ANDERSON, Ind., April 15 —Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson got the 2024 season off to a great start Sunday afternoon when Swanson was the fastest qualifier in the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77, led a third of the 100-lap Glen Niebel Classic, and finished a solid second in the 500 Sprint Car Tour season opener at Anderson Speedway.
After earning the pole when the inversion was a one, Swanson led the first 34 laps as the 21-car field sped around the quarter-mile paved oval. Dakoda Armstrong used lapped traffic to help him vault from third to first in Turn 2 on lap 35, and he went on to win the race with Swanson in hot pursuit. The winner’s cousin, Caleb Armstrong, placed third followed by the defending race winner, Kyle O’Gara, and Taylor Ferns.
It was the second year in a row that Swanson was the fastest qualifier for this particular event, which was its 24th edition. After running third and first in the two practice sessions Sunday afternoon, he topped the field in qualifying with a time of 11.274 seconds with the No. 77, which is powered by a Dan Binks-prepared Chevrolet V8 engine. Defending series champion Tyler Roahrig qualified second followed by Dakoda and Caleb Armstrong and Bobby Santos III. "Read more"
WHITEHOUSE, N.J., Dec. 28 — Jeff and Dawn Kreider are pleased to announce they have purchased Robison Racing Products and will continue the legacy of the late Gerry Robison by supplying the racing community with high-quality products under the company’s new name, Robison Race Products by Kreider Manufacturing.
With the purchase, the new company will utilize the Kreiders’ 3,300-square-foot machine shop in Whitehouse, N.J., which is much bigger than Robison Racing Products’ former headquarters in Dublin, Pa. The sale included a great deal of inventory which is ready for racers around the world, including oil tanks, radius rods, valve covers, wing trees and birdcages, to name just a few items.
Jeff Kreider has been a CNC machinist for over 35 years, specializing in high-quality parts for the aerospace, military, and medical fields. The past few years he has expanded into machining racing parts too, doing so working directly with Gerry Robison, who died in November after decades in the racing business. They had discussed the Kreider family taking over Robison Racing Products prior to his death. "Read more"
SOUTHWICK, Mass., Oct. 30 — A dream came true for team owner Tim Bertrand when driver Kody Swanson and the rest of the Bertrand Motorsports team won a special 30-lap midget race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) on Oct. 15.
Bertrand has always wanted to see one of his cars win a feature at the storied 0.686-mile asphalt oval in Brownsburg, Ind., but prior to that day his midgets had always come up shy of the top spot there. Despite his best efforts, an IRP victory remained an unchecked line on his bucket list.
So when Swanson took the checkered flag, both Bertrand and his driver got a little emotional.
The race was one-third of the Howard Companies Championship Sunday at IRP, and part of IRP’s three-race Browns Oil Service National Pavement Midget Championship. Since it was coupled with the USAC Silver Crown and the 500 Sprint Car Tour season finales, many of the nation’s top open-wheel asphalt drivers were on hand and had midget rides too.
But it was Swanson who took the checkered flag first after grabbing the lead from Davey Hamilton Jr. on lap seven and showing the way the rest of the race in one of the Bertrand Motorsports cars, as Todd Bertrand (Tim’s brother) and Nathan Byrd were his teammates. Swanson’s car is a Gerhardt chassis previously owned and meticulously maintained by Jerome Rodela with a Stanton SR-11X Mopar engine. Swanson had a whopping 4.593-second margin of victory over Justin Grant, who just sealed up his second consecutive USAC AMSOIL national sprint car championship. "Read more"
BROWNBURG, Ind., Oct. 16 — Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson finished fourth in the USAC Silver Crown series’ 100-lap season finale Sunday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with their Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77. They placed second in the series’ point standings for 2023, coming up just seven points shy of repeating as the series’ champions.
The slim margin underscores how competitive the championship was. Driver Logan Seavey and the Rice Motorsports/Abacus Racing team won the title in USAC’s top class with 676 points to Swanson and Doran Binks Racing’s 669. A total of 836 points were up for grabs in the series’ 11 races.
Doran Binks Racing and Swanson also finished second in the 2023 edition of the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores after also winning that series’ inaugural championship last year. They had an eighth-place finish in the 500 Sprint Car Tour’s 40-lap race on Sunday at IRP. That championship’s margin was larger at 58 points, as Tyler Roahrig won the title with 1,818 points to Swanson’s 1,760 after nine races, unofficially.
Swanson guided the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 to five victories in 2023 within the two series, which started in April. In a combined total of 20 races within the two series, he was only out of the top five three times, which is a remarkable accomplishment for the Kingsburg, Calif., native and the team based in Lebanon, Ohio. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., Oct. 8 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson kept the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 in fourth place from start to finish in the Tony Elliott Classic Saturday at Anderson Speedway to retain second place in the 2023 point standings of the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores with one event remaining.
Dakoda Armstrong passed Taylor Ferns on lap 46 and went on to post his first series victory by 4.426 seconds over Ferns, who led the first 45 laps of the 100-lap race on the quarter-mile asphalt oval. They were the only drivers to lead. Point leader Tyler Roahrig won the pole and finished third, followed by Swanson and Caleb Armstrong. Billy Wease, Kyle O’Gara, Bobby Santos III, Brian Vaughn, and Trey Burke rounded out the top 10.
Unofficially Roahrig still leads the point standings going into the season finale this coming Saturday, Oct. 14, at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) in Brownsburg, Ind. He has a 13-point lead over Swanson, 1,598 points to 1,585 points. There are 220 points up for grabs at the season finale, so mathematically the title is up for grabs between the top five drivers, which includes Armstrong in third (1,521 points), O’Gara in fourth (1,520 points), and Santos (1,420 points). The different scenarios of possible point totals at IRP are too numerous to spell out since bonus points are awarded to the driver who wins the pole, leads a lap, and leads the most laps in addition to the points earned by finishing positions. "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, Sept. 25 — Nolen Racing’s Emerson Axsom flirted with a top-10 finish in the USAC Silver Crown feature that was part of the 41st 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway over the weekend. After qualifying 13th on Friday, he was as high as 11th and ended up 14th in the series’ 50-lapper in a program that started Saturday night and ended in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The top 20 drivers in Friday’s qualifying session locked themselves into the starting line-up for the feature. Axsom was among them when he took just 17.926 seconds to circle the half-mile clay oval in the famous bright yellow Nolen Racing No. 20, a Maxim/Tranter Chevy sponsored by KECO Coatings and Advanced Racing Suspensions.
He actually got to start 11th in the main event, however. The driver who qualified third, Brady Bacon, suffered an eye injury so Tyler Courtney substituted for him and went to the rear of the field for the green. Mario Clouser qualified ninth but he was unable to start the feature after he crashed in a practice session Saturday night. Axsom was eighth in that practice session.
Moving up two positions before the race even started was countered by dropping three spots at the end of lap one of the feature, as the pack ran close together and diced for position. However, Axsom was able to regain two spots by lap two to rise to 12th. That was an early indication of Axsom’s 2023 Eldora Silver Crown experience, as he was embroiled in several battles throughout the race with several veterans. Axsom is a series rookie; he’ll turn 19 on Sept. 30. "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, Sept. 24 — Kody Swanson trailed point leader Logan Seavey by just one point going into the USAC Silver Crown race that was part of the 41st 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway. Swanson drove the Doran Binks Racing Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 to a solid fifth-place finish in the 50-lapper that ended in the wee hours of Sunday morning, but Seavey won the race and led the most laps to extend his lead to 16 points going into the season finale Oct. 14 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Ind. No other drivers have enough points to contend for the title at the season finale. A maximum total of 76 points are up for grabs on Oct. 14.
Swanson qualified eighth but he actually started seventh behind polesitter Justin Grant, C.J. Leary, Jake Swanson, Chase Dietz, Seavey, and Matt Westfall. Brady Bacon qualified third but suffered an eye injury before the race, so Tyler Courtney substituted for him and went to the rear of the field for the green.
Jake Swanson (no relation) had a bad start and faded from third to seventh on the first lap, which elevated Kody Swanson to sixth place. He remained in sixth for the first 22 laps, which included a yellow with six laps down when Matt Mitchell drew the race’s only caution flag. "Read more"
DU QUOIN, Ill., Sept. 5 — The 69th running of the Ted Horn 100 USAC Silver Crown race at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds attracted a big field of 35 drivers on Saturday, 10 of whom were rookies. Nolen Racing’s Emerson Axsom of Franklin, Ind., was the class of the rookie field, as he was both the highest qualifying rookie and the highest finishing rookie.
Driving the famous bright yellow Nolen Racing No. 20, a Maxim/Tranter Chevy sponsored by KECO Coatings and Advanced Racing Suspensions, Axsom qualified 12th and finished seventh in the 100-lap race on the 1-mile dirt oval.
The top-10 finish was an impressive accomplishment for the 17-year-old driver, who was making his first start at this particular track and only his fifth race ever in USAC’s top division.
Gaining experience was his primary goal. That started in practice, when he ran 34 laps as the Whiteland, Ind.-based team worked to develop its set-up for the test ahead. Only one other driver among the 35 who participated in practice ran any more. Axsom ended up seventh in practice with a lap in 31.187. Track conditions changed somewhat for qualifying, when he was 12th with a 33.035. He set the sixth-fastest lap of anyone in the race when he was timed in 31.834 on lap 77. "Read more"
DU QUOIN, Ill., Sept. 4 — Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 driven by Kody Swanson was the fastest car in the 69th running of the Ted Horn 100 USAC Silver Crown race at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon. Track position was everything, however. Swanson put on a stirring charge to advance to third at the checkered after starting eighth in a race that only had three caution flags once it got underway.
Justin Grant started on the pole and led all but the first lap of the 100-lapper, when C.J. Leary, who started second, had the point in the 29-car field on the 1- mile dirt oval.
But it was Swanson who set the fastest lap of anyone in the race. He gave it his all right up to the end with the No. 77, a Maxim with a Bob Hampshire-prepped Chevy engine, as he set the fastest race lap on lap 99 with a time of 31.363 seconds. He was also the fastest driver around the halfway point after he ran a lap in 31.675 on lap 58.
Grant’s performance gave him the six bonus points available as well as the winner’s 70. Logan Seavey came in fifth and he still leads the point standings, but now it’s only by one point over Swanson. Going into the race Seavey led the standings over Swanson by seven points. "Read more"
MADISON, Ill., Aug. 28 — It was an up-and-down day for Doran Binks Racing and driver Kody Swanson in USAC Silver Crown action Sunday in the shadows of the Gateway Arch at World Wide Technology Raceway. Swanson won the pole and led more than a quarter of the 80-lap/100-mile race on the 1.25-mile asphalt oval until a mechanical issue dropped the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 to 14th place in the official rundown of the Outfront Media USA 100.
The event shared the card with the NTT IndyCar Series’ Bommarito Automotive Group 500.
After leading the 22-car field to the green flag, Swanson dropped to third initially with the No. 77, which is powered by a Lanci-prepped Ford engine. He quickly moved into second before two laps were in the books as the top runners ran inches apart. He regained the lead from Logan Seavey as the top pack jockeyed for positions, but dropped to second again when C.J. Leary slipped under him coming out of Turn 1 on lap five.
Tom Paterson brought out the first of six yellows with six laps down when he stopped in Turn 2. Leary continued to have the upper hand after the restart on lap eight, but Leary brought out a yellow when he slowed on the frontstretch working lap 11, which gave the lead back to Swanson. The top five for the restart on lap 15 were Swanson, Mario Clouser, Davey Hamilton Jr., Bobby Santos III and Justin Grant. "Read more"
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Aug. 20 — The USAC Silver Crown series isn’t Emerson Axsom’s primary focus this year, as he’s only doing a couple of races in that series in 2023. Anyone who attended Saturday afternoon’s Bettenhausen 100 USAC Silver Crown race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds wouldn’t have known that by his performance in the bright yellow Nolen Racing No. 20, however.
Axsom, who is currently second in the USAC AMSOIL sprint car point standings driving for Clauson Marshall Newman Racing, shook up the USAC Silver Crown set by qualifying second, just 0.024 off the pole, in a robust field of 31. Then the young Franklin, Ind.-based driver led the first lap of the race, ran in the top three for the first quarter of the race and fifth for the second half of it to finish a solid fifth for the Whiteland, Ind.-based Nolen Racing team.
It was his first race ever at this particular track.
In a car powered by a Tranter-prepared Chevrolet engine and sponsored by KECO Coatings, Axsom passed the polesitter and eventual race winner, Logan Seavey, to the outside on the frontstretch heading into Turn 1 to lead the first of 100 laps around the 1-mile dirt oval. Seavey got him back with a move to the outside in Turn 3 working lap two, but Axsom ran in second place and held off veteran Shane Cottle until Cottle got by him working lap 21. "Read more"
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Aug. 20 — Although Logan Seavey gained 15 points on Kody Swanson for winning the 60th annual Bettenhausen 100 USAC Silver Crown race at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Swanson and the Doran Binks Racing team still lead the overall point standings due to their solid fourth-place finish in the 100- lapper on the 1-mile dirt oval Saturday afternoon.
Driving the Mission Foods No. 77 powered by a Lanci Ford engine, Swanson started tenth in the 31-car field, but he certainly didn’t stay there long once the green flag dropped.
He passed Davey Ray, Wayne Johnson and Mario Clouser on the first lap to rise to seventh place, and he got sixth by passing Jacob Wilson on lap two. The native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis remained in sixth place through lap 10, and advanced to fifth on lap 11 by passing Justin Grant. "Read more"
TOLEDO, Ohio, Aug. 6 — Kody Swanson is from Kingsburg, Calif., and he now lives in the Indianapolis suburb of Zionsville, Ind., but he seems to own part of Toledo, Ohio too.
That part is on Benore Road where the half-mile Toledo Speedway is located. Swanson won an unprecedented fifth consecutive USAC Silver Crown race at Toledo Speedway Saturday night, and his seventh there in all (2011, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023). (There was no Silver Crown race there in 2020.)
The complete name of Saturday’s race on the high-banked asphalt oval was the tenth running of the Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness Rollie Beale Classic Fueled by Marco’s Pizza. It’s named in honor of the late Rollie Beale, a Toledo native, the 1973 USAC sprint car champion driver, a member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, and a longtime USAC official. "Read more"
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 1 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson qualified third, started fourth in the 40-lap feature, ran as high as second, and finished third last Saturday night at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in the Pro Door Manufacturing 40. The 40-lap race was part of the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores, and unofficially with the podium finish with his Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 Swanson retook the lead in the series’ championship.
The top six qualifiers were inverted for the start, which put Billy Wease on the pole. He led the whole race, which ran non-stop, for his first series victory.
