Jeff Champagne Continues Busy January with 37th Annual Chili Bowl Midget Competition
Lakeland, Florida – For the past 5 years, Jeff Champagne has clocked more miles during the Winter than many racers cover in their yearly schedule. Du Quoin Illinois, Fort Wayne Indiana, Tulsa Oklahoma, Allentown Pennsylvania, Atlantic City New Jersey, Syracuse New York – the young racer’s vehicle odometer is a great gauge for revealing his commitment to racing. Driving and sometimes flying, Champagne has competed in many of the most celebrated Indoor events in the United States.
“The past month and a half has been a blur,” tells Champagne. “In early December it was a flight to Pensacola, Florida for the Panhandle Clash, and then a drive to Fort Wayne, Indiana at the end of the month for The Rumble. My finishing position in each made the return trips maddening. But I’ve got to understand that I’m also raising my level of experience and abilities.”
On January 8th the Westfield, Massachusetts resident will begin his next trip – flying to the 37th Annual Chili-Bowl Nationals.
“The Tulsa Expo Center has hosted the Chili Bowl since 1987,” Champagne continued, “and the event has become one of the most historic in Midget car racing history. What I believe attracts the considerable number of fans and drivers to Tulsa is that this is not one of those ‘arrive, practice, and start’ events we experience with many top series today.
“There are between 300 and 350 drivers all trying to win the race and the Golden Driller trophy. First, they must qualify through preliminary races, and let me tell you, the effort to advance through those ‘alphabet soup qualifiers’ is really difficult,” reveals Champagne. “But that is what makes them enormously rewarding for drivers, and teams, and the utmost entertainment for the fans. Last year we went from the F-qualifier to the E-qualifier and then to the D. Something then broke inside the left-front wheel assembly which ended our run and race. Until then I was having a fun time.”
“This will be my fourth attempt at qualifying for the Chili Bowl’s A-Main, “said Champagne, “and I’ll be driving for California’s Kyle Beilman in the Dave.com, Hotsy-Clean – Charles Pease Plumbing & Heating #31X Midget. My crew chief is Brad Loyet, who understands the Spike Chassis and Eslinger motor combination very well – so I’m excited for the event.”
Certainly, Champagne’s commitment to racing is unquestionable. The miles he drives before he even gets to sit in a racecar should tell of his devotion. “I’m not much different than other short-track drivers who compete in Midget or Sprint cars. There’s lots of driving and preparation on the cars before you get to race, but I enjoy that part of the sport almost equally.”
Whether you’re at the Chili Bowl in person or watching on FloRacing, look for Jeff Champagne in the Dave.com, Hotsy-Clean – Charles Pease Plumbing & Heating #31X Midget to race his way into the A-Main.
Thank-You:
Dave.com On-line Banking (Internet)
Hotsy-Clean Steam Cleaners (Bridgeport, Conn)
Charles Pease Plumbing & Heating (Sandisfield, Mass)
Brothers Custom Car N’ Truck (Westfield, Mass)
For sponsorship/product involvement with Jeff Champagne
Contact:
Rick Raducha/Driver Connection
Cell: 860-796-7223
RapidRickOne@gmail.com
Sources: Rick Raducha/Driver Connection