Lernerville's three-time Sprint Champion A.J. Flick had a dream!

“I wanted to be involved in some sort of aspect with the Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Oklahoma,” Flick said.

He had watched the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals on TV and knew that someday he wanted to be there and he found a way! Landon Simon and Mt. Baker Vapor sponsored a National contest and the winner would get a ride in a Midget at the Chili Bowl.

The entrants had to create advertisement and marketing concepts for weeks. Flick entered the contest and eventually became one of the top ten finalists. The final tally was a fan vote and he was determined to win this contest.

“I got everyone I knew to vote. I blew them out of the water with 30 percent of the total fan vote cast. The nearest competitor had 12%.”

Since his grandfather Pee Wee Flick died of lung cancer, neither Flick nor his father Mark smoke.

Being there at the Chili Bowl was surreal for Flick!

“I was surrounded by 350 drivers. It was incredible! Racing indoors with an insane amount of fans watching in one of the most competitive races in the world. It was just unbelievable,” he said.

It is held indoors at the Expo Center and was originally sponsored by Chili Bowl Food Company in 1987.

Keep in mind that Flick had never been in a Midget racer. Unlike his Sprint, the Midget does not have a wing for down force. It only has 500 horsepower instead of 700-1,000 and the wheelbase is much shorter and quick to react, so you have to keep on the gas the whole time.

“First time strapped into a Midget, for hot laps, I felt like I was thrown to the wolves with phenomenal drivers all around. They have five preliminary nights and my race was on Friday,” retorted Flick.

“I was third in my heat race, but got wrecked in the B Main and didn't have the funds to fix the car.”

He thoroughly enjoyed watching the rest of the races as he savored this experience. For the third year-in-a row, NASCAR'S Christopher Bell won that race, defeating Kyle Larson.

Sammy Swindell has won this race five times. Flick, a petroleum and natural gas engineer, learned if you want to drive in the Chili Bowl, you better step up your game. It is also important to have a good support system around you and a lot of money, too.

Flick has already won two races this season in his Sprint, one at Port Royal and the other, last week at Lernerville. Flick appreciates the support of Ferguson Heating & Cooling and the help of his dad Mark and Mom along with Rod Kacin, Dave Ferguson, Ashley Brown, Mat Allen, and Doug Flick.

I am sure that many racecar drivers have had mechanical problems or flat tires when going to the racetrack, but Dick Swartzlander had one unusual event that he shared from his past.His friend was towing his car to Heidelberg Raceway from Sarver with a 51 Studebaker. They got to Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh and the tow hitch broke.So Swartzlander got out of the tow vehicle, hopped into the racer and fired it up. He drove across the West End Bridge to Noblestown Road and headed to the speedway.He said, “I beat the tow vehicle to the track. I am not sure if that would be possible today!”

Tim Thoma is the 2019 Racing Chaplain at Lernerville Speedway. He has a heart of gold.Thoma's Meat Market helps to sponsors ten racers. Before the races, the drivers say a prayer for their safety during competition.Sprints, Sye Lynch, Sadie Siegel, and Jack Sodeman appreciate his helping hand as does Tyler Dietz and Collin Burke in the Crate Lates. Davey Murdick is on a tight budget and he is grateful for Thoma's assistance.Four Pro-Stock drivers, Jake and Tyler Dietz, John Hartman, and Brett McDonald are thrilled for the help received. In addition, Thoma brings a delightful cheese and pepperoni platter to the press boxes and Smokey's stand for munching each week!

Great start this season for Garrett Krummert! He recently scored the daily double at Michaels Mercer Raceway by sweeping both the V-8 Big Block Modifieds Limited Modifieds mains and then made it a “trifecta” by garnering the V-8 Modified feature at Lernerville last week!Carol Gamble is a racing columnist for the Butler Eagle