In a car powered by a Binks Chevy engine, Swanson was able to soar from fourth to second on the first lap. He passed fellow row-two starter Dakoda Armstrong to the outside on the backstretch, and dipped under Bobby Santos III, who started second, on the frontstretch before the start-finish line.
Swanson then did his best to pass Wease too, but he was elusive. Instead, Santos regained second from Swanson with a move to the inside in Turn 1 working lap nine. Swanson remained third the rest of the way, and the podium finishers took the checkered flag nose to tail. Wease’s margin of victory over Santos was just 0.149 of a second, while Swanson was only 0.242 behind Santos. The driver who finished fourth, Kyle O’Gara, was further back, some 1.994 seconds behind Swanson at the end. Armstrong rounded out the top five and the driver who led the point standings going into this race, Tyler Roahrig, finished sixth. "Read more"
MARNE, Mich., July 24 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson qualified third, started sixth due to the invert, and charged back up to finish third Saturday night at Berlin Raceway in a 40-lap feature sanctioned by the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
Driving the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 asphalt sprint car which is powered by a Binks Chevy engine, Swanson got right to work at the drop of the green flag. The Kingsburg, Calif., native who now lives in Indianapolis passed fellow row three starter Bobby Santos III for fifth on the first lap. He got around Jackson Macenko for fourth on lap two. In just one more lap Swanson, the defending series champion, passed Taylor Ferns for third on lap three.
Polesitter Derek Bischak led the first three laps, but his fellow front-row starter, Kyle O’Gara, got the lead from Bischak working lap four. Swanson passed Bischak for second place on lap six right before the event’s only caution flag waved with seven laps down, reportedly for debris on the track. "Read more"
WINCHESTER, Ind., July 21 — For the second year in a row and for the second race in a row this year, Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson led all 100 laps of a USAC Silver Crown race as he defended his 2022 victory in the Rich Vogler Classic Thursday night at Winchester Speedway in dominant fashion.
The defending series champion led all 100 laps of the USAC Silver Crown race June 23 at Madison Int’l Speedway in Wisconsin too, and by the end of Thursday’s race on the world’s fastest half-mile paved oval Swanson and Doran Binks Racing had earned enough points to take the lead in the 2023 USAC Silver Crown driver and entrant point standings. They have 311 points for their work with the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 so far this year, while Logan Seavey and Rice Motorsports/Abacus Racing are second in the current standings with 295 points.
Swanson won this race last year by an unheard of 10.062 seconds, lapping everyone except the runner-up, who was Seavey. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., July 10 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson spent a big portion of the CB Fabricating Gene Nolen Classic at Anderson Speedway Saturday night trying to find a way around Bobby Santos III. As it turned out he didn’t have to, as Santos dropped out of the race with seven laps remaining and Swanson went on to post his second consecutive victory in the event named in memory of one of his former car owners.
With his triumph in the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 powered by a Binks Chevy V8 engine, Swanson took the lead in the point standings as he guns for his second consecutive championship in the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
After Santos dropped out reportedly due to a mechanical issue that caused his car to run out of fuel, Swanson beat Kyle O’Gara by 0.502 seconds at the checkered flag after 100 laps around the quarter-mile, high-banked oval. Fastest qualifier Tyler Roahrig finished third followed by Dakoda Armstrong and Jackson Macenko in the field of 22 asphalt sprint cars.
Swanson was the second-fastest qualifier, just 0.023 off Roahrig’s time of 11.097 seconds. The inversion was a six, so Swanson started fifth and the front row was shared by polesitter Santos and Chris Neuenschwander. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., July 9 — The late Gene Nolen, the founder of Nolen Racing and the man whom the Gene Nolen Classic honors, knew very well that a driver’s finishing position often does not reflect the effort extended.
That was the case Saturday night at Anderson Speedway when young Nick Hamilton qualified seventh in the famous yellow Nolen Racing No. 20 in his first race ever in the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores, and then ran in seventh place for more than half the race. Unfortunately the Fillmore, Ind.-based driver ended up 16th with 66 laps complete in the 100-lapper after two incidents not of his doing.
Driving a Beast powered by a Tranter-prepped Chevy V6 engine and sponsored by KECO Coatings, Hamilton kept his mount firmly in seventh place for the first 51 laps around the high-banked, quarter-mile oval.
Kyle O’Gara, who ended up finishing second and set the second-fastest lap of the race despite qualifying 14th, was behind Hamilton with 51 laps down when there was contact between the pair in Turn 3 which forced Hamilton to stop, bringing out the race’s fifth yellow flag. O’Gara apologized afterwards during the podium celebration for his role in the incident. "Read more"
OREGON, Wis., June 24 — Kody Swanson has now won three of the four USAC Silver Crown races ever held at Madison Int’l Speedway. Friday night’s victory was his most dominant, as he was the fastest qualifier to earn the pole, set the fastest lap of the race, and led all 100 laps of the Salute to America/Bytec Dairyland 100 in Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77.
The greatest USAC Silver Crown driver in history extended his series’ leading number of victories to 38 and earned his 43rd series pole, also a record, as he attempts to earn an unprecedented eighth series championship.
It was Swanson and the Doran Binks Racing team’s second victory of the week, as they were also victorious last Sunday in a 500 Sprint Car Tour race at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway. Ironically the top three finishers were the same in both races, although second and third exchanged places. In Friday’s USAC Silver Crown race Swanson took the checkered flag 2.392 seconds before Bobby Santos III did, while Tyler Roahrig finished third. Mario Clouser and Logan Seavey rounded out the top five.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, won the pole by turning the half-mile asphalt oval in 16.980 seconds for an average speed of 106.007 miles per hour, just a tick slower than his one-lap track record of 16.852 seconds set in 2019. Derek Bischak qualified second, just 0.085 of a second behind. "Read more"
TOLEDO, Ohio, June 19 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson won the 40-lap feature sanctioned by the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores Sunday at Toledo Speedway. The asphalt sprint car action was part of the Father’s Day Special Presented by Monroe Asphalt.
Although he was the fastest qualifier in the Mission Foods No. 77 also sponsored by Glenn Farms, Swanson had to start seventh in the 16-car field due to the inversion and Tyler Roahrig starting at the rear because his team changed a tire before the race.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, got straight to work. With Chevrolet power prepped by Dan Binks, the series’ defending champion passed Kyle O’Gara, Bobby Santos III and Taylor Ferns to rise from seventh to fourth by the end of the first lap of the half-mile asphalt oval.
He passed Jackson Macenko for third on lap two to trail only Dakoda Armstrong and Justin Harper when the first of three yellows waved. The caution was for Tommy Nichols, who stopped on the track due to a mechanical issue.
Swanson used the outside groove to pass Harper at the end of the frontstretch on lap three to move into second place, but then another yellow that extended to a red flag waved with three laps down when Nichols crashed into the Turn 1 wall. He emerged unhurt. "Read more"
PORT ROYAL, Pa., June 19 — Top-five finishes are crucial when trying to defend a championship, and Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson recorded another one in pursuit of his unprecedented eighth USAC Silver Crown title when he finished fifth in the 50-lap USAC Silver Crown race Saturday night at Port Royal Speedway.
His Mission Foods No. 77, a Maxim chassis powered by a Hampshire Chevy engine that is also sponsored by Glenn Farms, started second in the 26-car field on the half-mile clay oval, but Swanson beat polesitter Mitchel Moles into the first turn and led the first 21 laps. Brady Bacon passed Moles for second on lap two and tried to get around Swanson both on the low side and the high side to no avail. By lap 10 Swanson had a 1.567-second lead over Bacon, who was followed by Moles, Chase Dietz and Logan Seavey.
The fight for second was intense, which allowed Swanson to increase his lead to over 2 seconds by lap 13. Seavey got around Bacon for second three laps later, and he was able to cut Swanson’s lead to 0.796 of a second by lap 20 when the second of three cautions waved.
Swanson fought Seavey off on the restart but Seavey took the lead in Turn 3 on lap 22, relegating Swanson to second. On lap 24 Swanson, Bacon and Dietz were three abreast flying down the frontstretch as they battled for second. That battle allowed Seavey to build up a 3-second lead over Swanson by lap 31. (Paul Arch photo) "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, June 15 – The Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions winged sprint cars headline a sprint car doubleheader at Eldora Speedway this Friday night (June 16) for the next-to-last round of the 41st annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek presented by Cometic Gasket.
The non-wing MPD Racing Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) completes the open-wheel racing card.
With sponsorship from the Whistle Stop Bar & Grill in nearby Ansonia, Ohio, the All Stars will race for $12,000 to win at the “World’s Greatest Dirt Track.” Friday’s race is also the final opportunity for winged sprint car teams to tune up for the Eldora Million on July 12-13. "Read more"
MARNE, Mich., June 11 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson qualified third, started at the rear due to a tire change, and flew through the field to finish fourth Saturday night at Berlin Raceway in a 40-lap feature sanctioned by the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
Driving the Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77 asphalt sprint car, Swanson was always among the top drivers in practice and qualifying, setting the fastest time in the second practice session and qualifying third, just 0.390 off fastest qualifier Tyler Roahrig’s 15.493.
But Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, had to start at the rear of the 18-car field for the feature per the rules after the Doran Binks crew changed a tire prior to the start of the race. It was the right decision, as the handling of the car was immediately better after the switch.
His start was spectacular. Powered by a Binks Chevy engine, Swanson’s No. 77 was already in the top 10 by lap two. The defending series champ took ninth on lap four, eighth on lap eight, seventh on lap nine and sixth on lap 11 as the cars blazed around the nearly circular and very challenging 0.4375-mile asphalt oval, which has 13-degree turns and 9-degree straightaways. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., May 29 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson led more than half of the 75th running of the Lucas Oil Little 500 Presented by UAW Saturday night at Anderson Speedway, and he finished on the podium in third place in the team’s Mission Foods No. 77 in the most prestigious asphalt sprint car race in the world.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, was never lower than fourth place during the 500-lap contest on Anderson’s quarter-mile, high-banked oval, which is famous for starting 33 sprint cars three abreast and being long enough to require two mandatory pit stops in each half of the race.
Swanson started on the pole after being the fastest qualifier in first-round qualifying last Thursday. He immediately took command, and led the first 194 laps with the No. 77, which is powered by a Binks Chevrolet V8.
He made his first pit stop working lap 195 under a caution flag, but didn’t lose a lap and only dropped to fourth place. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., May 29 — Doran Binks Racing’s Kody Swanson led more than half of the 75th running of the Lucas Oil Little 500 Presented by UAW Saturday night at Anderson Speedway, and he finished on the podium in third place in the team’s Mission Foods No. 77 in the most prestigious asphalt sprint car race in the world.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, was never lower than fourth place during the 500-lap contest on Anderson’s quarter-mile, high-banked oval, which is famous for starting 33 sprint cars three abreast and being long enough to require two mandatory pit stops in each half of the race.
Swanson started on the pole after being the fastest qualifier in first-round qualifying last Thursday. He immediately took command, and led the first 194 laps with the No. 77, which is powered by a Binks Chevrolet V8.
He made his first pit stop working lap 195 under a caution flag, but didn’t lose a lap and only dropped to fourth place.
He moved from fourth to third on lap 280 when his brother, Tanner, dropped out while leading with an apparent motor issue. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., May 27 — Emerson Axsom qualified seventh and ran in eighth place for the first 40 laps of the Hoosier Hundred USAC Silver Crown race Friday night at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Unfortunately at that point it appeared that a front suspension component broke on his bright yellow Nolen Racing No. 20, and he crashed hard into the outside wall in Turn 1. Although he escaped injury, his KECO Coatings-sponsored Beast with a Tranter Chevy V8 suffered front-end damage and he was unable to continue in the 146-lap race.
The Franklin, Ind.-based driver, who was making his first USAC Silver Crown pavement start, unofficially finished 28th.
Axsom ran a 42.618 for two laps around the 0.686-mile asphalt oval in qualifying, which was just 0.892 off the time Bobby Santos ran to earn the pole.
Nathan Byrd passed Axsom at the start of the race to push him from seventh to eighth, but Axsom was able to hold off veteran Russ Gamester for the first 31 laps. Taylor Ferns passed Gamester on a restart on lap 31 and inched ahead of Axsom for an instant too, but he passed her back on the same lap and never dropped out of eighth place on the lap charts. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., May 26 — Kody Swanson’s quest for a fifth victory in the Hoosier Hundred will have to wait until 2024, but he led 115 laps of the 146-lap USAC Silver Crown race Friday night at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods No. 77.
After qualifying second, just 0.269 of a second off Bobby Santos III’s pole-winning effort, Swanson took the lead from Santos in Turn 2 on the initial lap and then led the first 115 laps of the race. At one point he had built up over a 3-second margin over Santos with the No. 77, which is also sponsored by Glenn Farms and is powered by a Lanci Ford V8.
However, working lap 116 the car rolled to a stop with mechanical difficulties, which later proved to be a broken cam drive that turns the fuel pump. Swanson ended up 19th in the unofficial rundown for the race, which attracted the largest car count for a pavement USAC Silver Crown race in 18 years with 35 entries.
Swanson posted a two-lap qualifying time of 41.995 seconds on the 0.686-mile oval to Santos’s 41.726. Swanson set the fastest lap of anyone in the race when he took only 21.772 seconds to circle the track on lap 50. "Read more"
BELLEVILLE, Kan., May 21 — Kody Swanson and Doran Binks Racing got the 2023 USAC Silver Crown season off to a great start Saturday at the Belleville High Banks by setting a new track record to win the pole, setting the fastest lap of the race, leading the most laps, and finishing second in the 50-lap main event with the No. 77 sponsored by Mission Foods and Glenn Farms.
It was an impressive performance on the unique, high-banked half-mile dirt track as Swanson began the pursuit of his eighth series title. He is the winningest driver in the history of USAC’s top series and the defending champion. After Saturday’s season opener he leads the point standings over Brady Bacon, 73 to 70.
The Lebanon, Ohio-based team brought a Maxim chassis that Swanson used to drive for DePalma Motorsports out of retirement, and the Indianapolis-based driver led the first 27 laps of the race with his old car, fitted with a Bob Hampshire Chevy engine. By lap 13 he had a whopping 4.018-second lead over the second-place runner at the time, Justin Grant. "Read more"
INDIANAPOLIS, May 19 — Anything can happen in professional motorsports, but KECO Coatings’ logo has a very good chance of being seen on the sides of a top contender and perhaps even the winner of the Indianapolis 500 May 28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
KECO is an official partner of the Arrow McLaren INDYCAR team. The drivers of its four cars entered in this year’s Indianapolis 500 finished second, third, fourth, and fifth in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” last year.
In 2022 Arrow McLaren drivers Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist finished second and fourth in the Indianapolis 500. Alexander Rossi joined the team this year, and he came in fifth in last year’s Indianapolis 500 driving for Andretti Autosport. These three drivers are competing in the full 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule driving for Arrow McLaren. Rossi won the Indianapolis 500 in 2016 driving for Andretti Herta Autosport.
