For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
E-mail: LKMRestart@gmail.com
Cell: (317) 201-0729

 

Swanson Finishes Fourth in Rollie Beale Classic at Toledo
In Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods No. 77

TOLEDO, Ohio, April 21 — Kody Swanson extended his career record of poles won in USAC Silver Crown competition to 55 Saturday at Toledo Speedway, and then went on to finish fourth in the Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness Rollie Beale Classic with Doran Binks Racing’s Mission Foods/Glenn Farms No. 77.

Last year Swanson, a native of Kingsburg, Calif., who now lives in Brownsburg, Ind., led all 100 laps of this race for his eighth win and sixth straight on this particular half-mile paved oval. On Saturday it was Justin Grant who was able to dominate. Grant started second and edged ahead of Swanson with a move to the outside just past the flagstand and heading into Turn 1 on the first lap. After leading that lap Grant went on to lead the 99 laps that followed in the race, which went nonstop.

Swanson held second place for the first 36 laps around the green track, as the day’s activities were delayed by rain. Tyler Roahrig, who had started fifth, ran side-by-side with Swanson for three laps before Roahrig finally got by him for second place on the outside on the backstretch. While they were battling Grant was able to pad his lead to over 2 seconds.

As the race progressed Roahrig was able to spurt ahead and Swanson had his hands full holding off Dakoda Armstrong, who was nipping at the fuel tank of Swanson’s Lanci Ford-powered No. 77.

It was a colossal battle, and it wasn’t until lap 83 that Armstrong was able to gain the advantage by slipping under him coming out of Turn 4 to nail down the show position.

Swanson stayed in fourth place until the checkered flag, finishing 0.803 of a second ahead of the fifth-place finisher, C.J. Leary.

Swanson set the third-fastest lap of the race, behind Grant and Roahrig, with a time of 15.765 seconds on lap 12.

After a rain delay on Saturday, Honest Abe qualifying was combined with two rounds of practice mid-afternoon. Swanson topped both sessions to earn his 55th series pole and his ninth at Toledo, extending both of those records. He ran a 15.273-second lap in the first round and then trimmed 0.050 of a second off that in the second round to win the pole with a lap of 15.223 seconds.

Saturday’s race, like all the USAC Silver Crown events, was livestreamed by Flo Racing.

The next race is the Rich Vogler Classic May 4 at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway. Swanson led all 100 laps of that race last year enroute to an unprecedented eighth series championship.

"I certainly wish that [Saturday’s] race would have turned out better, but I'm thankful for all of the effort from everyone to give us a chance,” Swanson said. “We definitely had a fast car early in the day, and I’m glad to have won the pole, but I just missed it with something there in the feature. I gave it my all to try to get the best finish we could, but it was a tough 100 laps. Thanks again to Doran Binks Racing, Mission Foods, Wilke Orthodontics and Glenn Farms for all of their support. I’m looking forward to having another chance in a couple weeks at Winchester."

For more information see DoranRacing.com and USACRacing.com.

About Mission Foods:
The Gruma Corporation began in 1949 and is today the leading tortilla manufacturer worldwide. Mission Foods is a proud subsidiary of Gruma, and as the #1 tortilla company in the United States, manufactures a wide variety of authentic Mexican products. Five years ago it opened a state-of-the-art plant in Dallas, Texas, with the capacity to produce 30 million tortillas daily. Today Mission Foods is a global company, with special emphasis not only on the United States but also Mexico, Central America, Europe, China, Malaysia, and Australia. Its products include flour and corn tortillas; tostadas; low-carb, whole wheat, organic and gluten-free items; wraps; flatbreads such as naan, pita and roti; tortilla chips and organic chips; chicharrones; salsa, and dips. For more information see missionfoods.com.

Linda Mansfield/Restart Communications
E-mail: LKMRestart@gmail.com
Cell: (317) 201-0729