Christopher Bell Back On Top Of The Chili Bowl Invitational Race Of Champions Monday
Story By: BRYAN HULBERT / CHILI BOWL NATIONALS – TULSA, OK – Fresh off winning the 55-lap Hyper Racing Outlaw Non-Wing A-Feature during the Smiley’s Racing Products Tulsa Shootout powered by NOS Energy Drink, Christopher Bell showed no signs of slowing down, as he captured his third O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions during Monday’s 2nd Opinion Auto Center Qualifying Night.
Leading all 25 laps of the 18th annual collection of event and series champions, Bell was stalked through the middle point of the race by Daison Pursley as the pair approached traffic. Looking like the game was afoot, that same traffic parted and allowed Bell to slip by before a caution cleared the way for Pursley.
Keeping pace with Bell for a few laps, there was no staying with the KKM/Curb-Agajanian No. 71w, as Bell found the Precision Performance Concrete Finish Line by 1.294-seconds. Pursley held second over Tanner Thorson, whose inversion draw put Bell on the pole. Tenth starting, Justin Grant crossed fourth, followed by Cannon McIntosh in fifth.
The 39th annual Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink takes place January 13-18, 2025, under the giant roof of the SageNet Center in Tulsa, Okla.
RACE RESULTS:
39th Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink
Tulsa Expo Raceway (Tulsa, Okla.)
Monday, January 13, 2025
O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions
Car Count: 19
O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions Qualifying
Qualifying (3 Laps): 1. 88-Tanner Thorson, 00:11.763[6]; 2. 86-Daison Pursley, 00:11.820[1]; 3. 39-Logan Seavey, 00:11.841[4]; 4. 71W-Christopher Bell, 00:11.862[2]; 5. 41-Corey Day, 00:11.871[9]; 6. 71K-Cannon McIntosh, 00:11.919[5]; 7. 1K-Kyle Larson, 00:11.987[3]; 8. 3T-Brad Sweet, 00:12.016[8]; 9. 71-Michael Kofoid, 00:12.028[19]; 10. 87-Justin Grant, 00:12.090[11]; 11. 1S-Spencer Bayston, 00:12.149[16]; 12. 23C-Tyler Courtney, 00:12.202[7]; 13. 21H-Brady Bacon, 00:12.232[10]; 14. 4P-Kody Swanson, 00:12.291[12]; 15. 19R-Ricky Thornton Jr, 00:12.330[14]; 16. 67-Ryan Timms, 00:12.348[18]; 17. 1-Sammy Swindell, 00:12.387[17]; 18. 98-Tanner Carrick, 00:12.403[13]; 19. 57-Kaylee Bryson, 00:12.431[15]
O’Reilly Auto Parts Invitational Race of Champions
Race of Champions (25 Laps): 1. 71W-Christopher Bell[1]; 2. 86-Daison Pursley[3]; 3. 88-Tanner Thorson[4]; 4. 87-Justin Grant[10]; 5. 71K-Cannon McIntosh[6]; 6. 71-Michael Kofoid[9]; 7. 1K-Kyle Larson[7]; 8. 41-Corey Day[5]; 9. 1S-Spencer Bayston[11]; 10. 23C-Tyler Courtney[12]; 11. 67-Ryan Timms[16]; 12. 21H-Brady Bacon[13]; 13. 1-Sammy Swindell[17]; 14. 19R-Ricky Thornton Jr[15]; 15. 4P-Kody Swanson[14]; 16. 57-Kaylee Bryson[19]; 17. (DNF) 39-Logan Seavey[2]; 18. (DNF) 3T-Brad Sweet[8]; 19. (DNF) 98-Tanner Carrick[18]
