Chris Dyson Prepares For Chili Bowl Run
Story By: BRYAN HULBERT / CHILI BOWL NATIONALS MEDIA
Photos By: TOMMY HEIN / RACERSGUIDE.COM
STAMFORD Conn. – January 6, 2016- Chris Dyson will return to the drivers seat for the upcoming Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals on Jan. 10-14 after fully recovering from injuries suffered in a crash last season.
Dyson suffered back and rib injuries during an incident at Pennsylvania’s Big Diamond Speedway last year. The Chili Bowl will be his first race since recovering from the injuries suffered in the crash.
“I won’t kid you, the crash last summer was the worst one of my career, but I never doubted for a moment my desire to get back in a race car, and my family was really supportive,” Dyson said. “But getting physically healthy was a real challenge. It was frustrating having to scratch last year’s schedule, because we’d had a ton of races planned in August and September. And it was even tougher to have to wait a couple of months before I could really start working out and rebuilding my strength, but I had to accept that as part of a healing process. My first cycle of workouts was pretty humbling and challenging, but I knew getting strong again was a critical element in getting back in the car. That was really motivating.”
Dyson’s Chili Bowl efforts will be sponsored this year, as they were in 2016, by Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff. It also marks Dyson’s third consecutive start in the event that annually marks the start of the North American racing season.
As in the past two years, Dyson will be driving a Spike/Esslinger car fielded by two-time Chili bowl champion Cory Kruseman.
“Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff is pleased to be partnering again with Chris Dyson at this year’s Chili Bowl Nationals,” said Dave Savoca, president of Smokey Mountain Chew. “Chris did a great job representing our brand at last year’s race. He is a talented driver on the track, and an equally excellent spokesperson for our brand off the track. The Chili Bowl is recognized as the ‘Super Bowl’ of midget racing, with drivers from all over the world. We couldn’t be more thrilled to return to this prestigious event with Chris and Kruseman Motorsports. The Chili Bowl provides a huge platform to market our tobacco-free, nicotine-free chew. Chris will continue to be a great ambassador for our brand and stand out as one of the stars to beat from the wave of the green flag to the checkers.”
“I am so eager to be racing again,” said Dyson, a two-time professional road-racing champion with the International Motor Sports Ass’n. “And I’m extremely pleased and so grateful to be doing the Chili Bowl with Cory Kruseman again, and with my No. 16k in Smokey Mountain Chew colors.”
