Thursday Night Results - January 10, 2008
Lonnie
Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (January 10, 2008) A two-time National Midget Driver of the
Year, Brad Kuhn perhaps ranks amongst the most underrated Midget chauffeurs in the
country.
But the Avon, IN,
racer wasted little time making his presence known at Tulsa Expo Raceway's 22nd
Annual Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals in the QuikTrip Center, solidly establishing himself as
one of the favorites to win this year's event by wiring the field in Thursday night's
25-lap Warren CAT Qualifying feature event.
Starting from the
pole position, Kuhn outgunned Shane Cottle for the lead at the outset and paced the field
throughout in a race that featured just one quick caution period to score his first Chili
Bowl preliminary feature win aboard Dr. Kenneth Love's Stanton Mopar-powered
Hoosier/Simpson/Barnes Oil Systems No. 71x Spike chassis.
"I know the
right people are here tonight, it's the right time to shine," Kuhn commented at the
post-race press conference.
Jon Stanbrough
made a late move to snare runner-up honors, with Cottle giving Hoosier State racers a
sweep of the podium by finishing third. Sixteen-year-old
California native Cole Whitt made a lap 20 pass of defending Chili Bowl champion Tony
Stewart to snare the fourth and final lock-in position to Saturday night's 50-lap Chili
Bowl championship main event.
Stewart rounded
out the top five and will start from the front row of one of Saturday night's
"B" Main events as he tries to become the first back-to-back winner in Chili
Bowl history.
Kuhn dazzled the
capacity crowd early on, treading about the top side of the track to climb from fourth in
the final laps to win the night's ninth and final heat race. A quick charge from sixth to second in his
qualifier assured him the pole position for the feature event.
Kuhn took off at
the outset of the main event, with fellow front row starter Cottle giving chase as
fourth-starter Stewart battled past Stanbrough for third on the second lap. With Cottle staying within several car-lengths of
the leader, Stanbrough reclaimed third from Stewart by the time lapped traffic came into
play on the tenth round.
Kuhn made just one
bobble along the way when he got loose in turn two on the 16th lap, allowing
Cottle to close to his tail tank. But when
the race's only caution appeared one lap later for a turn three tangle involving Chad
DeSelle and Matt Sherrell, Kuhn once again had open track.
"I was trying
to run 25 laps with no mistakes," Kuhn explained after one mistake cost him a win in
last year's preliminary action. "I did
mess up one time in the middle of the race and I thought Shane was gonna get me, it was
one mistake but it didn't cost me."
Kuhn once again
opened up a several car-length advantage on the restart, as Cottle was left to fend off
Stanbrough for second with the lapped car of Shane Stewart in the mix as well. Finding the top side to his liking, Stewart made
his way past Cottle and tried to reel in the leader in an effort to unlap himself.
Meanwhile,
Stanbrough battled past Cottle for second on the 23rd lap and tried to mount a
charge on Kuhn. That charged was derailed by
the lapped car and Stanbrough settled for second aboard the Loyet Motorsports Esslinger
Ford-powered Loyet Landscape Maintenance No. 05s Spike.
"He should
have got out of the way, his race was over," Stanbrough commented. "I love coming here and I'm really excited to
be in the show, but I'm gonna have to go back to the pits and control myself because I
really want to go punch him in the mouth."
"I don't know
if I could have had anything for Brad," the winner of 30 Sprint Car features in 2008
continued. "I dont know how many
times I've finished second in a Midget and I'm dying to get a win and I think we might
have had an opportunity tonight."
Cottle, a
preliminary feature winner at last year's Chili Bowl, settled for third aboard Daryl
Saucier's Chevy-powered DSR Fuel Systems No. 1st Beast.
A runner-up
finisher in his Chili Bowl debut in 2000, Cottle explained that, "I guess it (Tulsa
Expo Raceway) kinda suits my driving style, back in 2000 it was kinda neat to be a rookie
here and finish second and ever since then I've liked it here."
Running eighth at
the lap 17 caution, Whitt took to the top side and needed just one lap to dispose of
Garrett Hansen, Nathan High and Sammy Swindell to climb to fifth. Whitt reeled in Stewart two laps later and took
the fourth position for keeps aboard the Keith Kunz Motorsports Esslinger-powered Red Bull
No. 71 Bullet.
With the lapped
car in play, Whitt didn't even realize he had reached the fourth position. "I was so far back on that yellow, and coming
through the field I didn't know that we had lapped traffic.
I thought they were pointing me to the infield just for running top five
then Keith (Kunz) came over and said, 'Hey, we're locked in!' He points up at the leader board and we're in
fourth, so this is the first Chili Bowl that we've been locked in on Saturday so I'm
excited."
