Top 5 NASCAR drivers with most Chili Bowl Nationals appearances

The Chili Bowl Nationals, held inside the SageNet Center at Tulsa's Expo Square, becomes the ultimate crossroads of American motorsports, where grassroots dirt drivers and NASCAR superstars share the same 1⁄5-mile dirt oval track. While many NASCAR drivers make occasional appearances, few have made the Chili Bowl a recurring part of their racing calendar.

On that note, let’s take a look at the top five NASCAR drivers with the most appearances at the “biggest Midget race of the year.”

5 NASCAR drivers with the most Chili Bowl Nationals appearances

#5 Tony Stewart

NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart is fifth on the list with 14 Chili Bowl Nationals starts, with two coveted Golden Driller trophy victories at Tulsa, which came in 2002 and 2007. Stewart’s participation brought huge attention to the event from the NASCAR world during his active years.

#4 Kasey Kahne

Former NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne has made 17 Chili Bowl Nationals starts, according to dirtrackr.com. He often returned to Tulsa after his stock-car career, showing his continued passion for dirt-track racing. He last raced in the event in 2018.

#3 Kyle Larson

One of NASCAR’s most versatile drivers, Kyle Larson has been a fixture at Chili Bowl. Heading into the 2026 event, Larson will make his 18th appearance at the Super Bowl of Midget Racing. He made 12 championship feature appearances and won the Golden Driller trophy thrice (2020, 2021, and 2025).

#2 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

NASCAR Cup Series regular and 2023 Daytona 500 champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has made 18 Chili Bowl Nationals starts, including last year. His best finish in the championship feature was seventh place in 2021. Despite the passion for dirt racing, he is not coming back to his roots this year.

#1 JJ Yeley

NASCAR veteran JJ Yeley stands at the top, with 29 starts at the Chili Bowl Nationals, more than any other driver on this list. His extensive open-wheel and grassroots dirt background carried over to repeated Chili Bowl starts, dating back decades. He is a USAC Triple Crown champion and USAC Silver Crown Series champion.

Yeley’s best performance in the Chili Bowl came in 2007, when he finished runner-up in the main event. He’s not returning in 2026.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell will tie with Stewart for fifth most Chili Bowl appearances after next month. Bell, who has claimed three consecutive Golden Driller trophies, will make his 14th appearance on January 12.

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Edited by Yash Soni