RPW Column: Central PA Notables Representing The Region In The 2020 Chili Bowl Nationals
RPW Column By: TRE SHUTTLESWORTH / RPW – TULSA, OK – It’s Chili Bowl Nationals Week, as over 300 drivers from diverse racing backgrounds make the annual pilgrimage to the Tulsa Expo Center.
Several Central Pennsylvania-based drivers who excel at their racing discipline look to cut their teeth in one of the toughest racing events in the country.
To have a shot at earning the title of Chili Bowl Nationals champion, these drivers will have a strong showing in one of five qualifying nights starting Monday night.
Mark Smith #1M (Rookie)
The 360 sprint car ace had a diverse 2019 campaign, as he picked up numerous wins in USCS sanctioned events, totaling 14 wins nationally, He also made his NASCAR Gander Outdoors and RV Trucks debut at the Eldora Dirt Derby in July. He will kick off his 2020 campaign by making his Chili Bowl Nationals debut in the 1M for Zach Daum Motorsports. Smith hits the track for his qualifying show in Thursday’s John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night.
Steve Buckwalker #25B
Steve Buckwalter had a busy 2019 season between his sprint car and midget efforts, including a couple of wins in 410 sprint cars in Central Pennsylvania. His 2019 Chili Bowl Nationals effort included a 19th place finish on his qualifying night and a D-main run on Saturday. The Brian Buckwalter owned 25B will take the track for qualifying night on Thursday’s John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night.
Tim Buckwalter 29A
Tim Buckwalter split his 2019 campaign between non-wing sprint cars and midgets, finding success on the USAC East Coast Sprint Car tour with a pair of wins at Grandview Speedway and Big Diamond Speedway. His 2019 Chili Bowl Nationals ended with a DNF in his C-Main after a 14th place showing in his qualifying night. He will be Matt Seymour owned 29A when he finally takes the track for friday qualifying on Vaxuworx Qualifying Night.
Ryan Smith #67S
Smith took a massive step in his career in taking over the Heffner Racing 410 sprint car in 2019. While he struggled to score in victory lane in 2019 in the 410 until Lincoln Speedway in September, he picked up 360 sprint cars early in the season at Port Royal Speedway and Selinsgrove Speedway. Smith had a strong 2019 Chili Bowl Nationals, with an 8th place finish in qualifying night and an 8th place finish in his B-Main. He will drive the SFH Racing Development 67S and try his luck in qualifying Thursday’s John Christner Trucking Qualifying Night.
Steven Drevicki 2R
The non-wing ace out of Reading backed up his 2018 USAC East Coast Sprint Car Championship with a repeat in 2019 that included five wins over the series’ 11 race season. This will be Drevicki’s first Chili Bowl Nationals since 2015, where he failed to escape his L Main starting spot on Saturday. He will be in the Phil Rossi owned 2R and take to the track for qualifying night in Friday’s Vacuworx Qualifying Night.
John Heydenreich 22
The 1990 Chili Bowl Nationals Champion comes into this year’s event after a tough outing in 2019. He struggled on qualifying night, and did not to attempt to work up from the bottom of the alphabet soup on Saturday. He will run the 2020 Nationals in his self-owned 22, but is not assigned to a qualifying night according to the Chili Bowl Nationals entry list.
