Lucas Oil Chili Bowl National favorite Buddy Kofoid wrecked while leading during Tuesday nights Chili Bowl prelimary.
The race started with a four car pileup on the first lap that included NASCAR driver Alex Bowman, who saw his chances of qualifying for Saturday’s A-Main significantly increased after he got caught up in Daison Pursley coming to a complete stop while challenging Kofoid for the lead.
Also caught up in the accident was Darin Naida and Devin Borden.
Several top contenders in trouble early! @Lucas_Oil @cbnationals
Presented by Lucas Oil pic.twitter.com/akDi03khV0
β FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 11, 2023
RELATED: WATCH: Buddy Kofoid Survives Wild Wreck That Sends His Car Flipping Across The Racetrack
Borden would return to the race, but a lap later would end up flipping over multiple times going into turn 3. The wreck would end his night.
The race would eventually get back to green, but it wouldn’t be green for long as Hank Davis and Michael Pickens racing for second saw Davis slide up the track in order to secure the position, but ended up taking out Pickens and sending him flipping through the air.
After the race got back to green, Buddy Kofoid found himself caught up in a wreck between Daison Pursely and Damion Gardner with 22 laps to go.
As you can see below, Kofoid attempts to ride the wall to avoid the wreck after he committed to the outside. However, it doesn’t work out and he ends up destroying his midget’s front end.
π² It is chaos in Tulsa, your leader is out of this one! | @Lucas_Oil @cbnationals
Presented by Lucas Oil pic.twitter.com/MdAYby7vUZ
β FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 11, 2023
Here’s another look from Kofoid’s on board camera. As he enters the turn the green flag is still out. After entering the turn the yellow flag comes out and Kofoid doesn’t have enough time to get his vehicle slowed down to avoid the wreck. Instead he opts to ride the wall to avoid Gardner’s midget.
π ππ-π½ππΌππΏ πΎπΌππππΌ π
Ride along with @MichaelKofoid as he attempts to ride the fence to avoid an accident Tuesday at the @Lucas_Oil @cbnationals.
Full video: https://t.co/s6bnqRdT52 pic.twitter.com/vzeiPIWgWx
β FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 11, 2023
RELATED: WATCH: Buddy Kofoid Violently Collides With Lapped Car During Race For Lead
Hank Davis would take advantage of Kofoid’s misfortune and lead the rest of the way albeit he was challenged by Spencer Bayston, who came from 12th to finish in second. Bayston did grab the lead at one point, but Davis took it back from in the next turn.
Bayston would also face challenges for second from Jade Avedisian, who eventually finished in third. He also faced a challenge from Kaylee Bryson, who finished in sixth.
Kyle Jones also challenged Bayston at one point, but he settled in for a fourth place finish. Jonathan Beason, who also had a back and forth with Bryson throughout the race finished in fifth.
Soak it in, what a night in Oklahoma!!! | @Lucas_Oil @cbnationals | @hankdavis42
Presented by Lucas Oil pic.twitter.com/T9c20tZ8qH
β FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 11, 2023
With the win, Davis secured a spot in Saturday’s A-Main race. Bayston also secured a spot with his second place finish.
Jade Avedisian, Kyle Jones, Jonathan Beason, Kaylee Bryson, Chance Crum, and Tim McCreadie head to the B-Main races on Saturday.
Zach Daum, Kameron Key, Jordan Kinser, Daison Pursley, Jake Bubak, and Justin Zimmerman qualified for the C-Mains.
Kofoid joins Mariah Ede, Preston Lattomus, AJ Bender, Brendon Wiseley, and Damion Gardner in the D-Mains on Saturday. He will have to finish in the Top 5 of the D and C-Main and then in the top seven from the B-Main in order to make Saturday night’s A-Main race.
Michael Pickens, Devon Borden, Alex Bowman, and Darin Naida will have to work even harder to make the A-Main as they will be in the E-Mains on Saturday night.
What do you make of Kofoid’s wall ride move?
NEXT:Β Chase Briscoe Attempts To Recreate Ross Chastainβs Wild Wall-Ride Move, Fails Spectacularly