When you bring an event with the prestige and storied history of Chili Bowl Nationals to an iconic venue like Tulsa Expo Raceway inside the SageNet Center at Expo Square, the competition is intense, and the atmosphere is electric.

That should be no different this year, when the 39th edition of Chili Bowl Nationals heads to Tulsa, Oklahoma, from Jan. 13-18.

But before the six-night extravaganza takes over the quarter-mile clay track and the airwaves at FloRacing, let’s take a look at the format for this year’s contest.

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With 300-400 drivers typically turning out for Chili Bowl Nationals, preliminary (qualifying) races are contested during the week to determine the competitors who will race Saturday for the Golden Driller Trophy, arguably the most recognizable award in dirt track racing. 

It’s the crown jewel of Midget racing at the Mecca of open-wheel dirt racing. 

Read More: What Makes A Golden Driller Trophy So Special?

But What Is The Format For Chili Bowl Nationals?

Each driver will compete in one of the five nights of preliminary action – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday – with the goal of earning maximum passing points during their races. The more passing points they earn, the better starting position they’ll have for that night’s A-Main feature.

Each preliminary night will feature heat races, qualifying races, C-Mains, B-Mains and a 30-lap A-Main. 

The following chart explains how passing points are determined for heat races and qualifying races.The 40 drivers earning the most passing points in heat races will advance to qualifying races.

Those who finish 41st through 68th will move on to one of the two C-Main races. There are 7-10 cars per heat race, with each being eight laps. The C-Main races will be 16 cars and 12 laps.

The top four cars in each C-Main race will cycle back in for the 15-lap B-Main races (more below).

For the qualifying races, the top 24 in points (six in each qualifier) will be inverted to give them a chance to race for more passing points.

At the end of qualifiers, the top 16 in combined passing points between their heat and qualifying race will advance to the night’s A-Main feature. Those who do not advance to the A-Main after qualifiers will be placed in B-Mains. 

The top four finishers in each C-Main will be added to the back of the B-Mains and the top four finishers in the B-Mains will be added to the rear of the starting lineup for the A-Main. 

Then, it’s time for 30 laps of racing with only the top two finishers qualifying for Saturday’s A-Main. Everyone who does not qualify will be placed in the “alphabet soup” on Saturday. 

What Happens Saturday At Chili Bowl Nationals?

The long day of racing Saturday at Chili Bowl Nationals begins with either P-Main or O-Main races, depending on the number of cars that enter. 

Drivers will attempt to work their way up through the alphabet one step at a time, with hope of making the A-Main. 

There will be two B-Main features, with the top seven finishers advancing to the A-Main, finalizing the 24-car field for what’s now a 40-lap final feature for the Golden Driller. 

It was announced in December 2024 that the format of the final race would change from 55 laps to 40. 

The lineup for the top 10 cars in the A-Main will be determined through the Chili Bowl Pole Dash. The five A feature winners will draw 1-5, followed by the five drivers who finished second drawing 6-10 to seed the Pole Dash.

All of the action from the SageNet Center from Jan. 13-18 will be broadcast live on FloRacing

How To Watch The 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals

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

39th Annual Chili Bowl Nationals Event Schedule

All Times Listed Are Central Standard Time

Sunday, Jan. 12

7 a.m. - Building/Pit Pass Booth Open

9 a.m. - Practice

Monday, Jan. 13

9 am. - Building Opens

11 a.m. - Pit Pass Booth Open

1 p.m. - Building Secured

2 p.m. - Draw For Lineups

3 p.m. - Drivers’ Meeting

4 p.m. - Hot Laps

5 p.m. - Races

Tuesday, Jan. 14

9 a.m. - Building Opens

11 a.m. - Pit Pass Booth Open

1 p.m. - Building Secured

2 p.m. - Draw For Lineups

3 p.m. - Drivers’ Meeting

4 p.m. - Hot Laps

5 p.m. - Races

Wednesday, Jan. 15

9 a.m. - Building Opens

11 a.m. - Pit Pass Booth Open

1 p.m. - Building Secured

2 p.m. - Draw For Lineups

3 p.m. - Drivers’ Meeting

4 p.m. - Hot Laps

5 p.m. - Races

Thursday, Jan. 16

9 a.m. - Building Opens

11 a.m. - Pit Pass Booth Open

1 p.m. - Building Secured

2 p.m. - Draw for Lineups

3 p.m. - Drivers’ Meeting

4 p.m. - Hot Laps

5 p.m. - Races

Friday, Jan. 17

9 a.m. - Building Secured/Pit Pass Booth Open

2 p.m. - Draw for Lineups

3 p.m. - Drivers’ Meeting

4 p.m. - Hot Laps

5 p.m. - Races

Saturday, Jan. 18

8 a.m. - Building Secured/Trade Show

8 a.m. - Pit Pass Booth/Pit Gate Open

8:15 a.m. - Racers For Christ Service

9 a.m. - Feature Hot Laps

6 p.m. - Opening Ceremonies

What Kind Of Cars Race At Chili Bowl Nationals?

Chili Bowl Nationals features Midget cars, which are small vehicles with a high power-to-weight ratio and open wheels, all of which results in speedy and physical racing with banging wheels and flipping cars. 

The cars, sometimes mistaken for go-karts, weigh less than 1,000 pounds, including the driver, and while they're small, they're also mighty, featuring four-cylinder engines and 300-400 horsepower. They can accelerate quickly and reach speeds up to 100 miles per hour. 

Who Is Racing At Chili Bowl Nationals In 2025?

The entry list for Chili Bowl Nationals 2025 continues to grow and surpassed 325 drivers in the days before Christmas. 

The star-studded field will include drivers from across the globe and throughout the world of motorsports. 

Headliners for this year’s race include two-time defending champion Logan Seavey, five-time winner Sammy Swindell, two-time winner and NASCAR Cup Series star Kyle Larson and 2022 champion Tanner Thorson. 

Learn more about 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals, and check out the complete entry list.

Rewatch The 2024 Chili Bowl Finale

To get you in the mood for this year's event, rewatch the Saturday night A-Main race from the 2024 edition of Chili Bowl Nationals.

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 in 1987!

Fans can watch all 38 main events from the Chili Bowl Nationals (1987-2024) on FloRacing by clicking here.  

Archived Footage On FloRacing

Video footage from all events will be archived and stored in a video library for FloRacing subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

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