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(Image Credit: Dave Olson)
2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts
Invitational Race Of Champions
Field Revealed
Bryan Hulbert – TULSA,
Okla. (January 8, 2026)
The O’Reilly Auto Parts
Invitational Race of Champions.
The annual showdown to kick off
the Chili Bowl Nationals powered
by NOS Energy Drink, featuring
Chili Bowl winners, series
champions, and invited talent,
is on Monday, January 12, 2026.
Set to be the 18th edition of
the O’Reilly Auto Parts
Invitational Race of Champions,
the 2025 event was topped by
Christopher Bell, marking the
third time since 2020 that the
Norman, Okla. driver has
captured the win in the 25-lap
affair. One of 23 overall
drivers in this year’s field,
the roster is steeped with
talent at all levels.
2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts
Invitational Race of Champions
Roster:
• 1 Sammy Swindell – A legend of
the sport, and the winningest
driver in Chili Bowl history.
• 1S Spencer Bayston – Winner of
the 2023 O’Reilly Auto Parts
Invitational Race of Champions.
• 2H Jesse Love – Invited to
compete as the 2025 NASCAR
O'Reilly Auto Parts Series
Champion.
• 11F Kaylee Bryson – Invited to
compete as the 2025 Trans Am GTX
Champion. Kaylee is also the
first woman to ever lock into
Saturday night’s A-Feature.
• 12H Sam Hafertepe, Jr. –
Invited as the 2025 National
Champion of the American Sprint
Car Series. He is now a six-time
titlist with the series.
• 17W Shane Golobic – A lot of
solid runs atop Tulsa Expo
Raceway clay, last year’s podium
finish locked Shane into the
2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts
Invitational Race of Champions.
• 19R Ricky Thornton, Jr. –
Invited to compete as the 2025
regular season champion of the
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series.
• 21AU Kaidon Brown – Invited to
compete as the now two-time
Australian Speedcar Champion.
• 21CB Christopher Bell – The
three-time Chili Bowl powered by
NOS Energy Drink Champion, Bell,
enters this year as an
owner/driver.
• 27X Kalib Henry – With the
Napa Auto Parts All Stars
Circuit of Champions presented
by Valvoline back in full swing,
the invite is again extended to
their champion, and in 2025,
that was Kalib.
• 39A Emerson Axsom – Winner of
Wednesday’s York Plumbing
Qualifying Night in 2025.
• 39G Kyle Cummins – Invited to
compete as the 2025 USAC Amsoil
Sprint Car National Champion.
• 39 Logan Seavey – Back-to-back
Chili Bowl powered by NOS Energy
Drink champion in 2023 and 2024,
Seavey also picked up Friday’s
Hard Rock Hotel Casino, Tulsa
preliminary night in 2025.
• 41 Corey Day – Meeting
criteria via a third-place
finish in 2024, the defending
Turkey Night Grand Prix champion
will go full-time in 2026 in the
NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts
Series for Hendrick Motorsports.
• 57 Kyle Larson – The defending
Champion of the Chili Bowl
Nationals powered by NOS Energy
Drink, as well as 2025 NASCAR
Cup Series titlist.
• 57W Landon Brooks – Tuesday’s
Warren CAT qualifying night win
lands the California driver in
the O’Reilly Auto Parts
Invitational Race of Champions
• 67 Jacob Denney – Invited to
compete as the 2026 Xtreme
Outlaw Midget and POWRi Midget
National Champion.
•
71 Ryan Timms – Invited to
compete as the 2025 winner of
the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville
Nationals presented by Casey’s.
• 71W Buddy Kofoid – Getting the
nod from his runner-up finish in
2024, Kofoid is also the 2025
New Zealand Midget champion,
which he also topped in 2024.
• 71K Cannon McIntosh – Invited
to compete as the 2025 USAC NOS
Energy Drink Midget National
Champion.
• 86 Daison Pursley – A
runner-up finish in the 2025
championship event and the
O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational
Race of Champions puts Daison in
this year’s showdown.
• 87 Justin Grant – Invited to
compete as the 2025 USAC Silver
Crown Champion.
