Hagen Tops Bully Dog Qualifier at the Chili Bowl
Defending Race Winner Sammy Swindell Crashes While
Leading…
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (January 14, 2010)
– The 24th Annual Lucas Oil Chili
Bowl Nationals started out in unpredictable
fashion on Tuesday night. That trend continued
to escalate with Thursday night’s Bully Dog
Qualifying main event as the leader got tangled
up in traffic two laps shy of the checkered flag
and then three drivers ending up on the podium
that each locked into a first career Chili Bowl
championship main event.
After sweeping into the lead on the ninth round,
five-time and defending Chili Bowl king Sammy
Swindell appeared to be well on the way to
another checkered flag when he was collected by
a flipping car along the frontstretch just as
the two laps to go signal was indicated.
Taking full advantage was Riverside,
California’s Darren Hagen, who paced the final
three laps atop the QuikTrip Center’s Tulsa Expo
Raceway clay oval to top Thursday night’s 25-lap
Bully Dog Qualifying main event at the 24th
Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals.
Chasing Hagen to the stripe was the unheralded
Tony Roney of Herculaneum, MO, with New
Zealand’s Brad Mosen taking the third lock-in
position to Saturday night’s main event. With
all three locking into a Chili Bowl finale for
the first time, it will be a new experience for
five of the nine drivers locked into Saturday’s
50-lapper as Tuesday winner Zach Daum and
third-place runner Shane Golobic will also
embark upon new territory.
After starting Thursday night’s feature inside
the fourth row, Hagen was up to fourth within
the initial pair of circuits before making his
way past front row outside starter Shane Cottle
for third on the fifth round.
“I told the guys after the qualifier that was my
fault, I got schooled by Sammy,” Hagen explained
of a qualifying race that put him mid-pack in
the feature. “I told ‘em I won’t waste any more
time this time.”
While Hagen worked his way up to third, 2005
Chili Bowl champ Tracy Hines paced the opening
eight circuits before third-starting Swindell
stepped up the pace and slid into the lead
through turns one and two on the ninth round.
With Swindell and Hines leading the way into
traffic by the 16th round, Hagen held
third through the race’s middle stages in front
of Cottle and Mosen.
“To be honest, I thought I was just going to be
blessed to run third,” Hagen commented
afterward.
Hagen closed the gap on Hines in traffic though,
and took over second on the 19th lap
after the pair swapped positions the previous
round. Sitting in second proved the perfect
place to be as the closing laps clicked off.
With Swindell just two laps away from matching
his son Kevin’s victory just one night earlier,
disaster struck for the Germantown, TN, veteran
shoe in the form of a wildly-flipping Jonathan
Hendrick down the frontstretch. Swindell was
unable to avoid the melee that also collected
Billy Pauch, Jr., and rejoined the field at the
tail to salvage a 13th place finish
in the final rounds.
“When I saw that, he must have had nowhere to
go,” Hagen explained of the incident that
happened just ahead of him. “A guy with that
much talent and that good of reaction time, I
thought he had it wrapped up tonight.”
At the head of the field, Hagen paced the final
three circuits aboard the Esslinger-powered RFMS
Racing RFMS Liberty Village/McGladrey & Pullen
No. 3 Spike to secure the prominent win.
In Hagen’s wake, the complexion of the field
changed drastically when second runner Hines
jumped the turn two cushion and fell back in the
field.
Mosen immediately moved into second only to have
Tony Roney slip by on the low side on the final
lap to snare runner-up honors in the
Fontana-powered Simpson/Saldana No. 1T Stealth.
“I am a little in shock,” Roney commented
afterward. “I never expected to do this; my
goal was to get into a ‘C’ Main (Saturday
night), which you had to make the ‘A’ tonight to
do that. At the end, I thought I might get third
if I played my cards right. A little luck and
it happened, it was awesome.”
Mosen settled for the show position in Simon
Longdill’s Synergy V8-powered CRC/Transitainer
No. 19nz Aggressor, joining Kiwi teammate
Michael Pickens in Saturday night’s championship
feature field. Pickens posted a second-place
run on Tuesday night.
“Running against those guys, you’ve just got to
make every leap you can past the guys,” Mosen
explained. “You’re not gonna give them any
chances. Until Tony (Roney) turned up, I was
pretty happy with second but third is good
enough as well.”
After slipping as far back as eighth, Cottle
rallied in the final three rounds to finish
fourth in Daryl Saucier’s Chevy-powered DSR Fuel
Systems No. 1st Beast, with
California youngster Kyle Larson rounding out
the top five in the Corey Tucker Racing/BCI
Esslinger-powered Stadelhofer Construction No.
