Rico Abreu scored the win in Tuesday’s Chili Bowl Nationals qualifier at Tulsa Expo Raceway. Photo by Patrick Grant
Rico Abreu topped the action for the second time in as many years in his quest for the Golden Driller with a win in Wednesday’s River Spirit Qualifying Night in the 30th running of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Midget car race at the Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, OK.
“I believe last year that’s kind of how it went too,” Abreu said. “Started on the front row of my heat and my qualifier and won those. Started sixth in the feature, started sixth this year, so kind of a good spot as long as you win them. I feel like you have to win every time you are on the track here and tonight went really smooth.”
Asked about his confidence of another Driller, Abreu replied, “Anytime you lock into the A-Main on Saturday, you’ve got a lot of confidence. It’s a long race for Midget racing, just because we are used to 25-30 lap races so you have to kind of pace yourself throughout that feature and just be there at the last 10 laps.”
Starting sixth, the California native wasted little time working to the front of the field, advancing to the runner-up spot by the second lap. Chasing Tyler Thomas, the pair began a game of cat and mouse for the top spot. Swapping lines at both ends of the raceway several times, Thomas was able to hold Rico at bay as Thomas Meseraull trailed closely in third.
Following a lap 12 caution, the restart gave Abreu the opportunity he was looking for. Diving the bottom of turn one, the slide through turn two ended with the Abreu in the lead.
That left Thomas to contend with Meseraull for second, as the pair battled with neither giving an inch. Parker Price-Miller joined the fight on lap 19, taking the third spot away from Meseraull the following lap.
The caution flew again on lap 21 for a three car pileup, setting up a restart that saw Thomas glued to Abreu’s back bumper.
As the duo raced side-by-side on the final lap, Abreu used the high line to get the advantage, but a caution for a tangle between Colby Copeland and Sammy Swindell would bring out another caution.
On the final restart, Abreu put a 0.845 second margin between himself and Thomas, going on to take the win.
Even with a runner-up finish, Thomas was on cloud-nine.
“I’m almost speechless,” he said. “You know, fourth try at the Chili Bowl and we had a really good car all night and got plenty of passing points early on. I think we were just too good, too early in the feature. I felt like we were on a string the first 10 laps or so and it just got tight there midway to the end on the cushion. I had to try the bottom out, but Rico drove a great race on the top.”
Taking full advantage of the final restart, Meseraull reclaimed the final transfer into Saturday’s A-Feature.
“Everyone goes to the bottom, I hammer the top,” Meseraull said. “End of story.”
Without a ride a week ago, and in Australia, Meseraull was a last minute addition for Mark Bush Motorsports.
“Mark Bush’s cars are awesome. He’s my buddy and the last two times I drove it, I’d just went through a divorce and didn’t give in my best and turned it over on the berm. It was pretty awesome to come back and give him my best and actually get up on the wheel.”
Price-Miller finished in fourth, with Austin Brown in fifth.
Chase Stockon, Blake Hahn, Jake Swanson, Brendon Bright and Alex Sewell rounded out the top ten.
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The 30th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire continues on Thursday with John Christner Trucking qualifying night. For more information, visit ChiliBowl.com.
Tulsa Expo Raceway – Tulsa, OK
Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals – Jan. 13, 2016
River Spirit Casino Qualifying Night
Top Three Advance To Saturday’s A-Feature
1. 97-Rico Abreu
2. 91T-Tyler Thomas
3. 2X-Thomas Meseraull
4. 9P-Parker Price-Miller
5. 7B-Austin Brown
6. 5S-Chase Stockon
7. 8K-Blake Hahn
8. 68W-Jake Swanson
9. 92-Brenden Bright
10. 8-Alex Sewell
11. 50-Daniel Adler
12. 25-Steve Buckwalter
13. 17D-Alex DeCamp
14. 6K-Josh Lakatos
15. 57D-Daniel Robinson
16. 05T-Gary Taylor
17. 69-A.J. Fike
18. 1-Sammy Swindell
19. 51X-Colby Copeland
20. 11-Tyler Courtney
21. 73-Jason McDougal
22. 39C-Payton Pierce
23. 99W-Larry Wight
24. 9$-Kyle Clark
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