TULSA, Okla. — The New Zealand-based Synergy Racing Team went about the Chili Bowl a little differently than its competition.
The two-car team for drivers Michael Pickens and Brad Mosen used a pair of V-8 engines in its midgets. They were the only V-8s in the pits here as the open rules of the Chili Bowl offered a platform for the engines that run regularly in New Zealand to show their stuff.
Show it they did as Pickens finished second on June 12 and Mosen came home third on Thursday.
Mosen said the engine, which is the work of team owner Simon Longdill, has been more than two years in the works.
• Asked if he would lean on his father Sammy, if the two were racing for the victory on Saturday night at the Chili Bowl, Kevin Swindell said, “He’d lean on me, so I’m sure I’d do it, too,” the younger Swindell said.
• Additional cables were added to the top of the catch fence at Tulsa Expo Raceway, doubling its height. The move comes after Tim McCreadie was injured in a crash last year when his car flipped over the catch fence in turn one.
Some fans had a little fun at McCreadie’s expense on the second night of the Chili Bowl as the held up a sign reading, “Not up here, McCreadie.”
• World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter suffered a separated shoulder in a wild flip during a B main Jan. 13. Carter said Thursday he had more tests scheduled for Friday to see if he had any additional injuries to his back. Carter is a frequent competitor in 305 sprint cars and annually competes in the Chili Bowl.
• J.J. Yeley made his return to racing from broken vertebrae suffered last August and had a rough night in Keith Kunz’s No. 67. Yeley, who received medical clearance to race earlier in the week, was involved in five separate accidents in his heat race and crashed again in the feature after battling from the back of the pack to eighth spot.
• Cole Whitt’s second place finishes on Jan. 13 and Saturday will be his only midget races of the season. Whitt with Red Bull sponsorship will compete in the NASCAR Camping World Series East this season.
• A total of 265 entries competed in the five-day event. No less than 44 multi-car teams competed in the event, with several teams fielding a car each night of racing. Only five teams (Swindell, Kahne, Simon Longdill, Keith Kunz and Tucker/Clauson) placed more than one car into Saturday’s finale.
• RW Motorsports, participants in various USAC Series, has purchased Fontana Automotive from owner Joe Fontana. Since 1988 Fontana has operated the midget engine building business in Gardena, Calif. Beginning Feb. 1, the company will be based in Northern Indiana. Longtime Operations Manager Rick Paradis will continue with the company.
• Dave Darland’s record streak of 10-straight Chili Bowl’s came to an end, when he failed to transfer from the C Feature. Jerry Coons, Jr. now has the longest Saturday night-feature starting streak at seven.
• Bryan Clauson received his trophy and point check in a ceremony on Saturday Night for winning the 2009 National Midget Driver of the Year Championship. Also honored were the top drivers, car owners, rookie and manufacturers.
• One of the things that makes the Chili Bowl so interesting is the format where drivers do not transfer from heat races to the feature, but earn passing points. The top point earners from the heats then get a second chance to tally passing points in the qualifying races where the top six spots are inverted by points earned during the heats. Drivers are then lined up for the feature based on passing points earned in the heats and qualifying races with the top point earner on the pole.
• Two-time NHRA Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon was back at the Chili Bowl, wheeling his No. 75 midget which carring the same Snap-on sponsorship his Funny Car will sport this season. Pedregon put on his best Chili Bowl performance on his qualifying night. When complimented by NSSN on his effort, Pedregon replied, “I’m getting more practice and I get better the more practice I get.”
• Morgan Lucas of event sponsor Lucas Oil was the event’s Grand Marshal.
— Bryan Gapinski contributed to this report.