Bang, everyone thought the 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals were going to be without Kyle Larson or Christoper Bell on the entry list, two NASCAR Cup drivers who have been the usual suspects at the big event in Tulsa.
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Chase Briscoe was the marquee NASCAR name in the field ... until now.
We are already well into the tough qualification days for the main event and Kyle Larson has some big news. He's coming to Tulsa with Keith Kunz Motorsports. Yep, Larson will race at the Chili Bowl after all.
Larson, who won the Chili Bowl in both 2020 and 2021, stepped away from this year's Chili Bowl primarily because he thought the payout was too low.
Larson previously told Racing America, "I'm just at the point where I want to see the purse grow a lot. So, for the time being, and unless that happens, I won't be running it this year and I know there are a lot of racers that feel the same way."
The payout finally increased in 2023, and for 2024 the payout is now up to $20,000 to win.
Now Larson is back for the 2024 event, and he will be very busy, as he is also currently racing a dirt late model in the Wild West Shootout.
He had a change of heart after the opening night of qualifications. According to Shane Walters from Racing News, he reached out to his old team owner Keith Kunz.
"You ain't got any extra cars do you?" Larson asked.
Turns out Kunz did, and now Larson is set to race on Thursday in Tulsa.
Kunz was later asked by FloRacing if Larson was going to be able to pull both the Chili Bowl and the Wild West Shootout. That means trips between Tulsa, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Kunz didn't mince words.
"It's going to be tight. He knows that. But we're going to give it a shot," Kunz said. "If he doesn't get locked in, I don't know that he can get back here."
Kunz's other two cars have won their preliminary events, so Larson has a good shot given his history in Tulsa. Whatever happens, Larson is back for another shot at another Gold Driller trophy. Given his late entry, can he qualify for Saturday night's Main Event?
