The atmosphere at the SageNet Center in Tulsa is always lively during the Chili Bowl Nationals. However, the latest event had a level of excitement that even the most experienced veterans found surprising.

Kenny Wallace, a longtime figure in NASCAR and FOX sports broadcasting, watched from the infield during the B-Main. Among others, he specifically became captivated by one driver, a 14-year-old kid, who performed moves that seemed beyond the usual skills learned in dirt racing.

This impressive display left many in the pits in disbelief. The performance was so remarkable that it made the veteran broadcaster question everything he knew about how talent develops, as the young teen outperformed a group of experienced drivers.

The rise of Jett Barnes in Chili Bowl

“Jett Barnes, this 14-year-old kid last night at the Chili Bowl, was unbelievable. He wins the B-Main over all the grownups,” Wallace said in his Coffee with Kenny segment on X.

Kenny Wallace started to feel shocked when the checkered flag waved for the B-Main. Jett Barnes didn’t just compete; he won, dominating a group of adults to earn his spot in the important A-Main. Watch his victory here:

And the true “unthinkable” moment occurred in the pits after the race when the driver finally climbed out of the car. Wallace, self-admittedly staying in his own lane of “big-wheel” racing, was unfamiliar with Barnes until that moment.

“I know who he is now,” Wallace remarked. “This child gets up out of the open-wheel midget. It’s not a kid, and it’s not a boy. It’s a child. He’s even childlike. I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

The 14-year-old driver impressed everyone with his skill. Barnes did not rely on flashy moves typical of dirt tracks; instead, he drove with the calmness of a seasoned pro.

As a Chili Bowl rookie, he joined the team at age eight. He didn’t just win, he dominated the race with smooth driving and few mistakes. He reached as high as fourth place in the A Main but ended up 21st after a crash in turn one affected his final result.

Wallace watched his technique from the infield, saying, “The reason this Jett Barnes was so fast, he was going rolling one and two like asphalt. I mean, he had center corner speed, just rolling the middles.”

Despite the Chili Bowl’s theoretical age limit of 16, Barnes was granted entry through a special approval process for exceptional talent. As Wallace noted, “If a group signs off on you and says, ‘Hey, this kid’s 12, but he drives like a full-blown 20-year-old,’ that Jett Barnes was last night, he drove like he was 40.”

Jett Barnes’ rise marks a significant shift in how we are shaping the next generation of racing stars. Wallace pointed out that while young talents have appeared in the sport before, like 14-year-old Mark Martin or 12-year-old Jeff Gordon, the current way of developing young racers is remarkable.

He compared Barnes’ achievement to 13-year-old Keelan Harvick winning the Snowflake 100 in Pensacola just weeks earlier. Drivers follow a professional path that starts nearly ten years before they can get a learner’s permit.

“If you want him to go far, you’ve got to develop him at like five years old,” Wallace observed, citing Millbridge Speedway as a primary breeding ground.

For a 62-year-old veteran like Wallace, seeing a child outpace adults with impressive speed was a surprising reminder that ideas about talent have changed.

Now, people can be approved to drive based on their skill, not their age. This has allowed a new generation to shine on the national stage, often showing the calmness of experienced drivers.

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NASCAR stars salute Barnes’ breakthrough at Chili Bowl

The momentum from Barnes’ B-Main victory didn’t just carry him into the Saturday night championship program; it ignited a firestorm of praise from the highest levels of the sport.

NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney was among the first to acknowledge the feat, taking to social media to highlight the gravity of the performance.

“@jettbarnes55 . 14 years old, not only made the A at the Chili Bowl, but dominated the B main. Bright future ahead,” Blaney shared with his followers.

Blaney, an experienced driver, endorsed Barnes, showing that Barnes was not just another rookie. He posed a real challenge to the established drivers in Tulsa.

In the 55-lap A-Main feature, Barnes showed impressive driving skills that amazed the commentators. Competing against 24 cars, including top racers like Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell, the California teenager steadily moved into the top ten during the early laps of the race.

The difficult track conditions caused him to end the night early with a DNF. However, his performance still had a historic impact. He finished 12th in the standings, earning the title of 2026 Chili Bowl Rookie of the Year.

By racing faster than past Golden Driller winners and finishing ahead of many experienced drivers who couldn’t qualify, Barnes showed that the “five-year-old” development model helps young athletes compete with the world’s best before they even turn 16.