Christopher Bell & Kyle Larson Reportedly Set to Miss 2023 Chili Bowl Amidst Prize Money Standoff
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Christopher Bell & Kyle Larson Reportedly Set to Miss 2023 Chili Bowl Amidst Prize Money Standoff
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RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – SEPTEMBER 11: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders at Richmond Raceway on September 11, 2021 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
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RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – SEPTEMBER 11: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders at Richmond Raceway on September 11, 2021 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
For years now, the NASCAR world and the Dirt Racing world have found a bridge in the form of the Chili Bowl. Prominent names like Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell have competed against each other as fierce rivals for the prestigious title.
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But this year, it might not be the case.
I wrote this (third section in the post) about the Chili Bowl purse last year and the public exchange between Kyle Larson and Emmett Hahn stuck with me.https://t.co/0NBRPBjp5r
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) June 25, 2022
Because if the report by journalist Matt Weaver of Racing America is to be believed, ‘big names’ could drop out of the competition this year, a boycott in other words.
Weaver reported that he asked Bell about the rumors going around the boycott, to which the Joe Gibbs Racing driver said that he doesn’t know where it started and he hasn’t begun thinking about it, at least not just yet.
I asked Christopher Bell today about the rumors that big name drivers won't be entering Chili Bowl in January and he's one of those names.
He says he 'doesn't know where that started. I haven't started thinking about Chili Bowl yet, its what June? I haven't got that far yet.'
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) June 25, 2022
Why could drivers like Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell boycott the Chili Bowl?
The main reason why drivers could end up boycotting the event is simply because of the amount that is up for grabs as prize money. The thing is, the prize money for winning Chili Bowl is still $10,000.
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Now, this amount hasn’t seen an increase with the increase in the number of cars that take part in the competition, basically, with the increase in the size of the event, the cost of the pit passes, and the overall scope in terms of broadcasting rights, media rights and so on, the prize money is still $10,000.
This is something that many drivers are uncomfortable with.
“If there’s 400 cars coming through the gates, it probably should be more, but if I’m them, why would I if we keep coming?” driver Justin Grant said about the need to increase the prize money.
“It’s absolutely unbelievable that we only race for 10k,” Thomas Meseraull, Grant’s teammate, said. “It’s a sore subject for sure.”
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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 16: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, speaks to the media during the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 Media Day at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Even Kyle Larson jokingly addressed this issue with the founder of the Chili Bowl.
“The purse is going to grow,” Larson said in a press conference with Emmett Hahn, to which Hahn replied, “You’ve had your say.”
Written by
Edited by
Ranvijay Singh