2021 sure looked a hell of a lot like 2020 on Saturday.
For the second year in a row, Kyle Larson is your Chili Bowl Nationals Champion.
The driver of the No. 01 was able to hold off the likes of Justin Grant and Christopher Bell throughout the 55-lap main event on Saturday, despite a couple of hiccups.
Larson started off the race strong, passing Grant early, but that didn’t stop the USAC Silver Crown champion from sticking with the 01.
Grant tailed Larson for the majority of the first half of the race, however, after trying to throw a slide job on Larson, Bell took to the advantage.
Bell, a multi-time Chili Bowl champion himself, gave it his all, ripping the cushion right behind Larson trying to set up a race-winning pass.
It looked like Larson could cruise away with it, but thanks to a late caution from Blake Hahn, Bell got a restart with four laps remaining.
Bell took to the offense once again and tried to set something up, but coming around the turn to take the penultimate lap, Bell got sideways and wounded up flipping his car.
It took two more late race restarts after that to give it to Larson, but Grant didn’t have the momentum to get his pole position back in the 55-lap main event.
Now, after a dominant 2020, Larson is starting his 2021 season out the same way, and that should scare a lot of his competitors.
2021 Chili Bowl Nationals Results
1. Kyle Larson
2. Justin Grant
3. Tanner Thorson
4. Cannon McIntosh
5. Daryn Pittman
6. Chris Windom
7. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
8. Brad Sweet
9. Spencer Bayston
10. Logan Seavey
11. Cole Bodine
12. Alex Bright
13. Colby Copeland
14. Christopher Bell
15. Tyler Courtney
16. Rico Abreu
17. Blake Hahn
18. Kyle Cummins
19. Buddy Kofoid
20. Chase Johnson
21. Thomas Meseraull
22. Brady Bacon
23. Jake Neuman
24. Joe B. Miller
