Here's the thing about Santino Ferrucci: while much of the racing world heads for sports car endurance tests like the Rolex 24, the NTT IndyCar SERIES driver is diving headfirst back into the dirt. The annual Chili Bowl Nationals is back, and Ferrucci is once again trading pavement for a Midget car in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
This week brings his sixth appearance at the prestigious indoor event. More than 380 drivers are entered for five nights of preliminary action running Monday through Friday to set the grid for Saturday's feature. Ferrucci is scheduled to hit the track for his preliminary night on Friday, January 16, piloting the No. 16 Webco Engineering entry fielded by Indianapolis-based Abacus Racing. It marks his second consecutive year with the team.
You’re running wheel-to-wheel with such high-level talent. You also have to be very heads-up because it’s pretty easy to wreck, and they hurt a little bit more.
“I just love doing it,” Ferrucci said. “It’s comparable to a mini-Indy 500 in a sense, with all the entries and people, then dwindling it down. It’s just awesome.”
The format is brutal and relentless. Each preliminary night features a 30-lap main event, but only the top two finishers advance directly into Saturday’s A Main. Everyone else drops into the legendary alphabet features, fighting through a multi-stage elimination format affectionately known as "vegetable soup" just to earn a spot in the 24-car, 55-lap championship feature.
Last year's campaign saw him finish sixth in the C Feature on his preliminary night, landing a start in Saturday’s K Feature. He fought his way forward through the K, J, and I Features before an on-track incident halted his run while he was running in a transfer position in the H Feature. Even so, the continuity with Abacus Racing has him well-prepared for another assault on the field, especially with the same mechanics, the same crew, and a familiar teammate in Kaylee Bryson.
“They put out such a great car,” Ferrucci said. “It’s such quality equipment. They help with the understanding that I should probably build up to it instead of trying to step on it. It’s the same mechanics, same guys, and a similar teammate with Kaylee Bryson this year, as well. I can learn from her a little bit. It’s just a great group.”
To sharpen his skills for Tulsa, Ferrucci even made an offseason start in a USAC Midget event at Placerville Speedway. Although dirt racing is a vastly different beast from piloting his No. 14 Chevrolet in the NTT IndyCar SERIES, he finds that the frantic nature of Midget racing hones his reactions and racecraft just ahead of the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 1.
“You’re still strategizing your races and setting up your passes,” he said. “You’re running wheel-to-wheel with such high-level talent. You also have to be very heads-up because it’s pretty easy to wreck, and they hurt a little bit more.”
There is also a neat historical loop connecting his dirt racing pursuits to his primary IndyCar employer. Team owner A.J. Foyt built a legendary career on dirt tracks alongside his 67 IndyCar SERIES wins and seven championships. With team president Larry Foyt also making the trip out to support him, Ferrucci has found a unique way to bond with the racing icon.
“I know Larry’s coming out again this year,” Ferrucci said. “It’s good team bonding for us. He understands it. When I first started driving for the team, AJ was thrilled that I was running dirt cars because that’s his background. He showed me some of the stuff he won back in the ’60s. It’s a great way to connect with him, and it makes me appreciate it that much more.”
