Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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For those who have been to both which one is better any why?  Thanks

A  hard choice to make they both are  very special events ? Tickets are harder to get to go to the Chili Bowl , but you get an even better up close look at the cars, and  drivers there ,as you can wander into the pits early in the day and then go back
in after the races. But  I would have to say for a first timer who has not gone to either event , I would suggest the Knoxville Nationals for a few reasons . The events that surround the races, the National Sprint Car of Fame , the great food  served by area businesses for charity or other fundraising efforts. The Iowa State Fair which is close to Des Moines airport , this fair is one of the best in the USA ,the parade in town , the midway of vendors, the autograph sessions,Dingus bar across from the track, and more events that take place during the Nationals . Also the races at Oskaloosa promoted by driver Terry McCarl , and so much more you need to actually experience at Knoxville .

I love both but if I had to choose only one to attend (or an event to take a first timer to), I would (and have) choose the Chili Bowl.  

 More action (10-12 heats, 4 qualifiers, 2 Ds, 2 Cs, 2 Bs and an A main every night vs 5 or 6 heats, a C, B and A) , less downtime, never a worry about weather, always perfect track conditions, drivers on the track and in the building that they have actually heard of if they are only a casual (TV) race fan, a format that is conducive to running the alphabet, the list goes on.  

Both of these guys are correct!   Each event is unique and special in it's own way.   For me, the choice is Knoxville but only because of my situation.   Both were on my "bucket list", but now I've been fortunate enough to cross both of them off and Knoxville is a yearly thing for me now.    I work for a natural gas company and I'm on call during cold weather, so the Chili Bowl is normally something I can't do.   Even if it's mild at home, I can't get stranded in Tulsa if there is ice or snow involved in OK.    Last year the weather was unusally mild at that time, so I was able to get up there for the Saturday finals.   I just went and bought a pit pass and had a blast.    I wouldn't recommend doing it without a grandstand seat though.   I had to stand in the pits all day and watch the races on video monitors.   There's really no place to sit in the pits.   

If you can by all means do both!    Can't wait for Knoxville to come around again. 

Chili Bowl = 6 straight days of cars on the track with no chance of weather cancellation IN JANUARY!  Nationals is 4 days of racing during the Summer with a chance of bad weather causing the show to get screwed up like the couple previous years......hands down the CHILI BOWL!

do it in the dirt

Been to both several times...

I like Knoxville because there is more summer time fun stuff to do during the day.

I like the Chili Bowl because it's so dang unique, a 1/4 mile dirt track indoor in January?!

Both are can't miss events, but if I was going for the first time and I had to choose one, it would be Chili Bowl

Knoxville....golf, food,women and the best sprint car racing in the world. Plus it doesnt take 3 days to be able to breath fresh air again.

Hands down......The Chili Bowl......

Member of this message board since 1997

Oh....I forgot to add why.....

Knoxville - The ULTIMATE "event", the atmosphere is incredible. I get goosebumps just thinking about the qualifying, because it is SO important, the speeds are incredible and you can literally watch the drivers trying to squeeze every bit of speed that they can out of the car. The Wed/Thurs heat races are intense, though I do wish it was a total invert. 

Chili Bowl - 5 nights of the HARDEST racing that you will ever see and it's still a place where a guy like Andrew Deal can win. The crowd will give you goosbumps when there's a last lap pass for the win....A last lap pass for a transfer spot or if a high profile car falls out of a race and into the bowl of soup. Wheelies, slidejobs, leaning on other cars, using up other cars, it is intense! And, of course, no sweltering heat or rainouts. 

Member of this message board since 1997

Knoxville Nationals. $150000 to win, twice as many fans, the speed & power of the 410's on a big 1/2 mile. After the races thousands go back to a camper and sit outside and rehash the races, not to hotel rooms. Thousands of fans all close together in the north end of town, All kinds of merchants sell a wide variety of sprint car stuff.

Chili bowl is great, no doubt. But very high concession prices, limited trade show area, everyone scattering to hotel rooms after (or bars). Just not the same.

Knoxville nationals -Also while you there dont forget the Outlaw Kart Nationals @ English Creek Speedway They put on a heck of a show. I saw Kyle Larson run there years ago.

Chili bowl !!! I drive from So cal to both events and thought I was gonna miss the show last year at Knoxville. (Weather) At the Chili bowl you are gauranteed a Whole season worth of racing rapped up in one week.

We need more sprint car racing at our home track.

Knoxville Nationals - 22 different winners in 54 years

Chili Bowl Midget Nationals - 19 winners in 29 years

'Nuff said...

Member of this message board since 1997

In spite of the quality of racing the Chili Bowl has absolutely no appeal to me as a vacation destination.  The hard sell about Tulsa in January would be getting the wife to go along with spending the vacation budget on four days in a fume filled noisy arena to watch something she detests.  Actually truth be told the idea doesn't appeal enough to present it to her.  By my way of thinking the Knoxville Nationals in August is a vacation with plenty of things to do outdoors away from the track.  What do people do away from the track in Tulsa?  Go out to eat, grab a beer or two and sit in the motel watching television?  I don't think it's any contest, summer vacation wins out.

Stan Meissner

Hang on Hawker!  

Knoxville - eight of last nine by Schatz.

Chili - how many of the last decade won by somebody with the last name Swindell?  including four straight by Kevin with Sammy running 2nd. 

As far as recent history I'm hard pressed to see much difference.   

3 different winners in the last three years...I wonder who will win Knoxville this year?

Member of this message board since 1997

This tread is just about every body's opinion. But for some reason it can not be about opinions, it has to turn into a debate. Can not see why folks just can not accept that some people's opinion is different that theirs. They have to prove their opinion is the right one with reasons why they are right. It would be a boring world if we all liked exactly the same thing.

Bingo...  the thread morphed in a Chili Bowl/Swindell vs Knoxville/Shatz domination debate.

Both events have pluses and minuses that are on a personal basis for each of us. 

I am one of the lucky ones who enjoys going to both.

Back in the day the Kings Royal used to be a pretty exciting 2 days of racing and the Four Crown at Eldora can be spectacular also.  The Gold Cup a couple of decades ago was 3 great nights of racing also and there is generally a lot more action on that track than Knoxville.  The Chili Bowl is the winner though, whew I saw some good racing there when I was a regular years ago....PS...The Classic in Australia the two years I saw it live was as good a racing as I may have ever seen....

CHILI HANDS EFFIN DOWN  .....I was a die hard Kville nats person hadnt missed one since 1971 but the last 5 yrs I may catch one or two night generally just weds or thurs an Oskie if the USACers are there....the racing just dont add up any more and it very predictable.....Hawkers description of the Chili is spot on...the last two years I have went to more nights of the Late Model nats than I have the Nationals cause the racing is so much better