Tony Stewart
rounded out the top five, with Hansen in sixth. Bobby
Michnowicz claimed seventh, with four-time Chili Bowl winner Sammy Swindell, SMRS Midget
champion Gary Taylor and AMRA Midget champion Nathan High completing the top ten.
Teamed with
Stanbrough, Brad Loyet turned in the feature's top passing performance by climbing from 18th
to eleventh.
A pair of Chili
Bowl rookies made the feature cut, with Dennis Rodriguez in 18th and George
White the race's first of two casualties, credited with 24th.
Transferring from
Tuesday night's Pre-Qualifying event, Austin Brown raced his way into Thursday night's
feature and posted a 14th-place finish.
Chris Rahe, Tony
Stewart, Cottle, Michnowicz, Brady Bacon, Scott Pierovich, Billy Pauch, Jr., Jerry Higbie,
Jr., and Kuhn topped heat race action for Thursday night's 72-car field.
Loyet, Michelle
Decker, Frank Polimeda and Jonathan Beason claimed Last Chance Race wins, with Stanbrough,
Cottle, High and Hansen winning the Qualifying Races.
Rahe and Loyet
took "B" Main honors.
Garry Lee Maier
tipped over in heat race action, with Cruz Pedregon and Tadd Holliman getting upside down
in the Last Chance races.
Qualifying race
action featured seven flips, with Pierovich, Pauch, Decker, Justin Allgaier, Sherrell, Joe
Cleveland and Kenny Brown all turning over.
There were no
injures.
Friday night's
O'Reilly Auto Parts Qualifying event, the third and final qualifying night at the 22nd
Chili Bowl Nationals, fires off with the first heat race set to go green at 5:45 p.m.
Thursday Night's
Warren CAT Qualifying Event Results from the 22nd Annual Dodge Chili Bowl
Midget Nationals
Heat Races (Top 40
in passing points to four A Qualifiers; Balance to four Last Chance races)
Heat 1:
1. #3C Chris Rahe, Placentia, CA; 2. #191 Ryan Durst, Lincoln, NE; 3. #22S Shane Stewart,
Bixby, OK; 4. #47X J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 5. #91K Kevin Bayer, Broken Arrow, OK; 6. #42
Mike Leslie, Litchfield Park, AZ; 7. #19N Nick ONeal, Wagoner, OK; 8. #7W Brandon
Waelti, Sun Prairie, WI
Heat 2:
1. #20 Tony Stewart, Columbus, IN; 2. #7 Critter Malone, Speedway, IN; 3. #05S Jon
Stanbrough, Avon, IN; 4. #51 Mike Hess, Riverton, IL; 5. #09 Russ Harper, Indianapolis,
IN; 6. #23J Jimmy Light, Indianapolis, IN; 7. #D1 Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls, SD; 8.
#132 Thomas Meseraull, Fresno, CA
Heat 3:
1. #1ST Shane Cottle, Kokomo, IN; 2. #5* Gary Taylor, Sapulpa, OK; 3. #10W Shane Golobic,
Fremont, CA; 4. #17T Justin Grant, Ione, CA; 5. #3T Tony Beaber, Gibsonburg, OH; 6. #2A
Tommy Bryant, Montgomery, TX; 7. #1T Tony Roney, Herculaneum, MO; 8. #18 Floyd Alvis, San
Carlos, CA
Heat 4:
1. #49JR Bobby Michnowicz, Torrance, CA; 2. #12JR Nathan High, Goodyear, AZ; 3. #86 Justin
Allgaier, Springfield, IL; 4. #37J Joe Walker, Harrisonville, MO; 5. #57K Nick Lundgreen,
Brownsburg, IN; 6. #6Z Jessica Zemken, Sprakers, NY; 7. #97A Alan Ballard, Bakersfield,
CA; 8. #6X Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids, IA
Heat 5:
1. #99 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 2. #95 Chad DeSelle, Sun Prairie, WI; 3. #7A Austin
Brown, Millstadt, IL; 4. #07 Gary Wright, Hooks, TX; 5. #78J Nick Wean, Phillipsburg, NJ;
6. #44F Frank Polimeda, Fort Lee, NJ; 7. #13AU Stewart Friesen, Niagara on the Lake, ONT;
8. #57B Johnny Heydenreich, Indianapolis, IN
Heat 6:
1. #35P Scott Pierovich, Alamo, CA; 2. #17B Kenny Brown, Millstadt, IL; 3. #1D Dennis
Rodriguez, Camarillo, CA; 4. #51S Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria, CA; 5. #1 Sammy Swindell,
Germantown, TN; 6. #31L Lee Grosz, Harwood, ND; 7. #23 Tadd Holliman, Beaver Lake, NE; 8.