Tony Kanaan will join Arrow McLaren for this year’s Indianapolis 500, after which he’ll retire from driving in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, ending a 25-year INDYCAR career. He finished third in the Indianapolis 500 last year driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. Kanaan won the Indianapolis 500 in 2013 driving for KV Racing Technology. "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, May 15 — People who don’t know the difference between USAC SpeeD2 Midwest Thunder midgets, DIRTcar modifieds, or Eldora super stocks will still thoroughly enjoy Family Fireworks Night presented by Casey’s General Store this Saturday, May 20 at Eldora Speedway.
This community event will feature not only those three racing divisions but also a huge fireworks extravaganza that will delight all ages as the rockets burst across the sky, blazing in streams of vivid colors and booming over the Ohio countryside.
At its heart, however, the event showcases very special people — the area’s firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, who will provide special displays and demonstrations of their work to the people they protect.
Children will love getting their faces painted and watching clowns twist balloons into animals. They’ll be able to meet Disney characters who will be roaming the grounds. They’ll also enjoy seeing and touching emergency vehicles, and watching them during a parade around the track. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., April 10 — Defending series champion Kody Swanson was the fastest qualifier for the 23rd running of the Glen Niebel Classic presented by CB Fabricating Saturday at Anderson Speedway with Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods No. 77. After the top six qualifiers were inverted for the start, he finished a solid fifth in the 75-lap race that opened the 2023 season for the 500 Sprint Car Tour presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
Swanson took just 11.173 seconds to travel over the quarter-mile asphalt oval during qualifications to top the other 26 competitors with the No. 77, which is powered by a Binks-prepared Chevrolet V8 engine. Defending Little 500 winner Tyler Roahrig was second fastest, just 0.015 off Swanson’s time in the very tight field. The top 13 drivers in qualifications were within five-tenths of a second of Swanson’s time.
The inversion of six put the defending race winner, Kyle O’Gara, on the pole for the start. It was difficult to pass, and the only difference in the starting order and the finishing order for the top six drivers was that Swanson passed Roahrig for fifth. He did that before one lap was in the book.
O’Gara led all 75 laps, and Taylor Ferns ran second the whole race. Billy Wease started fourth and got around Dakoda Armstrong for third on the first lap, but Armstrong passed him back on the last lap to regain his starting position and the final podium position. Wease finished fourth. After Swanson passed Roahrig on the first lap he kept him behind him the whole race, which was no easy feat. "Read more"
LEBANON, Ohio, March 29 — Mission Foods, the leading producer of tortillas in the United States and the manufacturer of a variety of authentic Mexican products, will be the primary sponsor of Kody Swanson this year in both the USAC Silver Crown and the 500 Sprint Car Tour series.
Swanson is the defending champion of both series.
Swanson’s cars will be fielded by Kevin Doran and Dan Binks working together as Doran Binks Racing, and they will be based at Doran Racing’s headquarters in Lebanon, Ohio. Glenn Farms will be the team’s associate sponsor. The race cars will all be No. 77.
Doran Racing fielded Swanson’s asphalt USAC Silver Crown car last year. This year Doran Binks Racing will field both the asphalt and dirt USAC Silver Crown cars for Swanson.
Doran Binks Racing plans to compete in all 14 USAC Silver Crown races in 2023. As a seven-time champion, Swanson’s 37 victories make him the winningest driver in the history of this series, the top class of USAC. "Read more"
WHITELAND, Ind., March 27 — Greg Nolen, owner of Nolen Racing, is pleased to announce his team will again enter asphalt sprint cars for Shane Hollingsworth, 38, of Lafayette, Ind., and Emerson Axsom, 18, of Franklin, Ind., to drive in the Lucas Oil Little 500 presented by UAW in 2023. The 75th edition of the world’s greatest asphalt sprint car race is slated for Saturday night, May 27 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway. It is part of the 500 Sprint Car Tour, and it will be broadcast on MAVTV by Flo Racing.
In addition, the Whiteland, Ind.-based team will field a USAC Silver Crown car for Axsom at that series’ season opener April 16 at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track and its races on 1-mile dirt tracks: Aug. 19 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and Sept. 2 at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Ill. One or two other USAC Silver Crown races on asphalt tracks will be added to the mix as scheduling permits. The USAC Silver Crown races are broadcast on Flo Racing. "Read more"
SOUTHWICK, Mass., Dec. 7 — Tim Bertrand, owner of Bertrand Motorsports, is pleased to announce he has signed Kody Swanson to drive for his team at four premier midget events in 2023.
Swanson will drive a Bertrand Motorsports Beast with a Stanton engine in the Carb Night Classic at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) in Brownsburg, Ind., on Friday, May 26; the Boston Louie Seymour Memorial at Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway on Saturday, July 15; the Twin 25 midget races at IRP on Saturday, Aug. 12, and the Howard Companies Championship Saturday at IRP on Oct. 21. All three of the events at IRP are marquee events of the United States Auto Club (USAC) and part of the National Pavement Midget Championship, while the Boston Louie Seymour Memorial is a cornerstone of the Northeastern Midget Association (NEMA) schedule each year.
It will mark the second year of Swanson’s participation with the Southwick, Mass.-based team, which has won 11 NEMA championships. The team finished first and second in the NEMA championship this year with Avery Stoehr of Lakeville, Mass., and Randy Cabral of Plymouth, Mass., respectively.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who resides in Indianapolis, is the winningest driver in USAC Silver Crown history with seven championships. He and his brother, Tanner, are tied for the most USAC Silver Crown victories ever at IRP with seven. Kody Swanson also sewed up the inaugural championship of the 500 Sprint Car Tour in October at IRP. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., Oct. 23 — Mission accomplished.
“Championship Saturday” was just that for Lebanon, Ohio-based Doran Racing and its driver, Kody Swanson, at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP). Doran-Dyson Racing won the entrant championship in the top division of USAC, Silver Crown, when Swanson finished fourth in that series’ 100-lap season finale and earned an unprecedented seventh driver championship in the series. Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, is the winningest driver in the series’ history.
Doran Racing fielded Swanson’s cars for the USAC Silver Crown series’ six asphalt-track events in 2022 like the one Saturday at IRP, while Dyson Racing fielded his car for the series’ five dirt-track races. Swanson had three victories, all on asphalt tracks, enroute to the title. He also won an additional non-points Silver Crown special event at IRP this year.
Doran Racing and Swanson also won the inaugural championship of the 500 Sprint Car Tour with a second-place finish in that series’ 40-lap season finale earlier Saturday night on IRP’s same 0.686-mile asphalt oval. Swanson had two wins and eight top-five finishes in all during that series’ nine-event season. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Oct. 23 — Matt Westfall of Pleasant Hill, Ohio repeated his winning ways of Friday night by posting his third non-wing 410 sprint car feature victory of the season at Gas City I-69 Speedway Saturday night. He earned $3,000 for winning the 25-lap main event during the second half of the two-day, fourth annual Fall Festival of Speed, which put an exclamation point on the 2022 season for the quarter-mile dirt track.
Dillon Nusbaum of Warsaw, Ind., was triumphant in the 20-lap UMP modified feature. Andy Bishop of Gas City was the star of the show in the 15-lap sportsman stock feature, while Josh Gamblin of Kokomo, Ind., dominated the 15-lap hornet feature.
Westfall had to pass Anton Hernandez of West Lafayette, Ind., twice before he sealed up his victory on Saturday, but ironically the other three feature winners led every lap of their respective main events. Although all three are stars at Gas City like Westfall in their divisions, it was the first Gas City feature victory of the season for all three too.
Despite big fields and stiff competition, all four feature winners also won their qualifying heats. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Oct. 22 — Matt Westfall of Pleasant Hill, Ohio earned his second 25-lap non-wing 410 sprint car feature victory of the season at Gas City I-69 Speedway Friday night to highlight the opening night of the track’s two-night season finale, the fourth annual Fall Festival of Speed.
Chett Gehrke of Bardtown, Ky., was victorious in the 20-lap Performance Electronics USAC SpeeD2 Midwest Thunder midget feature, which was the season finale for that series.
Dylan Cromer of Flora, Ind. won the 20-lap non-wing micro-sprint main event to conclude the night’s action on the quarter-mile dirt oval.
The Fall Festival continues with the track’s season finale tonight (Saturday, Oct. 22), featuring non-wing sprint cars, UMP modifieds, sportsman stocks and hornets.
Non-Wing Sprint Cars
Young Jack Hoyer of Frankfort, Ind., started second and led the first 12 laps of the 25-lap sprint car feature in Paul Hazen’s famous Physical Medicine Consultants No. 57. He was able to build up nearly a 1-second lead over Tye Mihocko of Peoria, Ariz., despite two yellow-flag periods that slowed the pace. The first caution was for a two-car tangle between Turns 3 and 4 with seven laps down that left Clayton Rossman of Wadsworth, Ill. stranded, while the second flew with 10 laps down when Travis Hery of Hlliard, Ohio stopped on the backstretch. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Oct. 20 — Monday’s cold snap — which included the first snow of the season for some — drove home the fact that the 2022 outdoor racing season in Indiana is quickly coming to an end.
Hoosier weather can turn on a dime, however, and the weather forecast for this weekend shows temperatures returning to the low seventies, at least temporarily.
That’s great news for fans, teams, and drivers, because Gas City I-69 Speedway will put an exclamation mark to its 2022 season this Friday and Saturday nights, Oct. 21-22, with its fourth annual Fall Festival of Speed season finale.
Friday’s program will feature the non-winged sprint cars, and $2,000 will go to the winner of that feature. The USAC SpeeD2 Midwest Thunder midgets’ season finale is also on the card, as is non-winged micro-sprint racing.
Non-wing sprint cars will also be on the docket on Saturday, and that feature will pay $3,000 to win and $200 to start. Stock cars will share the billing that day, as the ground-pounding UMP modifieds, sportsman stocks, and hornets will be in action. The modified feature winner will take home $1,000, while the sportsman stock car feature winner will earn $600 and the hornet feature winner $400. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., Oct. 9 — The late Tony Elliott had a great deal of success driving for Nolen Racing.
Emerson Axsom only met Elliott “a couple of times” and Axsom was very young when those encounters occurred, but one has to think Elliott would have been pleased if he had seen Axsom drive the Nolen Racing entry to a podium finish of third Thursday night in the seventh annual Tony Elliott Classic at Anderson Speedway.
It was the second podium finish of the year at Anderson Speedway for the Whiteland, Ind.-based team, as Shane Hollingsworth of Lafayette, Ind., finished third in the race named for the team’s founder, Gene Nolen, in July.
Axsom, of Franklin, Ind., qualified fourth in the field of 24 for Thursday night’s race, which was part of the 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Part Stores. He qualified just 0.169 of a second off the fastest time, which was a 11.203 set by defending race winner Tyler Roahrig. The latter picked a 10 in the inversion draw, however, so Axsom was relegated to the seventh starting spot for the 100-lap race on Anderson’s high-banked, quarter-mile oval with the black-and-white Driven 2 Save Lives/Z Max/KECO No. 47BC. The car is powered by a Tranter-prepped Chevy V6 engine. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., Oct. 7 — Doran Racing’s Kody Swanson regained the point lead in the inaugural 500 Sprint Car Tour Presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Part Stores by qualifying third, starting eighth, and finishing fourth in the seventh annual Tony Elliott Classic Thursday night at Anderson Speedway. Dakoda Armstrong had a four-point advantage over Swanson in the point standings going into this race. Unofficially after it Swanson now leads by 17 points, with 1,533 points to Armstrong’s 1,516 with one race remaining this season. The season finale is Saturday, Oct. 22 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Ind.
Swanson was behind the wheel of the Lebanon, Ohio-based team’s Henry Repeating Arms No. 44, which is powered by a Binks Chevrolet V8 engine. Other support from the team comes from Glenn Farms and Duncan Oil. Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, qualified third behind fastest qualifier Tyler Roahrig and Taylor Ferns for the 100-lap test on the quarter-mile, high-banked asphalt oval. His qualifying time was 11.334 seconds, which was only 0.131 off Roahrig’s time. There were a total of 24 entries. The top-10 cars were inverted for the start, so Swanson lined up on the outside of row four beside Emerson Axsom. After some initial jockeying for position, he passed Billy Wease on lap four and ran in seventh place from lap four through lap 20. "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, Sept. 26 — Nolen Racing’s Emerson Axsom seemed poised for a top-10 finish or even a top five Saturday night in the USAC Silver Crown race at Eldora Speedway’s 40th annual 4-Crown Nationals until a mechanical issue forced him out of the competition while he was running seventh. It was only the second Silver Crown race ever for the 17-year-old Franklin, Ind.-based driver, and his first one ever at the famed half-mile dirt oval.
Announcer Dr. Pat Sullivan had just complimented Axsom on his good performance to the worldwide Flo Racing audience when a driveline issue developed on the famous Nolen Racing yellow No. 20 with 20 laps complete in the 50-lap race. Axsom was able to get the Maxim, which is sponsored by KECO Coating, K & N Filters and Driven2SaveLives and is powered by a Tranter-prepped Chevy engine, safely off the track without bringing out a caution flag.
His official finishing position was 22nd in the 27-car field.
He came from dead last to finish fifth in his first USAC Silver Crown race ever in May at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track in the same car. "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, Sept. 15 — There are hundreds of reasons why Eldora Speedway is the place to be on Friday, Sept. 23 and Saturday, Sept. 24.
But to whittle it down in the style set by David Letterman, here are the top 10 reasons why drivers and fans alike can’t wait for the 40th running of the 4-Crown Nationals at the world’s greatest dirt track Sept. 23-24.
1. The 4-Crown Nationals is the only event all year where fans can see the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink sprint cars, the top three divisions of USAC (USAC Silver Crown, the USAC AMSOIL national sprint cars, and the USAC NOS Energy Drink national midgets), and the Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions sprint cars on the same track on the same weekend. Friday night’s program consists of full programs for the WoO sprints and the USAC midgets plus USAC Silver Crown qualifying. Saturday night’s show features the USAC Silver Crown race and full programs for the All Star sprints and USAC sprints and midgets. Whether fans prefer wings or non-wings, it’s heaven on Earth for open-wheel fans.
2. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Eldora’s USAC dates were rained out in May, so the 4-Crown Nationals is the only event for that sanctioning body at Eldora this year. "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, Sept. 14 – In recognition of the 40th running of the 4-Crown Nationals Sept. 23-24 at Eldora Speedway, track officials announced today that the event will offer a new special award — the NKTelco Broadband Bonus. If a driver sweeps all four features during the Saturday night finale on Sept. 24, he or she will earn a $40,000 bonus. With the bonus plus $10,000-per-feature winner’s purse, the winning driver would earn $80,000.
