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Defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson is recognized as one of the top drivers in the NASCAR world. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has competed in numerous events and has managed to win a lot of them in his career.
Larson is an ardent dirt driver who has been competing in the Chili Bowl Midget National for more than a decade and won his first Chili Bowl in 2020 followed by another in 2021. This week, the Georgia driver stated that he most likely won’t be taking part in the 2023 Chili Bowl because the purse size doesn’t match the status of the race. Emmett Hahn, the co-founder of the event, was not happy with Larson’s statement.
Speaking to roadamerica.com on Wednesday, Hahn said:
“I don’t like hearing that it’s not as big of a race because of the purse because what other race is creating NASCAR careers like this one is?”
Hahn said that the Chili Bowl has grown independently and will continue in the future without Kyle Larson or any of the other big names who have participated in the event earlier.
Hahn said:
“He would rather go to that race in (New Mexico) and that’s what this is really about. I would hate it for fans who wanted to see them, but this race grew without them and will continue to grow if that’s what they choose. They are not going to back me into a corner and I will not be backed into a corner.”
The prize money for winning the Chili Bowl is $10,000 which is a small amount compared to payouts for other races.
Kyle Larson likely to miss 2023 Chili Bowl
Earlier this week, speaking to Racing America, Kyle Larson stated that he has spent half of his life in the event but has now started racing in other big events against competitive drivers. These events have a better purse than the Chili Bowl.
Larson said:
“So, I’ve been going to the Chili Bowl for 15 years, it’s a great event and I love it. I’ve spent half of my life going there. But now that I’ve started racing in these other big events, against big names, and they just feel like a bigger deal to me than the Chili Bowl.”
The 2023 Chili Bowl Nationals is scheduled to be held on 9-14, January at the Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
