Chili Bowl Format Breakdown & Daily Qualifying Schedules

Information By: CHILI BOWL – TULSA, OK – If you’re looking for information on the qualifying breakdown and daily schedule for the 32nd Annual Chili Bowl Nationals, you can stop looking.

Event Info: 2018 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Format Breakdown and Daily Schedules
Qualifying Nights (Tues, Wed, Thur, Fri)

Heat Races

* Drivers draw for heat racing starting position at 2 p.m. at chalkboard each day
* The driver who draws lowest number will start on the pole of Heat 1, second lowest number on the pole of Heat 2, etc.
* Number of heats decided by number of cars – 7-10 cars per heat race (8 Laps)
* Advancement from heat race to features is based upon passing points earned in heat race and qualifying races. Passing points are based upon car starting position when the yellow light goes out prior to the initial start of the heat or qualifying race.

E Mains/D Mains/C Mains/Qualifying Races/B Mains/A Main

* The 40 drivers earning the most passing points advance to Four “A” Qualifying Races; drivers in passing points positions 41-68 will go to two C Main races; the balance will go to two D Main races and possibly an E Main race
* If there is an E Main race, it will have approximately 6-10 cars, 8 laps in length
* The two D Main races will have approximately 8-15 cars, 10 laps in length
* The two C Main races will have 16 cars 10 laps in length.
* Number of cars advancing from E Main races will depend on car count and number of races
* The top two cars in each D Main race will advance to the back of the C Main races. (Top 2 from first D Main to back of first D main, top two from second D Main to back of second C Main).
* The top four cars in each C Main race will advance to the back of the B Main races. (Top four from first C Main to back of first B Main, top four from second C Main to back of second B main)
* The lineup of each “A” Qualifying race will include an inversion of six cars. The top 24 cars in passing points will make the inversion. (The top point driver will start on row 3 of the first qualifying race, the No. 2 driver on row 3 of the second qualifying race, etc.)
* The four qualifying races will have 10 cars each with the top 16 in combined passing points from the heats and Qualifying races advancing to the A Main.
* The balance of the cars (24) from the “A” qualifying races will advance to two 16 car B Mains. The top four in each B Main will advance to the A Main.
* There will be 24 drivers in each Preliminary Night A Feature
* The top three drivers in the Preliminary A qualify for Saturday’s A Main.
Saturday Night Features

A Feature

The lineup for the top 12 cars in the A feature will be determined through the Pizza Express Chili Bowl Pole Dash.
The four A feature winners will draw 1-4, the four drivers who finish in second in their qualifying night A will draw 5-8 and the four drivers who finish in third will draw 9-12 and this will be their seed in the Pole Dash.

POLE DASH PROCEDURE

* Each of the races will have two cars and be three laps.
* The two lowest seeds, 11 and 12, will run a two-lap, two-car race to start the Pole Dash. The higher seed will receive lane choice, high or low, prior to the race.
* The winner of each race will face the next highest seeded driver in the next race. Once a driver loses a race they are eliminated, while the winner stays on the track.
* The driver who wins the last race will earn the pole position. A driver’s position in the A Main will be determined by where they finish in the pole dash.
NOTE
* ALL POSITIONS IN RACES OTHER THAN SATURDAY’S A MAIN WILL LINE UP UPON THE ORIGINAL DRAW OF THE WINNERS PRIOR TO THE POLE DASH. Example-If the Friday winner draws number 1, the Wednesday winner draws number 2, Tuesday winner draws number 3 and the Thursday winner draws number 4, all positions in all races will be based on Friday first, Wednesday second, Tuesday third and Thursday fourth.
* Six drivers will advance from each B main to the A for a total of 24 cars (and one possible defending champion provisional)

B Mains

* There will be two B mains, with 20 drivers in each B main.
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary A feature in position 4-10 will qualify for the B mains
* Six drivers will advance from each C main to the B mains (1st C to 1st B, 2nd C to 2nd B)

C Mains

* There will be two C Mains, with 20 drivers in each C
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary A feature positions 11-17 will qualify for the C mains
* Six drivers will advance from each D main to the C Mains

D Mains

* There will be two D mains, with 18 drivers in each D
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary A feature positions 18-24 will qualify for the D mains
* Four drivers will advance from each E main to the D mains

E Mains

* There will be two E mains, with 16 drivers in each E
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night B features in positions 5-7 will qualify for the E mains
* Four drivers will advance from each F main to the E mains

F Mains

* There will be two F mains, with 16 drivers in each F
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night B features in positions 8-10 will qualify for the F mains
* Four drivers will advance from each G main to the F mains

G Mains

* There will be two G mains, with 16 drivers in each G
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night B features in positions 11-13 will qualify for the G mains
* Four drivers will advance from each H main to the G mains

H Mains
* There will be two H mains, with 16 drivers in each H
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night B features in positions 14-16 will qualify for the H mains
* Four drivers will advance from each I main to the H mains

I Mains

* There will be two I mains, with 16 drivers in each I
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night C features in positions 5-7 will qualify for the I mains
* Four drivers will advance from each J main to the I mains

J Mains

* There will be two J mains, with 16 drivers in each J
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night C features in positions 8-10 will qualify for the I mains
* Four drivers will advance from each K main to the I mains

K Mains

* There will be two K mains, with 16 drivers in each K
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night C features in positions 11-13 will qualify for the K mains
* Four drivers will advance from each L main to the L mains

L Mains

* There will be two L Mains, with 16 drivers in each L
* Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night C feature in position 14-16.
* Four drivers will advance from each M main to the L mains

M Mains

* There will be two M Mains, with 16 drivers in each M
* Drivers finishing in D feature positions 3-5 will qualify for the M Mains
* Four drivers will advance from each N main to the M mains

N Mains

* There will be two N Mains, with 16 drivers in each N
* Drivers finishing in D feature positions 6-8 will qualify for the N Mains
* Four drivers will advance from each O main to the N mains

O Mains

* There will be two O Mains, with number of cars TBA
* Drivers finishing in D feature positions 9 on back will qualify for the O Main
* Note that cars that started will be given priority over cars that did not take the green flag in a D or E feature.

Special Note: The Pizza Express Pole Shuffle has been moved from Friday to Saturday.