CHILI BOWL NOTES: Mitchell Scores With An ECOtec

Logan Mitchell battles during B-main action Wednesday at Tulsa Expo Raceway. (David Campbell/DPC Media photo)

TULSA, Okla. – He didn’t crack Wednesday’s feature field during York Plumbing Qualifying Night, but California’s Logan Mitchell did encapsulate everything that it means to race at the Chili Bowl Nationals powered by NOS Energy Drink.

Wheeling a self-owned Spike Chassis with a Chevy ECOtec engine under the hood, Mitchell won one of the night’s two C-mains, starting on the pole after just missing out on the top 40 in heat race passing points and leading all 12 laps around the Tulsa Expo Raceway.

His brightly colored No. 96X never trailed and led the four transfer cars up to the second B-main.

It was a statement by a little-known car inside the building utilizing a motor that produces less horsepower than the traditional “built” motors used by the top teams that compete regularly at the national touring level.

“We’re running a lower-powered ECOtec compared to most of these full midgets,” explained Mitchell of his race car. “I saw the (oil) pressure getting higher (toward the end of the C), and I started to lose power and was just praying and hoping to hold on during the yellows because of the temperature hopping up.

“Thankful we could get it done. This is a big deal for a team like ours, even if it is just a lower main on a prelim night.”

Though Mitchell struggled for traction in the B, only getting to eighth from 11th in a race that took the top four to the main event, his joy just after winning the C earlier on was palpable.

“Man is it cool to win something here at the Chili Bowl!” he exclaimed. “I’m living my dream getting to do this. As a driver at this level, the Chili Bowl is the premier race, so to win anything inside this building isn’t easy and yet we managed to do it. To all those that make it happen for us, this is for them.”

Mitchell provided a moment that reminded everyone, both inside the SageNet Center and watching at home on FloRacing, that entering the Chili Bowl is a privilege valued by drivers throughout the field.

He’s a racer to the core, racing full time with Western Midget Racing in his home state, but Wednesday night Mitchell became a winner in Chili Bowl competition – something he’ll never forget.

– Another driver who had a similar performance to Mitchell’s was 18-year-old Delaware native Preston Lattomus, who grabbed the first C-main win in a car fielded by Scott Rueschenberg.

Lattomus drove from sixth to the win in that 12-lap contest in an impressive showing. This year is his third Chili Bowl appearance.

“I’ve got some great guys helping me this week and making the car go fast,” said Lattomus. “I probably shouldn’t have been back that far; I really drifted in the heat race, but you have to put it all together to be successful here.

“I’m new to these cars,” added the micro sprint graduate and Mid-Atlantic sprint car regular. “They’re harder to drive than what I’m used to, so I really have to man up like I did on the last lap of that C and do what I can from here to make stuff happen the rest of the week.”

Lattomus ended up 16th in his B-main and will land right in the middle of Saturday’s alphabet soup. His teammate, Corbin Rueschenberg, was fourth in Tuesday’s feature and starts in a B-main on finale night.

Blake Hahn in action at Tulsa (Okla.) Expo Raceway. (David Campbell/DPC Media photo)

– Five-time Chili Bowl finale starter Blake Hahn, the grandson of event founder Emmett Hahn, gave himself a solid chance Wednesday to add a sixth championship feature appearance to that record.

After lackluster heat and qualifier results put him in a B-main, Hahn raced his way into the prelim feature before marching from 19th to sixth in the nightcap.

Though it wasn’t enough for a lock-in position, Hahn’s rally does put him in the middle of a B-main on Saturday, where he should contend for a top-seven finish that would propel him into the big show.

– Jake Swanson had a surprisingly quiet night in one of NASCAR Cup Series star Alex Bowman’s cars, winning his qualifier but only placing 10th in Wednesday’s feature.

He’ll be in the primetime portion of the program, but Swanson will have to come from a C-main if he hopes to make his third start in the Chili Bowl’s championship feature.

This is Swanson’s fourth straight year driving one of Bowman’s midgets at the Chili Bowl.

– Speaking of Swansons, eight-time USAC Silver Crown Series champion Kody Swanson made the Wednesday night feature, but had no power when the car rolled out to be pushed off and could not start.

It left the Kingsburg, Calif., native last in the 24-car field and slots him in an E-main for Driller Day.

– Five-time Chili Bowl champion Sammy Swindell looked like vintage ‘Slammin’ Sammy’ for a little while on Wednesday after taking his new Ripper Chassis from sixth to second in his heat race.

But Swindell cooled a bit from there, remaining in fifth during his qualifier and then finishing 17th in the main event after being involved in a lap-13 incident with Alex Bright and Chelby Hinton.

He’ll be in a D-main Saturday, hoping to do what Daison Pursley did a year ago in racing from the D all the way to the A for his 26th career finale start and first since 2020.

– Seventy-three drivers officially drew in for York Plumbing Qualifying Night, with the event’s flip count standing at 32 through practice and three preliminary nights.

Broadcast coverage of Thursday’s Hasty-Bake Qualifying Night activities begins at 4 p.m. CT, with every lap of Chili Bowl week available through FloRacing.

Race Face Digital’s Chili Bowl coverage is supported by DPC Media, home of longtime motorsports and automotive photographer David Campbell. To purchase DPC apparel or order photos from Chili Bowl 2025, visit www.seemymind.com for more information.