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The Chili Bowl Nationals is a popular dirt racing event in Tulsa, Oklahoma, starting on January 8th at the Tulsa Expo Center.
This year, the competition celebrates its 38th anniversary and will bring together some of the best racers from around the world to compete for the title of Chili Bowl Champion.
But this competition, beyond being a racing event, has an important economic impact on Tulsa and reportedly generates millions of dollars in revenue for the city. Based on the numbers provided by Visit Tulsa, this event is projected to generate over $30 million in revenue for Tulsa City.
The income will reportedly come from different sources, including visitors enjoying meals at restaurants, shopping, and reserving hotel accommodations. The event is so popular that it sells out most hotels, and sometimes all the hotels in Tulsa during the competition.
Bryan Hulbert, the announcer for the Chili Bowl Nationals, said (via KTUL.com):
“This is one of the few events each year that sells out most if not all hotels in Tulsa. They say ‘Hey, let’s go to Tulsa’."
The event gets its name from sponsorship by the Chili Bowl Chili Company. This is an indoor "midget car race" on a 1/5-mile dirt oval track.
The event's popularity has been increasing over time and has now caught the attention of racers from NASCAR and IndyCar. Among the participants in the 2024 edition are Chase Briscoe, Jesse Love, J.J. Yeley, and Josh Bilicki, all NASCAR drivers.
This year, 373 entries from 40 states and 5 countries were reported, and each year, the numbers continue to grow. For those who won't get the chance to attend the event, the full competition can be watched live online on FloRacing.
Full-week schedule of the 38th Chili Bowl Nationals
Sunday, January 7: Practice
Monday, January 8: Cummins, Inc. Qualifying Night plus the ROC; Race of Champions
Tuesday, January 9: Warren CAT Qualifying Night
Wednesday, January 10: York Plumbing Qualifying Night
Thursday, January 11: John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night
Friday, January 12: Hard Rock Casino Tulsa Qualifying Night
Saturday, January 13: It’s Driller Time