The Saturday night, Sept. 24 program features the USAC NOS Energy Drink national midgets, USAC AMSOIL national sprint cars, USAC Silver Crown, and the Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions sprint cars. Friday night’s racing card on Sept. 23 consists of full programs for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink sprint cars and USAC NOS Energy Drink national midgets plus USAC Silver Crown Series qualifying.
Legendary driver Jack Hewitt is the only driver to sweep the 4-Crown Nationals. In 1998 Hewitt posted victories in the USAC national sprint cars, midgets, and Silver Crown plus the UMP modified features. "Read more"
MARNE, Mich., Sept. 12 — Doran Racing’s Kody Swanson qualified second, advanced three positions from where he started, came out on top of a rousing battle with Bobby Santos III, and finished fourth in the 500 Sprint Car Tour race Saturday night at Berlin Raceway.
The “Great Lakes Challenge” race presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Part Stores was the track’s 2022 season finale.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, qualified second, just 0.132 off the 15.624-second lap set by Tyler Roahrig, the fastest qualifier and eventual race winner. The invert was an eight, so Swanson started seventh in the 19-car field for the 40-lap test on Berlin’s 7/16-mile asphalt oval.
Swanson was never out of the top five. Driving the Doran Racing No. 44 sponsored by Henry Repeating Arms, Glenn Farms and Duncan Oil and powered by a Binks-prepped Chevy engine, he got off to a great start and passed both Billy Wease, who started sixth, and Tony Main, who started fourth, on the first lap. "Read more"
MADISON, Ill., Aug. 20 — Doran-Dyson Racing’s Kody Swanson won his fourth straight USAC Silver Crown event and padded his point lead Friday night when he was victorious in the OutFront 100 in the shadows of the Gateway Arch at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Driving the blue No. 1 sponsored by Henry Repeating Arms, Glenn Farms and Duncan Oil, which is powered by a Lanci Ford engine, Swanson also won an unprecedented 40th Fatheadz Eyewear pole with a new track and a new world record. He also set the fastest lap of the 80-lap race on the 1.25-mile asphalt oval during the 37th victory of his career in this series, extending another of his records, as he is the most successful driver in the history of the series.
The new track record in qualifying was done in 30.675 seconds for an average speed of 146.699 miles per hour. It was a new world speed record for a traditional USAC Silver Crown car, breaking Swanson’s previous mark of 146.212 mph set at Iowa Speedway in 2012. It also broke Chris Windom’s track record of 31.082 seconds/144.778 mph set in 2013.
The race victory came at the 14th different track where Swanson has won USAC Silver Crown races, which was another record. It broke J.J. Yeley’s 13 tracks.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, led wire to wire in the three previous USAC Silver Crown races going into Friday night’s race (one was non-points paying). He led the first eight laps from the pole on Friday, but three other drivers also led. The competition was stiff, and it was easy to get shuffled back a bit in the running order due to drafting. Swanson was as far back as sixth during the race, but he was able to battle back where others could not. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Aug. 13 — On Friday night Matt Westfall was victorious in the most competitive 25-lap sprint car feature so far this year at Gas City I-69 Speedway. After a race-long war with three other front runners, the veteran from Pleasant Hill, Ohio became the seventh different sprint car feature winner this season at the Grant County quarter-mile dirt track.
Michael Magic of Winder, Ga., didn’t use any hocus pocus to win the 20-lap main event for the USAC SpeeD2 Midwest Thunder midget series, which is sponsored by Performance Electronics.
Zach Wigal flipped in Turn 4 while running third with two laps down in the midget feature, but the high school student from Belpre, Ohio returned to win the 15-lap micro-sprint feature.
Andy King of Convoy, Ohio took the lead with three laps to go in the 15-lap Dirt Track Truck Series feature and led the early leader, Dan Ramey of Payne, Ohio, to the checkered flag.
Jeremy Jones of Gas City tried his hardest but he couldn’t stop Landon Arcaro of Bookville, Ind., from winning his sixth 15-lap hornet feature of the season at Gas City. "Read more"
TOLEDO, Ohio, Aug. 7 — For the second year in a row, Kody Swanson won the pole and led all 100 laps of the Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness Rollie Beale Classic USAC Silver Crown race at Toledo Speedway. On Saturday night his Doran-Dyson Racing No. 1 sponsored by Henry Repeating Arms, Glenn Farms and Duncan Oil had a 3.114-second lead over Bobby Santos III when he took the checkered flag.
It was the fourth victory in a row and sixth so far in his career at this one-half mile asphalt oval for Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who lives in Indianapolis. Going into this race Swanson was tied with the driver this event is named in memory of, Rollie Beale, so now he is the all-time winner of USAC races at Toledo Speedway. Swanson has now led 655 laps out of the 1,000 laps ever run in this series at this particular track.
Swanson has now won the last three USAC Silver Crown races, with six races remaining in the 2022 season. Swanson leads the point standings with 384 points to Logan Seavey’s 366 and C.J. Leary’s 346 as he seeks an unprecedented seventh series championship. He is already the winningest driver in series history. Saturday night’s victory was number 36.
Swanson also leads the series in the number of pole positions won. He earned his 39th Fatheadz Eyewear pole Saturday night with a time of 15.244 seconds, which was 0.017 better than the time set by the second-fastest qualifier, Leary.
With this pole Swanson became the series’ first driver to have at least six pole positions at two different tracks. In addition to Toledo Speedway he has excelled at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Brownsburg, Ind. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Aug. 6 — Max Adams of Marion, Ind., the 2020 non-wing sprint car champion at Gas City I-69 Speedway, became the sixth different sprint car feature winner at the Grant County quarter-mile dirt oval so far this year during the “Beach Night Bash” program Friday night.
Derek Losh of Rensselaer, Ind., recorded his second consecutive 20-lap UMP modified feature victory. Bill Lewis of Fountain City, Ind., rebounded from some bad luck a week ago to win the 15-lap street stock feature, and Landon Arcaro of Brookville, Ind., snagged his fifth 15-lap Gas City hornet feature victory of the season.
The program also included a display and exhibition by the Midwest Oldtimers Vintage Race Club.
Non-Wing Sprint Cars
Polesitter Scotty Weir of Marion, Ind., the defending track sprint car champion and current point leader, led the first 10 laps of the 25-lap sprint car feature. Except for the first two laps, Adams, who started fourth, was right behind him in Scott Adams’ black Spike No. 5X, which has a Felker-prepped engine and is sponsored by Datacom Promotions, Benic Enterprises and Goodnight Racing. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., Aug. 3 — Doran Racing’s Kody Swanson qualified third and finished third in the 33rd annual Joe James-Pat O’Connor Memorial at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park Monday night, but he had to come from eighth to achieve the podium finish after the top 10 qualifiers were inverted for the start of the 30-lapper.
Swanson had to work hard to move up in the extremely competitive field, but it provided good entertainment for the crowd, which enjoyed free general admission courtesy of Bald Spot Sports to the 500 Sprint Car Tour event presented by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
He experimented with various lines around the 0.686-mile asphalt oval with the No. 44, which is sponsored by Henry Repeating Arms, Glenn Farms and Duncan Oil and uses a Binks-prepped Chevy engine.
With the great finish Swanson now only trails the point leader, Dakoda Armstrong, by two points. He has 1,149 points to Armstrong’s 1,151 with only three races remaining in the series’ inaugural season. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., Aug. 1 — The late Gene Nolen, a Little 500 Hall of Fame team owner based in Greenwood, Ind., dearly loved asphalt sprint car racing. He especially loved to field V6 Chevys against V8s in races at Anderson Speedway. Under his direction, his bright yellow Nolen Racing sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars became nationally recognized as cars that consistently contended for race victories and championships.
After Gene Nolen died on April 8, 2020, his son, Greg, continued his father’s Whiteland, Ind.-based team, competing in selected events.
On Saturday night one has to believe that Gene Nolen was looking down at Anderson Speedway and smiling. Shane Hollingsworth of Layfette, Ind., drove the bright yellow Nolen Racing No. 20 Tranter Chevy V6 sponsored by KECO Coatings to a podium finish of third in the inaugural Gene Nolen Classic.
Kody Swanson, a former Nolen Racing driver who won the Little 500 at Anderson Speedway in 2018 and 2019 driving for Nolen Racing, won Saturday’s 100-lap 500 Sprint Car Tour race on the high-banked asphalt quarter-mile oval. The Little 500 is the most prestigious asphalt sprint car race in the world, and in 2019 Swanson and Hollingsworth led an unprecedented 499 of its 500 laps driving Nolen Racing cars enroute to a win and a fourth-place finish.
Hollingsworth competed in many races with Nolen Racing over the years, but in recent years he’s curtailed his schedule to just the Little 500. But Saturday night’s inaugural Gene Nolen Classic was a race he did not want to miss. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., July 31 —It was fitting that the driver who won the inaugural Gene Nolen Classic Saturday night at Anderson Speedway was the same driver who gave the late Little 500 Hall of Fame team owner something he had pursued for years — a Little 500 victory.
Kody Swanson dominated Saturday’s 100-lap race, part of the 500 Sprint Car Tour. Driving the Doran Racing No. 44 sponsored by Henry Repeating Arms, Glenn Farms and Duncan Oil, he led the last 86 laps and won by 3.223 seconds, lapping through seventh place.
Swanson won the Little 500 at this same high-banked asphalt quarter-mile oval while driving for Nolen Racing in 2018 and 2019.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, was the fastest qualifier in the field of 25 but he had to start fourth due to the series’ policy of inverting a varying number of the top starters in each race.
He passed his former teammate, Shane Hollingsworth, for third in Turn 1 at the start.
When Jacob McElfresh passed polesitter Brian Gerster on lap nine to take the lead, Swanson went with him and moved into second place. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., July 30 — Derek Losh of Rensselaer, Ind., reminded everyone how good he is at Gas City I-69 Speedway when he led all 20 laps of the UMP modified feature Friday night.
Bryce Massingill of Troy, Ohio took the top honors in a very competitive 20-lap USAC SpeeD2 Midwest Thunder midget feature which seemed to have a curse over whoever was running third.
David Fritz of Winamac, Ind., drove a car he built himself to victory in the 15-lap street stock main event, while Landon Arcaro of Brookville, Ind., won his fourth 15-lap feature for the hornets so far this season at the Grant County quarter-mile dirt oval. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., July 28 — Gas City I-69 Speedway officials have announced an amendment to the schedule of events for Friday night, July 29.
Removed from the agenda will be the crate late model division, and the $1,000-to-win incentive for the UMP modified division has moved to a later date. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., July 23 — Shane Cottle of Kansas, Ill., only led one lap of Friday’s USAC AMSOIL national sprint car feature at Gas City I-69 Speedway, but it was the one that counted.
The two-time track champion had to qualify through the semi and he started tenth in the feature, but he charged under point leader Justin Grant of Avon, Ind. in Turn 1 on the final lap to win an eventful opening feature of the 35th annual USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week.
The event attracted 52 non-wing sprint cars and a packed house of fans to the quarter-mile dirt track between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne.
Defending All Star Circuit of Champions TQ midget champion Joey Paxson of Connersville, Ind., led all 20 laps of that series’ supporting feature. "Read more"
WINCHESTER, Ind., July 22 — A six-time champion doesn’t like finishing second in a race by 0.050 of a second.
Kody Swanson was determined to do everything in his power to finish one spot better than he did in last year’s Rich Vogler Classic USAC Silver Crown race at Winchester Speedway, and he did just that Thursday night in the 2022 edition of the race. Driving the Doran-Dyson Racing No. 1 sponsored by Henry Repeating Arms, Glenn Farms and Duncan Oil, he dominated the competition by winning the pole, leading all 100 laps of the race, setting the fastest lap of the race, and taking the checkered flag with an unheard of 10.062 seconds margin of victory. Swanson lapped the entire field on the high-banked half-mile asphalt oval except for the very distant runner-up, Logan Seavey.
And just like last year, Swanson took the point lead with his performance here. The defending series champion went into this race third in points, but with the victory he now tops the 58 drivers who have earned points so far this year with 308 points to Seavey’s 305. Doran-Dyson Racing tops the entrant standings with 308 points, while Rice Motorsports and Klatt Enterprises are currently tied for second with 305.
Swanson is the winningest driver in series history, and he extended that record to 35 with his victory in Thursday’s race, which was presented by The Pallet Builder. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., July 10 — Doran Racing and Kody Swanson went into Saturday’s Glen Niebel Classic at Anderson Speedway as the defending race winners and the point leaders of the 500 Sprint Car Tour. Unfortunately an engine problem caused the team a DNF and it ended up 17th in the final rundown.
Still, Swanson set the second-fastest lap of the race when he was timed in 11.520 seconds for the quarter-mile, high-banked asphalt oval on lap seven. That was only 0.038 off the fastest lap run during the 100-lap event, which was the 11.482 on lap four set by the eventual race winner, Kyle O’Gara.
Unofficially Swanson is now third in the point standings in the inaugural season of the 500 Sprint Car Tour, behind new leader Dakoda Armstrong and Billy Wease.
There are still five 500 Sprint Car Tour races remaining, including another one at Anderson Speedway on July 30. Before that the team will also compete in a USAC Silver Crown race at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway on July 21. Swanson is currently third in that series’ point standings too. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., July 3 — Todd Sherman of Churubusco, Ind., aka “The Shermanator,” had a nearly perfect night during a special Saturday evening show at Gas City I-69 Speedway. He topped his qualifying group, won his heat, and then led all but the first six laps of the 20-lap UMP modified feature.
Garrett Bradley of Summitville, Ind., posted his first street stock feature victory of the year at the Grant County quarter-mile dirt oval. Heisman Skeens of Marion, Ind., duplicated his winning efforts of June 24 in the 15-lap hornet feature. Brandon Freeburg of Metamora, Ill., dominated the Hoosier State Modlites competition, leading all 15 laps of that main event in a program that concluded with a Fourth of July fireworks show.
Modifieds
Sherman started on the pole of the modified feature in his Hogue/Team SE Avenger No. 65 sponsored by Vision Homz, All Star Performance and Pro Strip. Brent Lee of Crothersville, Ind., who was making his first Gas City start, started alongside Sherman and snagged the early lead by charging by Sherman in the outside of Turn 2 on the first lap. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., July 1 — Kody Swanson hit the bullseye by leading wire to wire in Doran-Dyson Racing’s Henry Repeating Arms/Glenn Farms/Duncan Oil No. 1 and winning the USAC Silver Crown Shootout special event Thursday night at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
He finished second to his brother in the 500 Sprint Car Tour race that was also part of the “Thursday Night Thunder Homecoming” show. The Doran Racing Henry Repeating Arms/Glenn Farms/Duncan Oil No. 44 was just 0.877 of a second behind at the checkered flag.
