What type of engines are used in Chili Bowl Midget cars? Everything you need to know

The Chili Bowl Midget Nationals is one of the biggest events in dirt track racing. All cars at the 'Super Bowl of Midget Racing" use four- or six-cylinder engines that run on methanol fuel for high speed to handle the tight, fast turns of the indoor track.

A temporary quarter-mile dirt oval track is built every year at the Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma for the Chili Bowl Nationals and Tulsa Shootout.

The Chili Bowl race has adopted new, standardized chassis rules for all midget cars starting this year. The USAC Midget rulebook allows different types of engines, including four- and six-cylinder ones.

However, the engines can have different valve and cam designs. Two-valve and four-valve cylinder heads, overhead-valve, single overhead cam, and dual overhead cam valvetrain designs are allowed. Moreover, the engines can be a maximum of 166 cubic inches.

The 39th annual Chili Bowl Nationals, which has been held since 1987 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, will take place from January 13. NASCAR drivers, including Kyle Busch, Ty Gibbs, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Christopher Bell, will compete at the event this year.

Busch will make his debut at the event in the No. 51 Lucas Oil/FloRacing Midget with his nine-year-old son, Brexton.

Jeff Gordon to return as Chili Bowl grand marshal

Former NASCAR driver and Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon is set to return as grand marshal for the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals next week at the Tulsa Expo Raceway in Oklahoma.

Gordon will return to the role after his first appearance in 2022. Sportsnaut's Matt Weaver announced the news on X.

"Jeff Gordon has been announced as Grand Marshal for the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals," Weaver wrote.

HMS majority team owner, Rick Hendrick disapproved of drivers racing outside of NASCAR due to safety risks. However, Jeff Gordon let the team's drivers, including Kyle Larson and Bowman race in sprint cars and midgets races.

"He’s the reason Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman has been allowed to race Sprint Cars and Midgets when Mr H otherwise wouldn’t allow it. In some ways, you could say Jeff Gordon has done a great deal for dirt racing the past four years," he added.

Gordon also helped link NASCAR with midget racing. The four-time Cup Series champion competed at the event with Ken Schrader in 1990.

Gordon has extensive experience in midget racing. He won three short-track races before turning 18. He also won the USAC Midget title in 1990 and became the youngest winner of the USAC Silver Crown championship the following year.