Chili Bowl 2026: Schedule, format and how to watch Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell live

It's time for the 2026 Chili Bowl finale, and here at Oval Insider, we can't wait to see how NASCAR Cup Series stars Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell get on!

The Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing stars were among the 400-plus entries to the dirt racing event, with a huge number of races having taken place in Tulsa, Oklahoma this week!

Both Larson and Bell have made it to the championship feature this evening - Saturday, January 17 - and will go head to head for their fourth Golden Driller each.

Larson won his qualifying event on Monday to lock himself into Saturday's championship action, whilst Bell dramatically followed suit on Thursday evening.

What is the Chili Bowl?

The Chili Bowl is one of the most fiercely competitive events on the dirt racing calendar in the United States and takes place annually, attracting hundreds of the very best drivers from across the country each and every year.

Held at Tulsa Expo Raceway, inside the SageNet Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the event focuses on midget car racing. Unlike the Tulsa Shootout earlier in the winter, this is a one-category week of races, with everyone looking to win the coveted Golden Driller on Saturday.

The same dirt used for the inaugural edition of the event in 1987 is still used every year, to this day.

Chili Bowl 2026 schedule

Live TV and streaming details

All of the action from the 2026 Chili Bowl is set to be shown live on Flo Racing.

As well as watching on FloRacing.com, fans hoping to catch the racing action can also do so on their Smart TVs, mobile phones and tablets, with the FloSports app available on Roku, FireTV, Samsung, LG, Google Play Store, and the Apple Store.

Chili Bowl format

With more than 400 drivers entered, there is a rigorous format designed to consistently whittle down the field until one champion is crowned.

• Heat Races: Drivers draw for heat race starting positions daily at 2:00 p.m. at the chalkboard. Lowest draw starts on the pole of Heat 1, second-lowest on the pole of Heat 2, and so on. Number of heats is determined by car count with 7–10 cars per heat, racing 8 laps.
• Passing Points: Advancement is based on passing points earned in Heat Races and Qualifying Races. Passing points are calculated from the car’s starting position at the moment the yellow light goes out prior to the initial start.
• A Qualifying Races: The top 40 drivers in passing points advance to four A Qualifying Races (10 cars each). An inversion of six cars is used, with the top 24 drivers in passing points participating in the inversion.
• C Mains: Drivers ranked 41–68 in passing points compete in two C Mains (16 cars each, 12 laps). The top four finishers from each C Main advance to the back of the B Mains.
• B Mains: Two B Mains are run at 15 laps each. The top four finishers from each B Main advance to the A Main.
• A Main (Preliminary Night): Each Preliminary Night A Feature consists of 24 cars. The top two finishers advance directly to Saturday night’s A Feature.

• A Feature Lineup: The top 10 starting positions are determined through the Chili Bowl Pole Dash. The five Preliminary Night A Feature winners draw numbers 1–5, and the five second-place finishers draw numbers 6–10.
• Pole Dash: Four races, each with four cars and four laps. Drivers advance two at a time through the four rounds, with the winner of the final race earning the pole position for Saturday’s A Feature.
• A Feature Transfers: Seven drivers advance from each B Main to the A Feature, creating a 24-car field. Provisionals are reserved for the defending Chili Bowl Champion and the previous year’s Race of Champions winner if necessary.

• B Mains (20 Laps): Two B Mains with 20 cars each. Drivers finishing 3rd–8th in Preliminary Night A Features qualify, along with transfers from C Mains. Top seven advance to the A Feature.
• C Mains (15 Laps): Two C Mains with 20 cars each. Drivers finishing 9th–14th in Preliminary Night A Features qualify. Top five advance to B Mains.
• D Mains (15 Laps): Two D Mains with 20 cars each. Drivers finishing 15th–20th in Preliminary Night A Features qualify. Top five advance to C Mains.
• E Mains (15 Laps): Two E Mains with 20 cars each. Drivers finishing 21st–24th in Preliminary Night A Features and 5th in B Features qualify. Top five advance to D Mains.
• F Mains (15 Laps): Two F Mains with 20 cars each. Drivers finishing 6th–8th in Preliminary Night B Features qualify. Top five advance to E Mains.
• G Mains (10 Laps): Two G Mains with 16 cars each. Drivers finishing 9th–10th in Preliminary Night B Features qualify. Top five advance to F Mains.
• H Mains (10 Laps): Two H Mains with 16 cars each. Drivers finishing 11th–12th in Preliminary Night B Features qualify. Top six advance to G Mains.
• I Mains (10 Laps): Two I Mains with 16 cars each. Drivers finishing 13th–14th in Preliminary Night B Features qualify. Top six advance.
• J Mains (10 Laps): Two J Mains with 16 cars each. Drivers finishing 15th–16th in Preliminary Night B Features qualify. Top six advance.
• K Mains (10 Laps): Two K Mains with 16 cars each. Drivers finishing 5th–6th in Preliminary Night C Features qualify. Top six advance.
• L Mains (10 Laps): Two L Mains with 16 cars each. Drivers finishing 7th–8th in Preliminary Night C Features qualify. Top six advance.
• M Mains (10 Laps): Two M Mains with 16 cars each. Drivers finishing 9th–10th in Preliminary Night C Features qualify. Top six advance.
• N Mains (10 Laps): Two N Mains with 16 cars each. Drivers finishing 11th–12th in Preliminary Night C Features qualify. Top six advance.
• O Mains (10 Laps): Two O Mains with 16 cars each. Drivers finishing 3rd–4th in Preliminary Night D Features qualify. Top six advance.
• P & Q Mains (10 Laps): Two P Mains and, if necessary, two Q Mains. Drivers finishing 4th on back in Preliminary Night D Features qualify, with lineups determined by qualifying night results and total car count.

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