In victory lane following the Silver Crown race Swanson said the No. 1 was “on rails,” and the Lebanon, Ohio-based team had the distinction of having prepared the cars that set the fastest laps run during both races.
The 25-lap USAC Silver Crown race didn’t award points but the 30-lap 500 Sprint Car Tour race did. Swanson went into the latter race second in points, but several of his primary rivals didn’t finish Thursday’s race so unofficially Swanson regained the point lead in that series with his runner-up finish. Unofficially he now has 614 points to Dakoda Armstrong’s 569 and Billy Wease’s 563. "Read more"
OREGON, Wis., June 27 — Doran-Dyson Racing got the next-best thing to a podium finish in Friday’s USAC Silver Crown race at Madison International Speedway when its driver, Kody Swanson, brought the Henry Repeating Arms/Glenn Farms No. 1 home fourth in a very competitive race.
Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., now living in Indianapolis, started third and ran in third place for 91 of the 100 laps. During that time he was forced to fend off the challenges of the series’ 2020 champion, Justin Grant.
Swanson, the winningest driver in series history, was able to keep Grant about a second behind him, but that margin would decrease as the pair approached lapped traffic. Still, Swanson was able to keep his car, which is powered by a Lanci Ford engine, in front of Grant as they all chased the eventual winner, polesitter C.J. Leary, and the runner-up, Bobby Santos III, who started second. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., June 25 — Racing legend Tom Bigelow always tries to help young drivers, so it was fitting that the winner of the 25-lap non-wing sprint car feature during the Tom Bigelow Classic Friday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway was a 20-year-old civil engineering student at Indiana State University. Harley Burns of Stearleyville, Ind., who won a Hoosier Auto Racing Fans (HARF) award for being the most improved driver last year, led the whole way in the non-stop race and had a whopping 5.147-second advantage over runner-up Tye Mihocko of Phoenix, Ariz., at the checkered.
Alex Watson of Columbus, Ohio took the lead on lap 18 and went on to win the 20-lap USAC SpeeD2 Midwest Thunder midget feature. And it was a great night to be a stock car driver from Marion, Ind., as James Headley won the 12-lap street stock feature and Heisman Skeens won the 12-lap hornet feature.
Non-Wing Sprint Cars
Both Burns, who started fourth, and Dustin Ingle of Lima, Ohio, who started second, surprised defending track champion and polesitter Scotty Weir of Marion, Ind., at the start of the sprint car feature. Ingle took the initial lead with a move to the outside in Turn 1 at the start, and then Burns passed Ingle to the inside in Turn 4 to lead the first lap while Weir was relegated to third. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., June 18 — It was billed as “Retro Night,” but it was like going back two weeks rather than decades. Four drivers who won on June 3 were victorious again on Friday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway, although two led just the last two laps of their features and all had to fight off numerous challengers before taking the checkered flag.
Defending track champion Scotty Weir of Marion, Ind., won the 25-lap non-wing sprint car feature. Derek Losh of Rensselear, Ind., was victorious in the 20-lap UMP modified feature that was part of the “Gas City/Montpelier Neighborly Modified Challenge” mini-series. Lee Hobbs of Mitchell, Ind., led all 15 laps of the main event for street stocks. Young Landon Arcaro of Brookville, Ind., took the 15-lap “Hornets Buzz Bash” and the $400 top prize. The Midwest Throwback sprint cars made their first appearance at the Grant County quarter-mile dirt track, and Trey Burke of Alvin, Texas, was that division’s 20-lap feature winner.
Non-Wing Sprint Cars
A new winner seemed very likely in the first half of the non-wing sprint car feature, as polesitter Evan Mosley of Lapel, Ind., led the first six laps and fellow front-row starter Cole Bodine of Rossville, Ind., led the next five circuits.
Weir’s Pedersen DRC/Pedersen Chevy, which is sponsored by Red’s Racing Engines, Indy Race Parts and AFCO, was equally adept running both the low and the high lines. He passed Mosley for second by dipping under him in Turn 4 on lap 11, right before Corey Smith of Kokomo, Ind., flipped hard in Turns 1 and 2 while running 12th. Luckily Smith escaped serious injury. "Read more"
MARNE, Mich., June 12 — After winning a 500 Sprint Car Tour race at Plymouth Raceway on Friday night, Kody Swanson and the Doran Racing team finished third less than 24 hours later in the new series’ 40-lap feature at Berlin Raceway Saturday night.
The race was unusual in that it went nonstop.
Swanson qualified third with a time of 15.774 seconds for the 7/16-mile asphalt oval, just 0.147 off the time set by the fastest qualifier and eventual race winner, Tyler Roahrig. The inversion was six, so he started fourth behind Bobby Santos III, Dakoda Armstrong and Taylor Ferns, with Billy Wease and Roahrig right behind him.
Roahrig passed Swanson on lap four to push Swanson’s Henry Repeating Arms No. 44 to fifth place, but Swanson set his fastest lap of the race on lap six. By lap 16 he was back in the position where he had started as both he and Wease passed Santos on that lap. "Read more"
PLYMOUTH, Ind., June 11 — Doran Racing and Kody Swanson will go down in the record books as the winners of the first points-paying race in the new 500 Sprint Car Tour presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
Although the Lucas Oil Little 500 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway May 28 was the new series’ first race, Friday night’s 75-lap feature on Plymouth Motor Speedway’s three-eighths-mile asphalt oval was the first one that awarded points. Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Indianapolis, and Doran Racing, which is based in Lebanon, Ohio, made the most of it by winning both the pole and the main event with the team’s Henry Repeating Arms No. 44.
After the inversion, Swanson took the green flag in fourth place in the No. 44, which is powered by a Dan Binks-prepped Chevy engine.
He passed Tyler Roahrig on the first lap to move into third place behind polesitter Billy Wease and Derek Bischak. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., June 11 — Rain forced the cancellation of Friday night’s USAC Indiana Midget Week event Friday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway as the USAC NOS Energy Drink national midgets were about to begin their B-main. There were 37 midgets on the grounds and 26 Gas City non-wing sprint cars.
Tickets will be honored at their face value for any other event this year at the Grant County quarter-mile dirt track.
Prior to the storm Chance Crum of Snohomish, Wash., earned his first career Fatheadz fastest qualifier award with a lap that was just 0.039 slower than the series’ one-lap track record of 12.048 seconds set by Rico Abreu of St. Helena, Calif., six years ago.
Jacob Denney of Galloway, Ohio; Mitchel Moles of Raisin City, Calif.; Kaidon Brown of Sydney, New South Wales, and Jerry Coons Jr. of Cloverdale, Ind. won the midget heats. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., June 7 — The two-seater sprint car rides originally scheduled for Gas City I-69 Speedway this coming Saturday, June 11, have been canceled.
The experience may be rescheduled in the future. When an update is available it will be posted on the track’s website at GasCityI69Speedway.com and its social media outlets. The track is on Twitter (@GasCitySpeedway), Instagram (@GasCitySpeedway) and Facebook (GasCitySpeedwayOnTheGas). "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, June 6 — At one point or another, most people dream about what it would be like to win a million dollars. That dream will become a reality for the dirt late model driver who wins the “Eldora Million” on Thursday, June 9 at one of the nation’s most historic short tracks, Eldora Speedway.
It’ll actually be even better than that, because this year’s Eldora Million will pay $1,002,022 to the winner.
What is it really like to win a million dollars? We asked that question to Donnie Moran, who is known as the “Million Dollar Man” for winning the Eldora Million at Eldora Speedway more than 20 years ago, in 2001. It was the defining achievement not only for him but also for the track promoter, the late Earl Baltes. Until the current Eldora Speedway promoter, Tony Stewart, surpasses it on June 9, that race was by far the richest dirt-track late model race in history and one of the richest races in the world.
All those years ago, what did Moran think when he first heard that he had the chance to compete in a $1-million-to-win race?
“I thought it would be cool to win it,” said Moran, who is based in Dresden, Ohio. “That was my first impression.” "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, June 6 — At one point or another, most people dream about what it would be like to win a million dollars. That dream will become a reality for the dirt late model driver who wins the “Eldora Million” on Thursday, June 9 at one of the nation’s most historic short tracks, Eldora Speedway.
It’ll actually be even better than that, because this year’s Eldora Million will pay $1,002,022 to the winner.
What is it really like to win a million dollars? We asked that question to Donnie Moran, who is known as the “Million Dollar Man” for winning the Eldora Million at Eldora Speedway more than 20 years ago, in 2001. It was the defining achievement not only for him but also for the track promoter, the late Earl Baltes. Until the current Eldora Speedway promoter, Tony Stewart, surpasses it on June 9, that race was by far the richest dirt-track late model race in history and one of the richest races in the world.
All those years ago, what did Moran think when he first heard that he had the chance to compete in a $1-million-to-win race?
“I thought it would be cool to win it,” said Moran, who is based in Dresden, Ohio. “That was my first impression.” "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., June 4 — Defending track champion Scotty Weir of Marion, Ind., used the high line to become the third different 25-lap non-wing sprint car feature winner in as many races over former track champion Shane Cottle of Kansas, Ill., Friday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway to highlight the fifth annual “Jack and Jiggs Classic.”
The 20-lap United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) modified feature was a battle of track champions too. Derek Losh of Rensselear, Ind., the 2020 modified champion, came from the rear to beat Bub Roberts of Warren, Ind., the 2021 champion.
Jackson Macenko of Cincinnati said he let two United States Speed Association (USSA) Kenyon midget feature victories get away from him earlier this year. He made sure that didn’t happen again as he led every lap of the 30-lap Kenyon midget feature.
There was a new winner in the street stock class, as Lee Hobbs of Mitchell, Ind., won that 15-lap main event over the driver who dominated the first two street stock features of the year, James Headley of Marion, Ind.
Landon Arcaro of Brookville, Ind., celebrated his 15th birthday on Wednesday and continued to celebrate in victory lane on Friday after winning his second 15-lap hornet feature in a row. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., May 31 —Gas City I-69 Speedway shifts into high gear this weekend with a doubleheader on Friday (June 3) and Saturday (June 4) to please fans of both four-wheel and two-wheel competition.
Friday’s fifth annual “Jack and Jiggs Classic” pays homage to current track owner Jack Himelick and former promoter Jiggs Thomason with a five-division card of non-wing sprint cars, United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) modifieds, Kenyon midgets, street stocks and hornets. Race time is 7:30 p.m.
On Saturday vintage motorcycles take to the quarter-mile dirt oval in their only appearance this year at the Grant County track. The show that celebrates heavily customized, old motorcycles and the people who love them will start at 7 p.m.
Clinton Boyles of Indianapolis won the non-wing sprint feature at the first “Jack and Jiggs Classic” in 2018 in the famous Paul Hazen 57 enroute to the division’s championship. The event featured the Sprints on Dirt (SOD) sprint cars in 2019, and the winner of that feature was Chad Blonde of Litchfield, Mich. Shane Cottle of Kansas, Ill., was the non-wing sprint feature winner at the “Jack and Jiggs Classic” in 2020. Last year’s event was rained out, but the weather forecast for this weekend is perfect, and who will win on Friday night is anyone’s guess. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., May 30 — Both of the Nolen Racing drivers finished in the top 10 in the 74th annual Lucas Oil Little 500 presented by UAW Saturday night at Anderson Speedway.
Veteran Shane Hollingsworth of Lafayette, Ind., started 12th, was as high as fourth on lap 205, ran in fifth place for 45 aps, and finished eighth in the 500-lap classic.
Emerson Axsom of Franklin, Ind., started seventh, was as high as second for four laps before his first pit stop, ran in third place for 42 laps, and finished tenth in his first Little 500.
Hollingsworth drove the yellow No. 20 sponsored by KECO Coatings, while Axsom was in the white Driven 2 Save Lives/Z Max No. 47 for the Whiteland, Ind.-based team. Both cars used Tranter-prepped Chevy V6 engines.
Seventeen-year-old Axsom was second around lap 200 and third just before the lap 300-mark. But a tangle with a car he was lapping working lap 308 while he was running fourth knocked him back to 18th position, and he had to claw his way back up the standings in the last 200 laps of the race to record the top-10 finish.
The race’s distance of 500 laps on the high-banked, quarter-mile asphalt oval; a three-abreast start, and pit stops were all new to Axsom, but Hollingsworth has finished as high as second in this event before and he knew what was in store. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., May 28 — Doran-Dyson Racing’s Kody Swanson has now finished first or second in the USAC Silver Crown portion of the Carb Night Classic in five of seven years. Friday night it was an extremely close second for Swanson in the Henry Repeating Arms/Glenn Farms No. 1. After starting third, he took second on lap one, fought his way into the lead for one lap on lap 72, and finished just 0.094 of a second behind Bobby Santos III after 100 laps of competition on Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park’s 0.686-mile asphalt oval.
The finish was extremely close, as Swanson never gave up and made one last valiant effort to pass Santos with a move to the outside in Turn 4 on the last lap. He drew abreast of the middle of Santos’s car for an instant, but had to fall back in line as they came down to take the checkered flag.
The field was set by practice times after time trials were rained out for the series’ first asphalt-track race of the year. Swanson, of Indianapolis, started third behind polesitter Santos and NASCAR star Ryan Newman in the Doran Racing-prepared No. 1, which is based in Lebanon, Ohio and is powered by a Lanci-prepped Ford engine.
Swanson charged under Newman in Turn 1 on the first lap to take second. Santos was able to build a half-second lead initially, as Newman did everything he could think of to regain second from Swanson. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., May 29 — Doran Racing’s Kody Swanson was knocked out of contention for his fourth Lucas Oil Pay Less Little 500 victory Saturday night at Anderson Speedway while running second on lap 198 due to another driver’s mechanical difficulties. Swanson didn’t give up though, and he was able to restart and finished seventh in the Henry Repeating Arms No. 44 in the 74th edition of the most prestigious asphalt sprint car race in the world.
With the exception of three laps, Swanson ran in second place for the first 198 laps until the freak accident occurred. He was third for those other laps, and seemed to be poised for at least a podium finish if not a victory.
He was third for the three-wide start of the 500-lap contest on the quarter-mile track, but he took second from polesitter and eventual winner Tyler Roahrig by passing him to the outside in Turn 1 on the first lap. Swanson then ran in second, just inches behind early leader Brian Gerster, for the first 106 laps. He showed Gerster his car’s nose several times, both to the inside and to the outside, running just inches apart as the top runners threaded their way through lapped traffic.
Roahrig passed him on lap 107 on the outside in Turn 1 to push Swanson to third, and Roahrig passed Gerster two laps later to take the lead. Swanson passed Gerster on lap 110 to regain second, and then ran behind Roahrig in second place until the accident occurred. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., May 21 —The answer to the question, “Who’s the boss?” on Friday night was Thomas Meseraull, as the Waveland, Ind.-based driver won the 25-lap MPD Racing Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) sprint car feature at Gas City I-69 Speedway.
