Keith Kunz Motorsports is fielding a dirt midget for Kyle Larson with a late entry into the event
Larson won his first Chili Bowl Nationals in 2020 after 13 attempts at grabbing a Golden Driller. He followed that up with another win in 2021. Then, he went away.
For 2022, Larson and Christopher Bell both missed the race for the first time in years. Each of them noted a lack of payout as the reason for missing the event.
Larson told Racing America, “I’m just at the point where I want to see the purse grow a lot. So, for the time being, and unless that happens, I won’t be running it this year and I know there are a lot of racers that feel the same way.”
The purse has since increased, starting with the first increase in 2023 and yet again in 2024. After paying $10,000 to win for more than a decade, the race now pays $20,000 to win. Additionally, payouts through the alphabet mains have increased.
Event promoter Emmett Hahn has stated that Larson is not the reason for the purse increase.
Kyle Larson says he won’t run the Chili Bowl; Event promoter responds
Kyle Larson added to Chili Bowl Nationals; Pulling double-duty
For 2024, Larson was not on the Chili Bowl Nationals entry list. And, he planned on skipping the event.
Larson is currently racing a dirt late model in the Wild West Shootout. The event takes place on Jan 6th, 7th, 10th, 12th, 13th and 14th.
However, after Monday night’s opener, he had a change of heart. Larson texted his old team owner, Keith Kunz. That Tuesday morning text led to a phone call.
“You ain’t got any extra cars do you?”
And he did. Now, Larson is set to race on Thursday in the Chili Bowl Nationals.
The late entry had to be approved by the event, which it was. Larson is now set to run his preliminary night on Thursday, a day that the Wild West Shootout isn’t racing.
Come Saturday, Larson intends to race the Chili Bowl Nationals in Oklahoma as well as the Wild West Shootout in New Mexico. In order for that to happen, Larson will need to qualify for the main event through Thursday’s preliminary.
“It’s going to be tight. He knows that, I know that. But, we’re going to give it a shot. If he doesn’t get locked in, I don’t know that he can get back here,” Keith Kunz told FloRacing.
If he finds himself buried in the alphabet mains, that will put him on track far earlier than he wants to and it will likely conflict with the dirt late model event.
The car was the backup car for Tanner Carrick.
Keith Kunz drivers have now won both preliminary events so far.
Kyle Busch gives an interesting explanation for lack of interest in Chili Bowl Nationals
Links
Kyle Larson | Keith Kunz Motorsports | Chili Bowl Nationals | NASCAR
