The prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals have been a lucrative option for NASCAR stars. Over the years, several Cup Series drivers have attempted to win the Golden Driller trophy, with Kyle Larson being a standout performer with two consecutive championship wins. However, Kyle Larson denied involvement in the upcoming Chili Bowl event in January 2024, and his old friend Rico Abreu is following suit.

Rico Abreu, who is a 2-time winner at the Chili Bowl, has been excluded from the list, making Logan Seavey the only former champion since 2009 to participate in the 2023 edition. Abreu announced his decision to race in the annual USA vs. WA Sprint Car Speedweek series earlier this year and has started on a winning note in Perth. Speaking to former NASCAR driver and Hall of Famer Kenny Wallace on his talk show, Abreu revealed the build-up behind his tough decision. Hearing Abreu’s thoughts reminded Kenny how much he has grown as a driver.

Kenny Wallace reminisces about the good old days at the Chili Bowl

Dirt track racing is one of the circuits that continues to attract race car drivers from all over the country. But for several reasons, many high-profile names have opted not to participate in one of the biggest dirt track racing competitions of 2024. Kyle Larson has cited the insufficient winning purse as a factor, while his teammate Alex Bowman had to sit out of it to recover from a back injury. The pair’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott has also raced at the event as recently as 2022 but will not return next year either.

However, for Rico Abreu, racing in Australia seemed like a better experience. The 31-year-old is among the best drivers in the Golden Driller’s history and could’ve won a third Chili Bowl national trophy in 2024. However, his interest in returning to the Western Australian coast has stood in the way.

“I’m going to be in Australia on Saturday, the 13th. So, unfortunately, this year, I’m changing it up a little bit,” said Abreu in the Kenny Wallace conversation. “I did the Chili Bowl 13 years in a row, and I think it’s important for my brand to get over to Australia, and I’m going to spend thirty days over there.“

The revelation about Abreu staying in Australia for such a long period surprised Kenny Wallace. The California native cleared the air around his intentions as he revealed,

“I want to spend lots of time with the race fans and the races and just kind of enjoy the trip. It’s good for a change of pace sometimes in this lifestyle we all live. I’ve dedicated 13 years of that week-long [Chili Bowl] experience to an amazing event. It has had so much growth in these years.”

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Kenny Wallace has an innate love for dirt racing. Tony Stewart‘s invitations to race on dirt tracks only fueled his interest further, and naturally, he got close to the Chili Bowl Nationals. Having watched Abreu and Co-race there in their younger days, the news surprised him.

“Well, that’s very emotional for me. I know, as a child, what the Chili Bowl meant for all of you. Watching all of you get older and mature, you know, Kyle Larson, yourself, C.Bell, I’m sure you will be back one day,” stated Kenny Wallace. Ricco Abreu has switched continents to experience a different challenge. However, that has not stopped him from doing what he does best—win.

Rico Abreu kicks off his Australian adventures with a win in Perth

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Rico Abreu has emerged victorious in the first round of the USA vs. WA Sprintcar Speedweek. Tuesday night was Abreu’s first visit to the Perth Motorplex, and it couldn’t have gotten any better as he beat Perth native and favorite Callum Williamson to the finish line.

Racing in the Monte Motorsports No. 24 sprint car, Abreu was initially in a position of concern as he started the 30-lap final in P7. He capitalized on a solid start and had moved to P3 by the third lap. Fellow American driver Brock Zearfoss passed him shortly after that, but Abreu persisted in making a pass and took over the lead after a few laps.

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“Coming to these places, it is really important that you just soak everything in and understand how the nights develop, and it was really important for me tonight just to finish the race,” revealed Abreu. “That’s what I was focused on, just running all 30 laps in the A Main. I really focused on minimizing my mistakes and found a little bit off the bottom of four that kind of shot me down the front stretch in the slick where I could take advantage of that.”

Abreu has been on a roll recently and announced his participation in Kyle Larson’s High Limit Racing Series in 2024. Whether it is on Western Australian or American race tracks, Rico Abreu can’t stop winning.