As the precursor to the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, the Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout offers more experience on-track and loads of momentum for those who shine the brightest under the SageNet Center lights.

Over the weekend, 36 drivers who will partake in next week’s running of the 37th Lucas Oil Chili Bowl qualified for a Stock/Outlaw A-Main at the 38th Tulsa Shootout. Most notably, three Golden Driller winners from last week will return to the Expo in hopes of adding another to their collection.

Emerson Axsom, who broke his own record for best Tulsa Shootout average finish (3.5), capped off his sensational Micro Sprint run in the building with a Winged Outlaw title in the headlining 55-lapper. The Franklin, Ind. 18-year-old now prepares for his third attempt at the Chili Bowl, this time coming with a new team as he joins Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports for the week. 

Gavan Boschele, who outlasted Jace Park in a Stock Non-Wing nailbiter, is now the fourth-youngest Stock/Outlaw winner in Tulsa Shootout history – behind only Bryan Clauson, Brady Bacon & Giovanni Scelzi. The Mooresville, N.C. 14-year-old will be back behind the wheel of a Keith Kuzn/Curb-Agajanain Motorsports No. 5G, aiming to improve his eighth-place preliminary result from his rookie run last year.

TJ Smith, a longtime veteran of the Tulsa Expo Raceway, finally broke through with his first-career Golden Driller by virtue of an Outlaw Non-Wing win over Jason McDougal. The Fresno, Calif. native, who peaked at 2020 Chili Bowl with a sixth-place preliminary run, is slated to drive the Shannon McQueen No. 7T as he continues to pursue his first-career Championship A-Main start.

VIDEO: TJ Smith claimed his first career golden driller trophy at the Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout. 

Brent Crews, the Winged Outlaw runner-up, will be back for his second Chili Bowl attempt in a Paul Mays owned No. 71M. Last year, at the age of 13, the North Carolinian wowed in his Chili Bowl debut by landing on the pole position of his preliminary A-Main.

Daison Pursley, who is making his long-awaited return to the Chili Bowl Nationals, got some laps over the weekend with three Tulsa Shootout A-Main starts highlighted by a fourth-place effort in Winged Outlaw. He’s now back in a Midget with a new team as he joins forces with Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports.

Kyle Spence, a two-time Tulsa Shootout champion in the past and an Outlaw Non-Wing runner-up last week, will make his Chili Bowl debut next week. The Bear, Del. native earned the ride with Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports by topping the KKM Giveback Classic at Port City Raceway in October.

Other Shootout aces looking to carry their successes over to the Chili Bowl include top-five finishers like Jason McDougal, Jace Park, Trey Marcham, Tim Buckwalter, and Ricky Thornton Jr. of all people.

Additional names that you may recognize from the “Mecca of Micros” include Blake Hahn, Chance Crum, Michael Faccinto, Kameron Key, Jonathan Beason, Kaylee Bryson, Frank Flud, Cannon McIntosh, Kyle Jones, Joe B. Miller, Mitchel Moles, and many more.

The 37th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals can be seen live on FloRacing all week long beginning on Monday, January 9 and concluding with Driller Day on Saturday, January 14.

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