CHILI BOWL: Berryhill dominates A Main

It could be the biggest upset in Chili Bowl preliminary racing history but regardless, Travis Berryhill will always be called a winner.

A veteran journeyman racer from American Canyon, California, Berryhill rocked the form chart on Thursday night with a commanding victory in the 25-lap A Main to transfer into one of the top 12 starting spots in Saturday night's 30th annual Chili Bowl.

"I'm not the best race driver in the world, but I'm not the worst either, and I've been trying for a long time to get here," said Berryhill, who held off hard-charging Jake Swanson to the checkered flag in front of a packed house at Tulsa's Expo Center.

"I know a lot of people are going to be saying 'how in the heck did this guy win?' but I just kept digging and I had a great car tonight."

Starting fifth, Berryhill got by leader Kevin Bayer on Lap 13 and never relinquished the top spot.

Swanson, a full-time sprint-car driver, put on a helluva show by storming from 18th to second to lock himself in the A Main. Colby Copeland secured the other transfer spot to Saturday night's A Main with a third-place finish.

Sammy Swindell, the sprint-car legend who has won a record five Chili Bowls, showed his usual prowess and charged from 24th to seventh in the main event to make into one of Saturday's B Mains.

Two-time champion and pre-race favorite Rico Abreu was in the process of working his way into Thursday night's A Main when he tangled with another car and spun out, so he will take the defending champion's promoter's option and start last (25th) on Saturday.