[flagboy55]

If you folks get a chance, take a look at the roster for the Race of Champions at Tulsa. Reads like a hall of fame race. Sounds like like that race alone would be worth the ticket!

[chrismattlin]

No. 1 – Sammy Swindell (Germantown, Tenn.) Four wins in the VIROC, along with five wins in the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, it’s been two years since Sammy topped the VIROC and the wily veteran is looking to bounce back from a 2016 DNF.

No. 1R – Thomas Meseraull (San Jose, Cali.) Under the banner of Rusty Kunz, California’s Thomas Meseraull will make his debut in the VIROC. Meseraull is no stranger to success at the Chili Bowl with five A-Feature appearance to his name.

No. 1st – J.J. Yeley (Phoenix, Ariz.) Still hunting that White Rabbit, J.J. Yeley walked out of VIROC VIII with a 13th place finish. J.J.’s best finish came in 2005 when he finished runner-up to Sammy Swindell.

No. 05 – Brad Loyet (Sunset Hills, Mo.) The winner of VIROC II, Brad Loyet spent the latter half of the 2016 season running Sprint Cars and Midget across the Midwest with success in both. Recently a new father, Loyet advanced three spots in VIROC VIII to finish 16th.

No. 5 – Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tucson, Ariz.) Behind the wheel of the Wilke-Pak No. 5, Jerry Coons, Jr. has appeared in four previous VIROC events with a best finish of fifth in 2013. Coons currently has the record for most consecutive A-Feature starts with 13 and counting.

No. 6K – Dave Darland (Lincoln, Ind.) The “People’s Champ” is back in the Ralph Potter/Kruseman entry for the VIROC. Darland’ fourth shot at the VIROC, the Indiana native will spend the rest of his week driving for Brad and Brandon Gray.

No. 15 – Donny Schatz (Fargo, N.D.) While Donny may be a Chili Bowl Rookie, he will take a spot in the lineup on Clauson credentials.

No. 21 – Daryn Pittman (Owasso, Okla.) On the card with owner combination Pittman-Zarounian, the 2017 shot at a VIROC win will be the Oklahoma natives first attempt.

No. 21K – Cory Kruseman (Ventura, Cali.) Twice a Chili Bowl Champion, the VIROC has continued to elude the Californian. In last year’s edition, Cory was only able to muster a 14th place showing.

No. 22H – John Heydenreich (Bloomsburg, Penn.) The 1990 Chili Bowl Champion will make his third attempt at the VIROC in 2017. Already taking laps during the Shootout, John will be in the John Gibbons backed No. 22h.

No. 24 – Tracy Hines (Wilkinson, Ind.) Despite being somewhat retired from racing, Tracy Hines is far from retired. The 2005 Chili Bowl Champion has been in all eight previous VIROC events, with this past year’s resulting in a career best tying third place finish.

No. 47 – Danny Stratton (Riverside, Cali.) Making his first appearance in 2016 for car owner, Andy Bondio, the California shoe ended his madden voyage with a ninth place finish.

No. 47X – Tim McCreadie (Watertown, NY) In on his 2006 Chili Bowl triumph, Tim McCreadie will pilot the second Bondio entry. McCreadie’s 2016 VIROC run ended with a 10th place finish.

No. 67 – Tanner Thorson (Minden, Nev.) The defending champion of the VIROC is one of four drivers for Keith Kunz that qualifies for this year’s event. The 2015 and 2016 NMDotY, Thorson came from fourth to win in 2016.

No. 71 – Christopher Bell (Norman, Okla.) One of three Oklahoma drivers in the VIROC, Christopher Bell charged from 16th to fifth in last year’s VIROC. This year’s invitation is the fourth for Bell who is the choice of car owner, Keith Kunz.

No. 71G – Damion Gardner (Concord, Cali.) “The Demon” has been in all but one VIROC, and came close to winning in 2014. In the 2016 edition, Damion came across the line 15th in a Bob East machine.

No. 71K – Kyle Larson (Elk Grove, Cali.) In on his VIROC win in 2014, Kyle Larson is another shoe for car owner Keith Kunz in 2017. While Larson has been in five VIROC showdowns, Kyle has a streak of three top five runs going into 2017. Kyle finished second in last year’s race.

