Alphabet Soup

Alphabet Soup in motorsport refers to the series of preliminary races that drivers must compete in to advance from lower-ranked events to the main race, with each race named after letters of the alphabet.

In short track racing formats like midget car and sprint car racing, large numbers of drivers often enter events. Since the main race can only hold a limited number of cars, organizers create multiple preliminary races to determine who qualifies. These races are named with letters, typically starting from later in the alphabet and working toward "A".

The main event is called the "A Main" and represents the top tier of competition. Below this are the "B Main," "C Main," "D Main," and so on, depending on how many entries the event has. At major events like the Chili Bowl Nationals, this system can extend all the way to the "O Main" or beyond.

When a driver "runs through the alphabet soup," it means they started in one of the lower-ranked preliminary races and successfully advanced through multiple levels to reach the A Main. This requires finishing in a transfer position in each race, which typically means placing in the top few spots.

For example, a driver starting in the D Main must finish high enough to transfer to the C Main, then repeat this process to advance to the B Main, and finally earn a spot in the A Main. This progression can happen all in one night, making it an exhausting but potentially rewarding journey.

The term highlights the challenging path some drivers face when they don't qualify well initially. Running the alphabet soup requires consistency, car durability, and mental toughness across multiple races. Success stories of drivers advancing from deep in the alphabet soup to win the A Main are celebrated in racing communities.

This format ensures that even drivers who struggle in qualifying still have opportunities to race their way into the main event, though the path becomes increasingly difficult with each lower starting position.