Photo by Reitz Motorsports Photography
Bixby, Oklahoma (1/5/2022)... Dave Mac Motorsports is ready to be 'Somebody's Problem' come January 10th through 15th, 2022, at the 36th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals.
The Bixby, Oklahoma-based team has filed eight entries for arguably the most prestigious event in dirt track racing. Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports is bringing a plethora of young drivers, however, all but one of these young drivers have experience racing the Chili Bowl inside the Tulsa Expo Center. Though young, Dave Mac-Dalby's lineup is anything but short on talent heading into next week's 'Super Bowl of Dirt Racing'.
- 4D Robert Dalby -
Robert Dalby is one of the veterans on the team as he will be making his team-high seventh Chili Bowl Nationals appearance next week. Dalby an Anaheim, California native, had his best Chili Bowl in 2019 when he made the A-Main on Saturday night and placed twenty-third.
This year Dalby enters coming off a preliminary night A-Main start and an E-Main appearance on Saturday. Robert may be entering as an owner of the newly formed team, but he is in the same top-notch equipment with a Spike Chassis around him and Toyota under the hood. Look for Robert Dalby to find the same success he had in 2019 as he kicks off his week Wednesday evening.
- 4M Brody Fuson -
Seventeen-year-old Brody Fuson is one of three California drivers on the team. Though he may be the youngest, he might be one of the most-under-the radar drivers at the Chili Bowl. Fuson finished second in the USAC Western States Midget points in 2021, picking up two wins along the way. Over the course of 2021, Fuson learned some things that will help in his second attempt at the Chili Bowl. "The beginning of the season we had to work out some kinks in our program. Our team was able to get them worked out and pick up two wins. What I learned this past year was to keep my head down and work hard. Hard work pays off in the end."
The Bakersfield, California native made his Chili Bowl Nationals debut last year where he finished twenty-third in his preliminary night A-Main and ended up ninth in an E-Main on Saturday. This year Fuson enters his prelim night on Thursday with more Midget experience and an understanding of what he needs to do to succeed. "Last year I was in my head, I was overthinking everything. This year I just need to go out there and race like I love to do. This is such a great opportunity to race in top-of-the-line equipment. I couldn't be more excited to race with Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports."
- 4T Trey Gropp -
Trey Gropp, a one-time POWRi West Midget winner has a minimum of sixty starts in a National Midget since the beginning of 2019. Gropp, who is from Lincoln, Nebraska, was oh so close to making the A-Main on Saturday night last year as he finished eleventh in a B-Main. Trey will not only look to improve upon his final finishing position on Saturday but also his prelim night finish where he placed eighth last year. Gropp's preliminary night is set for Friday in the TJK Enterprises Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports #4T.
- 4X Carson Sousa -
California kid Carson Sousa is making his second Chili Bowl Nationals appearance next week in the Dave-Mac Dalby Motorsports #4X. Sousa, a seventeen-year-old out of Red Bluff, CA, finished thirteenth in an E-Main on Saturday in his first Chili Bowl campaign. After driving an Outlaw Kart all summer long, Sousa decided to refresh his skills in a Midget with Mounce-Stout Motorsports on USAC's West Coast swing in November. Carson says the swing made him more comfortable in a Midget, "Towards the end of the West Coast swing, I felt really good and comfortable. With running good equipment for the Chili Bowl and I feel I'll be set for a really good run. Thank you to everyone who has made it possible, and I am looking forward to this great opportunity with Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports!"
- 08 Cannon McIntosh -
Mr. Cannon McIntosh has been Mr. Monday the past two years, winning the previous two Monday preliminary nights. This year Cannon is returning home to run the Chili Bowl Nationals after driving for Keith Kunz Motorsports in 2019 and 2020. In three years of competing in the Chili Bowl, Cannon has three preliminary night Top 5's. To back up McIntosh's impressive track record, even more, he has two A-Main Top 5's on Saturday night, with a career-high of third.
The Bixby, Oklahoma native is certainly one of the top contenders heading into the 36th Annual Chili Bowl Nationals. Catch Cannon live on FloRacing to see if he can win three straight Monday nights.
- 08B Austin Barnhill -
Austin Barnhill, a Wilmington, North Carolina native, is set to compete in his first Chili Bowl Nationals next week. Barnhill's background belongs to go-karts, where he was a 3-time Maxxis National Champion. In 2021, Austin took on a new challenge, dirt Midget racing. He started the year racing with Sam Johnson Racing. A little over halfway through the year he switched to Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports to complete the rest of the USAC National Midget schedule. Austin made thirteen National Midget starts in 2021 between the POWRi and USAC tours.
Now that his first full year in Midgets is complete, Barnhill is more ready than ever to roll down the ramp at the Tulsa Expo Center. "From the first time I went into the building (Tulsa Expo Center), I had a strong desire to and drive to know what it feels like to achieve something as prestigious as getting to race on a prelim night at the Chili Bowl in front of thousands of fans and the Turn Two Rowdies. To make that right hand turn off the ramp and see the crowd under pace laps is something I will soak in the rest of my life." Austin will roll down the ramp for the first time on Thursday, January 13th.
- 08M Jace McIntosh -
For the third year in a row, Jace McIntosh is participating in the Chili Bowl Nationals. Jace, who is Cannon's older brother, finished eleventh in K-Main one on Saturday in 2021, his best Chili Bowl to date. McIntosh's preliminary night is for Friday evening alongside teammate Trey Gropp. Jace will be driving the Dave Mac - Dalby Motorsports / Spike / Esslinger / Mr. Livingston Plumbing / Mobil 1 / DriveWFX.com #08M.
- 16 Santino Ferrucci -
IndyCar and NASCAR Xfinity driver Santino Ferrucci is looking for another jump in improvement, like what he saw last year. In 2020, Ferrucci made his way into a K-Main on Saturday, then last year the multi-time Indy 500 starter improved by four mains to finish tenth in a G-Main. Santino took on the Tulsa Shootout for the first time this year to get more laps around the Tulsa Expo Center. The Woodbury, Connecticut driver told Ryan "HOSS" Merz that, "This was a great way to get laps around the Chili Bowl track because you get five laps of practice in a Midget, then it's time to go racing. It was good to run a couple of classes, get out there, get some experience, and into racing mode. With it being only one to two weeks out from the Chili Bowl, it gets you in the right mindset."
With more experience than ever getting around the Tulsa Expo Raceway, Santino will roll down the ramp for his preliminary night on Tuesday, you can watch live on FloRacing.
-Lucas Halbert