Invitational Race of Champions (VIROC) Gets Revamped For 2020 Chili Bowl Nationals
Story By: BRYAN HULBERT / CHILI BOWL – TULSA, OK – Looking to shake things up with the Vacuworx Invitational Race of Champions (VIROC), the 2020 edition will get a new format and eligibility requirements.
Contested during Tuesday night action at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire, in years past the requirements for eligibility rested on being a past driver champion of the Chili Bowl or driving for a past owner champion. Starting in 2020, a driver’s past performance, both at the Chili Bowl and with select Sprint Car and Midget sanctioning bodies, will dictate whether they are invited to compete.
For the 2020 VIROC. here is how you make the cut.
Drivers finishing in the Top 3 of Saturday night’s A-Feature during the previous five Chili Bowls will be eligible.
Drivers finishing in the Top 2 of the past five VIROC events will be eligible.
Preliminary Night Winners from the most recent Chili Bowl will be eligible.
Series Champions from the most recent calendar year in the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, American Sprint Car Series National Tour, All-Star Circuit of Champions, USAC National Midgets, USAC National Sprint Cars, and POWRi National Midget League will be invited to compete.
No Driver substitutions or alternates from a sanctioning body will be allowed.
Starting Lineup for the VIROC will be set by Group Qualifying. Drivers will draw for their qualifying position, then qualify in groups of three to four. Drivers will get two warmup laps, then three green flap laps to set their time. The Top 8 fastest will be inverted with ninth fastest on back lined up straight up by their time.
VIROC Feature will be 25 Laps.
“We’ve been wanting to change the VIROC for a few years now, and have been looking at different ways to do that where your top drivers and champions are still in, but it allows new drivers to compete as well, and going back five years and using those results, that gives us a good mix, and then also, adding in the different series champions gives these guys something to race for all year,” explained Chili Bowl co-founder, Emmett Hahn.
For the 2020 VIROC, the following drivers are invited to complete:
Drivers invited based on A-Feature performance (2015-2019):
- Christopher Bell – 2017-2019 Chili Bowl Champion
- Daryn Pittman – Runner-up, 2017 Chili Bowl Nationals
- Spencer Bayston – Third Place, 2018 Chili Bowl Nationals
- Damion Gardner – Third Place, 2015 Chili Bowl Nationals
- Zach Daum – Third Place, 2016 Chili Bowl Nationals
Drivers invited based on 2019 Prelim Night Victory
- Logan Seavey – Monday Night Winner
- Kyle Larson – Tuesday Night Winner
- Rico Abreu – Wednesday Night Winner
- Justin Grant – Friday Night Winner
Drivers invited based on VIROC performance (2015-2019)
- Tanner Thorson – 2019 VIROC Winner
- Chad Boat – 2018 VIROC Winner
- Sammy Swindell – 2015 VIROC Winner
Drivers invited based on 2019 Series Championship Winners
- Brad Sweet – 2019 NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws Champion
- Sam Hafertepe, Jr. – 2019 Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Champion
- Aaron Reutzel – 2019 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions
- Jesse Colwell – POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League Champion
- Tyler Courtney – USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Champion
- C.J. Leary – USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Champion
