NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Santino Ferrucci returns to Midget car competition in the dirt this week to compete in the annual Chili Bowl Nationals.

With more than 380 drivers entered in this year’s event, five nights of preliminary action that began Monday, Jan. 12 will set the stage for Saturday’s feature. Drivers initially compete on one preliminary night -- Monday through Friday -- with Ferrucci scheduled to race Friday, Jan. 16.

“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.”

Each preliminary night features a 30-lap main event, with only the top two finishers advancing directly to Saturday’s A Main. All other competitors are slotted into Saturday’s alphabet features, where drivers must work their way forward one race at a time in hopes of earning a spot in the 24-car, 55-lap championship feature.

This week marks Ferrucci’s sixth appearance in the prestigious midget racing event held indoors annually in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Chili Bowl attracts top talent from across the USAC ranks and around the globe, including drivers from NASCAR and other forms of motorsports. Ferrucci (photo, top) again will drive the No. 16 Webco Engineering entry for Indianapolis-based Abacus Racing, marking his second consecutive year with the team.

Santino Ferrucci

Ferrucci (photo, above) competed in the 2025 Chili Bowl with Abacus Racing, finishing sixth in the C Feature on his preliminary night to earn a start in Saturday’s K Feature. He advanced through the K, J and I Features and was running in a transfer position in the H Feature when an on-track incident ended his run through the event’s multi-feature elimination format, commonly referred to as “vegetable soup.”

“They (Abacus Racing) 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.”

Ferrucci, who has made 93 NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts, also competed in a USAC Midget event at Placerville Speedway during the offseason to better prepare for his return to Tulsa. While dirt racing is not his primary background, he continues to embrace the challenge rather than stepping away to focus solely on his INDYCAR SERIES commitments.

“The racing, the experience, it’s so much fun,” Ferrucci said. “It’s enjoyable to let loose a little bit. The dirt car is so different and so technical. It puts you in the right mindset heading into the season. A lot of drivers are doing Daytona (the Rolex 24), so I like doing this.”

While driving a midget is nothing like racing his No. 14 Chevrolet in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Ferrucci said the experience offers transferable skills that benefit his primary role. With the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg approaching March 1, the Chili Bowl serves as a valuable tune-up.

“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.

“It’s a small track, so a lot is happening, but you can’t just jump on the brakes and change what you’re doing. You have to be methodical. There’s a lot of quick reaction and quick thinking, and it really drains your brain, which helps get me back up to a high performance level.”

Midget and dirt racing were once a primary developmental path for open-wheel drivers, and Ferrucci’s team owner, A.J. Foyt, is an accomplished dirt racer in addition to his 67 INDYCAR SERIES wins and seven championships. That legacy, along with support from team president Larry Foyt, has helped Ferrucci continue pursuing opportunities on dirt.

“I know Larry’s (Foyt) 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.

“I wish more drivers would do it, but it’s tough to just jump in because it’s a completely different discipline.”