#0 Johnny Murdock, Kaufman, TX
Heat 7:
1. #49 Billy Pauch, Jr., Frenchtown, NJ; 2. #67K Matt Sherrell, Tulsa, OK; 3. #37 Matt
Mitchell, Yorba Linda, CA; 4. #37B Tyler Brown, Norco, CA; 5. #5C Joey Montgomery,
Fredericktown, MO; 6. #8K Bud Kaeding, Campbell, CA; 7. #7T Eric Todd, Falcon, MO; 8. #73S
Garry Lee Maier, Cimarron, KS
Heat 8:
1. #39J Jerry Higbie Jr., Slate Hill, NY; 2. #75X David Gough, Machesney Park, IL; 3. #70
Garrett Hansen, Manhattan Beach, CA; 4. #93C Chett Gehrke, Broken Arrow, OK; 5. #71 Cole
Whitt, Alpine, CA; 6. #36 Jonathan Beason, Broken Arrow, OK; 7. #71C Cruz Pedregon,
Brownsburg, IN; 8. #68 Jonathan Hendrick, Fortville, IN
Heat 9:
1. #71X Brad Kuhn, Avon, IN; 2. #10 George White, Fort Worth, TX; 3. #17 Chris Windom,
Canton, IL; 4. #11C Joe Cleveland, Delphos, KS; 5. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO; 6.
#7MX Michelle Decker, Guthrie, OK; 7. #75H Bart Hartman, Zanesville, OH; 8. #87D Brent
Rees, Arvada, CO
Last Chance Races
(Top 2 in each transfer to back of corresponding A Qualifier)
Last Chance
1: 1. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO;
2. #91K Kevin Bayer, Broken Arrow, OK; 3. #132 Thomas Meseraull, Fresno, CA; 4. #6Z
Jessica Zemken, Sprakers, NY; 5. #31L Lee Grosz, Harwood, ND; 6. #1T Tony Roney,
Herculaneum, MO; 7. #0 Johnny Murdock, Kaufman, TX; DNS - #7T Eric Todd, Falcon, MO
Last Chance
2: 1. #7MX Michelle Decker, Guthrie, OK;
2. #42 Mike Leslie, Litchfield Park, AZ; 3. #78J Nick Wean, Phillipsburg, NJ; 4. #8X Bud
Kaeding, Campbell, CA; 5. #71C Cruz Pedregon, Brownsburg, IN; 6. #97A Alan Ballard,
Bakersfield, CA; 7. #73S Garry Lee Maier, Cimarron, KS; 8. #18 Floyd Alvis, San Carlos, CA
Last Chance
3: 1. #44F Frank Polimeda, Fort Lee, NJ; 2. #09 Russ Harper, Indianapolis, IN; 3.
#13AU Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ONT; 4. #2A Tommy Bryant, Montgomery, TX; 5.
#D1 Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls, SD; 6. #75H Bart Hartman, Zanesville, OH; 7. #68
Jonathan Hendrick, Fortville, IN; 8. #6X Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids, IA
Last Chance
4: 1. #36 Jonathan Beason, Broken Arrow, OK; 2. #23J Jimmy Light, Indianapolis, IN; 3.
#57B Johnny Heydenreich, Indianapolis, IN; 4. #7W Brandon Waelti, Sun Prairie, WI; 5. #57K
Nick Lundgreen, Brownsburg, IN; 6. #19N Nick ONeal, Wagoner, OK; 7. #87D Brent Rees,
Arvada, CO; 8. #23 Tadd Holliman, Beaver Lake, NE
A Qualifiers (Top
16 in combined passing points to A Main; Balance to twin B Mains)
A Qualifier
1: 1. #05S Jon Stanbrough, Avon, IN; 2. #71X Brad Kuhn, Avon, IN; 3. #37 Matt
Mitchell, Yorba Linda, CA; 4. #7A Austin Brown, Millstadt, IL; 5. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset
Hills, MO; 6. #22S Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK; 7. #37J Joe Walker, Harrisonville, MO; 8.
#191 Ryan Durst, Lincoln, NE; 9. #17T Justin Grant, Ione, CA; 10. #5C Joey Montgomery,
Fredericktown, MO; 11. #91K Kevin Bayer, Broken Arrow, OK; 12. #35P Scott Pierovich,
Alamo, CA
A Qualifier
2: 1. #1ST Shane Cottle, Kokomo, IN; 2. #49JR Bobby Michnowicz, Torrance, CA; 3. #5*
Gary Taylor, Sapulpa, OK; 4. #10 George White, Fort Worth, TX; 5. #7 Critter Malone,
Speedway, IN; 6. #07 Gary Wright, Hooks, TX; 7. #93 Chett Gehrke, Broken Arrow, OK; 8.