• 88T Tanner Thorson – Champion
of the Chili Bowl Nationals
powered by NOS Energy Drink in
2022, Thorson also won
Thursday’s Hasty Bake qualifying
night in 2025.
The standards for an invitation
are:
• Drivers finishing in the Top 3
of Saturday night’s A-Feature
during the previous five Chili
Bowls will be eligible.
• Drivers finishing in the Top 2
of the past five Race of
Champions events will be
eligible.
• Preliminary Night Winners from
the most recent Chili Bowl will
be eligible.
• Series Champions from the most
recent calendar year in the
World of Outlaws Sprint Cars,
American Sprint Car Series
National Tour, High Limit
National and Mid-Week, USAC
National Midgets, USAC National
Sprint Cars, USAC Silver Crown,
and POWRi Midget League, and
Xtreme Outlaw Midgets will be
invited to compete.
• Champions and Drivers of other
Tours and Series may be added at
the Chili Bowl’s discretion.
• No Driver substitutions or
alternates from a sanctioning
body will be allowed.
• Starting Lineup for the
O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational
Race Of Champions will be set by
Group Qualifying. Drivers will
draw for their qualifying
position, then qualify in groups
of three to four. Drivers will
get two warmup laps, then three
green flap laps to set their
time. The driver with the
fastest overall time in
Qualifying will draw for the
inversion (0, 4, 6, or 8).
Monday reserved seats are on
sale at the event office in the
SageNet Center, or by phone at
(918) 838-3777.
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.
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.
Quick Notes:
What: 40th annual Chili Bowl
Nationals
When: January 12-17, 2026
Where: SageNet Center (Tulsa,
Okla.)
Event Address: 4145 E 21st St,
Tulsa, OK 74114
Daily Times and Prices:
Friday, January 9, 2026
Move-In.........................................................9:00
am - 9:00 pm
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Building/Pit Pass Booth
Open...……......……………10:00 am
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Building/Pit Pass Booth
Open...……......………………7:00 am
Building
Secured.........................................................7:00
am
Practice………………………………….…...…...….…..
9:00 am
Multi-Day Pit Pass $405~ Single
day $30
Monday, January 12, 2026
Building
Opens............................................................9:00
am
Pit Pass Booth
Open………......……..............…….…11:00
am
Building
Secured.........................................................1:00
pm
Draw For
Lineups........................................................2:00
pm
Driver's
Meeting..........................................................3:00
pm
Hot
Laps…………………….……..…….….………..…..4:00
pm
Races………………………..………….….….…...…....
5:00 pm
Multi-Day Pit Pass $375~ Single
day $60
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Building
Opens............................................................9:00
am
Pit Pass Booth
Open………......……..............…….…11:00
am
Building
Secured.........................................................1:00
pm
Draw For
Lineups........................................................2:00
pm
Driver's
Meeting..........................................................3:00
pm
Hot
Laps…………………….……..…….….………..…..4:00
pm
Races………………………..………….….….…...…....
5:00 pm
Multi-Day Pit Pass $315 ~ Single
day $60
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Building
Opens...........................................................9:00
am
Pit Pass Booth
Open..…….....................……………11:00
am
Building
Secured.........................................................1:00
pm
Draw For
Lineups........................................................2:00
pm
Driver's
Meeting..........................................................3:00
pm
Hot
Laps…………………….……..…….….………..…..4:00
pm
Races………………………..………….….….…...…....
5:00 pm
Multi-Day Pit Pass $255 ~ Single
day $60
Thursday January 15, 2026
Building
Opens..........................................................9:00
am
Pit Pass Booth
Open..……......……………..............11:00
am
Building
Secured.........................................................1:00
pm
Draw For
Lineups........................................................2:00
pm
Driver's
Meeting..........................................................3:00
pm
Hot
Laps…………………….……..…….….………..…..4:00
pm
Races………………………..………….….….…...…....
5:00 pm
Multi-Day Pit Pass $195 ~ Single
day $60
Friday January 16, 2026
Building Secured/Pit Pass Booth
Open..……......…….9:00 am
Draw For
Lineups........................................................2:00
pm
Driver's
Meeting..........................................................3:00
pm
Hot
Laps…………………….……..…….….………..…..4:00
pm
Races………………………..………….….….…...…....
