It’s night four of the 37th annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, and it’s a loaded preliminary field.

Headlining Thursday’s roster is the reigning Chili Bowl champion as Tanner Thorson is back in the building to defend his Golden Driller. The Minden, NV native is now a driver/owner, building his own Tanner Thorson Racing No. 88 entry in hopes of continuing the streak of back-to-back winners over the last decade.

Emerson Axsom, who already owns three Golden Drillers from the Tulsa Shootout – including one two weeks ago – will make his driving debut for Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports this evening. The sensational USAC talent is still starving for his first taste of Saturday’s Chili Bowl Championship A-Main.

Tanner Carrick, who won Monday’s preliminary last year, will now try his luck in Thursday’s showing. The Lincoln, CA native is back in the familiar Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 98.

Brady Bacon, a four-time winner of the Tulsa Shootout and four-time USAC National Sprint Car champion, continues his pursuit of the elusive Chili Bowl Nationals title tonight. He’s in the TKH Motorsports No. 21H, hoping for more of the same success that his teammate Kameron Key found on Tuesday night.

Carrying the torch for CB Industries, a team that has been on the podium every night this week, is Californian Chase Johnson and teenage Landon Crawley. For Johnson, he’s eyeing his second-career Chili Bowl lock-in; for Crawley, he could become the youngest Chili Bowl A-Main starter in history.

Across the aisle at Matt Wood Racing, a team that locked-in with Shane Golobic on Monday, tonight Ryan Bernal takes the wheel of the Elk Grove Ford, NOS Energy Drink No. 87W. Bernal is no stranger to competing for preliminary wins inside this building.

After two impressive, yet disappointing performances by Alex Bowman and Jake Swanson, C.J. Leary takes the final Ally Racing No. 55 for a ride tonight. The former USAC National Sprint Car champion is going for his sixth Chili Bowl Championship A-Main start.

Casey Shuman, a five-time starter of Saturday’s big dance, will wheel the Whitz Racing No. 32W this evening as he continues to try and take Mike & Brian Dunlap to their first Championship A-Main at the Chili Bowl.

Other notable names to watch tonight include Dillon Welch, Jake Neuman, Jacob Allen, JJ Yeley, Andrew Deal, Karter Sarff, Dominic Gorden, Nick Drake, Joe B. Miller, Steve & Tim Buckwalter, and Danny Stratton.

Thursday’s fun begins at 4pm CT with Hot Laps on FloRacing.