Emerson Axsom scores Chili Bowl prelim in real team environment

Emerson Axsom left the old Keith Kunz Motorsports for the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals and has apparently joined the new one.

Swindell Speedlab

Axsom won the Wednesday night preliminary feature last year with Kunz but was not brought back and feels fortunate to have been picked up by Kevin Swindell and thanked him by locking him earlier than he usually is by this time of the week.

“When Kevin messaged me, I was ecstatic,” Asxom said. “Keith told me at the end of last year that he wasn’t interested in bringing back a car for himself, that he had done it enough and didn’t want to do it this year, so I was ecstatic when Kevin asked.

“I’m happy for Kevin, (wife Jordan) and happy for the whole team, they worked their tails off.”

And this really is a team in every sense of the word as Axsom had the immediate support of the team’s ace -- two-time winner Logan Seavey.

“We just got beat last year,” Seavey said. “I don’t see how more data couldn’t help us, especially with guys that are good and give us data. So having good teammates, not just random runners, will allow us to get our cars even better every time we hit the track.”

And Seavey backed up those words with actions.

“Having a guy like Logan Seavey in your corner, he didn’t have to help me tonight,” Axsom said. “We're going to be racing each other on Saturday night, and he chose to help me, and give me a lot of pointers. So thankful for that.

“You know, I have been a part of a lot of teams that are not actually teams -- you just race for the same car owner. It’s a team over here. Everyone is trying to win on Saturday but our goal is to run 1-2-3-4 in any order and it’s a good feeling to race for people like that.”

With Kyle Cummins going on Thursday and Seavey on Friday, and any Kunz car yet to lock in, this may be the new multi-car powerhouse in the Tulsa Expo Center after also placing 14-year-old Jett Barnes on the Tuesday night podium.

“This is the best car I’ve ever had here,” Axsom said.

Meanwhile, Daison Pursley expressed the same sentiments in finishing second, needing to recover from a first lap qualifier spin that denied him a front row starting spot. This car is better than the one he nearly drove past Kyle Larson in the 2025 main event.

“Compared to where we were on Race of Champions to tonight, we are night and day better,” Pursley said. “It’s building my confidence more and more. It’s 55 laps again and I don’t think it matters where you start but hopefully our car is that good again and it’s just how much do you want it.”

Colby Copeland led laps early and ultimately scored a podium and will start near the front of a B feature on Saturday.

Kevin Thomas Jr. was the high point driver and pole sitter but ultimately finished fifth. It left him frustrated and needing to be told by fourth-place finisher Thomas Meseraull that there is no shame in a top-five in this building on a prelim night.

Feature results

1. Emerson Axsom
2. Daison Pursley
3. Colby Copeland
4. Thomas Meseraull
5. Kevin Thomas Jr.
6. Corey Day
7. Mitchel Moles
8. Kale Drake
9. Tim Buckwalter
10. Jake Neuman
11. Chelly Hinton
12. Jake Swanson
13. Colton Robinson
14. Bradley Cox
15. Alex Bright
16. Harry Stewart
17. Cale Stelzig
18. Steven Shebester
19. Austin Torgerson
20. R.J. Johnson
21. KJ Snow
22. Colby Stubblefield
23. TJ Smith
24. Aiden Price