39i Spike.
NASCAR star Kasey Kahne mixed it up among the
top-ten the entire distance before crossing the
stripe in sixth, with Thomas Meseraull in
seventh. Hines’ late race miscue relegated him
to eighth at the line, with Jesse Hockett and
2008 Chili Bowl champion Damion Gardner
completing the top ten.
Cottle, Mosen, Michelle Decker, Hines, Hagen,
Terry McCarl, David Gough and Garrett Hansen
topped heat race action for Thursday night’s
67-car field, with McCarl, Kahne, Roney and
Swindell winning the qualifying races.
Cody Darrah and Donnie Ray Crawford won the twin
“C” Mains, with Shane Hollingsworth and Hansen
winning the “B” Mains. Jimmy Light climbed from
a fourth place “C” Main finish to claim third in
a “B” Main before finishing out the night 12th
in the “A” Main.
Mosen established himself as this year’s leading
Chili Bowl rookie contender with his third-place
finish. Mosen was the only rookie contender to
make Thursday night’s feature cut and just the
fifth rookie this week to race into preliminary
night “A” Main action.
While Hendrick’s wild ride down the frontstretch
was the most notable, nine other drivers took
tumbles during the night including Billy Lawhead
in hot laps, Ted Kirkpatrick and Joe Bob Lee in
heat race action, Riley Adair and Ron Bach in
“C” Main competition, Decker and Austin Brown in
the first “B” Main and Justin Melton and Steve
Knepper in the second “B” Main.
Action at the 24th Annual Lucas Oil
Chili Bowl Nationals resumes with Friday night’s
E3 Spark Plugs Qualifier, with racing action set
to go green at 6:00 p.m. Friday’s action fills
in the final pieces of the puzzle for Saturday’s
Rockstar Energy Drink slate of championship
feature events.
Thursday Night’s Bully Dog Qualifier Results
from the 24th Annual Lucas Oil Chili
Bowl Nationals:
Heat Races (Top 40 in passing points to A
Qualifiers; Balance to twin C Mains)
Heat 1: 1. #1ST Shane Cottle,
Kokomo, IN; 2. #39I Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA;
3. #23T Tanner Swanson, Kingsburg, CA; 4. #91J
P.J. Jones, Torrance, CA; 5. #0 Glenn Styres,
Ohsweken, ONT; 6. #19K Klint Angelette,
Thibodaux, LA; 7. #87B Stuart Snyder, Lincoln,
NE; 8. #2R Riley Adair, Tulsa, OK; 9. #50 Ted
Kirkpatrick, Waterloo, IL
Heat 2: 1. #19NZ Brad Mosen,
Auckland, NZ; 2. #91X Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA;
3. #1T Tony Roney, Herculaneum, MO; 4. #71X
Henry Clarke, Villa Park, CA; 5. #5K Jimmy
Light, West Springfield, PA; 6. #89JR Todd
McVay, Lees Summit, MO; 7. #61 Chad Pitts,
Little Rock, AR; 8. #14AJ Wayne Johnson,
Oklahoma City, OK; 9. #51X Ronnie Gardner,
Norco, CA
Heat 3: 1. #7D Michelle Decker,
Guthrie, OK; 2. #05H Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, MO;
3. #37X Jason Grady, Farmington, NM; 4. #7E
Caleb Armstrong, New Castle, IN; 5. #2X Nic
Faas, Huntington Beach, CA; 6. #0Z Johnny
Murdock, Dallas, TX; 7. #11B Scotty Weir,
Marion, IN; 8. #111 Ryan Durst, Lincoln, NE; 9.
#7 Austin Brown, Millstadt, IL
Heat 4: 1. #11 Tracy Hines, New
Castle, IN; 2. #75P Cruz Pedregon, Brownsburg,
IN; 3. #17E Tanner Berryhill, Tulsa, OK; 4. #39L
Billy Lawhead, Tulsa, OK; 5. #4B Ronnie Burke,
League City, TX; 6. #99J Eric Todd, Falcon, MO;
7. #31V Victor Davis, Ventura, CA; 8. #90 Toni
Lutar, Richmond, BC
Heat 5: 1. #3 Darren Hagen,
Riverside, CA; 2. #118 Kyle Steffans, St.
