Jeff Gordon set to make Chilly Bowl Nationals return as Grand Marshal

Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon is set to serve as the grand marshal for the second time in 2025 Chilly Bowl Nationals.

Jeff Gordon set to make Chilly Bowl Nationals return as Grand Marshal

Jeff Gordon (Via IMAGO)

The racing community is eagerly looking forward for the 2025 edition of the Superbowl of Midget racing. The Tulsa Expo Raceway at Oklahoma is set to host the Chilly Bowl Midget Nationals, on January 12-18. Almost all of the best midget racers in the country and some of the top NASCAR racers will be racing in the event.

2021 Cup champion Kyle Larson and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell are the two top stars set to race in the 2025 edition. But the event will also mark the return of four times Cup champion Jeff Gordon. He was announced as the grand marshal of the event, and its special considering he was the first active NASCAR racer to partake in the event alongside Ken Schrader in 1990.

Jeff Gordon has been announced as Grand Marshal for the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

Matt Weaver reported via X.

It is the second time Gordon, who was once a top dirt racer in the country before he was stopped from racing after signing with HMS, is serving the role of Grand Marshal. He served the same role two years ago in 2022. Gordon got the opportunity after the race organizers failed to get Rick Hendrick to fill the role.

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Jeff Gordon is the main reason HMS drivers is racing in Midget events

Hall of Fame team owner Rick Hendrick has never been a big fan of letting his drivers race in non-NASCAR events, owing to the big risk it possesses. Alex Bowman missing five races in 2023 after his wreck and injury following a High Limit Racing event was proof that his feelings are right.

Jeff Gordon and Alex Bowman
Jeff Gordon and Alex Bowman (Via IMAGO)

But Jeff Gordon, the Vice Chairman of HMS, helped his driver to be part of such ventures convincing Mr. H to reverse his decisions. Senior motorsports reporter Matt Weaver confirmed this via post on X, replying to a fan.

He’s the reason Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman has been allowed to race Sprint Cars and Midgets when Mr H otherwise wouldn’t allow it. In some ways, you could say Jeff Gordon has done a great deal for dirt racing the past four years.

Matt Weaver wrote on X.

The comments from Matt Weaver shows how much effort Jeff Gordon have put in for his drivers as well as dirt racing as a whole. It would be interesting to see if Kyle Larson makes Gordon’s Tulsa trip special with a win.