Published: January 07, 2008 11:40 pm            

BOWMAN: Local fans will get taste of Chili Bowl

With HBO offering a pay-per view opportunity, local open wheel fans will be glued to their televisions Saturday to watch the stars and cars from all over compete in the annual running of the Lucas Oils’ Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

Area race fans will recognize many of the more than 200 entrants, as many of the drivers who will be on hand have spent many a summer night at Kokomo Speedway as well as the Gas City I-69 Speedway.

Shane Cottle, the current Kokomo Speedway track champion as well as Lincoln’s Dave Darland, are Kokomo-area drivers who look to be strong contenders to dethrone Tony Stewart as King of the Chili Bowl.

For Darland, a win at one of only two major midget races that has eluded him would be huge. Very huge.

“To win that race would be major for me,” said Darland while preparing to depart to Tulsa. “I’ve won some preliminary night features out there, but have just came up short [in the finale]. A couple years ago I was running second to Cory Kruseman when we broke, then Cory broke later in the race and the driver running third eventually won.

“Over the years the Wilke-Pak team has given me good cars and put me in position to possibly win that race,” Darland continued. “But it seems like something unexpected happens and takes me out of contention.”

This time, Darland will be paired with his longtime USAC National Midget Series car owner Steve Lewis and enters the fray on a bit of a roll after winning the illustrious Turkey Night Grand Prix on Thanksgiving night then following it up with a second-place run behind Stewart in last weekend’s Rumble in Fort Wayne.

“I feel really good about our chances,” noted Darland of teaming with Lewis. “The Toyotas have been pretty strong and Steve always has good race cars. This is the first time for me, though, running at the Chili Bowl with him. I’m just going to try to go out there, run hard and hope for the best.”

Cottle was, at the time, a relative unknown to local fans when he finished second in 2000, he followed it up with a fourth-place run in 2007. With 280 cars officially entered, Cottle knows what his intentions are when the green flag falls.

“The key thing out there is to try to stay out of trouble and not get caught up in anyone else’s mess,” said the three-time Kokomo track champion. “I’m really about as excited going out there as I’ve ever been over the years. I’ll be driving Darrell Saucier’s car and that car is always good, so our chances are as good as they have ever been.”

Cottle has posted top-10 finishes four of the last six years and considers the Chili Bowl as the toughest race to make.

“There are just so many good cars and drivers that come out for the race,” said Cottle. “You look around and see guys like Dave [Darland], Sammy Swindell, Joey Saldana, J.J. Yeley — all those guys who are among the best and sometimes you are kind of in awe.”

Other drivers with local interest who will be on hand include Jon Stanbrough, Chris Windom, Cole Whitt, Dakoda Armstrong and Kyle Robbins along with World of Outlaw standouts Terry McCarl, Sammy Swindell, Danny Lasoski, NASCAR drivers Kasey Kahne, Stewart, Yeley as well as USAC regulars Jerry Coons, Tracy Hines, Levi Jones, Ricky Stenhouse, Brady Short, Brady Bacon and Kevin Swindell. Gary Scelzi and Cruz Pedragon of NHRA will also be vying for the elusive title.

Those interested in purchasing the pay-per-view can do so regardless of whether or not they are an HBO subscriber. In addition, reports have noted that satellite providers will air the event as well, so contact your provider for more information.

        

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