Charles, MO; 3. #75 Billy Pauch Jr.; 4. #45C
Chris Coker, Greenville, TX; 5. #25K Steve
Knepper, Belleville, IL; 6. #89 Cody Darrah, Red
Lion, PA; 7. #8X Donnie Ray Crawford, Broken
Arrow, OK; 8. #76K Michael Koontz, Bloomington,
IN
Heat 6: 1. #F5 Terry McCarl,
Altoona, IA; 2. #86 Shane Hollingsworth,
Lafayette, IN; 3. #71K Jay Drake, Val Verde, CA;
4. #1 Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN; 5. #6R
Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids, IA; 6. #19S Patrick
Stasa, Kingman, KS; 7. #27B Joe Bob Lee, Cache,
OK; 8. #8E Murray Erickson, Odessa, TX
Heat 7: 1. #6 David Gough, Machesney
Park, IL; 2. #44D Damion Gardner, Concord, CA;
3. #68 Jonathan Hendrick, Fortville, IN; 4. #40
Jason Leffler, Long Beach, CA; 5. #25A Aaron
Ott, York Springs, PA; 6. #04 Cap Henry,
Bellevue, OH; 7. #71T Tim Pyle, Portland, OR; 8.
#83 Kurt Blackaby, Bentonville, AR
Heat 8: 1. #47 Garrett Hansen,
Manhattan Beach, CA; 2. #2T Thomas Meseraull,
San Jose, CA; 3. #11J Justin Melton, Flower
Mound, TX; 4. #37M Johnny Rodriguez, Elk Grove,
CA; 5. #22 Brian Camarillo, Camarillo, CA; 6.
#47JR Ron Bach, Santa Paula, CA; 7. #12 Nathan
High, Goodyear, AZ; 8. #73E Billy Balog,
Chippewa Falls, WI
C Mains (Top 4 in each transfer to back of
corresponding B Main)
C Main 1: 1. #89 Cody Darrah, Red
Lion, PA; 2. #7 Austin Brown, Millstadt, IL; 3.
#11B Scotty Weir, Marion, IN; 4. #5K Jimmy
Light, West Springfield, PA; 5. #89JR Tim McVay,
Lees Summit, MO; 6. #90 Toni Lutar, Richmond,
BC; 7. #19K Klint Angelette, Thibodaux, LA; 8.
#71T Tim Pyle, Portland, OR; 9. #0Z Johnny
Murdock, Dallas, TX; 10. #61 Chad Pitts, Little
Rock, AR; 11. #2R Riley Adair, Tulsa, OK; DNS --
#27B Joe Bob Lee, Cache, OK; #76K Michael
Koontz, Bloomington, IN; #50 Ted Kirkpatrick,
Waterloo, IL
C Main 2: 1. #8X Donnie Ray
Crawford, Broken Arrow, OK; 2. #12 Nathan High,
Goodyear, AZ; 3. #87B Stuart Snyder, Lincoln,
NE; 4. #99J Eric Todd, Falcon, MO; 5. #19S
Patrick Stasa, Kingman, KS; 6. #47JR Ron Bach,
Santa Paula, CA; 7. #04 Cap Henry, Bellevue, OH;
8. #73E Billy Balog, Chippewa Falls, WI; 9. #31V
Victor Davis, Ventura, CA; 10. #83 Kurt
Blackaby, Bentonville, AR; 11. #51X Ronnie
Gardner, Norco, CA; 12. #111 Ryan Durst,
Lincoln, NE DNS -- #8E Murray Erickson, Odessa,
TX
A Qualifiers (Top 16 in combined passing points
to A Main; Balance to twin B Mains)
A Qualifier 1: 1. #F5 Terry McCarl,
Altoona, IA; 2. #44D Damion Gardner, Concord,
CA; 3. #11 Tracy Hines, New Castle, IN; 4. #05H
Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, MO; 5. #86 Shane
Hollingsworth, Lafayette, IN; 6. #0 Glenn
Styres, Ohsweken, ONT; 7. #23T Tanner Swanson,
Kingsburg, CA; 8. #4B Ronnie Burke, Jr., League
City, TX; 9. #40 Jason Leffler, Long Beach, CA;
10. #68 Jonathan Hendrick, Fortville, IN
A Qualifier 2: 1. #91 Kasey Kahne,
Enumclaw, WA; 2. #19NZ Brad Mosen, Auckland, NZ;
3. #14AJ Wayne Johnson, Oklahoma City, OK; 4. #6
David Gough, Machesney Park, IL; 5. #39I Kyle
Larson, Elk Grove, CA; 6. #71K Jay Drake, Val
Verde, CA; 7. #6R Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids,
IA; 8. #25K Steve Knepper, Belleville, IL; 9.