No. 76M – Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, Okla.) Teaming with Frank Manafort and Joe Dooling, Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon is fresh off his second USAC National Championship and enters the VIROC on Joe Dooling’s credentials who won the Chili Bowl with the late Bryan Clauson.

No. 84X – Chad Boat (Phoenix, Ariz.) Racing again for Lawson/Boat, the son of Billy Boat has been seen action in the VIROC four times with a best finish of fourth in 2013.

No. 97 – Rico Abreu (Rutherford, Cali.) The defending champion of the Chili Bowl is the fourth Keith Kunz built ride in the VIROC. A 12th place finish in the 2016 VIROC, Rico has competed in the VIROC since 2015.

[Sandy Lowe]

Can someone explain to me (other than it's their race & they can do what they want) how Donny Schatz is in this race?

As per the Chili Bowl press release the Race of Champions is made up of:

1. Former Race of Champion winners
2. Owner champion choices
3. Chili Bowl driver champions

Yes, I know he is the defending World of Outlaws champion. But that isn't supposed to give you an entry into this race.

You are supposed to be selected based on meeting one of the three criteria listed above and Donny doesn't meet any of the three. He has never competed in the Race of Champions or the Chili Bowl, and his team is not a Chili Bowl owner champion.

[BrentTFunk]

It says he is in on Bryan Clauson's credentials.

[Sandy Lowe]

That makes no sense whatsoever. How can someone enter this race on another driver's credentials? Can someone be added to race for Lealand McSpadden, Donnie Beechler or a host of other Chili Bowl Champion drivers who aren't racing this year? Does Nick Drake get to run the race because his dad is a former Chili Bowl Champion?

If that's the case they need to do away with the Race of Champions concept where they say you have to "earn" your way in. Just make it an invitational and let whomever you want compete in it.

[jdull99]

Originally Posted by Sandy Lowe That makes no sense whatsoever. How can someone enter this race on another driver's credentials? Can someone be added to race for Lealand McSpadden, Donnie Beechler or a host of other Chili Bowl Champion drivers who aren't racing this year? Does Nick Drake get to run the race because his dad is a former Chili Bowl Champion? If that's the case they need to do away with the Race of Champions concept where they say you have to "earn" your way in. Just make it an invitational and let whomever you want compete in it.

"...make it an invitational and let whomever you want compete in it..." - I believe they have! lol...not worth questioning anything of the "sillybowl" until heat race line-ups do not ALL include at least one or two "big names" & they post a purse structure anyway...lol.

[TKRacing]

If you haven't noticed TMEZ is on the list because of his car owner. There are quite a few on that list that are in the ROC because of their car owners past, but you only seemed to notice Schatz.

Brady is on Joe Doolings ticket thanks to BC.
Pittman is in because of Zarounian.
Pretty sure Stratton is in because of Bondio.
Bell has been in every year because he is Keith's pick.
Boat is in because of his car owner as well.

So why is it you are only gripping about Schatz?

[Sandy Lowe]

TMez, Bell, Stratton, Bacon, Coons, Jr., Boat, Darland, Pittman & Yeley are all in the Race of Champions because they are the drivers for car owners that have won the Chili Bowl.

Rusty Kunz, Keith Kunz, Bondio, Dooling, Wilke-Pak, Lawson, Potter, Zarounian & McKinnie all EARNED a spot in the Race of Champions because cars they owned WON the Chili Bowl.

[TKRacing]

And Schatz is in for the driver championship which was BC. I'm sure Clauson Marshall could have chosen any of their 4 or 5 drivers but Schatz having NO midget experience they probably chose him to replace BC for the seat time... they are all in due to past championships. Not necessarily their own. BC earned it if they choose to use Schatz that is CMRs business.

[Sandy Lowe]

Clauson Marshall didn't earn a spot in the Race of Champions. If they would have added Tony Stewart Motorsports as a co-owner to the #15 I would have never said a thing about Schatz being in this race. But they didn't even make that effort to make things look kosher.

I do agree with you that this is all a way to get Schatz more seat time.