With nearly 400 entries in Tulsa for the 36th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, the list of contenders runs wildly long. For the sake of time, we cut ourselves short at 30 of the top dogs to watch this week on FloRacing.

Kyle Larson (Elk Grove, CA)

The two-time and defending Chili Bowl Nationals champion goes for a third Golden Driller this week in the FloRacing #01, but he’s in a new Eagle Chassis prepared by Paul Silva. As expected, the hottest driver on the planet enters this week as a favorite to win it all, but we know anything can happen in Tulsa.

Christopher Bell (Norman, OK)

CBell is reunited with Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports after spending the past two Chili Bowl’s with CB Industries. This combination won three straight Golden Drillers from 2017-19 and looks for a fourth this week aboard the iRacing #71W.

Justin Grant (Ione, CA)

In the battle of Larson & Bell vs. the field, JG is arguably the best of the rest. Larson has even admitted he thinks Grant had the better car last year when he ran a career-best 2nd. The driver of the RMS Racing, NOS Energy Drink #2J is poised for his best shot ever at the Golden Driller this week.

Rico Abreu (St. Helena, CA)

It’s been six years since Rico last hoisted the Golden Driller in the air, a streak he desperately wants to snap. He’s had winning contending cars over that span, but just hasn’t had that extra something to top ‘em all on Saturday. The fan favorite is back with KKM and has returning sponsors Rowdy Energy and Pit Pay on the car.

Tanner Thorson (Minden, NV)

For the first time in his career, Thorson put it on the podium during Saturday’s Chili Bowl A-Main last year. Building off that and the momentum from a strong regular season with Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports, he hopes his eighth start is his best yet in the #19T.

Sammy Swindell (Germantown, TN)

Even at 66 years old, you can never count Slammin’ Sammy out of the Chili Bowl. With five Golden Drillers in a record 25 A-Main appearances, the Hall of Famer quite basically owns the Tulsa Expo. He’s back in the VIROC Race of Champions (Monday) before going for a ninth preliminary win on Thursday.

Tyler Courtney (Indianapolis, IN)

Sunshine’s recent commitment to the Tulsa Shootout has proven to be worth it, reloading with a sharper and more precise driving style each time he enters the Expo. After 16 Shootout A-Mains and 10 Chili Bowl attempts, he’s tired of waiting. The All Star Circuit of Champions title holder really wants to win that Golden Driller for Clauson-Marshall Racing and NOS Energy Drink this week.

Brad Sweet (Grass Valley, CA)

The three-time and defending World of Outlaws champion was a Midget star before going the wing route. In his six A-Main starts at the Chili Bowl, “The Big Cat” has produced six top-10 finishes. He goes for his best run yet this week with a star-studded lineup in the RMS Racing / Rusty Kunz Racing camp.

Jason McDougal (Broken Arrow, OK)

It’s been 51 weeks and we’re still in awe of J-Mac’s alphabet soup run from last year. The kid they call “boogie” is back and hungry for more, but this time he’d like the main course with a Golden Driller. He’s got three from the Tulsa Shootout, but this one would be for Bob East and Klatt Enterprises.

Cannon McIntosh (Bixby, OK)

After back-to-back preliminary wins on Monday night, McIntosh has made himself a clear contender for the Golden Driller. He’s got a point to prove this week, aiming for the same success in his father’s Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports #08 as he found in Keith Kunz’s #71. He’s already the youngest podium finisher in history and has two more shots at becoming the youngest champion.

Jonathan Beason (Broken Arrow, OK)

JB has always been a respectable threat under the confines of the Tulsa Expo, but this year it feels kicked up a notch. “BZN SZN” was activated at Gateway last month when he swept three races with an emphatic last-lap pass. The local hero is sticking with Hard 8 Racing and says if he can get the biggest win of his life this week, he’d be happy to call it a career.

Thomas Meseraull (San Jose, CA)

T-Mez has been a Tulsa staple for years, but lately with RMS Racing his game has gone to another level. He was faster than Larson in last year’s prelim before bad luck struck in the big show. He’s going for his ninth A-Main appearance at Chili Bowl and hoping to top his career-best of 8th.

Shane Golobic (Fremont, CA)

Golobic’s five-year streak of consecutive A-Main starts was ended last year in heartbreaking fashion as a lap traffic collision (while running 2nd) ended his prelim on the final lap. He’s back with Matt Wood Racing in the NOS Energy Drink #17W and ready to get a new streak rolling.

