Tony Stewart Named Grand Marshal
Of The 40th Chili Bowl Nationals
Powered by NOS Energy
TULSA, Okla. (January 5,
2025) When you envision
the Mount Rushmore of racing,
for many, the name Tony Stewart
is on that list, and rightfully
so.
A USAC Triple-Crown titlist,
Chili Bowl champion in 2002 and
2007, along with driving titles
in NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA, and
SRX, to name a few, the list of
accolades and accomplishments
puts the man known as “Smoke” in
a league of his own.
Making his return to Tulsa in
2026, the Chili Bowl Nationals
powered by NOS Energy Drink is
honored to name the Columbus,
Ind. native Grand Marshal of the
40th running of the World’s
Greatest Midget Race.
“Not only is Tony a winner here,
but he was also part of what
really made the Chili Bowl take
off in the early 2000s, and was
the one who really started to
rebuild the connection between
dirt track and NASCAR fans. He’s
an ambassador to our sport at
more levels than anyone; he's a
great friend, and they don’t
make them like Tony anymore, so
being able to honor him as our
Grand Marshal means a lot to me,
and this event,” stated Chili
Bowl co-founder, Emmett Hahn.
"I remember, we made Tony an
award in 2014 to recognize what
he has done for Sprint Car
racing, but this is our chance
to let him know how much the
Chili Bowl appreciates him."
Along with the two Golden
Drillers, Stewart has a dozen
championship A-Feature starts in
14 appearances, three podiums,
four top fives, and seven top
tens. His last A-Feature
appearance was in 2013. Stewart
has also been part of the track
preparation crew and spent
several years working alongside
Brad Chandler (aka Gravel),
Steve Hahn, Matt Ward, and
Martin Edwards.
A driver and owner champion,
Stewart owns titles in NASCAR,
as well as 14 USAC owner titles,
nine in the World of Outlaws NOS
Energy Drink Sprint Car Series,
and four in the All Star Circuit
of Champions TQ Midgets Series,
as well as wins in Sprint Car
racing’s most prestigious
events, including the Knoxville
Nationals, 12 times.
The owner of the famed Eldora
Speedway since 2004, Stewart's
cars have won the King's Royal
on six occasions.
The 40th annual Chili Bowl
Nationals powered by NOS Energy
Drink takes place January 12-17,
2026, under the giant roof of
the SageNet Center in Tulsa,
Okla. Fans unable to attend the
Chili Bowl Nationals can watch
every lap live at http://www.floracing.com.
Monday and Tuesday, reserved
seats are available at (918)
838-3777, or at the event. Pit
Passes are sold at the event and
include general admission
seating on the back
straightaway. Pit Passes are $60
per weekday and $75 on Saturday.
Those are sold at the event.
For continued updates on the
Chili Bowl Nationals, fans can
follow along on Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram with
@CBNationals. All official
press, updates, and results on
the Chili Bowl Nationals can be
found online at http://www.chilibowl.com.
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