Adrian, MI - One of the region's most captivating open-wheel drivers in the last two years has been Adrian, Michigan's Darin Naida. Hailing from a family full of sprint car success including a Grandfather who is most well known for his role in the now defunct Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt, a Championship winning father, and an open-wheel ace Uncle Steve Irwin, Darin's background is nothing short of a firm foundation for success in open-wheel racing. That was shown in multiple ways in 2023 including a shining moment during the Chili Bowl.
Naida struggled slightly in his Tuesday night prelim night last January. The 16-year-old was forced to race in a B-Main after finishing 6th in his heat race. A third place starting spot was no problem for Naida, who raced his way to the front of the field and picked up the win. He started 18th in the A-Main, but joined drivers like Buddy Kofoid, Alex Bowman, and Micheal Pickens with a DNF.
Since then, Naida went on to find success in his family-owned 410 Winged Sprint Car throughout the summer. His first career Sprint Car win came in July at his home track of Butler Motor Speedway and immediately collected his second win the next week. Naida went on to collect multiple top 10 finishes to end the season.
As the 2024 Chili Bowl approached, Naida was troubled to find a ride after the Binks Motorsports seat dissolved...
That call to action was quickly answered less than 24 hours after the post was made. An updated post on social media said that Naida had indeed landed a seat for the Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, OK.
The 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals unofficially begins Sunday, January 7th with Chili Bowl Practice. Qualifier Nights begin on Monday and the race for a 2024 Golden Driller is Saturday night.
Story - Zach Hiser
Photo - Unknown
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