After winning his second Super DIRTcar Series championship, Mat Williamson didn’t rest in the off-season.
Instead, he took on the Chili Bowl Nationals for the first time behind the wheel of a Keith Kunz Motorsports Midget.
It was the first time the St. Catharines, ON driver traveled to Tulsa for the annual event, an experience he described in one word: Amazing.
“I really tried to tell people that it was a lot like Super Dirt Week,” Williamson said. “It felt like when we walked into the mile back in the day. It was pretty wowing.
“It’s certainly something that you really have to experience once or twice.”
Williamson started the week with two practice sessions, before running his preliminary night on Tuesday of the week-long event. That’s where “Money Mat” had an unforgettable experience in his Heat Race, flipping his No. 71P after contact with 2024 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars Rookie of the Year Buddy Kofoid.
However, Williamson said he wasn’t frustrated after the incident.
“I actually think that calmed me down a little bit,” Williamson said. “I don’t ever really destroy race cars. I got a pretty good track record at being conservative behind the wheel and not tearing up equipment. Then, getting in a Keith Kunz car I flip at the first race. So, after they put me back over, I kept going and I’m like, ‘Shit, you know, I think I did all right for flipping this thing over.’ I didn’t tear it up too bad.
“Once that happened, I think my nerves kind of went away and I got a little bit more relaxed behind the wheel and just focused on racing instead of worrying about wrecking the race car.”
After finishing fifth in his qualifier, Williamson transferred to the night’s B-Main where he narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Feature. As he drove through Turns 3 and 4, Williamson’s Midget wheelied off the corner, allowing Garet Williamson to drive by him for the final transfer spot.
That finish sent him to the E-Main on Saturday, where he finished 11th, ultimately ending his first attempt at the Chili Bowl.
Despite only competing in one event on Saturday, Williamson said he was content with his experience.
“I feel like if I had a Hot Lap session on Saturday it would’ve probably made my week a little easier,” Williamson said. “But you know, I don’t do it as often as I should, and I hadn’t ever done it before. By the end of Tuesday, I felt like I was really comfortable behind the wheel, but then you know we take four days off and then I go back, and I race against people that do it all time.
“I was pretty happy with our results. I think that puts us in the top 100 cars that are there. And there was damn near 400 there so there’s a lot of cars with far more experience.”
With the Chili Bowl complete, Williamson is turning his attention to the Super DIRTcar Series and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 12-15, where there’s history on the line.
If he drives his Buzz Chew Racing No. 88 to another Big Gator title in February, Williamson will be the first driver to win preseason championship for three consecutive years since the Big Gator trophy was introduced in 2012.
Along with winning the week-long championship, he’s reached Victory Lane six times at Volusia since 2020, including three of the last five Features at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.”
“I feel like any time you give us a couple days to figure out the racetrack, I feel like we thrive,” Williamson said. “We do a really good job adapting to the racetrack and as long as we stay focused, we really adapt pretty well. So, I think that we’ve got a pretty decent notebook for that place because we go so often.”
While the team finished 2024 on a high note with their second Super DIRTcar Series title, Williamson said he expects a battle over four nights.
“We obviously had some momentum at the end of the year, but there’s a lot of good cars that are going to be down there,” Williamson said. “You know Matt (Sheppard)’s going to be on his game, and I know there’s some others that are going down so it’s going to be tough. But I don’t think it’s going to be as tough as going to the Chili Bowl, never racing in a Midget before.”
Williamson leads the Super DIRTcar Series stars into Florida for Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 12-15. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every race live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or by downloading the DIRTVision App.