#37X Jason Grady, Farmington, NM; 10. #75P Cruz
Pedregon, Brownsburg, IN
A Qualifier 3: 1. #1T Tony Roney,
Herculaneum, MO: 2. #91J P.J. Jones, Torrance,
CA; 3. #1ST Shane Cottle, Kokomo, IN; 4. #118
Kyle Steffans, St. Charles, MO; 5. #11J Justin
Melton, Flower Mound, TX; 6. #75 Billy Pauch
Jr., Frenchtown, NJ; 7. #47 Garrett Hansen,
Manhattan Beach, CA; 8. #2X Nic Faas, Huntington
Beach, CA; 9. #22 Brian Camarillo, Camarillo,
CA; 10. #39L Billy Lawhead, Tulsa, OK
A Qualifier 4: 1. #1 Sammy Swindell,
Germantown, TN; 2. #2T Thomas Meseraull, San
Jose, CA; 3. #3 Darren Hagen, Riverside, CA; 4.
#37M Johnny Rodriguez, Elk Grove, CA; 5. #71X
Henry Clarke, Villa Park, CA; 6. #7E Caleb
Armstrong, New Castle, IN; 7. #25A Aaron Ott,
York Springs, PA; 8. #7D Michelle Decker,
Guthrie, OK; 9. #45C Chris Coker, Greenville,
TX; 10. #17E Tanner Berryhill, Tulsa, OK
B Mains (Top 4 in each transfer to A Main)
B Main 1: 1. #86 Shane
Hollingsworth, Lafayette, IN; 2. #75 Billy Pauch
Jr., Frenchtown, NJ; 3. #5K Jimmy Light, West
Springfield, PA; 4. #68 Jonathan Hendrick,
Fortville, IN; 5. #0 Glenn Styres, Ohsweken, ONT;
6. #7 Austin Brown, Millstadt, IL; 7. #11B
Scotty Weir, Marion, IN; 8. #4B Ronnie Burke
Jr., League City, TX; 9. #71X Henry Clarke,
Villa Park, CA; 10. #75P Cruz Pedregon,
Brownsburg, IN; 11. #6R Jody Rosenboom, Rock
Rapids, IA; 12. #37X Jason Grady, Farmington,
NM; 13. #118 Kyle Steffens, St. Charles, MO; 14.
#40 Jason Leffler, Long Beach, CA; 15. #89 Cody
Darrah, Red Lion, PA; 16. #7D Michelle Decker,
Guthrie, OK
B Main 2: 1. #47 Garrett Hansen,
Manhattan Beach, CA; 2. #71K Jay Drake, Val
Verde, CA; 3. #7E Caleb Armstrong, New Castle,
IN; 4. #8X Donnie Crawford, Broken Arrow, OK; 5.
#87B Stuart Snyder, Lincoln, NE; 6. #2X Nic Faas,
Huntington Beach, CA; 7. #23T Tanner Swanson,
Kingsburg, CA; 8. #17E Tanner Berryhill, Tulsa,
OK; 9. #45C Chris Coker, Greenville, TX; 10. #22
Brian Camarillo, Camarillo, CA; 11. #12 Nathan
High, Goodyear, AZ; 12. #25K Steve Knepper,
Belleville, IL; 13. #11J Justin Melton, Flower
Mound, TX; 14. #25A Aaron Ott, York Springs, PA;
15. #39L Billy Lawhead, Tulsa, OK DNS -- #99J
Eric Todd, Falcon, MO
A Main (25 laps – Top 3 advance to Saturday
Night's Main Event)
1. #3 Darren Hagen, Riverside, CA; 2. #1T Tony
Roney, Herculaneum, MO; 3. #19NZ Brad Mosen,
Auckland, NZ; 4. #1ST Shane Cottle,
Kokomo, IN; 5. #39I Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA;
6. #91X Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA; 7. #2T Thomas
Meseraull, San Jose, CA; 8. #11 Tracy Hines, New
Castle, IN; 9. #05H Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, MO;
10. #44D Damion Gardner, Concord, CA; 11. #86
Shane Hollingsworth, Lafayette, IN; 12. #5K
Jimmy Light, West Springfield, PA; 13. #1 Sammy
Swindell, Germantown, TN; 14. #71K Jay Drake,
Val Verde, CA; 15. #14AJ Wayne Johnson, Oklahoma
City, OK; 16. #75 Billy Pauch, Frenchtown, NJ;
17. #6 David Gough, Machesney Park, IL; 18. #37M
Johnny Rodriguez, Elk Grove, CA; 19. #91J P.J.
Jones, Torrance, CA; 20. #47 Garrett Hansen,
Manhattan Beach, CA; 21. #68 Jonathan Hendrick,
Fortville, IN; 22. #8X Donnie Ray Crawford,
Broken Arrow, OK; 23. #F5 Terry McCarl, Altoona,
IA; DNS -- #7E Caleb Armstrong, New Castle, IN
