Kyle Larson surprised the race world on Tuesday when he decided to enter the Chili Bowl Nationals 2024 qualifying races for Thursday. 

Larson becomes the most successful driver to enter the field as he's one of the biggest names today in motorsports. He's also trying to do something incredibly difficult, and that's race in two events, in two different states, on the same day. 

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That is, of course, if he qualifies for Saturday's Chili Bowl Championship Race on Thursday. 

He's done it before. Larson is no stranger to the Chili Bowl and he's no stranger to winning at the Chili Bowl. 

Here's what to know about Kyle Larson racing at the Chili Bowl. 

Kyle Larson First Raced The Chili Bowl In 2008

Kyle Larson entered his first Chili Bowl Nationals in 2008. Larson failed to qualify for the championship race that year, finishing ninth in the F Mains on the Saturday. Damion Gardner won that year. 

Larson was just 15 when he ran his first Chili Bowl. 

And he kept coming back.  

As Kyle Larson Became A NASCAR Star, Chili Bowl Wins Eluded Him

Larson kept driving. He raced in the NASCAR Truck Series, the  NASCAR K&N Pro Series, Xfinity Series and even the NASCAR Cup Series. His rookie season was in 2014. He won Rookie Of The Year. 

And all that time he kept racing in the Chili Bowl. 

In 2017, Larson missed the A-feature and in 2018 his car had engine problems while he was winning the race. In 2019, he finished second in the Chili Bowl A-Main to Christopher Bell, who completed a Chili Bowl trilogy with his third straight win. 

Despite having raced in six Daytona 500s, including a seventh-place finish in 2016, he had yet to win the Chili Bowl. 

Kyle Larson Won His First Chili Bowl in 2020

On his 13th try, Larson finally won his first Chili Bowl Nationals A-Main race. 

He beat Bell, passing him on the 39th lap. After the race, Larson said: "It’s taken me thirteen years. That’s almost half my age, I’ve been coming here. Thirteen years trying to win this race, and it feels better than I can imagine.”

Kyle Larson Won The Chili Bowl Again in 2021

The Chili Bowl returned in 2021 and so did Larson. Larson broke down his win on FloRacing: 

Kyle Larson Wins NASCAR Cup Series In 2021

After winning his second Chili Bowl, Larson won his first NASCAR Cup Series Championship to cement his status as one of the sport's biggest stars before his 30th birthday. 

Kyle Larson Named As NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers

In 2023, NASCAR listed its greatest drivers of all time as part of its 75th anniversary. Larson joined stars like Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson on that list update list that was first curated in 1998.

Kyle Larson Was Not Going To Race In the 2024 Chili Bowl

After winning in back-to-back years, Larson didn't return to the Chili Bowl in 2022 or 2023. It appeared that was going to be the case in 2024. Larson was already racing in the Wild West Shootout in Vado New Mexico the same week. 

That changed on Tuesday of the 2024 Chili Bowl when, much to the delight of race fans wanting to see more top drivers like Larson return to Tulsa, Larson decided to enter the race. 

Larson will race in the Thursday qualifying races. If he qualifies for Saturday's Main-A race, he'll compete in both the Wild West Shootout and in Tulsa.  

Kyle Larson Joined By Ricky Stenhouse Jr. At Chili Bowl

Following Tuesday’s announcement that Kyle Larson will be back in action Thursday at the 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy, another phone call to Keith Kunz by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will see the return of the Mississippi shoe on Friday night.

“Really looking forward to getting back to Chili Bowl. Obviously, took last year off and I missed it. I was sitting on the couch watching this week, and my wife looked at me and said, I can tell you really want to go; just go,” explained Stenhouse.

The late entry marks the 17th time Stenhouse has participated in the Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy, of which he has made the 55-lap championship event eight times, with a trio of top-ten finishes. Stenhouse will pilot the Keith Kunz Motorsports-Curb-Agajanian/NOS Energy No. 71R.

Chili Bowl Nationals 2024 Streaming On FloRacing

The Chili Bowl Nationals is streaming on FloRacing and the FloSports app. Replays of the event, breaking news, and every qualifying racing will be on both platforms. 

Every Chili Bowl Nationals Winner 

Here's who has won the Chili Bowl: 

• 1987: Rich Vogler
• 1988: Scott Hatton
• 1989: Sammy Swindell
• 1990: John Heydenreich
• 1991: Lealand McSpadden
• 1992: Sammy Swindell
• 1993: Dave Blaney
• 1994: Andy Hillenburg
• 1995: Donnie Beechler
• 1996: Sammy Swindell
• 1997: Billy Boat
• 1998: Sammy Swindell
• 1999: Dan Boorse
• 2000: Cory Kruseman
• 2001: Jay Drake
• 2002: Tony Stewart
• 2003: Dan Boorse
• 2004: Cory Kruseman
• 2005: Tracy Hines
• 2006: Tim McCreadie
• 2007: Tony Stewart
• 2008: Damion Gardner
• 2009: Sammy Swindell
• 2010: Kevin Swindell
• 2011: Kevin Swindell
• 2012: Kevin Swindell
• 2013: Kevin Swindell
• 2014: Bryan Clauson
• 2015: Rico Abreu
• 2016: Rico Abreu
• 2017: Christopher Bell
• 2018: Christopher Bell
• 2019: Christopher Bell
• 2020: Kyle Larson
• 2021: Kyle Larson
• 2022: Tanner Thorson
• 2023: Logan Seavey

Why Is It Called The Chili Bowl?

The Chili Bowl Nationals were started back in 1987 by Lanny Edwards and Emmett Hahn. The two promoters partnered with “The Chili Bowl Company" owned by the Berryhill family. Edwards and Hahn decided to name the event after the company.

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“My father bought into a restaurant on 11th street (in Tulsa),” said Bob Berryhill. “And it was called the Chili Bowl.”

Eventually, the Berryhill family took the Original Chili Bowl restaurant and turned it into a company that sold their chili in grocery stores. 

-Rob Blount

How To Watch Every Chili Bowl

With the help of MAVTV and Greg Stephen's Motorsports Video, FloRacing has assembled every championship feature event replay from the inception of the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals from 1987 to the present!

Fans can watch all 37 main events from the Chili Bowl Nationals on FloRacing by clicking here.  

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