Mat Williamson recently competed in his first-ever Chili Bowl Nationals before heading to Florida for the Super DIRTcar Series at Volusia Speedway Park. The two-time Super DIRTcar Series champion described his Chili Bowl experience as "amazing," comparing it to Super Dirt Week.

During his preliminary night, Williamson flipped his No. 71P Keith Kunz Motorsports Midget after contact with Buddy Kofoid. Rather than frustrating him, the incident helped calm his nerves. He finished fifth in his qualifier and narrowly missed transferring from the B-Main when his car wheelied in the final corner. His Chili Bowl ended in the E-Main on Saturday with an 11th-place finish.

Despite limited experience, Williamson was satisfied with his performance, finishing in the top 100 out of nearly 400 competitors. "I hadn't ever done it before. By the end of Tuesday, I felt really comfortable behind the wheel," Williamson reflected.

Now, Williamson heads to Volusia Speedway Park for the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Feb. 12-15), where he could make history. A third consecutive Big Gator title would make him the first driver to achieve this feat since the trophy's introduction in 2012. His recent success at Volusia includes six victories since 2020.

"Any time you give us a couple days to figure out the racetrack, we thrive," said Williamson. While acknowledging strong competition from drivers like Matt Sheppard, he added, "I don't think it's going to be as tough as going to the Chili Bowl, never racing in a Midget before."

The Super DIRTcar Series champion enters the Florida events with momentum from his 2024 title defense but expects fierce competition over the four-night event.

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