Buddy Kofoid (Penngrove, CA)

The reigning USAC National Midget champion has been mighty impressive in only two appearances in Tulsa, qualifying for the A-Main each time with top-10 runs going in each 55-lapper. He’s back in the Mobil 1 #67 with Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports.

Logan Seavey (Sutter, CA)

A former Monday night preliminary winner, Seavey is transitioning to Friday night in his third attempt aboard the Swindell SpeedLab #39. Along with Larson, Seavey is the only other driver to finish in the top-10 in each of the last three Chili Bowl A-Mains.

Emerson Axsom (Franklin, IN)

On the heels of a show-stealing performance at the Tulsa Shootout, the 17-year-old Clauson-Marshall pilot turns attention to Chili Bowl with his first A-Main appearance on the line. He’s in the Driven 2 Save Lives #39B this week in Tulsa.

Chris Windom (Canton, IL)

Windom recorded his fifth top-10 finish in eight career Chili Bowl A-Main starts last year. Before transitioning full-time to winged racing, the USAC Triple Crown champion eyes the Golden Driller with a potent CB Industries, NOS Energy Drink #89 this week.

Zeb Wise (Angola, IN)

If he can kick the bad luck, Zeb is more than due for his first-career Chili Bowl A-Main start. In trips with Clauson-Marshall, Keith Kunz & Matt Wood, the teenager has shown speed every single year, but hasn’t had the luck to back it up. He’s back with MWR and ready for his first 55-lapper. 

Donny Schatz (Fargo, ND)

The 10-time World of Outlaws champion is pulling double duty this week as he goes back and forth between the Wild West Shootout (Late Models) and Chili Bowl Nationals (Midgets) both on FloRacing. He’s going for his first A-Main appearance in the Spike Chassis #15 this week.

Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)

A fifth Chili Bowl A-Main start is on the line for “The Macho Man,” who enters fresh off a fourth USAC National Sprint Car championship. He’s still in the TKH Motorsports #21H owned by family friends Terry & Kelly Hinck.

Tim McCreadie (Watertown, NY)

It seems as if the 2006 Chili Bowl champion is still somehow underrated in some circuits, even though he has six top-10 finishes in all six of his A-Main appearances in Tulsa. The reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Series champion is switching rides to the Daugherty Motorsports #9 this week.

Chase Briscoe (Mitchell, IN)

With Mahindra Tractors following Briscoe from his NASCAR Cup Series ride to the Chili Bowl Midget, the Indiana native hopes to snap his brutal streak of missing the Saturday A-Main by one position, one position, and two positions in consecutive years.

Blake Hahn (Sapulpa, OK)

The Tulsa Shootout ace (8 Golden Drillers) has continually stepped up at the Chili Bowl, bringing his total to four A-Main appearances now. He’s back in the family-owned #52 and trying to top his career-best of 8th this week.

Alex Bright (Collegeville, PA)

A former fourth-place finisher (2014) and preliminary night winner, Bright is set to make his next splash at Chili Bowl aboard a Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports #19B this week.

David Gravel (Watertown, CT)

The World of Outlaws star doesn’t have much Midget experience all throughout his career, but he always finds a way to shine when he comes to Tulsa. He showed loads of speed last year in his switch to RMS Racing, and returns with the same team hoping for his second A-Main appearance on Saturday.

Zach Daum (Pocahontas, IL)

A five-time lock-in from prelims, Daum has parlayed that into eight Chili Bowl A-Mains with a career-best of 3rd (2016) on Saturday. This year, he’s made the move to the #47 camp as he drives for the legendary Andy Bondio.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Olive Branch, MS)

A seven-time starter in Chili Bowl’s A-Main, Stenhouse recorded his career-best last year with a 7th-place run. He’s carrying the NOS Energy Drink colors again on the #47S as he continues his relationship with Clauson-Marshall Racing.

Chase Johnson (Penngrove, CA)

Making the move to CB Industries, Johnson continues his march up the aisle as his Chili Bowl runs have continually boosted his stock. He enters this week with hopes of topping his career-best performance of 8th in Saturday’s A-Main.

Ryan Bernal (Hollister, CA)

Some horrendous luck hampered him and the rest of his teammates last year, but Bernal and the rest of Matt Wood Racing are back with a new attitude. He’s going for his fourth Chili Bowl A-Main appearance this week and hopes for a lock-in through Friday’s prelim.

Michael Faccinto (Hanford, CA)

Another addition to the CB Industries camp, Faccinto hopes his move to one of the most lethal teams in the building will bring him back to the Chili Bowl A-Main for the third time in his career.