Making a change to Saturday night’s program for the 39th annual Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink, the championship A-Feature will go back to a 40-lap showdown for the coveted Golden Driller.

“Our job is to provide the best surface for these teams to be able to race and put on a show for these fans, and I’ve been talking with Gravel the past few years about Saturday night and what needs to change, and I agree with him, it needs to be 40 laps again,” stated Chili Bowl co-founder and promoter, Emmett Hahn.

Going to 55-laps after the tragic loss of Donnie Ray Crawford in 2012, the 55-lap feature event will remain in place for the Smiley’s Racing Products Tulsa Shootout powered by NOS Energy Drink to continue honoring Donnie’s life and legacy, but it will be a different class, with that honor now going to the Hyper Racing Non-Wing Outlaw feature.

For Matt Ward, who is the director of operations for both events, continuing to pay respect to Donnie Ray Crawford is very close to his heart.

“We still want to make sure we honor Donnie. Being his teammate in 2012 with my cousin, Blake, was such a special moment with the history between our grandpas (Emmett Hahn and Ray Crawford). Donnie was a hero in so many ways to so many people, and his legacy will live on in that building.”

The 40th edition of the Tulsa Shootout takes place December 30, 2024, through January 4, 2025, with the 39th Chili Bowl Nationals happening January 13-18, 2025. Both events are contested under the roof of the SageNet Center at Expo Square.

Teams can enter the Tulsa Shootout online at https://www.myracepass.com/series/1531/registrations until December 13. Entry into the Chili Bowl Nationals can be done via email to chilibowlentries@gmail.com or by phone at (918) 838-3777.

Information on both events is online at http://www.tulsashootout.com and http://www.chilibowl.com.