Inside the Tulsa Swing: Thornton JR., Hoffmans, and Troutman prepare for 2026

For the 2026 indoor racing season in Tulsa, many drivers change disciplines for the first few weeks of January. Some of these disciplines include NASCAR, Sports Car Racing, and sometimes even IndyCar. However for drivers like Ricky Thornton Jr, Wout Hoffmans, and World of Outlaws Late Models’ Rookie of the Year, Drake Troutman, it’s just walk out into the backyard. Ricky Thornton Jr. returned to one of short-track racing’s biggest early-year spectacles by entering the 2026 Tulsa Shootout, tackling the massive field and intense passing points format that has made the Shootout an endurance test for drivers and teams alike.  Following the Shootout, Thornton Jr. was also listed among the early committed entries for the 40th Annual Chili Bowl Nationals at the SageNet Center, where he aimed to make his mark in the Super Bowl of midget racing with strong competition expected from hundreds of drivers.  Dutch racer Wout Hoffmans similarly broadened his short-track agenda by lining up for both the Shootout and the Chili Bowl as part of the expanding international contingent, bringing his overseas experience into one of the sport’s deepest and fiercest fields in January.  Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s Drake Troutman focused his winter campaign on the Chili Bowl alone, confirming his entry in the Tulsa Expo Raceway midget event as he looked to compete against a stacked roster of national and grassroots talent in the sport’s premier indoor race.  The only question left is: Who will bring home a Driller?