5:00 pm
Multi-Day Pit Pass $135 ~ Single
day $60
Saturday January 17, 2026
Building Secured/Pass Booth/Pit
Gate ….….…...………. 8:00 am
Racer's For Christ
Service...........................................8:00
am
Feature Hot
Laps..……….……………….……….……9:00 am
Opening
Ceremonies..................................................6:30
pm
Pit Pass $75
Chili Bowl Online:
Website:
http://www.chilibowl.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/chilibowlnationals
Twitter: (@cbnationals)
Official Hashtag: #ChiliBowl2026
Instagram: cbnationals
Chili Bowl Nationals Champions:
Year - Driver (Owner)
2025 - Kyle Larson (Paul Silva)
2024 - Logan Seavey (Kevin &
Jordan Swindell/Curb/Bertrand)
2023 - Logan Seavey (Kevin &
Jordan Swindell/Curb/Bertrand)
2022 - Tanner Thorson (Andy
Reinbold)
2021 - Kyle Larson (Kyle Larson
Openwheel)
2020 - Kyle Larson (Kyle Larson
Openwheel, LLC-Mike Larson)
2019 - Christopher Bell (Keith
Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
2018 - Christopher Bell (Keith
Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
2017 - Christopher Bell (Keith
Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
2016 - Rico Abreu (Keith
Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
2015 - Rico Abreu (Keith
Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
2014 - Bryan Clauson (Joe
Dooling/Rusty Kunz/Curb Records)
2013 - Kevin Swindell (Swindell
Motorsports/Curb Records)
2012 - Kevin Swindell (Swindell
Motorsports/Curb Records)
2011 - Kevin Swindell (Swindell
Motorsports/Curb Records)
2010 - Kevin Swindell (Swindell
Motorsports/Curb Records)
2009 - Sammy Swindell (Swindell
Motorsports/Curb Records)
2008 - Damion Gardner (Jason
Leffler)
2007 - Tony Stewart (Tony
Stewart Motorsports)
2006 - Tim McCreadie (Steve
Smith)
2005 - Tracy Hines (Wilke - Pak)
2004 - Cory Kruseman (Andy
Bondio)
2003 - Dan Boorse (Dan Boorse)
2002 - Tony Stewart (Keith Kunz)
2001 - Jay Drake (Keith Kunz)
2000 - Cory Kruseman (Andy
Bondio)
1999 - Dan Boorse (Dan Boorse)
1998 - Sammy Swindell (Pete
Willoughby)
1997 - Billy Boat (John Lawson)
1996 - Sammy Swindell (Rusty
Kunz / Jay McKinnie)
1995 - Donnie Beechler
(Zarounian Motorsports)
1994 - Andy Hillenburg (Keith
Kunz / Rusty Kunz)
1993 - Dave Blaney (Ralph
Potter)
1992 - Sammy Swindell (Dave
Ellis)
1991 - Lealand McSpadden (Andy
Bondio)
1990 - John Heydenreich (Tony
Finley)
1989 - Sammy Swindell (Jack
Runyon)
1988 - Scott Hatton (Jerry
Hatton)
1987 - Rich Vogler (Bob Lowe)
O’Reilly Auto Parts Race of
Champions: Christopher Bell
(2025, 2021, 2020), Logan Seavey
(2024), Spencer Bayston (2023),
Justin Grant (2022), Tanner
Thorson (2019 and 2016), Chad
Boat (2018), Kyle Larson (2017
and 2014), Sammy Swindell (2015,
2012, 2011, 2009), Kevin
Swindell (2013), Brad Loyet
(2010)
Trade Show: A long-standing
tradition at the Chili Bowl, the
Trade Show, which is open to the
public each day (Monday through
Saturday), is free of charge.
All variety of racing products,
apparel, and more is available
with well over 100 vendors. The
Trade Show still has space
available. Anyone looking to be
a part of the Trade Show can
contact the Chili Bowl office at
918-838-3777. The Trade Show
covers approximately 20,000
square feet
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