I’m a huge fan of the Chili Bowl. I’ve attended once, with a handful of my closest friends on what was quite an adventure and absolute torture on a rental car. We have a celebratory gathering every year in honor of this epic event. One thing however that’s of no consequence to me is the record number of cars. 300 plus, 200 of which have little to no business trying to compete. I get it, lot’s of people want to say I did it, so they spend a bunch of time and money to go out there to run a race in the last half of the alphabet. If I had a bunch of money, I might do it too. But think about how much more entertaining it would be, if ya just had the 100 with a clue racing 3 or 4 nights gathering up points for a Saturday finale. I submit that seeing all the best mix it up for the week would be more fun than watching someone like me get out there and be in the way. Anyway, it’s just some food for thought. Would you change anything with the event? Tell us what you would do if you could or would change it

Not a bad thought. I'm sold.

Maybe run a few of the lower alphabet transfers the night before and cap the main night off at a higher letter and car count? If anything, the whole night might not drag on as in the past few years and actually be more entertaining. Unless you are at a 12 or 24 hour enduro race (Butler Speedway included) NO ONE should be up at 2:00 a.m. to watch a live race.

Whatever one must do, let us not introduce stage racing, the lucky dog, the wave around, Danica Patrick, Michael Waltrip, Kenny Wallace, or get anyone associated with Formula 1 season finale race directing involved.

I vote for Tom Paterson to run the Chili Bowl.

By the way.... belated Happy Birthday, Steve.

If i could run the event i wouldn't change a thing. at $150 entry fee, please come and race.

Thanks Mike, but I doubt if my fat a$$ will fit real well in a midget. Or do you mean be the promoter? Still a hard no. If there's one thing 32 years of racing has taught me is that I don't want to be a promotor.

I've been going to the Chili Bowl for about 15 years now and I wouldn't change a thing!

Tom Paterson

I think part of the draw for me to watch the chili bowl is the fact that every year there are a couple breakout stars. The year Andrew Deal ran the A main on Saturday night with a barn find car was spectacular. It is like Rumble. It's the one time of year a guy like me can go and try and take on the best. Indoor racing seems to always find a way to level the playing field. Someday I hope to try, but KKM and CBI hasn't called me yet. Maybe KO can sell enough tee shirts to finance my 2023 chili bowl attempt. Until then I'll keep pushing to get my little unsponsored sprintcar and midget team to as many nonwing pavement sprintcar races and the Rumble.
Nick Landon

why on earth would you change it? yeah, been there once. you need to go back

No disrespect..flag Boy is very obviously a race fan. But HUGE fans of the chili Bowl have their tickets and can't wait to use them. And the biggest fans have seniority. They have been going ever since they were lucky enough to experience it the first time. Thanks to everyone that makes it happen.

I honestly don't like how the heats are watered down to maybe one or two (Stars) but by Feature time there's a good ten to fifteen who could win anytime, anywhere. Each night is better than even most USAC shows with eighty cars. So many heats, qualifiers and alphabet races that it's a hell of a six hour show, Virtually non stop. Saturday. Really don't pay attention until maybe G or F mains, there's not a chance for anything beyond that. By the E mains the competition is so stacked it's very hard to advance from the tail.

Leave it alone, If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

My last Chili Bowl was 2019. Why would the promoters change a thing when they're getting record car counts, fans who will fill the Expo Center nearly all week, a sold out trade show, MAV TV and FLO coverage, and no doubt record gate receipts / profits every year. Let's face it.....this event is a cash cow. The only thing they'd probably change was how to add more seats, which is literally impossible now.

Tickets are nearly impossible to find for Fri and Sat, unless you bought a week or 4 days from someone offering to sell them. I bought pit passes and ran to the Turn 2 seats on Friday after attending the Midget Hall of Fame luncheon. On Saturday morning, I arrived at the Center at 7:30am to claim my turn 2 GA seat. Even this area now has seats that are "saved" with blankets and zip tied seats. I stuffed my coat with food so I would not have to pay for all the overpriced Expo food. Brought racing magazines to read. It was a painful day to sit there from 8:00am till the final feature concluded about 10:45pm. That break between after the D features and live television coverage is brutal to sit through. But, that's how bad you gotta want it if you want to go and try to get a general admission seat.