Kruseman, Kahne and Sweet Cook Up Strong Outings at Chili Bowl Nationals
Cory "The Kruser" Kruseman, Mopar®-powered team owner Kasey Kahne and his Kasey Kahne Racing (KKR) driver Brad Sweet put their Mopar-fueled midget cars in the thick of the action at the 24th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals at Tulsa’s QuickTrip Center. All three drivers fought through the five-day event to advance to the Chili Bowl A-Main on Saturday, Jan. 16.
Kruseman steered his Kruseman Motorsports Mopar-powered Lucas Oil/Sander Engineering No. 21k Spike to victory in the 25-lap E3 Spark Plugs qualifying main event on Friday, Jan. 15, earning an automatic berth in the Saturday championship feature. NASCAR star Kahne finished sixth in his qualifier on Thursday, Jan. 14, and piloted his Mopar-powered midget to the B-Main victory on Saturday, earning a spot in the main event along with KKR driver Sweet, who finished a close third behind his team owner (KKR driver and World of Outlaws Sprint star Joey Saldana advanced as far as the E-Main on Saturday before he was eliminated).
It looked as if a Mopar-fueled midget might take the checkered flag first in the championship battle, as Kruseman, a two-time Chili Bowl champ, seized the lead from Darren Hagen on the ninth lap of the 50-lap event. Unfortunately, Kruseman relinquished the lead to event winner Kevin Swindell on Lap 24 and was eventually shuffled back to his finishing position of eighth. Sweet, in his first career Chili Bowl main event start, wrapped up his night in ninth, with Kahne claiming the 18th position.
For more information on the 24th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, visit http://www.chilibowl.com. For more information on Kasey Kahne Racing, visit http://www.kkr9.com.