The Chili Bowl Nationals get started Tuesday at Tulsa’s Expo Square.
The annual event is the largest indoor midget car race in the U.S. 2014 champion Bryan Clauson will defend his title.
"It's just a perfect storm if you're a race fan," Clauson said. "You get to see, this year, 320 of the best drivers in the country battle it out on one of the most exciting race tracks in the country."
NASCAR driver and two-time Chili Bowl winner Tony Stewart is in town for the event, which is in its 29th year.
"You guys keep letting us come back, and the city of Tulsa has been a great host for this event," Stewart said. "I don't think there's anywhere in the country that would be a better place to have this event than here."
This year’s race is the largest ever, with 318 drivers competing, according to the Tulsa Sports Commission. They represent four countries among them.
This year, longtime NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace is a rookie at the event.
"Here's the exact words out of my wife's mouth. I've been begging her to let me run this Chili Bowl," Wallace said. "She says, 'Tony Stewart cracked his ribs. Tim McCreadie broke his back. I'm sure you can kill yourself.'"
The first race is at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The finals start at noon on Saturday.
