By ohnson 
Friday night, following the A-main, the twelve guaranteed cars progressing to Saturday’s feature were all set to square off to determine their starting positions in the Pole Shuffle.
Most of the events this week left us perplexed by the pole shuffle, as we were accustomed to a straightforward redraw on the front stretch.
So, to the best of my ability, here’s what it entails. Two at a time, beginning with the drivers who drew numbers 11 and 12, there’s a three-lap shootout. Whoever wins the three-lap race then advances their Saturday starting position and continues to battle the next driver for the subsequent starting position until the entire starting lineup has been established.
Larry had drawn to roll out sixth in the shuffle, which meant he wouldn’t start any worse than position number seven on Saturday. Larry was facing off with Danny Stratton, but after just one lap, Larry decided to pull in as he sensed the car was overly loose and didn’t want to risk any damage to it. This locked him into starting position number seven for the 31st Chili Bowl.
Upon arriving at our pit, the guys began to put their heads together. Larry felt the car was loose. Scott, Jake, and Pat, who were accustomed to big blocks, agreed with Larry. They felt that they needed to tighten the car up based on its reaction.
Sean and Sean, who were familiar with sprint cars, had the complete opposite opinion. They believed that Larry wasn’t able to get into the corner the way he desired because he was way too tight. After combining the years of racing knowledge from both teams, they were able to come up with a setup for hot laps that everyone was comfortable with.
Larry’s brother John simply couldn’t stay away and flew back with his girlfriend Yoya for Saturday’s race. It meant the world to both Larry and me to have them here standing beside us.
Racing began on Saturday at 8 in the morning. This is the longest day of the week. The schedule involves completing up to the C-mains before going live on television. This can be extremely time-consuming. This year, they initiated the proceedings with the two O-mains.
Larry was honored with the Jason Leffler “Elbows Up” award.
Then Larry and Coleman Gulick carried the New York State flag in the parade of flags.
Shortly after, he was called to the stage to conduct an interview. During this interview, Larry indicated that he is looking forward to participating in more sprint car races this year, conducting tests with the midget, along with his weekly Big Block racing.
I’d be telling a lie if I said I wasn’t nervous. I’m not even certain if nervous is the precise word. With each passing minute, breathing becomes harder and I feel queasy in my stomach. It’s not that I’m concerned about Larry’s performance; even if he finishes last, I’ll be just as ecstatic as if he had won.
I feel as if we won the Daytona 500 just by qualifying. All I worry about is his safety! In the blink of an eye, the outcome of the race can change here. It’s such a small track that leaves you with very little reaction time. In the end, I just want to be able to hug him afterwards and tell him repeatedly how proud of him I am until I’m out of breath.
After hot laps, the team seemed highly satisfied with the car. Coleman headed out in the second C main, starting in position 11. He finished in 10th, unfortunately ending his chance at this year’s Chili Bowl.
One thing that has impressed me is that when it comes down to it, the officials here simply don’t care who you are; the rules stand as they are.
There are no politics or special treatment for only certain individuals based on who they know. The race outlines are straightforward: race your way in or watch from the stands with everyone else. Only one provisional is awarded to the previous year’s winner.
Kyle Larson stalled in a C-main and was sent to the rear, just like everyone else would have been.
Food for thought: Maybe this race attracts over 350 cars because it doesn’t offer special treatment to only specific drivers and only enforces the rules every night?
TMac was in the first B-main, starting 9th. The top six in both B-mains are transferred into the feature. Unfortunately, Timmy’s night came to an end after another competitor spun in front of him, leaving him nowhere to go.
This is it; the B-mains are over, and the field is set. When the lights go off, the tunnel will light up the ramp leading onto the track, and they will announce my husband’s name among the other 24 drivers starting in the 31st running of the Chili Bowl!! The feeling is truly surreal!! The love from home continues to pour in, making us incredibly grateful to be part of the loving racing community.
Here we go; it’s race time!!
The green flag drops, and it’s on.
The bottom was the preferred lane until Daryn Pittman took a chance on the top during a restart. Pittman zoomed past Larry as well as multiple other drivers on his way to second. Larry decided to move to the top after the trail of cars following Pittman had cleared. Larry said the car felt excellent on the top side; he just didn’t feel comfortable performing a slide job as he preferred a respectable finish rather than knocking himself and other competitors out of the race.
Lap 43, the yellow flag is out. Larry realized the motor was overheating. After signaling to Sean Michael’s, they decided to complete the last 12 laps. Due to the motor’s performance decline, the car began to tighten up. Larry focused on maintaining his position rather than chasing down Damion Gardiner. Ladies and gentlemen, Larry Wight just completed the 31st running of the Chili Bowl in position number 13.
The pits were crowded after the race, making it challenging to start cleaning up the hauler or loading the cars. But we weren’t in a hurry anyway. Larry and I stopped to talk to Zach Daum, thanking him for all the advice throughout the week. He is one of the coolest people I’ve ever met in racing. We also went over to congratulate Christopher Bell on his win after the pits had cleared out.
As the night drew to a close, Larry and I received the devastating news that our Gypsum Racing family had gained a guardian angel earlier that morning. William “Blow” Bulger was a special member of our racing family who will always hold a special place in all of our hearts.
As I sit here now in the airport waiting to fly home, I look around at Larry, Scott, Jake, Pat, John, and Yoya. I think about how fortunate Larry and I are to be part of this team, to be blessed with such wonderful friends, to go home to a family that loves us so deeply and to be supported by our race family. Sean M., Sean S., Skye, Dave Reedy, every one of you at home, thank you!
It truly couldn’t get much better.
Editor’s Note: DTD would like to thank Brooke and Larry for going above and beyond in providing our readers with something very special and unique. The inside view of the behind-the-scenes feelings of racers, families, and crews is rare. Thank you from all of us at DTD for your effort and congratulations on your success in qualifying for the Chili Bowl A Main.