#10W Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA; 9. #7MX Michelle Decker, Guthrie, OK; 10. #42 Mike
Leslie, Litchfield Park, AZ; 11. #3T Tony Beaber, Gibsonburg, OH; 12. #49 Billy Pauch Jr.,
Frenchtown, NJ
A Qualifier
3: 1. #12JR Nathan High, Goodyear, AZ; 2. #71 Cole Whitt, Alpine, CA; 3. #1 Sammy
Swindell, Germantown, IN; 4. #1D Dennis Rodriguez, Camarillo, CA; 5. #3C Chris Rahe,
Placentia, CA; 6. #99 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 7. #47X J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 8.
#09 Russ Harper, Indianapolis, IN; 9. #51S Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria, CA; 10. #44F Frank
Polimeda, Fort Lee, NJ; 11. #67K Matt Sherrell, Tulsa, OK; 12. #86 Justin Allgaier,
Springfield, IL
A Qualifier
4: 1. #70 Garrett Hansen, Manhattan Beach, CA; 2. #20 Tony Stewart, Columbus, IN; 3.
#94 Chad DeSelle, Sun Prairie, WI; 4. #17 Chris Windom, Canton, IL; 5. #39J Jerry Higbie
Jr., Slate Hill, NY; 6. #36 Jonathan Beason, Broken Arrow, OK; 7. #75X David Gough,
Machesney Park, IL; 8. #51 Mike Hess, Riverton, IL; 9. #37B Tyler Brown, Norco, CA; 10.
#23J Jimmy Light, Indianapolis, IN; 11. #17B Kenny Brown, Millstadt, IL; 12. #11C Joe
Cleveland, Delphos, KS
B Mains (Top 4
advance to A Main)
B Main 1:
1. #3C Chris Rahe, Placentia, CA; 2. #99 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 3. #22S Shane
Stewart, Bixby, OK; 4. #36 Jonathan Beason, Broken Arrow, OK; 5. #35P Scott Pierovich,
Alamo, CA; 6. #7 Critter Malone, Speedway, IN; 7. #44F Frank Polimeda, Fort Lee, NJ; 8.
#37B Tyler Brown, Norco, CA; 9. #09 Russ Harper, Indianapolis, IN; 10. #7MX Michelle
Decker, Guthrie, OK; 11. #51 Mike Hess, Riverton, IL; 12. #42 Mike Leslie, Litchfield
Park, AZ; 13. #37J Joe Walker, Harrisonville, MO; 14. #93C Chett Gehrke, Broken Arrow, OK;
15. #86 Justin Allgaier, Springfield, IL; 16. #23J Jimmy Light, Indianapolis, IN
B Main 2:
1. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO; 2. #75X David Gough, Machesney Park, IL; 3. #191 Ryan
Durst, Lincoln, NE; 4. #67K Matt Sherrell, Tulsa, OK; 5. #17T Justin Grant, Ione, CA; 6.
#51S Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria, CA; 7. #39J Jerry Higbie Jr., Slate Hill, NY; 8. #49
Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown, NJ; 9. #3T Tony Beaber, Gibsonburg, OH; 10. #91K Kevin Bayer,
Broken Arrow, OK; 11. #10W Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA; 12. #47X J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ;
13. #17B Kenny Brown, Millstadt, IL; 14. #07 Gary Wright, Hooks, TX; 15. #5C Joey
Montgomery, Fredericktown, MO DNS - #11C Joe Cleveland, Delphos, KS
A Main (25 laps -
Top 4 advance to Saturday Nights Main Event)
1. #71K Brad
Kuhn, Avon, IN; 2. #05S Jon Stanbrough, Avon, IN; 3. #1ST Shane Cottle, Kokomo, IN; 4. #71
Cole Whitt, Alpine, CA; 5. #20 Tony Stewart, Columbus, IN; 6. #70 Garrett Hansen,
Manhattan Beach, CA; 7. #49JR Bobby Michnowicz, Torrance, CA; 8. #1 Sammy Swindell,
Germantown, TN; 9. #5* Gary Taylor, Sapulpa, OK; 10. #12JR Nathan High, Goodyear, AZ; 11.
#05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO; 12. #17 Chris Windom, Canton, IL; 13. #99 Brady Bacon,
Broken Arrow, OK; 14. #7A Austin Brown, Millstadt, IL; 15. #3C Chris Rahe, Placentia, CA;
16. #37 Matt Mitchell, Yorba Linda, CA; 17. #67K Matt Sherrell, Tulsa, OK; 18. #1D Dennis
Rodriguez, Camarillo, CA; 19. #36 Jonathan Beason, Broken Arrow, OK; 20. Chad DeSelle, Sun
Prairie, WI; 21. #22S Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK; 22. #191 Ryan Durst, Lincoln, NE; 23. #75X
David Gough, Machesney Park, IL; 24. #10 George White, Fort Worth, TX
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