Kyle Dager of Fort Wayne, Ind., won the 20-lap USAC Midwest Thunder SpeeD2 midget feature. James Headley of Marion, Ind., was triumphant in the 15-lap street stock feature, and Landon Arcaro of Brookville, Ind., took his brand-new hornet to victory lane in that 15-lap main event.
BOSS Sprint Cars
Meseraull started on the pole in the BOSS sprint feature, but Korbyn Hayslett of Troy, Ohio and Kyle Shipley of Lebanon, Ind., made the two-time track champion earn his victory in Dwight Cheney’s Maxim Claxton Chevy sponsored by Racing Optics and SteelcoUSA.com.
Hayslett, a 19-year-old student at Ohio University, started second and passed Meseraull on the outside in Turn 2 on the first lap to lead the initial lap. Hayslett showed the way until Meseraull used the outside line in the same turn to take the lead on lap four. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., May 14 —With and without wings the sprint car action was fast and furious Friday night as Gas City I-69 Speedway opened its 2022 season to an enthusiastic crowd. Tye Mihocko of Phoenix, Ariz., won the 25-lap non-wing sprint car feature, while John Paynter Jr. of Bloomington, Ind., was victorious in the 25-lap main event for the 305 c.i. Schaeffer’s Oil IMCA Indiana RaceSaver winged sprint cars on Benic Enterprises and Benic Shocks Night. Two forms of stock car racing were well received too, as fans watched James Headley of Marion, Ind., dominate the 20-lap street stock feature and Topher Hillman of Camby, Ind., do the same in the 15-lap hornet feature on the quarter-mile dirt track.
Despite it being Friday the 13th none of the sprint cars flipped, although a few caught some air during the night. The well-run, four division show under new Gas City promoter Larry Boos was over a few minutes after 10 p.m. on a perfect spring evening.
Non-Wing Sprint Cars
A bull (Mihocko’s nickname) and a donkey (Mihocko drove Jamie and Michelle Paul’s High ASSpirations Farms DRC No. 24P, which is sponsored by the Pauls’ donkey farm in Eaton, Ohio) were a winning combination in the non-wing sprint car feature. But it didn’t start out that way, as Koby Barksdale of Avon, Ind., by way of Norman, Okla., started on the pole and led the first eight laps. "Read more"
TERRE HAUTE, Ind., May 2 — Although he’d never driven a USAC Silver Crown car before the late-afternoon practice session that opened the Sumar Classic at the Terre Haute Action Track on Sunday, rookie Emerson Axsom came from dead last to finish fifth in the Nolen Racing No. 20 in the 100-lap headliner that night.
It was a phenomenal top-five result for the 17-year-old rookie from Franklin, Ind., who in his first series start surpassed what some drivers spend years trying to accomplish but never do.
Axsom was 13th after Fatheadz qualifying in the field of 36 with a time of 21.130 seconds, but his car’s rear end wouldn’t engage when he tried to start it on the formation laps for the beginning of the Sumar Classic. He pulled into the infield and the Nolen Racing team was able to get the car to run, but the rules stipulate that if a car needs assistance starting, it has to go to the rear of the field.
Axsom joined the field at speed as it was coming down to take the green flag. He was on the backstretch, some 15 car lengths behind the next-to-last car, when polesitter Kody Swanson took the green flag on the frontstretch. "Read more"
INDIANAPOLIS, April 26 — Racing is a constantly evolving sport, but NTT IndyCar Series team Arrow McLaren SP enjoys the continuity of one of the longest sponsorships in the series, as KECO Coatings has been a partner of team founder Sam Schmidt for 25 years.
KECO Coatings uses racing to showcase the technical expertise and resources it brings to its customers and as a mobile laboratory for research and development. For example, KECO applies data gathered on the race track to improve its coating processes used on exhaust systems, suspension systems and other racing components, as well as other industries’ applications. The passion for success and intense competition seen in motorsports are directly compatible to the passion KECO displays in business by providing its customers the most technologically advanced coatings at the most competitive prices possible.
Although the NTT IndyCar Series consists of 17 events, its premier race is the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 29. Both Arrow McLaren SP and KECO are based in Indianapolis, and KECO also has a production facility in Statesville, N.C. to serve its many NASCAR customers. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., April 25 —“Getting to Know You” is the theme of this Wednesday’s “Test and Tune” from 5-9 p.m. at Gas City I-69 Speedway. It’s open to all forms of race cars as teams prepare for the season opener Friday night, May 6.
Team members will be checking out the 2022 track surface, getting acclimated to their new rides and/or new driver-owner combinations, and testing any improvements they made to their race cars over the winter.
Larry Boos, the track’s new promoter, will be getting acclimated too as he meets the established track crew, competitors and fans.
“Jerry Gappens has done a great job putting together a hard-working crew, and I look forward to meeting them,” Boos said. “The racing at Gas City has become known as some of the keenest in the Hoosier state, and I can’t wait to become a part of it on May 6.” "Read more"
ROSSBURG, Ohio, April 22 – There are more than a million reasons why Tuesday’s FloRacing Night In America racing program at Eldora Speedway is important to America’s super late model teams.
Over 250 loads of new clay were applied to the famous half-mile oval recently, so Tuesday night’s event is a great opportunity for teams to adapt to the change in the track surface and get their setups dialed in for the $1.9 million “Dirt Late Model Dream Week” events June 8-11. That week includes the $1 million-to-win Eldora Million on Thursday night, June 9, and the $128,000-to-win Dirt Late Model Dream on Saturday night, June 11. The combination of these two giant events — all in the span of four days — creates one of the richest open-competition events in motorsports history.
“Tuesday is a great opportunity for teams to figure out the freshened-up track surface in preparation for the biggest dirt short-track event in the world, and for fans to enjoy entertaining racing to kick off our 2022 season,“ said Jerry Gappens, general manager of Eldora Speedway. “We expect a large field of cars.” "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., April 18 — Although Gas City I-69 Speedway was silent over the weekend, a great deal was happening behind the scenes. Jerry Gappens, promoter of the quarter-mile Grant County dirt track for the last four years, has accepted the position of general manager of the famous Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, and will start work at Eldora immediately. Larry Boos, the promoter of both Winchester Speedway and Montpelier Motor Speedway, will take over Gappens’ position and become the new promoter at Gas City I-69 Speedway too.
Boos, who was the director of operations at Eldora Speedway for more than 30 years, will hit the ground running, as Gas City’s “Test and Tune” is Wednesday, April 27, and the season opener is Friday, May 6. No changes to the schedule or the class rules are anticipated.
“It’s not unusual for good people to be offered new opportunities, and although the timing was not ideal for us, we cannot thank Jerry enough for the tremendous job he has done at Gas City over the last four years,” said Jack Himelick, owner of Gas City I-69 Speedway. “We wish him only the best. We also feel extremely lucky to have someone with Larry’s experience agree to take over.” "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., March 16 – The Hoosier State Modlites series has been added to the Saturday night, July 2 racing program at Gas City I-69 Speedway, track and series officials announced today.
Mod lites are scaled-down versions of full modifieds and are powered by motorcycle engines. They attract big fields because they’re a more economical form of racing than many other classes.
The mod lites, which will be making their first appearance at Gas City, will join their big brothers, the UMP modifieds, along with street stocks and hornets in a show that will also feature a huge fireworks program to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend.
Dale Grote is the defending Hoosier State Modlites series champion, and Andrew Tragesser won the series’ Rookie of the Year award in 2021. "Read more"
LEBANON, Ohio, Feb. 17 — Doran Racing is pleased to announce that Henry Repeating Arms will be the primary sponsor of the non-wing pavement sprint car it will field for Kody Swanson this year in the 10-race 500 Sprint Car Tour presented by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores.
This new series includes the 74th annual Lucas Oil Little 500 presented by UAW May 28 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway, a race which Swanson has won three times.
In addition, Henry Repeating Arms will be the primary sponsor of the Doran Racing entry Swanson will drive in the Dave Steele Non-Wing World Sprint Car Championship 125 at Showtime Speedway in Clearwater, Fla., on Feb. 26. Swanson has won that race the last two years in Doran Racing asphalt sprint cars.
Glenn Farms of Woodland, Ga. will continue to support the Lebanon, Ohio-based team as an associate sponsor of its sprint car this season. Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who lives in the Indianapolis area, drives in both asphalt sprint car and asphalt USAC Silver Crown races for the team. He is the winningest driver in USAC Silver Crown history and has earned an unprecedented six USAC Silver Crown championships. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Feb. 8 – Last week Gas City I-69 Speedway was inundated by the biggest snowstorm so far this winter, and the groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter.
Race fans can take heart, however, because today Gas City I-69 Speedway released its eagerly-anticipated 2022 schedule featuring hot racing action this spring, summer and fall. The schedule has something for everyone, as sprint cars, modifieds, street stocks, hornets, midgets, monster trucks and everything in between will be showcased during the diversified, 20-event schedule for 2022 at the iconic Indiana track located halfway between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne.
An open “test and tune” practice day is set for Wednesday night, April 27 in preparation for the season opener on Friday night, May 6. Fans from all over Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Kentucky and elsewhere will spend their Friday nights at Gas City throughout the season, which will conclude with the fourth annual Fall Festival of Speed on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22.
Anchoring the weekly schedule on the quarter-mile clay oval will be the ever-popular non-wing sprint cars, UMP-style modifieds, street stocks and hornets. "Read more"
HAUBSTADT, Ind., Jan. 26 – With nearly $35,000 in posted purses awaiting competitors, the Midwest Sprint Car Series (MSCS) will venture to north central Indiana for a major two-night, non-wing sprint car doubleheader July 8-9 at Gas City I-69 Speedway and Kokomo Speedway.
Purses exceeding $16,000 each night will pay $5,000 to win and $250 to start the 30-lap features on the quarter-mile clay ovals.
In what is expected to be a highly anticipated weekend for fans and top sprint car teams from the Midwest, the action kicks off Friday night, July 8 at Gas City I-69 Speedway with the fifth annual “Jerry Gappens, Sr. Classic.” Gappens, who passed away in 2012, was a former driver, promoter, and the father of current track promoter Jerry Gappens, Jr. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Oct. 24 – Due to rain on Friday night, seven features were run in the second half of the third annual “Fall Festival of Speed and Non-Wing Nationals” Saturday as Gas City I-69 Speedway concluded its 2021 season in a mega day of action on the quarter-mile dirt oval.
C.J. Leary of Greenfield, Ind., won the 25-lap non-wing 410 sprint car feature held over from Friday night on Saturday afternoon, while Jason McDougal of Turtletown, Okla., won a similar 25-lap feature on Saturday night to headline the top class, which had 38 entries.
Jake Kouba of Minneapolis was victorious in the 25-lap IRA Auto Meter Wisconsin wingLESS sprint car feature postponed from Friday. Dan Wade of Kenosha, Wis., posted his first win ever in the second feature for that series Saturday night.
Pavement star Tyler Roahrig of Plymouth, Ind., the winner of this year’s Pay Less Little 500 asphalt sprint car race at nearby Anderson Speedway, won the 20-lap modified feature in only his third start ever on a dirt track.
Veteran Ervin Turner of Marion, Ind., won the 20-lap street stock main event in a division that attracted 33 entries.
Landon Arcaro of Brookville, Ind., closed the 2021 season by winning the 15-lap hornet feature in his first race ever at Gas City. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Oct. 23 — Rain halted the first half of the “Fall Festival of Speed and Non-Wing Nationals” at 10 p.m. Friday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway, forcing track officials to postpone the B- and A-mains for the non-wing 410 sprint car and Interstate Racing Association (IRA) Auto Meter Wisconsin wingLESS sprints to Saturday at 3:30 p.m. At the conclusion of that show the complete program for Saturday night will begin at 5 p.m.
The A-mains for the USAC regional midgets and the 600cc micro-sprints originally scheduled for Friday night will not be rescheduled, as they weren’t on Saturday’s card and Saturday is the track’s 2021 season finale.
There were 108 race cars on the grounds Friday, and even more are expected for the second half of the Fall Festival, as modifieds, street stocks and hornets will join the two classes of wingless sprints.
The pit gate will open at noon on Saturday for the competitors who participated Friday night and at 1:30 p.m. for the modified, street stock and hornet teams. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Oct. 19 — Midwest sprint and midget fans, drivers, and teams facing a winter of racing withdrawal have one last chance to enjoy their favorite sport in 2021 this Friday and Saturday as Gas City I-69 Speedway hosts its third annual “Fall Festival of Speed and Non-Wing Nationals” as its 2021 season finale.
Friday night’s races start at 7:30 p.m. and consist of non-wing 410 sprint cars; IRA Auto Meter Wisconsin wingLESS sprint cars; USAC Midwest Thunder regional midgets, and 600cc non-wing micros.
Saturday’s races have been moved up to start at 6 p.m. That show also features non-wing 410 sprint cars and IRA Auto Meter Wisconsin wingLESS sprint cars, which will be joined by UMP/IMCA-style modifieds, street stocks and hornets.
The pit gate opens at 3 p.m. on Friday, with the grandstands opening at 4:30 p.m. The drivers’ meeting is at 6:05 p.m.; hot laps/group qualifying is at 6:35 p.m., and the racing begins at 7:30 p.m. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., Oct. 19 — Emerson Axsom qualified fourth and finished fourth in the Nolen Racing No. 4 Saturday night at Anderson Speedway in the fourth and final non-wing sprint car race of the season at the quarter-mile, high-banked asphalt oval.
The event was the sixth annual “Tony Elliott Classic,” named in memory of the former Nolen Racing driver who was tragically killed in a private airplane accident in 2015. The event was on Paint the Night Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Night, and it was presented by CB Fabricating, “The Herald Bulletin,” and Sherwin Williams.
It was the last race of the season for both the track and for the New Whiteland, Ind.-based Nolen Racing team, as well as the final points race for the Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Super Series, which sanctioned the 125-lap race.
Axsom, 17, of Franklin, Ind., duplicated his best finish of fourth, as he finished fourth and sixth in two other 125-lap races driving for Nolen Racing at Anderson Speedway this season. Once again the young star drove a yellow Beast chassis sponsored by KECO Coatings and powered by a Tranter-prepped Chevy V6 engine.
