Clauson Dethrones Swindells

For the first time in six years, the Chili Bowl's Golden Driller was handed to a new family but it wasn't without a fighting effort.

Bryan Clauson added the Chili Bowl to an impressive résumé that includes victories in the Hut Hundred, Belleville Nationals, Turkey Night Grand Prix and Night Before the 500, along with a start in the Indianapolis 500, a pole at Daytona International Speedway and seven USAC championships.

Clauson led fifty laps but had to hold off defending USAC National Midget Dirt champion and Oklahoman Christopher Bell and the four-time defending champion of the Chili Bowl Kevin Swindell to get the victory. Swindell had to start in the B-Main where he won in convincing fashion. He started fourteenth in the championship feature but worked his way through the field but fell just one position short of getting his five-consecutive Chili Bowl victory and tying his father Sammy as all-time leader in Chili Bowl wins. Bell finished third.

Alex Bright and Dave Darland rounded out the top five ahead of 2006 Chili Bowl winner Tim McCreadie and 2013 World of Outlaws champion Daryn Pittman. Broken Arrow, Oklahoma's Jonathan Beason finished eighth ahead of Chris Windom and Chad Boat who also advanced from the B-Main to the championship feature.

Rico Abreu won the first B-Main and had worked his way to the front with Kevin Swindell before a late spin took him out contention. He finished eleventh. 2005 Chili Bowl winner Tracy Hines finished twelfth ahead of Zach Daum and Sammy Swindell who lost a lap after making contact with Kyle Larson.

Notable retirements from the championship feature were Jerry Coons, Jr., Caleb Armstrong, Michael Pickens, Larson and 2008 Chili Bowl winner Damion Gardner.

A few notable names fell short of the main event. Darren Hagen finished seventh in his B-Main, one position shot of transferring. J. J. Yeley won a D-Main and finishing sixth in his C-Main but could only manage an eleventh in his B-Main. Two-time Chilie Bowl winner Cory Kruseman finished seventeenth in the same B-Main. Dillon Welch made it from the C-Main but finished last in his B-Main. Other drivers to fail and make it from the B-Main were Brad Kuhn, Brady Bacon, Parker Price-Miller, Chase Stockton and Shane Cockrum.

Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. won the E- and D-Main but fell a position short of advancing from the C-Main by finishing seventh. Jon Stanbrough and Joey Saldana both failed to advance from the C-Mains.

P.J. Jones night ended in the D-Main while two-time USAC Silver Crown champion Bobby East and Kyle O'Gara were knocked out in the E-Main while Dakoda Armstrong and Kasey Kahne both were eliminated in the F-Mains.

The 29th annual Chili Bowl is scheduled for January 13-17th, 2015.