. The USAC National Sprint Car Series Rookie of the Year may have gone wire-to-wire, but it was anything but easy with former Shootout champion Alex Bright of Collegeville, Penn. breathing down his neck and beating on his bumper over the final laps. 

It came down to the very final corner and a margin of victory of 0.052-seconds at the line.

Stock Non-Wing A-Main (Top 10): 1. 13A-Emerson Axsom (1); 2. 20R-Alex Bright (2); 3. 11S-Shawn Mahaffey (3); 4. 79-Ron Dennis (4); 5. 21K-Tommy Kunsman (17); 6. 195-Steven Snyder Jr. (8); 7. 570-Prestyn Brown (7); 8. 3M-Collin Mitchell (15); 9. 14A-Braden Chiaramonte (11); 10. 14Y-TJ Smith (23).

Highlights: 2022 Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout Stock Non-Wing Feature

OUTLAW NON-WING

Offering four different leaders throughout 30 laps, the 12th Outlaw Non-Wing A-Main in history was easily the most exciting of 2022.

Jeffrey Newell of Tulsa, Okla. realized a lifelong dream by winning his first Golden Driller. The local veteran of Port City Raceway started on the outside pole, immediately found the bottom, and never left the berm for 30 laps – not even when he faded as far back as fifth place.

After continued chaos whittled out leaders Blake Hahn, Jonathan Beason, and Austin Lambert, Newell reclaimed the point with 11 laps left and fought off a hard-charging Emerson Axsom on the cushion.

With Newell on the bottom and Axsom banging the boards, it came down to a photo finish of 0.058-seconds at the checkered flag. The end result was a Golden Driller for Newell and a battered racecar for Axsom, who hopped his right rear and flipped end-over-end into turn one.

Outlaw Non-Wing A-Main (Top 10): 1. 12J-Jeffrey Newell (2); 2. 47B-Emerson Axsom (6); 3. 11S-Shawn Mahaffey (5); 4. 21K-Tommy Kunsman (17); 5. 71M-Gavin Miller (9); 6. 71K-Christopher Bell (12); 7. 20R-Alex Bright (21); 8. 10J-Dominic Gorden (11); 9. 51T-Kevin Thomas Jr. (3); 10. 1V-Johnny Boland (15).

Highlights: 2022 Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout Outlaw Non-Wing Feature

A-CLASS

After being awarded his first-career Tulsa Shootout title in 2019 – due to James Morris’ disqualification – Jake Hagopian had been longing for his chance to get a Golden Driller “the right way.” Last year, he got his chance, and he seized it. 

Starting from the outside pole, Hagopian waited patiently behind Kyle Spence before wheeling his Driven Performance #14Q to the lead on Lap 15. From there, it was all about defense as the Californian was forced to fend off hot shots like NASCAR superstar Christopher Bell and All Star Circuit of Champions titlist Tyler Courtney.

Spoiler – Hagopian got the job done and delivered one of the greatest post-race celebrations in recent memory.

A-Class A-Main (Top 10): 1. 14Q-Jake Hagopian (2); 2. 21X-Christopher Bell (3); 3. 4X-Tyler Courtney (4); 4. 20R-Alex Bright (5); 5. 21J-Kameron Key (6); 6. 15N-Neal Allison (8); 7. 13A-Emerson Axsom (17); 8. R7-Kyle Spence (1); 9. 35S-Aubrey Smith (13); 10. 110-Karter Battarbee (9).

Highlights: 2022 Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout Winged A-Class Feature

WINGED OUTLAW

The headlining 55-lap main event – in honor of Donnie Ray Crawford – was manhandled from start-to-finish by Craig Ronk of Warsaw, Ind. last year. His score made it six consecutive years of a first-time Golden Driller in Winged Outlaw.

Driving Brad Coleman’s Driven Performance #94, Ronk was the man to beat all week long inside the Tulsa Expo, showcasing unrivaled speed throughout Heat Races and Qualifiers to land on the pole position of the big dance.

Once there, “The Hoosier State” native battled through lap traffic and survived a fierce charge from Pennsylvania’s Tommy Kunsman in the final circuits to complete his wire-to-wire run for Tulsa Shootout glory.

Winged Outlaw A-Main (Top 10): 1. 94-Craig Ronk (1); 2. 21K-Tommy Kunsman (2); 3. 2B-Jonathan Beason (5); 4. 24-KJ Snow (8); 5. 5S-Gunnar Setser (3); 6. 11-Laydon Pearson (7); 7. 51T-Kevin Thomas Jr. (9); 8. 47B-Emerson Axsom (16); 9. 12X-Cody Christensen (15); 10. 97-Scotty Milan (18).

Highlights: 2022 Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout Winged Outlaws Feature

The next chapter in Tulsa Shootout history will be written December 27-31 on FloRacing as the 38th annual event welcomes more than 1,500 entries to the SageNet Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.