NASCAR Driver Ryan Ellis will head to Tulsa, Oklahoma this January to compete in the 36th running of the Chili Bowl Nationals with primary sponsorship from Kansasland Tire. In his fourth Chili Bowl Nationals, Ellis will compete with a new team, Shophouse Racing. The team is owned by close friend and fellow NASCAR Driver Tanner Berryhill and his family.
Aside from the sponsorship from Kansasland Tire, Ellis will be joined by Audio Video Specialists, Rich Mar Florists, Limetree Marketing, Barbell Apparel, Keen Parts, Steve Hilker Trucking, and Superlite Cars, all of whom will be represented on the No.97R Boss Midget.
Kansasland, Ellis’ primary sponsor, is Kansas’ headquarters for tires and wheels, automotive services and commercial/farm services. The company boasts over 40 locations across five states, including 25 locations in the state of Kansas. It now ranks among the top-40 independent tire companies in North America and services over 5,000 customers in its varied operations daily. “If you are out of air or need repair, These guys care!” To find a location near you, schedule service or read more about them visit www.thetirestore.com.
While Ellis has been racing for 27 years across NASCAR, IMSA, and many other series’, he has only raced a dirt midget a few times prior to the 2022 Chili Bowl, with his first start coming in the 2015 Chili Bowl. Ellis has raced 88 races within NASCAR’s top three series’, including six starts in the Cup Series. Prior to NASCAR, Ellis competed in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Series, winning his first two starts in the series and finishing as the top rookie in the ST class. Despite a lack of dirt experience, this event will forever hold a very special place in Ellis’ heart.
Quote from Ellis: “The Chili Bowl is an event that means a lot to my family. My grandparents would send me shirts from each event growing up. My family has been racing since 1958, getting their start on dirt, and I know how much dirt racing means to my family. History-aside, it is just really fun to hop back into a midget and get back to grassroots racing. The Chili Bowl is one of the top motorsports events in the entire world and is an absolute must-see for fans. It’s an event I can go to with no expectations other than just having fun. I’m glad that Kansasland and my other partners have joined me for this event – we couldn’t do it without them” said Ellis.
Audio Video Specialists, owned by a close friend of Ellis’, Casey Elliott, will be a sponsor for Ellis and the No.97R Boss Midget. Audio Video Specialists is a family-owned company specializing in commercial and residential audio/video system design and sales and installation. They are able to make custom designed systems to fit all their client’s needs and budget and are able to serve clients nationwide. With over 25 years of combined industry experience, their management staff have the skill, knowledge and experience to exceed your expectations without breaking the bank. Let them be “Your AV Specialists” at https://youravspecialist.com.
Rich Mar Florists will be returning for their second Chili Bowl with Ellis. Rich Mar sponsored Ellis in several events in 2021 and looks to join Ellis again in 2022 with his new team, Alpha Prime Racing, within the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Rich Mar Florist has been the Lehigh Valley’s local florist since 1955. From small beginnings, the company has grown to provide floral arrangements at events large and small. Serving and sponsoring the NASCAR world, Rich Mar Florist is also proud track partners of Pocono Raceway and Dover Speedway.
Limetree Marketing will also be returning for their second race as a Chili Bowl sponsor. The company also was a co-primary sponsor of Ellis in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Road America in 2021. Limetree is a behavioral marketing company dedicated to making marketing smarter and more effective by uniting data, behavioral science and design. Rooted in science, our proven approach delivers actionable intelligence that significantly improves a marketers ability to target the right people with the right message. Through a unique combination of proven processes, qualified professionals, and proprietary technology we’ll help you reduce spend, maximize performance, and get time back to focus on other aspects of your business.
Steve Hilker Trucking, INC is another returning sponsor coming on board this year. They also sponsored Ellis in the 2021 Chili Bowl and the Kansasland Klash midget race in Garden City, Kansas where Ellis headlined along with his friend, NASCAR driver Matt DiBenedetto. Steve Hilker also gave Ryan his first opportunity to test a Sprint Car, the #911 Sprint Car normally piloted by Ty Williams. Will we see Ellis in an official race behind the wheel of another car from Steve Hilker’s Sprint Car stable? Stay tuned to find out! Steve Hilker Trucking is a second generation family-owned business headquartered in Cimarron, Kansas specializing in livestock transportation in the Midwest.
Keen Parts/CorvetteParts.net, Ellis’ primary sponsor for the majority of his 2021 and 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule, will be represented on the No.97R. Corvettes are all they do, so whether you’re looking for a complete interior for your vintage ‘53 Corvette or a performance accessory for your ‘11, they have the Corvette part you need and the expertise you want. For your Corvette exterior, they got you covered bumper-to-bumper. They even have emblems, moldings, grilles, bumpers and brackets, fiberglass, exterior trim and weather stripping. For the interior, they have steering wheels, seats, dash pads, consoles, carpeting, door panels, seat belts, interior trim and fasteners. Under the hood, they’ve got it all from air cleaners to exhaust systems, air conditioning, radiators, and valve covers all the way down to the decals and correct fasteners to bolt it all back together. For more information, please visit www.CorvetteParts.net or call 1-800-757-KEEN (5336).
Barbell Apparel and Superlite Cars will also join Ellis for the Chili Bowl Nationals.
Fans can catch Ellis and the Kansasland Tire No.97R Boss Midget online on FloRacing.com. Link is here.
Ellis’ Chili Bowl 2022 Schedule:
Friday, January 14 – Ellis’ Qualifying Night
Saturday, January 15 – Lucas Oil Championship Feature Events*
Ryan Ellis PR
