SWANSON LOOKING FOR 4TH CONSECUTIVE HOOSIER HUNDRED WIN ON MAY 24
By: Jay Hardin - Track Enterprises Staff
Indianapolis, Indiana………Kingsburg, California’s Kody Swanson is atop the 2018 USAC Silver Crown standings and enters the enters the prestigious Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds with an opportunity to tie a record once thought to be as hard to reach as any in auto racing. In September of 1973, Al Unser and the Vel’s Parnelli Jones Racing team captured its fourth consecutive victory in the annual race at the Indy Mile – the only occasion of a driver winning four straight events at one of the three traditional dirt miles the USAC Silver Crown Champ Cars annually compete on.
During the USAC Week of Indy on Thursday night, May 24, Swanson and the DePalma Motorsports team have an opportunity to join that exclusive club exemplified by brilliant dominance, especially in this modern era in which the equipment and speed throughout the field are so equal. In fact, Kody has accomplished the three-peat feat in the very same car during his wins in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
The legendary “Arizona Cowboy” Jimmy Bryan won three consecutive Hoosier Hundred events in 1954, 1955 and 1956 driving the famed Dean Van Lines Kuzma dirt car for another legend, chief mechanic Clint Brawner. All four of Unser’s Hoosier wins were in the same Grant King car owned by Vel Miletch and Parnelli Jones with two coming in Johnny Lightning livery for chief wrench George Bignotti and the other two in the Viceroy colors.
Swanson’s three victories on the flat, tricky one-mile dirt track were near copies of each other. Swanson let others lead in 2014 before taking the top spot and leading the last 23 circuits; he was perhaps less patient in 2015 taking the lead for the last 33 circuits before pulling into victory lane. He also led the last 33 circuits in 2016 after starting third. The majority of Swanson’s success has come at the wheel of a car with familiar livery. Swanson’s chief mechanic is the legendary Bob Hampshire who won three Hoosier Hundred races and two national championships with Jack Hewitt at the wheel of the red and white number 63, a scheme currently piloted by Swanson.
Swanson, Bryan and Unser are among a select group of fourteen drivers who have won 100-mile championship dirt car races on the three remaining active one mile dirt tracks in the United States, Indianapolis, Springfield and Du Quoin. While Bryan (55 & 56) and Unser (1970) swept the three in the same season, Swanson accomplished the feat over a four-year period. He first won at DuQuoin in 2010, placed the Indiana mile on the list in May of 2014 and completed the trifecta by winning at Springfield in August of the same year.
Swanson won the most recent event on the pavement at Toledo, while Bobby Santos won the season opener at Phoenix and Justin Grant captured the Sumar Classic at Terre Haute. Practice for the 2018 Hoosier Hundred is slated for 5 p.m. EDT, with qualifications at approximately 6:30 and the 2018 Hoosier Hundred beginning around 8 p.m.
About Track Enterprises:
Track Enterprises is a racing promotion company that oversees popular events that feature top touring series like the ARCA Racing Series, USAC Racing, Dirtcar UMP, POWRi Racing, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, CRA, Southern Super Series, and more. The company also oversees all racing promotions at Macon Speedway, Lincoln Speedway, and the Terre Haute Action Track.
For more information on the upcoming racing schedule, visit www.trackenterprises.com, like the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TrackEnterprises, or call the office at 217-764-3200.
