The Chili Bowl Nationals have officially concluded and crowned a new winner. To be precise, Tanner Thorson triumphed ahead of Christopher Bell to win the 36th edition of the dirt event. Naturally, Thorson was utterly ecstatic, and many in the American racing community were happy for him. Chief among them were runner-up, Christopher Bell, and Chase Elliott, among many others.

Bell wrote on Twitter, “Man, so close! Last run set up just like Thursday night, but just couldn’t close it out. Big thanks to iRacing, Toyota Racing & Keith Kunz Motorsports for all the support this week. Congrats to Tanner Thorson, I know how cool it is to win that first one!”.

Meanwhile, Chase Elliott confessed that he was a little disappointed in himself. However, he was still thankful to his team for helping him throughout the week. Now, he has declared that he wants to come back and give it another shot. On a parting note, he also offered his congratulations to Tanner Thorson for the win.

Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell will now focus on NASCAR preparation

Now, the Hendrick Motorsports driver and the Joe Gibbs Racing driver have new targets in mind. To be exact, the two drivers will begin preparations for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series. They know that this season is important, especially if they want to defeat defending champion, Kyle Larson.

Speaking of Larson, the 2-time champion was gunning for a hat-trick, but could only muster sixth. He finished well ahead of fellow NASCAR Cup driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr, who ended up 9th fastest. Meanwhile, female sensation, Kaylee Bryson finished the Chili Bowl main event in 18th place. Although she would have been disappointed, she can take comfort in the fact that she finished the race. In addition to that, there will be plenty of chances for her to make a name for herself in the future.

READ MORE: From a Near-Fatal Accident to Chili Bowl Glory Against Kyle Larson: Tanner Thorson’s Incredible Story of Grit