Brayton Laster, coming off his first full-time campaign in the ARCA Menards Series, is partnering with Wisconsin-based team, Zach Boden Racing, for his first-ever attempt at the Chili Bowl Nationals.

The 40th Annual O’Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals is the marquee event for dirt midget racing, often referred to as the “Super Bowl of Dirt Midget Racing”, taking place inside the Tulsa Expo Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma every January. Over 350 of the world’s best drivers from every aspect of racing converge on the temporarily built quarter-mile dirt oval. 

“It is super cool to have an opportunity with Zach and his entire team that he’s built over the last couple of years. He puts in the time and effort you need to go out there and have a good week,” Laster said. “I don’t have very many laps in a dirt midget, or even much open-wheel experience. I just want to go, complete as many laps as I can, and build up as much experience as I can.”

This is not the first time the 2025 ARCA Rookie of the Year runner-up has run dirt. Laster raced dirt late models full-time from 2018 to 2023, competing across Indiana and the Midwest. Laster has ran with a wide variety of series in late models, including but not limited to the World of Outlaws Late Models, Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series, UMP Summer Nationals, Ultimate Heart of America Late Model Series, and more. His best points finish was in 2021, where he finished 3rd with the Ultimate Heart of America Late Model Series and at Richmond (KY) Raceway in the same year. Laster has also attempted the Gateway Dirt Nationals in St. Louis. 

While Laster has taken a “journeyman” route into the ARCA Menards Series, often driving for smaller family-run operations, he has found some success. Three of Laster’s five top ten results have come at the dirt miles of Springfield and DuQuoin, including a career best of 7th this year at Springfield. That 7th place finish was also his team owner, Wayne Peterson’s, best finish in ARCA competition in 40 years. Laster also finished 8th in the driver standings and 2nd in the Rookie of the Year standings this past season, his first year of full-time competition in ARCA.

Zach Boden Racing primarily competes around Wisconsin in the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association. Boden himself was the 2022 series Champion and the 2017 Rookie of the Year. This will be the team’s 5th Chili Bowl attempt and the 2nd time they have taken multiple cars. 

“We are really excited to be going back to the Chili Bowl for the fifth time now. Being able to bring our program south to Oklahoma with Brayton driving our second car is going to be a very fun and exciting experience. Bringing our passions and racing knowledge together to put Brayton in the most comfortable situation we can for his first-ever attempt competing at the Chili Bowl is the goal,” Zach Boden, team owner, said. “We would love to take a third car and still have that seat open for anyone wanting to come in and help grow our program and be a part of the team for the 2026 Chili Bowl Nationals.” 

The 40th Annual O’Reilly Chili Bowl Nationals will take place from January 11th to January 17th. Practice kicks off on Sunday, January 11th, with Laster set to compete in a preliminary slew of action throughout the week to seed him for Saturday’s “alphabet soup.” Every lap will be broadcast on FloRacing.

K.C. Arborist Tree Care will carry primary sponsorship on the #06 Zach Boden Racing entry for Laster. Also supporting the efforts will be long-time partners, @Cyber_Fox_ on X.com, Rubber Down Rewind, O’Bryan Weld Works, Running’s Racing Designs, JJ Custom Rugs, PeerlessPump.com, Pushkin, Beyond The Garage, Matrix Apparel, and others.

For more on Brayton Laster, you can find him on Facebook (Brayton Laster), Instagram (@BraytonLaster), X (@TheOnePizzaMan), his website, BraytonLaster.com, or email at BLasterMotorsports@gmail.com. You can follow Zach Boden Racing on Facebook or email them at zachbodenracing@gmail.com.

-per Brayton Laster Motorsports press release

Photo: Brayton Laster Motorsports