Axsom qualified fourth with a lap in 11.377 seconds. That was only 0.385 off the fastest qualifier and eventual winner, Tyler Roahrig. It was also better than the qualifying time recorded by the defending race winner, Bobby Santo III, who qualified fifth on a brisk autumn evening with temperatures in the low fifties. "Read more"
TOLEDO, Ohio, Oct. 12 — As has been the case many times in the past in sports car racing, Lebanon, Ohio’s Doran Racing played a major role in motorsports history Sunday afternoon. This time it was USAC Silver Crown action instead of sports car racing, and the setting was the half-mile asphalt oval of Toledo Speedway instead of a road course. But history was made as Kody Swanson led all 100 laps of the USAC Silver Crown season finale in the Doran Racing No. 77 to earn an unprecedented sixth series drivers’ championship and stretch his career series win streak to a record 34.
Earlier in the day Swanson was the fastest of 22 qualifiers in the Doran No. 77, which is a Beast with a Lanci-prepared Ford engine, to earn his 36th series Fatheadz Eyewear pole, another series record. Besides giving sponsors Glenn Farms of Woodland,Ga., Lykins Energy Solutions, TJ Forged, FK Rod Ends, K&N Filters, Eibach Springs, DMI, and Tel Tac Oval Track Products more exposure, winning the pole gave Swanson three bonus points in the drivers’ championship, which he led by only a single point over Logan Seavey of Sutter, Calif., going into the season finale.
But the Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness Rollie Beale Classic was not without its nail-biters for Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now resides in the Indianapolis area.
The first issue occurred right before the race, when the team suspected that the No. 77’s right-front tire might be leaking air. The rules stipulate that if a tire is changed between qualifying and the race, the car must start at the rear of the field. Swanson has come from the rear before, but that’s harder and more perilous, as the chances of getting caught up in an accident increase. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Sept. 11 – Since Scotty Weir of Marion, Ind., and Tyler Kendall of Greenfield, Ind., were the only drivers still in contention for the 2021 Gas City I-69 Speedway non-wing sprint car championship Friday night, it was fitting that they should be the stars of the 25-lap feature. They were the only drivers who led the race, they finished first and second, and at the checkered Kendall had his first Gas City feature victory and Weir had his second track championship.
With a fourth-place feature finish, Bub Roberts of Warren, Ind., sealed up the track’s UMP modified track championship in a 20-lap race won by Todd Sherman of Churubusco, Ind.
Andy Bishop of Gas City made a statement in the street stock feature by leading all 15 laps to defend his 2020 track championship in that division.
James Headley Jr. of Wabash, Ind., had already sewed up the hornet championship, so he advanced to the street stock division Friday night. Kolton Sollars of LaFontaine, Ind., ended up with the 15-lap hornet feature victory while Alexes Spaulding of Roanoke, Ind., finished second for the second week in a row.
The 15-lap American Vintage Sprint Car Association (AVSCA) feature went to Danny Pittman of Evansville, Ind. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Sept. 4 – Lee Hobbs of Mitchell, Ind. took home $1,000 out of a $7,000 purse for winning the 20-lap Street Stock Rumble Friday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway.
Tye Mihocko of Phoenix, Ariz. earned his first 25-lap Gas City non-wing sprint car feature victory, while Chett Gehrke of Bardtown, Ky. was victorious in the 20-lap USAC SpeeD2 Midwest Thunder midget feature. Defending track champion Derek Losh of Rensselaer, Ind. won the 20-lap main event for the modifieds for his sixth such feature victory of the year, and Nick Edwards of Marion, Ind. was the surprise winner of the 15-lap hornet feature.
Street Stocks
The Street Stock Rumble lived up to its billing, as it was a lot like gang warfare on a city street despite the fact Gas City is a quarter-mile dirt oval in the country. There were seven caution flags before Hobbs took the checkered 2.751 seconds before runner-up Glenn Bradley of Marion, Ind. did the same.
Polesitter Ervin Turner, also of Marion, led the first two laps. Hobbs started third and took the lead on lap three by passing both Bradley and Turner. Right after Hobbs assumed command there was a yellow that turned into a red flag due to extensive clean-up that had to be done after Sam Casko of Westville, Ind., Chris Hunter of Kokomo, Ind. and Bill Lewis of Fountain City, Ind. crashed in Turn 4. They all got out of their cars under their own power. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., Aug. 16 — Tanner Swanson, the winningest driver ever on the oval at Lucas Oil Raceway going into Saturday’s inaugural Hoosier Classic, was one of five drivers eligible for a $100,000 bonus from Fatheadz Eyewear if they could win all three features for the USAC Silver Crown, asphalt sprint car, and asphalt midget divisions. Although the Kingsburg, Calif.-based driver didn’t earn any bonus money, he had a solid run in the sprint car feature for Nolen Racing when he started fifth and finished fourth in that 50-lapper. It was a non-points, special event in the USAC AMSOIL national sprint car series.
Swanson had top-five finishes in all three features. In addition for his efforts with the Whiteland, Ind.-based Nolen Racing, he finished fourth for Bowman Racing in the 100-lap USAC Silver Crown race and fifth for Petry Motorsports in the 50-lap main event for the midgets.
With so much money on the line, the sprint car race attracted 26 top cars, including the beautiful yellow Nolen Racing No. 4 Beast Tranter Chevy V8 sponsored in part by KECO Coatings, Goodridge and K & N Filters.
Swanson qualified sixth with a two-lap average of 21.128 seconds, but he was able to move up one position on the grid due to the luck of the invert. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., Aug. 3 — In what promises to be one of the most entertaining events in the 29-year history of Gas City I-69 Speedway, a night of power and destruction is set for Saturday night, Aug. 14 at the multi-purpose motorsports facility.
The “Night of Destruction Presented by Shrouts Auto and Recovery” (Marion, Ind.) will feature the popular monster trucks and wild school bus racing. In addition, a mini-van demo derby, a rollover competition, and a trailer race will complete the competition side of the evening.
Crushing cars and their popular “freestyle” program will be the key components of the monster trucks’ performances. Headlining the show is Hall of Famer Allen Pezo in "Predator," along with TV superstar "Strait Jacket" and fan-favorite "Pounder."
School buses will compete in a feature event and will provide some behemoth “rubbin’ and racin’” moments usually not seen in the track’s weekly racing events.
Mini-van drivers from throughout the Midwest will mix it up for a $400 first-place payday in a traditional demo-derby format.
In what promises to be a crowd pleaser, various types of vehicles will navigate a special ramp in attempting to roll over as many times as possible to win cash and bragging rights. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., Aug. 2 — Young Emerson Axsom of Franklin, Ind., continues to impress the railbirds.
On Saturday at Anderson Speedway he ran in the top five against some of the best non-wing asphalt sprint car drivers in North America, and finished a solid fourth in the 125-lap Summer Sprint Showdown presented by CB Fabricating and The Tin Plate.
He ran in third place for nearly half of Saturday’s race, and only 2.763 seconds separated him from a podium finish at the checkered.
It was the 16-year-old driver’s second pavement asphalt sprint car race ever.
In both cases he drove a Beast Chevy V6 for the Whiteland, Ind.-based Nolen Racing team owned by Greg Nolen. The car is sponsored in part by KECO Coatings and its engines are prepared by Tranter Engines.
“He did a great job and drove a smart race,” Nolen said afterwards. “He was sixth in his first asphalt sprint race [on July 10] and fourth in his second one, so that’s great progress. In both cases the fields were very competitive. To get a top-five finish against drivers who have been racing these cars for many years is a big accomplishment, especially for someone so young.” "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., July 31 – Third-generation racer Tyler Collins of North Vernon, Ind., has been around racetracks all his life, but he made his first visit ever to Gas City I-69 Speedway Friday night. It was profitable, as he earned $1,000 for winning the 20-lap crate late model feature on the quarter-mile clay oval.
Defending track champion Derek Losh of Rensselaer, Ind., also earned $1,000 after dominating the 20-lap modified feature during the “Summer Thunder” show.
The USAC Midwest Thunder SpeeD2 midget portion of the program attracted 26 entries, and defending series champion Jacob Denney, 16, of Galloway, Ohio came away as the winner of that 25-lap feature after he regained the lead from Chett Gehrke of Bardtown, Ky. on the last lap.
Lee Hobbs of Mitchell, Ind. and James Headley Jr. of Wabash, Ind., led all 15 laps of the street stock and hornet features, respectively, to close out the well-run show that was completed before 11 p.m. despite having five divisions in action.
Crate Late Models
Collins blasted by polesitter Jeremy Creech of Richmond, Ind., in Turn 4 on the first lap and then led the other 19 too to win the crate late model feature over Steve Peeden of Paragon, Ind., who started sixth. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., July 27 – After rain postponed Friday night’s show following sprint car time trials, Logan Seavey of Sutter, Calif. won an ultra-competitive 30-lap USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week feature for the USAC AMSOIL national non-wing sprint cars at Gas City I-69 Speedway Monday night.
Fourteen-year-old Darin Naida of Adrian, Mich. served notice on the national stage that he’s one to watch when he took the lead on the white-flag lap to win the companion 15-lap non-wing 600cc micro-sprint feature before a packed house.
Sprint Cars
Jake Swanson of Anaheim, Calif. started second and led the first lap of the sprint car feature before Seavey, who started fourth, took the lead from him in Turn 2 and led the next 29 laps. But it wasn’t nearly as cut and dry as that sounds, as positions changed throughout the field behind Seavey the entire race, and several competitors came on strong at the end.
Seavey had a 4.438-second lead over Swanson on lap 10. Brady Bacon, of Winchester, Ind., by way of Broken Arrow, Okla., had just passed Swanson for second after starting eighth when the race’s only caution flag flew with 11 laps down. It was necessary after Chase Jones of Greenwood, Ind. got caught in a tractor tire rimming the track low between Turns 3 and 4 while running ninth.
On the restart on lap 12 Seavey and Bacon scooted away while Swanson, Tye Mihocko of Phoenix, Ariz., and Jason McDougal of Broken Arrow, Okla., crossed the start-finish line under a blanket battling for third.
Three laps later at the halfway point Seavey had a 1.659-second lead over Bacon, who was trying everything he could think of to close the gap. Swanson was still third, but on that lap Tanner Thorson of Minden, Nev. passed both Kyle Cummins of Princeton, Ind. and Mihocko to rise from sixth to fourth. "Read more"
WINCHESTER, Ind., July 24 — Doran Racing’s Kody Swanson set two track records, extended another series record, and earned a podium finish of second place in the Rich Vogler Classic USAC Silver Crown race Thursday night at Winchester Speedway. He almost came away with the victory, as he finished just 0.050 of a second behind Justin Grant in the 100-lap race on the fast but bumpy half-mile asphalt oval with 37-degree banked turns.
Although he’s only running a partial season in this series this year, with the excellent finish he took the point lead in the championship with 204 points to Grant’s 200.
In an intense effort to nip Grant at the line, Swanson set the fastest lap of the race on the last lap, lap 100, with a time of 15.240 seconds. Grant set the second-fastest lap of the race on the same lap with a time of 15.341 seconds.
The fastest race lap was one of two track records Swanson set Thursday in the Doran Racing Beast No. 77, which is powered by a Ford V8 engine prepped by Lanci Engines and sponsored by Glenn Farms, Lykins Energy Solutions and TJ Forged wheels. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., July 20 — For the first time in track history Gas City I-69 Speedway will offer a minimum of six VIP pitside motorhome parking packages for Friday night’s opening round of the NOS Energy Drink USAC Indiana Sprint Week opener.
A designated area in the pits will be set aside for motorhome parking. The package, priced at $500, includes motorhome parking (a 25-feet by 40-feet space), four pit passes, four $20 vouchers for the track gift shop, and four $20 vouchers for the pit concession stand. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., July 20 — Non-wing 600cc micro-sprints will be the only support division for Friday night's opening round of the NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week event at Gas City I-69 Speedway.
It's a great opportunity for non-wing micro-sprint teams to race in front of a large crowd and in front of USAC owners, drivers, and sponsors. Since many of these drivers are young and looking to move up to sprint cars in the future, the networking opportunities alone are ideal. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., July 12 — Doran Racing added the Glen Niebel Classic to its long list of races won after Kody Swanson drove the team’s Glenn Farms No. 77 Beast/Binks asphalt sprint car to a hard-fought victory Saturday night at Anderson Speedway in the 20th edition of the CB Fabricating-sponsored race.
The final 61 laps of the 125-lap event on the quarter-mile, high-banked asphalt oval were a showcase of the talents of both Swanson and Tyler Roahrig, who finished second after winning this race the last three years. Lap after lap the pair ran 11-second laps inches apart, with Roahrig glued to the rear of Swanson’s car in a display of both drivers’ finesse, intense concentration, and ability to respond to changing conditions as their fuel loads lightened, the rubber wore off their tires, and the track conditions changed.
Weather was one of the factors that affected the changing track conditions. The start of the race was moved up due to intermittent sprinkles. The thunder roadsters race and the midget race supporting the Niebel Classic got in afterwards, although the midget race was shortened, and the Kenyon midget race that was supposed to end the night was canceled due to rain. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., July 12 — Emerson Axsom is a quick learner.
The 16-year-old driver from Franklin, Ind., drove a Nolen Racing asphalt sprint car to a sixth-place finish in the 20th annual CB Fabricating Glen Niebel Classic Saturday night at Anderson Speedway.
He also set the third-fastest lap of the race with a time of 11.486 seconds on lap five of 125. Only the race’s initial leader, Billy Wease, and its winner, Kody Swanson, posted a faster lap than Axsom did during the race.
The event was Axsom’s first in a pavement sprint car, and he’d only driven a dirt sprint car once in the past. It was also his first time to compete on Anderson Speedway’s quarter-mile, high-banked paved oval.
He drove the team’s Beast chassis, No. 4, which is sponsored by KECO Coating and has a V6 Tranter-prepared Chevy engine.
Axsom, the son of another Nolen Racing driver, Joe Axsom, qualified seventh with a time of 11.373, which was just 0.257 off the time posted by the fastest qualifier, Swanson. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., July 12 — In response to an on-track incident this past Friday night (July 9) in the hornet division feature, Gas City I-69 Speedway officials announced today that driver James Headley has been suspended from driving in any division for the next four weekly racing programs. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., July 10 – Scotty Weir of Marion, Ind., became the first two-time non-wing sprint car feature winner this year at Gas City I-69 Speedway during the “Beach Night Bash” show Friday night. The pits were brimming with 33 sprint cars and a total of 119 race cars in all for the five-division program that was enjoyed by the track’s largest crowd so far this year.
Chance Crum of Snohomish, Wash. posted his first career USAC Midwest Regional Midget feature victory, while defending champion Derek Losh of Rensselaer, Ind., became the first two-time modified feature winner of the season. Lee Hobbs of Mitchell, Ind. earned his second street stock feature victory of the season at the Grant County quarter-mile dirt track, and Aaron Tatman of Lafayette, Ind., captured his first career Gas City hornet feature victory.
Sprint Cars
Weir had a perfect night in the non-wing sprint car division with his white No. 4P, which is a DRC chassis powered by a Pedersen Chevy engine that is sponsored by Red’s Racing Engines, Indy Race Parts and AFCO Shocks. The current sprint car point leader was smoother than anyone else and he topped his qualifying group, won his heat, started fourth in the feature but led all 25 laps, and he also set the fastest race lap of the main event.
Runner-up Robert Ballou of Tipton, Ind., had a harder trip with his Ballou Motorsports No. 12, which is a Triple X chassis sponsored by Murray’s Body Shop, Berks Western Telecomm and Suburban Subaru, and powered by a Don Ott-prepped engine. He started 14th, but he was tenth by lap two and fifth by lap six. He ran in fourth place from laps seven through 14 before he passed Matt Westfall of Pleasant Hill, Ohio for third on lap 15 and Cole Bodine of Rossville, Ind., for second on lap 18. Ballou did his best to pass Weir during the last seven laps too, but Weir fought him off. Ballou was just 0.141 of a second behind Weir at the checkered. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., June 18 — Kody Swanson recorded a podium finish of second in the special “Thursday Night Thunder Homecoming” sprint car feature Thursday night at Lucas Oil Raceway in the Doran Racing No. 77 sponsored by Glenn Farms.
The event paid homage to the “Thursday Night Thunder” TV shows of years past and also to one of the stars of those shows, four-time NASCAR Cup champion Jeff Gordon.
Swanson, of Indianapolis, started third in the 40-lap feature in the Doran Racing Beast, which is based in Lebanon, Ohio and is powered by a Binks-prepped Chevy V8. He got under Derek Bischak, who started second beside polesitter Bobby Santos III, before they reached Turn 1 on the first lap to take over second place. Then he chased Santos, the eventual winner, the rest of the race.
Swanson cut the gap to Santos by 0.521 of a second from laps 20 through 24, as he was 0.967 behind on lap 20 but only 0.446 behind on lap 24. At that point there was a yellow flag that turned into a red flag due to a crash between Turns 1 and 2 involving the driver who was running fourth at the time, Taylor Ferns, and Don Hamilton. Luckily neither was hurt. On the restart Santos was able to pad his lead again, however.
Swanson was 0.952 of a second behind Santos at the checkered, and 0.909 of a second ahead of the third-place finisher, Billy Wease. Bischak and Dakoda Armstrong rounded out the top five in the 16-car field. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., June 18 — Tanner Swanson showed good speed in the Nolen Racing No. 4 asphalt sprint car Thursday night at Lucas Oil Raceway, but mechanical difficulties pushed the team to 13th in the 40-lap feature’s final rundown.
The event was the “Thursday Night Thunder Homecoming” show in recognition of the “Thursday Night Thunder” TV program staged at this 0.686-mile oval in the past. Four-time NASCAR Cup champion Jeff Gordon was the honored guest.
A driveline problem reared its head on Swanson’s KECO Coatings-sponsored Beast during practice and forced the team to miss the first round of qualifying. The team worked hard to make what repairs they could considering they were on pit lane and not at their Whiteland, Ind.-based shop, and time was of the essence.
Swanson was able to go out for the second round of qualifying and in it he set the third-fastest combined two-lap run of anyone entered in the race. However, since it came during the second round of qualifying and not in the first round, he could start no higher than 11th.
Things got off to a great start in the 40-lap feature, as he had improved two positions to ninth when the first lap was completed after passing Brian Vaughn, who ended up sixth, and Shane Butler, who finished ninth. He passed two more cars driven by Justin Harper and Kyle O’Gara on lap two to rise to seventh, and was drawing a bead on Dakoda Armstrong, who went on to finish fifth, when the problem resurfaced. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., June 12 – Last year Michael “Buddy” Kofoid finished second in the Indiana Midget Week USAC NOS Energy Drink national midget race at Gas City I-69 Speedway. On Friday night for the 2021 version of Indiana Midget Week at Gas City the Penngrove, Calif.-based driver did that one better, leading all 30 laps to earn a runaway, $4,000 victory over Emerson Axsom of Franklin, Ind.
Kevin Thomas Jr. of Cullman, Ala., finished sixth in the midget feature and then won the 25-lap non-wing sprint car feature by 5.221 seconds over last week’s winner, Scotty Weir of Marion, Ind. Thomas was the fourth different non-wing sprint car feature winner at Gas City this year in as many races at the quarter-mile dirt oval.
Kofoid started second in the 30-lap midget feature and already had a 1.808-second lead over polesitter Jason McDougal of Broken Arrow, Okla., by lap five. His lead was about the same, 1.802 seconds, when Justin Grant of Avon, Ind., slowed in Turn 2 and stopped on the backstretch with eight laps down while running seventh to bring out the first caution.
Axsom used the high groove in Turn 2 to pass McDougal for second on the restart, but Kofoid was already way ahead. Kofoid’s 2.163-second lead evaporated with 13 laps down, however, when the second yellow waved for a four-car crash in Turn 4 involving Jerry Coons Jr. of Cloverdale, Ind.; Chris Windom, a native of Canton, Ill.; Hayden Williams of Auckland, New Zealand, and Bryant Wiedeman of Colby, Kan. All escaped unhurt. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., June 5 – Scotty Weir had to fight off all comers for five restarts in the 25-lap non-wing sprint car feature Friday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway. Each restart erased his lead, but the Marion, Ind.-based driver was up to the challenge and led every lap to beat Shane Cockrum of Benton, Ill. to the checkered by 1.541 seconds and score a popular victory.
Bryce Massingill of Troy, Ohio took the lead from polesitter Ian Creager of Covington, Ohio on lap four and was 0.437 of a second ahead of Creager at the checkered on lap 25 of the USAC Midwest Thunder SpeeD2 midget feature. That series was an added attraction to the “Monkey Wrench Mania” program that featured five different divisions but was still completed by 11:30 p.m.
Fans who wondered when defending modified track champion Derek Losh would win his first modified feature at Gas City in 2021 got their answer, as the Rensselaer, Ind.-based driver won that 20-lapper by a whopping 8.846 seconds over Dillon Nusbaum of Warsaw, Ind.
The street stock and hornet divisions each had 15-lap features. Lee Hobbs of Mitchell, Ind., became the third different street stock feature winner in as many races for that division so far this year at Gas City. It’s a different story in the hornet division, as James Headley Jr. of Wabash, Ind., has won all three hornet features so far this year, including the one on Friday night in which he led every lap. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., June 1 — The late Gene Nolen, founder of Nolen Racing, dearly loved fielding cars powered by Chevy V6 engines against the V8s in the biggest asphalt sprint car race in the world, the Pay Less Little 500 presented by UAW at Anderson Speedway.
He would be pleased that his son, Greg, is continuing that tradition, and that Tanner Swanson drove a Nolen Racing V6 to a podium finish in the 73rd annual edition of the race Saturday night.
Swanson, of Kingsburg, Calif., started fifth and finished third in the Nolen Racing Beast No. 4 sponsored by KECO Coatings and powered by a Tranter-prepped Chevy V6.
Shane Hollingsworth of Lafayette, Ind., who finished second for the Whiteland, Ind.-based team in this race last year, made his way deliberately through the field from his 14th-place starting spot in the Nolen Racing Beast No. 20, which is also sponsored by KECO Coatings with a Tranter-prepped Chevy V6. He was as high as eighth. Unfortunately he was involved in a three-car accident in Turns 1 and 2 on lap 187 while running in tenth place, and was forced to make the walk back to the pits while his car returned there on the hook of a wrecker. "Read more"
ANDERSON, Ind., May 31 — Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon, Kurt Busch and the late John Andretti made headlines when they did the “Memorial Day Double,” racing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca Cola 600 on the same day. Stewart had the best results, finishing sixth at Indy and third at Charlotte 20 years ago.
On Saturday Kody Swanson did the “Memorial Day Triple.” He didn’t record quite as many laps as the others mentioned did. He was transported between two tracks not by aircraft, but in the family’s SUV driven by his wife and spotter, Jordan. But he had better results than all of them while competing in three different race cars in three races in one day instead of just two, recording two wins and one runner-up finish.
In the morning he won the 100-lap USAC Silver Crown season opener at Lucas Oil Raceway (LOR). In the afternoon he won the 30-lap midget portion of the Carb Night Classic at the same track. And on Saturday night he finished second in the toughest asphalt sprint car race in the world, the 500-lap Pay Less Little 500 presented by UAW at Anderson Speedway.
In two of the three races he was driving for Doran Racing. He put a USAC Silver Crown car fielded by the Lebanon, Ohio-based team in victory lane at LOR, and then finished second, only 4.667 seconds behind Tyler Roahrig, in one of the team’s asphalt sprint cars in the 73rd edition of Anderson Speedway’s biggest race. In both cases the cars he drove were blue, number 77, Beast chassis and they were sponsored by Glenn Farms and Lykins Energy Solutions. "Read more"
BROWNSBURG, Ind., May 31 — Kody Swanson only plans to compete in the asphalt USAC Silver Crown races this year, but he made the most of the opportunity by winning the series’ season opener, the Carb Night Classic, Saturday morning at Lucas Oil Raceway in the Doran Racing No. 77.
The 100-lap race on the 0.686-mile oval was postponed Friday night due to rain.
Swanson used lapped traffic to dive under his perennial rival, Bobby Santos III, coming out of Turn 4 on lap 64 to take the lead in the Doran Racing No. 77, which is sponsored by Glenn Farms and Lykins Energy Solutions and uses a Lanci-prepped Ford engine. He then drove away from the field to post a 4.219-second victory over Santos and collect the winner’s purse of $10,000. David Byrne finished third in the event, which attracted the largest field for a pavement Silver Crown race in nearly a decade.
Swanson, the five-time series champion, and Doran Racing have worked together previously and won events in other series, but it was the first USAC Silver Crown race and the first series victory for the Lebanon, Ohio-based team famous for its accomplishments in sports car racing. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., May 15 – The answer to the question “Who’s the Boss?” was Brady Bacon Friday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway, as the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS) non-wing sprint cars staged a thriller at the quarter-mile dirt track.
After a violent start to the 25-lap main event with two separate flips by Ben Knight and defending track champion Max Adams, the top runners ran under a blanket numerous times in the beginning stages of the race, often three abreast.
That was more than a little exciting, but when they caught the tail of the field it became a sprint car feature for the ages. They weaved their way by other competitors, sometimes getting boxed in, sometimes having to take evasive action, sometimes clearing other drivers’ cars by the smallest of margins, and in a couple of cases making slight contact. Despite the pressure they had to keep a clear head, their tempers in check, and be patient while simultaneously going as fast as possible as they pursued the $2,000 winner’s check. In the end that went to Bacon, a native of Broken Arrow, Okla., who now lives in Richmond, Ind.
The other feature winners Friday night arguably had an easier time, as they “only” had to fight off the drivers behind them. Dillon Nusbaum of Warsaw, Ind., led all 20 laps of the modified feature; Ervin Turner of Marion, Ind., led all 15 laps of the street stock feature, and James Headley Jr. of Wabash, Ind., led all 15 laps of the hornet feature. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., May 8 – Thomas Meseraull of Waveland, Ind., celebrated his 40th birthday in victory lane following both the 25-lap non-wing sprint car feature and the 20-lap USAC Midget Cup series feature Friday night as Gas City I-69 Speedway opened its 2021 season.
Following a bizarre lap 19, Bub Roberts of Warren, Ind., got the lead for the second time on the 20th and final lap to win the modified feature. Mike Fincher of Rochester, Ind., had a bit more padding, as he led the final two laps to win the 15-lap street stock feature. A familiar name was in victory lane following the 15-lap hornet feature, as James Headley Jr. of Wabash, Ind., won that main event after a spirited battle with Nick Edwards of Marion, Ind., who was making his first start in the No. 02.
Scotty Weir of Marion, Ind., got the best of polesitter Clinton Boyles of Brownsburg, Ind. at the start of the sprint feature before Boyles flipped the famous Paul Hazen No. 57 in Turn 4 before one lap of the sprint feature was in the books. Luckily the rest of the field missed him and the former track champion crawled out unhurt.
Weir led the first seven laps, holding off Ricky Lewis of Ventura, Calif. first, then Zack Pretorius of Yorktown, Ind., and finally Meseraull, who passed Pretorius for second on lap six. Meseraull charged to the outside of Weir in Turn 4 working lap eight and led the rest of the way. His rivals had another chance on a restart following a red for Harley Burns of Brazil, Ind., who flipped between Turns 3 and 4 with nine laps down. Luckily he was unhurt too. "Read more"
GAS CITY, Ind., April 22 – Due to the weekend’s weather forecast, Gas City I-69 Speedway’s open “Test and Tune” practice session and “Media Day” has been rescheduled from this Saturday to this Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
As an added attraction, the general public will be able to enjoy the "Greatest Thrill Ride in Indiana," as Gas City I-69 Speedway will debut its new two-seater sprint car during Sunday's sessions.
Veteran USAC AMSOIL national sprint car and Silver Crown driver Matt Goodnight will be behind the wheel to give his passengers five hot laps around Gas City's quarter-mile clay oval. The cost is $100 per person ($30 pit pass and $70 ride fee). The track is slotting four spots every 20 minutes from noon to 5 p.m. Riders must make reservations on the track’s website at GasCityI69Speedway.com to guarantee a spot. Any remaining spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis on Sunday. Firesuits and helmets will be provided. Riders must be 14 years of age or older. (Minors must have completed liability forms, which will be available at the track.) "Read more"
INDIANAPOLIS, April 17 — As the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series begins, KECO Coatings marks its 24th year of partnership with Sam Schmidt, co-owner of Arrow McLaren SP, in one of the longest partnerships in the series.
KECO Coatings uses racing to showcase the technical expertise and resources it brings to its customers and as a mobile laboratory for research and development. For example, KECO applies data gathered from Arrow McLaren SP’s race cars to improve its coating processes used on exhaust systems, wheels, suspension systems and other racing components.
“We look forward to watching Sam’s team in all the IndyCar races this year, and especially the Indianapolis 500 on May 30, as we are headquartered in Indianapolis,” said Mike Klinge, president of KECO Coatings. “The same kind of attention to detail that the Arrow McLaren SP team showcases is what our employees strive for when coating racing components and other items. There are many similarities between racing and business. At KECO we also want to be the very best and bring our customers the best coatings that science offers.”
“I am really excited to continue with KECO, which has been with me since before this team even started,” said Schmidt. “They began partnering with me back when I was a driver myself, and have continued to support this team throughout the years. We share a lot of the same goals and values, which makes them a great fit to continue on with Arrow McLaren SP for the 2021 IndyCar season.” "Read more"
Restart Communications LLC l P.O. Box 24358 l Speedway, Indiana 46224-0358 l (317)-201-0729 l Email: LKMRestart@gmail.com
